Bible Commentaries
Ephesians 1

Verses 1-14

VIII

ELECTION, FOREORDINATION, ADOPTION, GRACE –

SALVATION CORNERSTONES Ephesians 1:1-14.

In the historical introduction attention was called to the characteristics of this letter. Let us recall these characteristics. It is a letter of exuberant Joy. There is not a pessimistic note or tone in it. The circumstances of Paul’s own imprisonment cast no shadow over its glowing pages. It treats of salvation by grace.

Salvation, from its incipiency in the divine purpose before the world was created, to its consummation in glory, is all of grace.

The divine sovereignty is exalted throughout, and the divine love is the fountain medium and application of salvation. This brings out in a marked degree the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – distinguishing with great clearness the peculiar office of each in the salvation of men. The Father is the source, the Son is the medium, and the Holy Spirit applies. All the divine attributes are magnified – infinite holiness, love, wisdom, omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.

The salvation is according to a well-ordered plan, and worked out without accident or confusion to a glorious end. What love desired, that wisdom planned, intelligence chose, will decreed, and Providence worked out, making contributory thereto the whole universe with all its material laws and spiritual intelligences. No detail is left to chance; all means are included, whether friendly or hostile. Each link of the chain is forged by infinite wisdom and power, and the whole phain, infallibly strong in all its parts, extends from eternity to eternity.

What of this plan was mystery to the finite mind in Old Testament days is made manifest in the revelation of Christ. God’s apparent partiality toward a particular nation is now disclosed to be an equal love for all nations. Jew and Gentile are made one, and aliens and strangers become fellow citizens in the commonwealth of him who is no respecter of persons. Christian character and service) as fruits of antecedent grace, magnify him whose holiness is repugnant to sin and idleness. The whole letter is designed, not only to glorify the sovereignty of God, but to promote purity of heart and life.

We take up the exposition, following the order of the analysis given in the last chapter. The first item of the analysis is the greeting (Ephesians 1:1). In most of his greetings Paul first announces his authority, "an apostle," and, second, that he is such by the will of God. Those addressed are called "saints" with reference to their profession rather than character, and "believers" or "faithful" with reference to their subjective state. He invokes on them, as upon all to whom he writes, grace) and peace.

We come now to the ascription of blessedness to God because he blessed us. This item extends from Ephesians 1:3-14. Let the reader note the use of the past tense (the Greek aorist), and not the perfect tense. It is hardly proper in this connection to say "who hath blessed us." It means "who blessed us," referring to a time long past. That tense goes all the way through. We will be able to see the force of this presently.

Let us notice, in the second place, the distinction in meaning when we bless God and when he blesses us. When we bless God we ascribe blessedness to him; when he blesses us he confers blessings. In the Old Testament the term "blessed" is applied quite often to men. In the New Testament the term is used, I think, about eight times, and always refers to God.

Now let us analyze a sentence twelve verses long (Ephesians 1:3-14). I have yet to find a man who has thoroughly followed that sentence clear through and kept up the connection. The grammatical construction is exceedingly difficult, making a clear analysis very hard, because the apostle, like a Titan, piles mountains upon top of mountains in his thoughts. He is very economic in his use of periods. No matter how difficult, let us try to analyze it, particularly that "blessed us," which in Ephesians 1:3 is in the past tense. We want to analyze it as follows: Place where he blessed us? He blessed us in heavenly places. Time when he blessed us? Before the world was. In whom he blessed us? In Christ – we were not there personally. In what he blessed us? In all spiritual blessings; temporal blessings are not taken into account at all. How did God bless us then and there, that is, in heaven before the world was? In election, foreordination, and grace. That is how he blessed us before we existed; in his purpose of election, in his foreordination, and in his grace. We notice how frequently he brings in both foreordination and election, and therefore as he blessed us in election and foreordination we want to see what those words mean.

I take up the first one – election. What is it? Abstractly it means choice. Concretely there may be an election of a nation, like Israel, for a national or typical purpose, but that is not what he is discussing here. He is discussing the election of individuals, or persons. When did this election take place? Before the world was. As it took place then, and as we were not existing then, in whom did it take place? We were elected in Christ. To what end were we elected? That we should be holy and without blemish in love. That is what the text says about the election.

The other term used is "foreordination." First, what is it? It is a decree beforehand. To obtain is to decree, and foreordination is a decree beforehand. Who were ordained? The individuals that were chosen. Unto what were they ordained? Unto adoption as sons. Through whom were they adopted as sons? Through Christ. According to what was this foreordination of the adoption as sons through Christ? According to the good pleasure of his will? It could not be according to anything in us; it was anterior to our being. To what end was that foreordination? To the praise of the glory of his grace.

Let us now see how far we have advanced. He blessed us – where? In heaven. When? Before the world was. In whom? In Christ. In what? All spiritual blessings. How could he do that then and there? In election, foreordination, and grace. What is election? Choice toward individuals. When was this choice made? Before the world was. As we were not there then, in whom was it made? In Christ. To what end? That we should be holy and without blemish in love. He blessed us at that time in foreordination. What does that mean? To decree beforehand. Concerning whom? The particular individuals that were elected. Unto what? Unto adoption as sons. Through whom? Through Jesus Christ. According to what? According to the good pleasure of his will. To what end? To the praise of the glory of his grace.

That brings in another term – grace – in which he then blessed us. What is grace? Unmerited favor. How is that bestowed? Freely, gratuitously. I once heard a man say, "free gratis, for nothing, without charge." That is the way it is bestowed. As we were not there, in whom was it bestowed? In Christ, the beloved. The blessings that I am to receive as a Christian were not bestowed upon me, the hateful, but in Christ, the beloved. I will get to them by getting into him, and be complete in him.

So far we have analyzed that sentence up to the specifications of the blessings. The first specification is adoption. What is adoption? Adoption is a form of law by which one not naturally a child is legally made a child and heir. Just as if a father should go to the Orphans’ Home and select a little orphan, with nothing in it to recommend it, take that child according to the forms of law and receive it into his family, so that under the law it will inherit just as much as if it were born in that family. That is adoption.

