Series: Ephesians
Title: In Whom We Have
Redemption
Text: Ephesians 1: 7
Date: March 17, 2013
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
In verses 3-6, we looked in
detail at five spiritual blessings God gave his people before the foundation of
the world: 1) Election in Christ, 2) Holiness in him, 3) Predestinated us, 4) to
experience the adoption of children into the family of God, and 5) Acceptance
in the Beloved.
Today, we will begin to see
the manner in which the Father chose to open this glorious mysterious to his
people which was by trusting his Son to redeem us and gather us together in him.
Title: In Whom We Have Redemption
Ephesians 1:7: In whom we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Divisions: 1) The Redeemer himself—“in whom”; 2)
Who are redeemed—“we” 3) Redemption and its price--“redemption through his blood;”
4) The fruit of redemption—“the forgiveness of sins” 5) The source of it all—“the
riches of his grace.”
I. THE REDEEMER HIMSELF—“In whom”--It
is a must to make sure we know who this is before we speak of his work. Paul
warned of some preaching “another jesus.” (2 Corinthians 11: 4)
The
Jesus we are speaking of is God, the second person in the trinity.
Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be
saved.
Some
preach a Jesus who is not God. But Jesus Christ is God, God the Son—equal with
the Father and the Holy Spirit. He declared in Revelation 22: 16, “I am the
ROOT and the OFFSPRING of David.” The
Root means he is David’s Lord, David’s God. He gave David life. The Offspring
of David means he came in the flesh through the family of David. He was “made of the seed of David according
to the flesh.” (Rom 1: 3) Jesus Christ
is both David’s Everlasting Father and the Son of David. Jesus is God and Man.
Why
is this so important? It important to first establish that the Jesus we are
speaking of is the GodMan, Mediator, because it his eternal Godhead which makes
the redemption he accomplished, ETERNAL redemption.
Application: If they come to your door to tell you about Jesus.
Ask them this question: “Is Jesus Christ the Son of David?” If they answer,
“yes” then ask, “If David called him Lord how then is he David’s Son?” The answer is because he is also David’s God.
When the Lord Jesus asked that question, “No man was able to answer
him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.”
(Mt 22: 46)
So first, “in whom” means
Jesus Christ the GodMan. He is God and Man in one person.
II. NOW LET’S SEE WHO THE “WE” REFERS TO—“In whom WE have
redemption…”
Having just preached “Love
of Election”, we will not spend a great deal of time here. You know that the
“we” are the elect: v3:…“he hath chosen
us in him before the foundation of the world,”
Some teach what is called “universal
redemption.” They say Christ made redemption available to all sinners without
exception. Most who teach universal redemption say Christ did not actually redeem
anyone when he died. They say he merely made it possible for all men. Others say there is a difference in the words
“redemption through” and “redemption by.”
They teach that ALL sinners were redeemed BY Christ but the ELECT were
redeemed THROUGH Christ. This is a lie
the same as the other.
Universal atonement is not
just a minor point wherein some differ from us—it is vain free will, works
religion. It makes Christ to have died in
vain, declaring that there are some for whom Christ died who perish in
hell. Also, it exalts sinners, saying ultimately
the reason they are redeemed is because they decided to receive him. Thus it is not the grace of God that saves,
but the will of the sinner. I detest any
teaching that declares my successful Redeemer a failure. And I detest any doctrine that makes my
Sovereign Redeemer to depend upon a sinner for anything. Christ does not need you to help him, you
need Christ to do everything in your salvation. Salvation is of the Lord.
The truth of God declared in
this book is that Christ accomplished the redemption of a particular people—the
elect. We call this doctrine “particular
redemption” or “limited atonement.” It is the gospel. The “we” are those God
chose in Christ before the foundation of the world. Our being in Christ before the foundation is
why Christ came to redeem us after we fell in Adam. It was not our redemption
that made us the bride of Christ. Each elect child was in Christ before we fell
in Adam.