When does adoption take place? It is not like election and foreordination. We were foreordained to adoption; when the time comes we get it. We are all children of God by faith, but as John expresses it, "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become sons of God, even as many as believed on him." So our adoption takes place at the time when we believe, and when we receive Christ as our Saviour. Foreordination took place way back yonder in eternity, but the fruitage, the adoption, takes place in time. How is this adoption signified to us? How am I to tell when I am adopted? Whenever in the heart of a believer there comes a filial feeling toward God, "He hath sent forth the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father."

I remember distinctly when that filial feeling came into my own heart. Before I was converted I thought of God as distant, dreadful, unapproachable, and did not like to think about him. But when I believed on Jesus Christ and the spirit of adoption came into my heart, I could not say often enough, "Father! Father! Father!" I would wake in the night and say it.

In heaven, before the creation of the world, he blessed us in all spiritual blessings, but he blessed us then in election, foreordination, and grace. Later the election, foreordination, and grace fruited in adoption. He elected us, foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Let us take the next blessing that is specified. "In whom we have our redemption." What is redemption? To redeem means to buy back that which bad been sold. We were sold under sin, we were in bondage, under the power of Satan, a lawful captive to Satan. Christ proposes, as one of the blessings of salvation, to buy us back, to redeem us. So redemption is buying back. What is the price? His blood on the cross. We notice over in Peter, he says: "You were purchased, not with corruptible things like silver and gold, but with the blood of Christ." Redemption and adoption are both legal terms. They relate to the external aspects of salvation, while regeneration and sanctification relate to the internal aspects.

The next blessing is forgiveness of our sins. This stands in apposition with redemption – redemption, which is the forgiveness of sins: "Our redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins. " That idea of redemption is peculiar to these prison letters. In Colossians the word "redemption" is so interpreted, but let us get the distinction between redemption and forgiveness. Redemption, or buying back, implies that we were sold under sin and had to be bought back. Redemption consists in loosing the bond of sin, it consists in remission or forgiveness of sin. Forgiveness of sin, throughout the Bible, particularly throughout the New Testament, is a great covenant blessing. See how it is referred to in Hebrews as one of the three great blessings of the new covenant (Hebrews 8:9-13) to wit:

1. "I will write my law in their minds" – not on tablets of stone.

2. "All shall know me experimentally."

3. "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." In the sacrifices of the Old Testament the sins were simply passed over until the true expiation came. So that we may count the actual expiation of sins as a great blessing of the new covenant.

Just here arises a question which has confused many. If sins under the old covenant were merely passed over until the antitype of the sacrifices came, were men really pardoned before Christ died? The difficulty lies in confounding two quite distinct things – expiation Godward and forgiveness manward. No sin was expiated Godward till Christ died, but sins under the Old Testament dispensation were forgiven manward whenever the sinner’s faith looked beyond the typical sacrifice to the antitypical. The Son’s pledge to expiate in the fulness of time was accepted by the Father as if performed, and the transgression of the offender who believed was reckoned to Christ and not imputed to the transgressor. The moment a creditor’s debt is charged to the surety, the debtor is released.

At this point also we need to clear up another matter. If I am justified, declared innocent, when I believe on Jesus Christ, how can there be any forgiveness of sin? I have been tried and acquitted, and after I have been acquitted why say, "I will forgive thee"? I will explain. A owes $10,000 and B is surety. A becomes bankrupt, is unable to pay, and the surety pays it. B having paid it, if the creditor were to bring suit against A for it, he would stand acquitted before the law, because he holds the receipt that B has paid it. While he is declared free, so far as the original creditor is concerned, he still owes B, his surety, and B may remit the debt. So when Christ paid our debts we were acquitted before the law) but were left under obligation to the surety. Now the surety, having saved us from the law, can say to us, "I will freely forgive you what I have paid for you on certain conditions."

We are now ready to go back and take up those blessings – adoption, redemption) forgiveness of sin. These are the specifications of the blessings in Christ. They have all been explained. According to what are all these? Our text tells us that they are "according to the riches of his grace." How are these riches of his grace made to abound in us? By revelation of the mystery of his will. Suppose we are in sin; we do not know a thing about what took place way back yonder before the world was. We do not know that way back yonder we were elected and foreordained and have a portion in Christ. Our text says, "According to the riches of his grace which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, making known to us the mystery of his will." When was this mystery fully made known? In the dispensation of the fulness of time.

This brings us to another point. What object had God in view in all these things explained so far, in blessing us in all spiritual blessings, in election, foreordination, and grace, which blessings are adoption, redemption, and forgiveness of sin? To what end? Here we get on Colossian ground: "To sum up, gather together, or re-collect all things in Christ." To re-collect means that there has been a dispersion. That dispersion took place when sin came into the world. Not only was man lost, but the world in which he lived was accursed. Now the object was to sum up, re-collect, all things in Christ. In Colossians we considered the person of Christ: (1) in his relation to the Father; (2) in his relation to the universe; (3) in his relation to the church. All things in heaven --that includes the angels; all things in earth – that includes man. He gives two samples or specifications of this gathering together, or re-collection, which takes place here on earth (Ephesians 1:12): "We who had before hoped in Christ." (Ephesians 1:13) "In whom ye also having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation." "We" and "you" that have been dispersed are to be brought together in Christ. Who are the "we"? Those who hoped in Christ before the gospel times – the Jews, with types and prophecies to guide them. Who are "ye"? Those who heard the gospel. It is the purpose of all the election and predestination and foreordmation to re-collect all things and to sum them up in Christ.

Let us see the process with reference to "we." (1) It is said "we are made God’s heritage." That is the first item. (2) "Having been foreordained." (3) "According to his purpose." (4) To what end? "That we should be unto the praise of his glory."

Let us look at the "you" also. "In whom ye also having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, first believed, then were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." He is called the Holy Spirit of promise because he was promised. "Behold I send upon you the promise of the Father." The prophets promised, John the Baptist promised, Christ promised. What is the seal? Pedobaptists tell us that it is baptism. This is error.

Baptism is never called a seal. We were sealed with the Holy Spirit. We were sealed unto the day of redemption. The object of the seal is to indicate ownership and to safeguard what is sealed unto its destination.

We take a package down to the express office addressed to A. B.C., Los Angeles, California. The package is sealed; on the seal is the signet of the express company. If the company is strong enough to guarantee the sanctity of the seal, it will remain sealed until it gets to its destination. When we believe, something takes place that is called sealing, and whatever it is, it is done by the Holy Spirit and not by baptizing. In the letter to Timothy we find an account of the signet pressed on the seal. That signet had two inscriptions, one on each side. On one side this: "The Lord knoweth them that are his." We may not know; we may make a mistake about it. The devil may make a mistake about it, but the Lord knows. On the other side: "Let him that taketh the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." The seal of the Holy Spirit makes distinct impressions that God will always recognize.

The lumber camps furnish an illustration. Many parties cut down the pine trees and roll the logs into the river. In the succeeding freshet they all come down to the boom together. How do they determine separate ownership? Each log has its distinguishing mark. So the mark or seal of the Spirit given unto us declares God’s ownership and guarantees that we will reach our destination – the day of redemption.

This seal is God’s witness with our spirit that we are his. Each one has the witness in himself. "They shall all know me from the least unto the greatest." It is a matter of personal experience and consciousness. It is even more, for the next thought is, "it is an earnest of our inheritance." But what is an earnest? The grapes of Eschol brought by the spies illustrate. The Israelites had in these grapes a foretaste of the Promised Land? It was a sample only, but it prophesied more to follow. So the joy that comes to the new convert, when he is sealed by the Holy Spirit, is the same in kind, though not in degree, of the inheritance laid up in heaven for the saints. While the blessing of this earnest of the Spirit is fresh in our hearts, we say, "This is heaven on earth."

In commercial matters an earnest is a part of the purchase money, binding the contract, and guaranteeing the rest of the payment. Whoever accepts the earnest is bound to abide by the full terms of the contract. So our text says this earnest is "unto the redemption of God’s own possession." The seal declares his title to us, and is an earnest that "He who commenced a good work in you will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ." Not only does it assure us of God’s personal interest in his property, and of his purpose to complete what he has begun, thereby making it God’s own concern and interest that our salvation receive its consummation, hut it commits God to the redemption of the cursed earth, man’s habitation. See the thought elaborated in Romans 8:19-23: "For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

QUESTIONS

1. In the plan of salvation set forth in this letter, how is the distinguishing office work of the persons in the Trinity brought out?

2. In the working out of the salvation, in what order are the divine attributes exercised, and the part of each?

3. When was the plan a mystery, and when was the mystery un- veiled by revelation?

4. In addressing the letter to "saints," does the apostle use the term as a designation of actual character or of profession and consecration?

5. Mark the terminals of Paul’s ascription of blessedness to God because he blessed us.

6. What is the tense and signification of the verb in his blessing us?

7. What is the distinction in meaning between our blessing God and his blessing us?

8. In analyzing this long compound sentence, Ephesians 1:3-14, answer: (1) Where, when, in whom, and in what did he bless us? (2) Define the terms election, and foreordination, and the order and time of each. (3) When, in whom, and according to what the adoption? (4) What is grace, how bestowed, in whom, and how do we get it? (5) What the three specifications of the blessings we receive? (6) Define and explain the three.

9. When and how were sins expiated?

10. Explain how sins in the Old Testament dispensation were not expiated and yet were forgiven.

11. Explain how one justified is yet forgiven.

12. What the end, or purpose, of God in the blessings, as in election, foreordination and grace?

13. Distinguish between the "we" and the "ye" in Ephesians 1:13, and give the process in each.

14. Why is the Holy Spirit called the "Spirit of Promise" and cite both Old Testament and New Testament instances of the promise, and when was the promise fulfilled?

15. Explain the "seal" in Ephesians 1:13, what it is, when and by whom done, and the purpose.

16. Explain "earnest in Ephesians 1:14.

17. How may we subjectively know or be assured that we are adopted?

Verses 15-21

IX

CHRIST’S ATONEMENT AND PAUL’S PRAYER

Ephesians 1:15-21.

Before taking up this part of the exposition I will answer a question arising from the discussion in the previous chapter, viz.: "Did Christ expiate the sins of all men, or the sins of the elect only, and does not universal expiation demand universal salvation?" This question belongs to the department of systematic theology. Without desire to intrude into that department, yet as biblical theology cannot be altogether separated from the teaching of the English Bible, I submit a reply for the benefit of those who may never study systematic theology. It is every way a difficult question, and calls out in its answer all the theories of the atonement advocated in the Christian ages. In general terms it is the old question – is the atonement general or limited? Perhaps no man has ever given a precise answer satisfactory to his own mind even, and it is certain no one has ever satisfied all others.

It must be sufficient for present purposes to deal with the question briefly, relegating to systematic theology the critical and extended reply derived from a comparison of all the prominent theories of the atonement in the light of the Scriptures. The following passages of Scripture doubtless suggest the question: Hebrews 2:9, "Jesus hath been made a little lower than the angels . . . that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man." There must be some real sense, some gracious sense, in which he tasted death for every man. 1 Timothy 4:9-10: "Faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptation. For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe." Here again it is evident that God in some real sense is the Saviour of all men, but not in the special sense in which he is the Saviour of believers. A more pertinent passage is 1 John 2:2, "And he [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world."

The first question is answered here if anywhere. The question is, "Did Christ expiate the sins of all men?" And this passage says, "He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world." Further on in the letter (John 4:14) John says, "And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world," this language doubtless referring back to John 1:29, "On the morrow he [John the Baptist] seeth Jesus coming unto him, and sayeth, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world!" Here "Lamb of God," the vicarious sacrifice and "taketh away the sin" must refer to the expiation in some real sense. Moreover, it accords with "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life," and quadrates particularly with the sincerity of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:16, and the intense earnestness with which the apostles pressed home upon every heart the duty and privilege of all men to accept the salvation offered.

The case of Paul is much in point, because of the use of the very word in question, 2 Corinthians 5:1-20, "But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God." This particular passage is the more pertinent and important since it discriminates so clearly between the two reconciliations, to wit: (1) God was reconciled to us through the expiation of Christ, satisfying the claims of justice and placating the wrath of the law on account of sin. (2) Our reconciliation to God through acceptance of Christ tendered in the ministry of the word.