Illustration: A king marries his son to a pure
virgin. Then she’s carried off by thieves, tied up and held for ransom. Yet,
while in that state she’s still the king's daughter and the son's wife. When
her husband goes to where she is he knows who it is he going to save. When he conquers her captors and takes her
back to himself she is still his wife as she was before. Now she sees his great
love for her.
So it was with Christ. He
knew who it was he came to redeem when he came.
It was not our redemption that made us the bride of Christ. Each elect
child was given to Christ—his bride—before we fell in Adam. God saves on
purpose. He did not send his Son to lay
down his life in hopes someone would believe on him. It was announced before
his birth, call his name “Jesus for he shall save HIS PEOPLE from their sins.”
John
10: 15:…I lay down my life for the sheep…26:…ye are not my sheep…
Isaiah
53:8: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Preachers try to take the
offense out of the cross but doing so they make the cross of Christ of no effect.
III. REDEMPTION AND ITS PRICE—“In whom WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH
HIS BLOOD…” Redemption is spiritual deliverance by the payment of the ransom
price.
All mankind sinned in
Adam. Sin was not God’s fault, it was
mans. The LORD says,
Isaiah
50: 1…which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your
iniquities have ye sold yourselves,…
Sin is a debt we can never
pay. The law and justice of God is the creditor we owe. God is just.
He will not show mercy at the expense of his justice. The ransom price
God’s peopled owed the law was death. Therefore,
sin held us in bondage. Our very nature was in bondage.
Application: Horrible bondage! Some of you sitting here now don’t think
you’re nature is in bondage because bondage is all you have ever known. Let me
try to explain what it is.
Before sin entered, Adam was
a free man. Fellowship with God was a
joy to him. Adam and Eve were naked and
were not ashamed because they were free from sin,no sin to defile his
conscious.
He didn’t need law to serve
and worship God—the law was not made for a righteous man. It must have been
awhile later before God gave the law to Adam because it says “out of the ground
made the LORD God TO GROW every tree”, including “the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil.” Unless, God made the
trees spring up superfast then Adam had communion with God for a long time
before the law was even given. But there was no need for law to worship and
serve God. When you are one you worship
and serve God in love. Adam was perfect.
God could fellowship with Adam and Adam with God.
But as soon as Adam
transgressed, an immediate change inside him. We can tell what was in his
heart, by the dead works he did outwardly. Inside, guilt shackled his
conscious. Fear of punishment seized his heart. Ambition to change what he was
consumed him. He wasn’t comfortable with himself anymore, sin filled his mind. He
wanted to cover himself up. A moment
before, communion with God was a joy, now the thought of God made him burn.
Instead of coming to the Light when he heard the Voice of God he sulked away
into the darkness to hide.
I remember that myself. The
room could be loud with everyone talking about worldly things: I would be
smiling, laughing, talking. But let a
godly person walk in the room and start talking about God, within I became
aggravated. I’d try to ease out without
being noticed. It was the Voice of God and I wanted to slink away into the
darkness to hide from God. I thought, what would make anyone want to give up my
sweet liberty for that bitter bondage of being a servant of righteousness. My
mind was set on things of this earth. Spiritual things filled me with fearful
thoughts. I had no idea that was what
they meant by spiritual bondage. I thought the believer was the one deceived!
We owed a debt we could not
pay! Brethren, can you imagine how many
sins you have committed in your lifetime.
Just the sins we know, would be incredible. But add the sins we aren’t even aware
of. We breathe sin. And “God shall bring every work into judgment,
with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be
evil. (Ecclesiastes 12: 14) Now think of the fact that we are utterly incapable
of paying the debt we owe. How we need a Redeemer?