Here it is evident that expiation becomes effective to us through faith in Christ. And it is perfectly clear from many scriptures that no matter in what sense expiation was effective toward God for all men, it cannot result in universal salvation, since "he that believeth not, shall be damned." The second question is answered, to wit: No matter in what sense expiation was for all men Godward, it can avail to usward by faith alone. The question of universal salvation is not therefore bound up with reconciliation Godward, whatever its extent, but with the ministry of reconciliation and our acceptance or rejection of the tendered mercy. Speculate theorize, philosophize as we may on the extent of the atonement Godward, we are shut up peremptorily by the Scriptures to the conclusion that "he that believeth not, shall be damned."

It is the opinion of the author that universal or limited salvation is not connected with the atonement Godward, but with the ministry of reconciliation. In other words, the question is not, "Unto how many was God reconciled through Christ?" but, How many of us are reconciled to God through faith in Christ?

It seems to the author that the crux of the whole matter lies in three thoughts: (1) That in the final judgment the supreme test for men and angels is the question, "What was your attitude toward Christ, either in himself, his people, or his cause?" See particularly Matthew 25:31-46, where this principle is applied to all men. And see 1 Corinthians 6:3, where the test is implied toward angels, else saints could not judge them. Again, this decisive principle of the final judgment is expressly taught in Matthew 12:41-42 in the reference to the men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba, and yet again in our Lord’s denunciation of the Galilean cities, (Matthew 11:21-24). (2) The second thought lies in our Lord’s teaching that only one sin is an eternal sin, having never forgiveness in either world (Mark 3:2-30); Matthew 12:31-32, showing that condemnation comes from action in the Spirit’s realm of application. See the culmination of unpardonable sin in "doing despite to the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:26-29). (3) The effect of the death on the cross conferred on the Messiah, i.e., not the Son of God in eternity, but the Son of God by procreation, born of the virgin Mary) the sovereignty of the universe. See Philippians 2:5-11.

I hold James P. Boyce to be the greatest all-around Baptist ever produced by the South. While in his Systematic Theology he teaches that expiation of the sins of all men must mean universal salvation, yet before he closes his discussion he uses these remarkable words, which I cite:

(1) While for the elect he made an actual atonement, by which they are actually reconciled to God, and because of which are made the subjects of the special divine grace by which they became believers in Christ, and are justified through him.

(2) Christ at the same time and in the same work, wrought out a means of reconciliation for all men, which removed every legal obstacle to their salvation, upon their acceptance of the same conditions upon which the salvation is given to the elect. Abstract of Theology, revised by F. H. Kerfoot, p. 296.

(3) On page 297 he says,

The atoning work of Christ was not sufficient for the salvation of man. That work was only Godward, and only removed all the obstacles in the way of God’s pardon of the sinner. But the sinner is also at enmity with God, and must be brought to accept salvation, and must learn to love and serve God. It is the special work of the Holy Spirit to bring this about. The first step here is to make known to man the gospel, which contains the glad tidings of salvation, under such influences as ought to lead to its acceptance.

For the purpose of comment I mark these paragraphs (1), (2), and (3). It seems difficult to reconcile (1) with (3) but (2) and (3) are in perfect harmony. In (1) he says that "for the elect he made actual atonement" . . . "they were actually reconciled to God." But in (3) he says that "the atoning work was not sufficient for the salvation of man, that work was only Godward, and only removed all the obstacles in the way of God’s pardon for the sinner." This language applies of course to the elect. But in (2) he says, "Christ wrought out a means of reconciliation for all men which removed every legal obstacle to their salvation." Then for the elect the atonement "was not sufficient for the salvation of man" and "only removed all the obstacles in the way of God’s pardon for the sinner," and if for the nonelect the atonement wrought out a means of reconciliation," "removing every legal obstacle to their salvation," what is the difference Godward? What is the difference so far as Christ’s work is concerned? Does not the difference come in the Spirit’s work in connection with the application of the atonement and the ministry of reconciliation? Do election and foreordination become operative toward atonement or toward acceptance of the atonement? These questions are submitted for consideration in the realm of the study of systematic theology. The author does not dogmatize on them. While he has only a very moderate respect for philosophy in any of its departments as taught in the schools, and prefers rather to accept every word of God without speculation, and believes it true and harmonious in all its parts, whether or not he is able to philosophically explain it, yet he submits merely for consideration along with other human philosophizing on the atonement the philosophy of Dr. Wm. C. Buck on this matter. It is found in his book, The Philosophy of Religion. On the question of general or limited atonement he takes this position, as I recall it: Jesus Christ through his death repurchased or bought back the whole lost human race, including the earth, man’s habitat. The whole of it and all its peoples passed thereby under his sovereignty. What debt they once owed to the law they now owe to him, the surety who paid the debt. From his mediatorial throne he offers to forgive this debt now due him to all who will accept him. But all alike reject him. The Father, through the Spirit, graciously inclines some to accept him. Thus those really saved are saved according to the election and foreordination of God, not operative in the atonement which was general, but in the Spirit’s application which was special. Those thus saved were originally promised by the Father to the Son. He dies for the whole world as the expression of the Father’s universal love. He died for the elect, his church, as his promised reward.

Dr. Buck illustrates, so far as such an illustration can serve, by supposing a raid by Algerian pirates on a Spanish village, leading a multitude into captivity in Moorish North Africa. A philanthropist, touched by their piteous condition, ransoms all of them by one price, and now, owning them all, offers remission of the debt and free passage back to native Spain to all who will accept. Some prefer bondage and remain, others accept joyfully and go back home. Of course this illustration takes no account of the Father’s work or the Spirit’s work, touching only the question of ransom for all, the passing of the debt over to the surety, his sovereignty, in its remission and their acceptance or rejection.

Let us do with this or any other philosophy what we will, but let us not hesitate to accept all that the Scriptures teach on this matter. When we read John 10:14-16; John 11:26-29; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:28-29; Ephesians 5:25-32, let us not abate one jot of their clear teaching of Christ’s death for the elect and their certain salvation. And when we read John 1:29; John 3:16; 1 Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 2:9; 1 John 2:2; Ezekiel 33:11; Matthew 28:19; 1 Timothy 2:4, let us beware lest our theory, or philosophy, of the atonement constrain us to question God’s sincerity, and disobey his commands. There are many true things in and out of the Bible beyond our satisfactory explanation. Let faith apprehend even where the finite mind cannot comprehend.

The exposition proper commences with the third item of the analysis, which is the thanksgiving. On that item we have only Ephesians 1:15: "For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which ye show toward all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you." We can see that there are two things for which he is thankful: First, their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, their love for all the saints.

We come now to the first great prayer, the fourth item in the analysis, which extends from Ephesians 1:16-21: "Making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, etc." That is the person to whom he prays. We may say, "Of course he prays to God." But successful prayer has its relation to Jesus Christ. Paul says, "I pray to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory." That settles the first point – to whom does he pray? The next thing is, for what does he pray? "May give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; having the eyes of your heart enlightened." That is what he prays for, "a spirit of wisdom and revelation, having the eyes of your heart enlightened." We can put in one word the whole thing. That word is "illumination." "I pray that you may be illumined."

There are three terms – revelation, inspiration, and illumination. Revelation discloses that which we could not otherwise know. Inspiration infallibly records it. Illumination causes us to understand it. Some people read the Bible and find in it nothing to them. But consider these passages: "Open thou mine eyes that I may understand the wonderful things in thy law." "The Lord opened the heart of Lydia so that she attended unto the things spoken by Paul."

Illumination, then, is that work of the Holy Spirit which causes one to get the real spiritual meanings of the Bible. Time and again have I come to some passage and said, "That looks like it was intended to mean much, but somehow I cannot get hold of it." It was like a fog to me, and I could not see the real spiritual meaning. I have long since found out that mere intellectual study does not find the meaning. The Spirit indicted that passage and the Spirit knows what it means; for us to understand it, an opening of the eyes of the heart must take place. Paul prays for these people to whom he writes, that they may have illumination, that is, "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him," or as he otherwise expressed it, "the opening of the eyes of the heart." Illumination covers the whole thing. That is what he prays for.

The next question is, What the end or object of that illumination? Why should he pray that they might receive illumination? "That ye may know." Let us see what are the things that they were to know. They are as follows: (1) "The hope of his calling." (2) "The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." (3) "The exceeding greatness of his power toward us." These are the things that he prays for – that they might receive illumination and know these three things. That through illumination they were to know: (1) The hope of their calling. Hope here is used objectively; it means the things hoped for, to which we are called; (2) that we may know what the things are that God called us to; (3) and what we hope for. That is a great prayer.

In the letter to the Hebrews the thought is presented this way: "Ye are come unto Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." That is the place we are coming to. We are coming unto this companionship: (1) Angels--an innumerable company. (2) The general assembly of the church of the first-born. (3) The spirits of the just made perfect. (4) To God, the judge of all. (5) To Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. (6) To the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel. Now his prayer is that they may be illumined in order that they may know the riches of the inheritance that is laid up in heaven for the saints. The reason so many Christians are weak and fruitless is that they have no grip on the things extended to the hope of the Christian. The powers of the world to come do not take hold of them.

I heard a most estimable lady member of the church say once, "Heaven? Oh, I do not know anything about it! It is ’way off yonder, very vague!" I said, "My sister, if heaven was vague to me I could not preach. I know what I am hoping for. I have clear conceptions of the world to come: the place, state, company, joy, all is clear in my mind, and in that way it attracts."

To illustrate: "Jesus Christ, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross and despised the shame." Take the case of Moses. How was it that he was enabled to refuse to become the son of Pharaoh’s daughter? "He had respect unto the recompense of reward." He saw something better than the pleasures of sin. He saw something more durable than the riches and glory of this world. What was it that enabled Abraham to bear up, wandering about, living in a tent? "He sought a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." So Paul, seeing that they had faith and love toward the brethren, prayed that they might be illumined to know the things which a Christian hopes for, and to which he is called.

I delight to preach on heaven. There is a tremendous power over the mind and heart in it. If a man does not know the hope of his calling, there is not the incentive to action which comes from the hope of reward. The mind of man is influenced by motives – the hope of reward and the fear of punishment. Once when I was preaching at Belton, not getting results, I went out and prayed three times that God might make me, the preacher, realize the nearness and certainty and eternity of both heaven and hell. When I got that in my mind and heart the revival broke out, heaven came down, and we were in the glory of the mercy seat. A Methodist preacher who was there said he had to take hold of a table to keep from shouting.

"I pray that ye may be enabled to know what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints." Mark well the distinction between the first and second thing that he prayed for. The first related to their inheritance in Christ, the object of their hope. The second related to Christ’s inheritance in them. We should know both. Does that distinction suggest anything at all? Is it not clear that Christ had an object when he died? There was a joy set before him so precious that he was willing to bear all things for it. Here are two scriptures that will give an idea of it: 2 Thessalonians 1:10, "When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed, in that day." Christ’s glory is to be in his saints – not as we are on earth, but as the finished product will be up yonder in heaven. Then take this passage in Ephesians 5:27, "That he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." The inheritance of Christ in his saints stood as an incentive to bear their sins. He had an interest in them.

One of the most wonderful buildings in the world is Westminster Abbey. As we step into that building we see this inscription: "Whosoever would see a monument to Sir Christopher Wren, look around." Sir Christopher Wren was the architect, and a real monument to him was that building. A sculptor, when he undertakes to make a fine piece of work first goes to the quarry or marble yard and selects a piece of marble of fine texture – a great, big, uncouth block. He stands there and looks at it and thinks out his plan, and at last he sees an angel in it. He goes to work with his mallet and chisel, lopping off here and there, and after a while it begins to assume shape; we see the head, then the wings, then the feet, and when the finishing touches are put on we stand in the presence of an angel that looks like it could breathe, fly, and talk.