In order to give us a new
heart, for God to receive us in glory, Christ had to redeem us from the curse
of the law—the debt we owed to justice had to be paid—we owed death—the price
was his blood--we have redemption
THROUGH HIS BLOOD
We owed death. Life is in the blood and “without shedding of
blood is no remission” of sins (Heb 9: 22)
Acts
20:28:…the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
1
Peter 1: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was
manifest in these last times for you,
Election and redemption go
together. Christ was foreordained to lay down his life for those God chose in
him. Even after we sinned, he still came
forth because he loved us—his is precious blood. Think how much greater the last Adam is over
the first. Both began holy. Adam as a full grown man in a sin less world; but
Christ grew up from an infant in a sin-filled environment. Christ endured a contradiction of sinners
against him. Satan tempted him
repeatedly. The law looked him over for
33 years, within and without and said here is a fit man: holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners. God moved Pilot to confess it with his mouth,
“I find no fault in this man.” Then our
great Redeemer showed the perfection of his heart, the perfection of faith and
love, trusting the Father to justify him once justice was satisfied, he
willingly gave himself to be made sin for those he loved. Oh, what a Redeemer
we have! And what price paid! His blood.
Notice these important words
“WE HAVE redemption through his blood.” Redemption
is not made effectual by the believer nor is it done the day we believe. We have nothing to do with making the work of
Christ effectual. Christ accomplished
the work himself on the cross. When Christ laid down his life for his sheep,
Christ paid the price of redemption so that those for whom he died are redeemed
Hebrews
9: 12:…by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption [for us.]
Isaiah
53:10: Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:…
Galatians
3:13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for
us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
When Christ atoned for the
sin of his people by his blood, justice was satisfied and every demand of the
law fulfilled. Christ comes to his
people and says to Satan, “Loose him, let him go.” The Spirit gives us life and
reveals in our hearts—we have redemption.
Illustration: I sat on the back pew. It was hard
work trying to act like I was listening and shut out what was being said all at
the same time. Over the course of time
something strange happened. My joy started to become sinful to me. Those words
that always grieved me began to sound pleasant—down in my heart. My freedom began to become bondage—the gospel
that once sounded like bondage began to lift a heavy weight off my heart. I became aware of my sin, that every thought
was sin and against God. There was a respect for God that was not there
before. I began to believe the things
Christ accomplished were done for me. Before, I pushed back. Now, my heart feel
comforted. I began to realize, God chose
me. Christ was bearing my sin on the
cross. I found myself mourning that he
bore the cross because of me but at the same time I was crying for joy that he
did. I was amazed!
IV. THE FRUIT OF HIS REDEMPTION—“even the forgiveness of sins”
Colossians
2: 13: Having forgiven you all trespasses—all means past, present, and future.
Titus
2: 14: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Romans
5: 9: Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from
wrath through him.
Forgiveness of sins by his
blood, pardon given, righteousness imputed and justification by his blood is
all given to his people through his blood.
V. THE SOURCE OF ALL—“according to the riches of his grace.” Notice
“riches” is plural.
Believer, do you have
trouble with assurance that you now have redemption through his blood? In Isaiah 40 verse 1, my Master tells me to
speak comfortably to you, to cry unto you, that your warfare is accomplished,
that your iniquity is pardoned: for you have received of the LORD’S hand DOUBLE
for all your sins. So every time ONE sin
troubles you, confess your sin to the Lord and think of TWO RICHES OF HIS GRACE
for that one sin. Two sins troubling
you? Go to him and confess it, think FOUR RICHES OF HIS GRACE. You say, “But
ALL I am is sin.” Then remember HE HAS
REWARDED YOU DOUBLE RICHES OF HIS GRACE!
Think on him—he is precious, his blood is precious, more precious than
gold and silver that perishes. “But I have sins, sins, sins—but riches, riches,
riches of grace.” He says, “I remember your sins no more.” He has done it,
Ephesians
2: 7: That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace.
One
day we will have that communion with our Redeemer better than Adam had—eternal!
Revelation
5:9: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to
open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy
blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Now believer…
1 Corinthians
6:20:…ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in
your spirit, which are God’s.
Amen!