So when Christ’s work is completed, the body raised, then we see the inheritance that Christ has in the saints. The best person in the world, taken as he is, after grace has done so much, is, after all, an imperfect recommendation of Christ. But when Jesus is done with him, his body has been raised and glorified, the spirit sanctified and made perfect, with all mortality, corruption, and dishonor gone, in all beauty and holiness like him – not one, not hundreds, not thousands, but a great multitude that no man can number – each one with a crown upon his head, each one with a harp in his left hand, and a palm leaf of victory in his right hand, and each one praising God – that is Christ’s inheritance in the saints. Paul says, "I want you to know that." We ought to know it for our own sakes, because our conception of heaven will determine the kind of respect we have for heaven. If our aspiration is to be only an ordinary man, we will not have much self-respect, but we should have a burning in our heart, "This is not the best of me. Ah, no! I have climbed the mountain somewhat, but, like Paul, I must say, ’Higher! Higher! Excelsior!’ After a while I will sit on God’s throne and judge the world, judge the angels;" that is the thing we must know.

Let us take the next thing we must know: "And what the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe." We must know, if we are illumined, "the greatness of his power toward us who believe." He illustrates thus: "According to that working of the strength of his might which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in heavenly places, made him King of kings and Lord of lords." That power will be exercised toward believers. We may die away off by ourselves; the world may not even know that we have lived; no monument may mark our resting place; in our last illness no loving hand may be there to wipe the death damp from our brow, but if we are children of God, we ought to know what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us.

That unknown grave will open; the angels will come down; that body will be raised and glorified and reunited with the spirit, taken to the throne in heaven and made joint heir with Christ upon the throne of the universe.

But his primary meaning is not directed to our bodily resurrection. He means that in our inward development as Christians the power exerted shall be as the power that raised our Lord’s dead body.

Let us sum up this first great prayer: (1) Unto whom? God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2) For what? Illumination, expressed here as the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, an enlightenment of the eyes of the heart. (3) To what end? That they might know the hope of their calling; that they might know the riches of the glory of Christ’s inheritance in the saints; that they might know the greatness of his power toward believers.

QUESTIONS

1. What double question of systematic theology arises here?

2. What old theological question does this question revive and what theories?

3. What scriptures were cited as bearing on the first part of the question?

4. What is the special value, as bearing on this question, of 2 Corinthians 5:18-20?

5. What passage makes it clear that no matter whether expiation be for all men or for the elect, universal salvation does not follow?

6. In what three thoughts lies-the crux of the whole matter, according to the author’s judgment, and what the scriptures underlying each thought?

7. Cite the three passages from Boyce’s Systematic Theology, and Eve your own view of their harmony with each other,

8. On the whole, then, do election and foreordination become opmun or effective toward atonement, whether general or limited, or ward the Spirit’s application of the atonement?

9. State the view of Dr. William C. Buck in his Philosophy of Religion and give his illustration.

10. Whatever man’s philosophy, or theory of the atonement, what is our plain duty toward the scriptures cited pro and con?

11. What is the distinction between "apprehend" and "comprehend," and are there many things in the Scriptures we must apprehend, even though we may not comprehend?

12. For what two things does the apostle express thanks?

13. On the first great prayer, Ephesians 1:16-21, answer: (1) To whom? (2) For what?

14. What one word covers all he prayed for?

15. Distinguish between revelation, inspiration, and illumination.

16. Define illumination and give its purpose or end.

17. What are three great things will the illumination enable us to know?

18. Distinguish between the first and the second.

19. What is the meaning of the first?

20. What is the meaning of the second? Illustrate.

21. What is the meaning of the third?

X

CHRIST THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

Ephesians 1:22-2:10.

We now come to that part of the analysis, item 5, Christ’s exaltation and its purpose toward the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). These two verses express the following thoughts: Christ exalted, first, to be the head of the church; second, to be head over all things to the church, which is a very different idea; third, that the church is the body; fourth, as his body the church expresses his fulness.

Christ exalted to be the head of the church. – "Head" expresses, first, sovereignty, or rulership. When we say the husband is the head of the family, we mean he is the ruler of the family. Head expresses in the next sense the source of vital connection. In this letter to the Ephesians, as we will find a little later, that vital connection between the head and every member of the body is greatly emphasized and elaborated.

If Christ is the head of the church in the sense of sovereign or ruler, then it is impious to call anybody else the head of the church. Some claim to be the head of the church in the sense of vicegerent, or vicar. For example, the Pope claims to be the head of the church in that he is Christ’s vicar. The only vicar that Christ has is the Holy Spirit. When Jesus went up to heaven he did send a vicegerent to take his place; another Paraclete to abide with and to guide the church. It is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit for a mere man to claim to be the head of the church.

Spurgeon in his many volumes of sermons has one polemical volume. One of the sermons in that polemical volume is the most excoriating denunciation of the claim that the sovereign of England is head of the church that I have ever seen. He read a proclamation: "I, Victoria Regina, by the grace of God head of the church." Then immediately following that he quoted Paul’s words: "J suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority." Everybody should read, particularly, that eighth volume of Spurgeon’s sermons. The greater part of Christendom today is under bondage to the thought that the Pope of Rome is the head of the church. They mean by that that he stands in the place of God, and that whatever he speaks, ex cathedra, is infallibly true, and that his authority is ultimate.

In 1870 the capstone was put on the papacy by the Vatican Council, in servile obedience to the Pope, proclaiming his infallibility as head of the church. The head of the church also carries with it the idea of authority, which is called the key of power. Christ is the head of the church. There is no other. We see on earth a body, but the head is above the clouds; we cannot see it. The head of the church is in heaven, the body here on the earth. It is a vital and fundamental article of the Christian faith that we should accept no head of the church of Jesus Christ except the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The disciples of Pythagoras were accustomed to end a controversy by saying, "Ipse dixit et ipse Pythagoras." But there should be no question of absolute deference to mere human authority.

We will now take up the second thought: Christ the head over all things to the church. Not the head of the church; we have just discussed that, but the head over all things to the church, which is a very different thought. It means that by virtue of his sacrificial expiation here upon the earth, and the atonement made in heaven based upon that expiation on the cross, he received the name which is above every name, was made King of kings and Lord of lords, that he now holds in his hand the scepter of universal dominion, and that he is over all things to, or in behalf, of, the church.

We see him express this thought when by anticipation he commands his church, assembled upon a mountain in Galilee, about 500 being present, to go out and preach the gospel to every creature. The statement, "And all authority in heaven and upon earth is given unto me," means that he is the head of all things to the church; that he exercises the entire sovereignty of the universe in behalf of the church. Oftentimes when we get a little frightened or blue, become intimidated either by the formidable adversaries with whom we have to cope or by the insuperable obstacles that block our pathway, we are prone to forget that the Saviour is head over all things in our behalf; that there is nothing hard for him; that when it comes to exercising his power in behalf of the church there are no limitations; that we can draw on him to the last possibility.

That is why I have said that the Texas Baptist Convention once foolishly got scared over a little financial flurry, forgot that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. They ought to have gone on serenely laying out their work, having faith in God, who is able to raise the dead.

Surely if God could in the wilderness for forty years feed so many families, and see to it that their clothes did not wear out, that there was a shade over them every day so that the sun did not smite them, and that their camp was illumined by night – a light brighter than the most luminous display of electric lights in the cities of our time – if he could call rocks to open and send forth waters, and the quail to come at his bidding, and angel’s food to fall at his will, what are we, Christ’s people in New Testament days, that we should hesitate on account of difficulties in the way of discharging duties incumbent upon us?

For illustration, I recall the first mission rally held in Johnson County. I prepared the program. That county was in danger of Antinomianism. Some of the noblest pastors in "hat association purposed to get together and sound a higher note. The program compared missions to a suspension bridge across a mighty river, not a prop under that bridge where the waters rolled, but on each shore there was the basis for the support of the bridge. The first pedestal was "All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me;" on the other shore, the pedestal, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." That is, if he had authority and power, we his people have no right to hesitate at any time in the discharge of his plain commandments. That is what is meant by Christ’s being the head over all things to the church. Consider carefully what that means. Every attribute of God is made contributory to the church – infinite love, infinite justice, infinite compassion, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, all engaged to help the church in the accomplishment of its mission. Note carefully that this headship is headship of an organization. But we come next to a new thought – that the church is his body. Wherever that expression occurs it implies not so much an organization as an organism. An organism is a living thing. John the Baptist, after he was beheaded, had no life. There was a vital relation between the body of John the Baptist and his head. When his head was severed his body died. In the letter to the Romans, again in the first letter to the Corinthians, again in the letter to the Colossians, and preeminently in this letter to the Ephesians, the church is called the body of Christ, which means that whatever sense of the word be employed, then Christ is the head.

Some people unnecessarily" trouble themselves in trying to apply the double sense of headship to the triple sense of the church. That is, the word church is used in the New Testament in three distinct senses:

1. Abstractly as an institution (Matthew 16:18).

2. A particular congregation at one place ( 1 Corinthians 1:2).

3. All the redeemed conceived of as a unit and glorified as a bride or city (Ephesians 5:25-27 and Revelation 21:9-10). In applying this headship we say that Christ is the head of the church and head over all things to the church as an institution, or as a particular congregation, or as the general assembly of the redeemed in glory.

We now come to the last thought in that paragraph, "The fulness of him that filleth all in all." The church is the fulness. If I want a true conception of God the Father, I look at Jesus: "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, the express image of the person of God." If I want a true conception of Jesus Christ, I look at the church, which is the fulness of Christ, the fulness of authority, the fulness of power, the fulness of divine love, and the fulness of glory, as it ultimately will be. The fulness of Christ in the church is very much like the thought expressed in "The glory of his inheritance in the saints." We have already noted the distinction between our inheritance in Christ and his inheritance in us.

To see the fulness of Christ in the church, turn to the last chapter of Revelation, "And I saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God; and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away."

Again the angel asked John if he would like to see the Bride, the Lamb’s wife, and there is given a picture of the redeemed in the fulness of their redemption. If when that time comes one should ask, "Where shall I look to see the fulness of the Father?" Look at Christ. "Where shall I look to see the fulness of Christ?" Look at that church in glory. Behold how many nations are represented in it! See the ends of the earth come together in it. Behold how many varieties of men, some very great men intellectually, and some very simple folk; some very wicked, others just as wicked by nature, who were not so wicked by practice, but now all are redeemed. We have the fulness of Christ presented in this, that all peoples, regardless of distinguishing nationalities and distinguishing castes, are there. As the Genesis creation was an expression of God, so that "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork," so the re-creation, or redemption, will more manifest his glory. Not one of them but has arrived through regeneration and glorification. Not one of them but connects back with the eternal foreknowledge, election, and predestination of God. That is the fulness of Christ.

The next item of our analysis is salvation by grace (Ephesians 2:1-10). That is the text upon which Jerry Clark, in some respects the greatest preacher in Texas, preached his famous sermon before the General Association of Texas in Waco when I was a young pastor there. I had heard a great deal about Clark; that he was the greatest preacher living, if one could only get him to preach. His extreme modesty made him an expert dodger. One of his friends said, "If you want Clark to preach you must challenge him on the doctrines of grace. That will stir him." So I had him assigned to my house and set a trap for him. In a private conversation I said to him that I had heard of preachers who were willing enough to preach salvation by grace in the backwoods, but would shirk if called upon to preach it before a cultured city audience. His eye flashed fire and he said, "I am not afraid to preach it anywhere." "Very well, then, you are appointed to preach Sunday night from Ephesians 2:8-10." He preached from it and made the stars fairly sparkle. It was the greatest pulpit classic I ever read. It stirred all the dry bones in the valley!

Salvation by grace! The first thought is, "And you did he make alive when you were dead." There is the sinner, spiritually as dead as a door nail. Has a dead man power m himself, or is he able to call from any source whatever the power to start to be alive? That is the question. The declaration is: "When you were dead God made you alive." That is what old theologians called regeneration. I do not think that is what the New Testament calls regeneration, because it stops short of a full idea of regeneration as expressed in many scriptures, yet it is that power of the Holy Spirit which makes the soul sensitive. It is a new creation and is antecedent to any manifestation of life. That is perfectly clear in the teaching of the Scriptures.

Of course, with that kind of a start, spiritually dead, if a man is saved at all he is saved by grace. It is impossible for a dead man to make himself alive. Notice how that deadness is expressed in this paragraph: "And were by nature children of wrath." That knocks the bottom out of the thought that sin consists in the wilful transgression of a known commandment, as the Arminians say. Sin is lawlessness, first of all – lawlessness in nature before there have been any external manifestations in overt actions.

We may take a baby rattlesnake, carry him home, feed him on milk, never let him see his father or mother, pet him and try to educate him out of his nature. As that snake grows the poison secretes, the fangs form, and the rattles come, and if we were to put him in heaven he would throw himself into a coil, sound his alarm and strike at the angels passing by. Why? Because the snake is a snake.

This sin of nature – of depravity – digs up by the root any idea of salvation by external ordinances. I recall an illustration before a Sunday school by Harvey Chamberlain, who desired to impress the lesson in John 3:7, "Ye must he born again." He had provided a basin of water with soap and a sealed bottle of ink, and called on the little fellows to come up and wash the black off of that bottle. The outside washing only revealed the blackness yet more. The ""Lowest sham ever imposed upon the credulity and gullibility of exceedingly simple folk is the doctrine of literally washing away sins in baptism. Grace finds us by nature the children of wrath – that is the original sin. Then it found us dead in trespasses and sins – that is practice. From that basis it starts by making alive, or making sensitive, which is the initial touch of the Holy Spirit, superinducing in us contrition, or Godly sorrow for sin, repentance, or a change of mind toward God on account of sin, conversion, or turning from sin, and faith in Christ. So we are born anew.

The second thought is, "dead in trespasses and sins." These are expressions of the inward nature, and sustain the relation of fruit to the tree. They are symptomatic of the inward state. Our Lord declares that out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, evil speech, and evil deeds. Notice the third thought. Dead by nature, dead by actual trespasses and sins, and now "walking according to the course of this world." By the "course of this world" is meant its spiritual trend expressed in its maxims of business, pleasure and every form of selfishness. It erects its own shifting standard of right and wrong. It leaves God out. Yea, it is in its spirit and mind the enemy of God. But the course of the world is not the result of chance.

This leads to the fourth thought that Satan is by usurpation the de facto prince and ruler of this world. There is a guiding intelligence, the directing will of a master. So our text adds: "According to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." What a succession of thought, and what a climax I Dead by nature, dead by practice, swept along on the tide of the world spirit, under the domination of Satan! What a hopeless outlook for salvation by human merit! What a predicate for salvation by grace! What a reinforcement of the thought in Paul’s commission, Acts 26:17-18: "Delivering thee from the [Jewish] people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me." He is to "turn them from darkness to light"; so they are in darkness. He is to "turn them from the power of Satan unto God"; so they are under the power of Satan. "That they may receive remission of sins"; so they are unpardoned. "That they may receive an inheritance"; so they are bankrupt. "An inheritance among them that are sanctified"; so they are now unholy. "An inheritance among them that are sanctified through faith in Christ"; so they are without faith. Think of a preacher going out relying on himself to undertake a job like that I

We are not through yet. "Among whom we also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind." Those whom we found dead by nature, dead by practice) bound up in the chains of the world, under the power of the devil, are also found to be under the dominion of the desires of the flesh. As John puts it: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the vainglory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof" (1 John 2:15-17). Or, as James puts it: "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?" (James 4:4).

The reader will note particularly the relation of good works to salvation, expressed both negatively and positively: Not of works" but created and saved "unto good works." They do not cause or even contribute to salvation, but flow from it as a result. As our Lord puts it: "First make a tree good and then the fruit will be good." Or, as Paul later expresses it: “For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God, our Saviour, and his love toward man appeared, not by the works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he poured upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Faithful is the saying and concerning these things I desire that thou affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works" (Titus 3:3-8). The relation of good works to salvation is here expressed very clearly.

While good works before salvation are impossible, yet it is the instruction of saving grace that they follow salvation. So Paul again says: "For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to the intent that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who" gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:11-14).

Lest we might, by attributing some merit to faith, place it among good works antecedent to salvation, our text is careful to say, "and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." True, it is fairly questioned that the "gift" here is grammatically limited to faith. This matters nothing, since it includes faith; elsewhere most unequivocally faith itself is reckoned as a grace, a gift. Like repentance (Acts 11:18) faith is a gift of grace before it is a human exercise, being a fruit of the regenerating Spirit (Philippians 1:29; 2 Peter 2:1; Acts 13:48).

Moreover, as the essence of faith is merely to receive an offered gift, its exercise cannot be classed as a work. The old hymn holds good:

Grace first contrived the way To save rebellious man; And all the steps that grace display Which drew the wondrous plan.

Grace led my roving feet To tread the heavenly road; And new supplies each hour I meet While pressing on to God.

Grace all the work shall crown, Through everlasting days; It lays in heaven the topmost stone, And well deserves the praise.

Let us note particularly that the whole paragraph on salvation by grace is clothed with the imagery of creation, with an evident comparative reference to the Genesis creation, Creation is the bringing into being without the use of pre-existing material, so that "what is seen hath not been made out of the things which appear," and so "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation." This imagery absolutely excludes and forbids the idea of any antecedent good or merit in the subjects of grace. Indeed, redemption is a much higher order of creation than the Genesis creation and deserves and obtains another memorial, as we will later learn from the letter to the Hebrews, which shows that when God had finished the original creation he sanctified the seventh day to commemorate it; but when Jesus finished the creation of redemption, he also rested from his work, as God had done from his, and so "there remaineth a sabbath-keeping for the children of God" – a first day of the week to commemorate the new creation, after Christ had nailed to his cross and blotted out the whole cycle of Jewish sabbaths. (Hebrews 4:9-10; Colossians 2:14-17).

The creative idea in salvation is according to the power put forth when Jesus was raised from the dead and exalted to the throne of the universe. This power is infinitely superhuman. Regeneration is a spiritual resurrection from the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-14; John 5:25-26). The bones in the valley were very dry. There was no life power in them. Only after the divine breath was breathed on these bones did they live.

Pointing to the sinners dead by nature, dead by practice, borne as dead, nonresisting leaves on the tidal course of this world, a course impelled by Satan, until like a frail boat in the suction of Niagara whose fall just ahead is like the doom of eternity – pointing, I say, to such sinners, we may re-echo the words of Jehovah to Ezekiel, "Son of man, can these dry bones live?" The only possible answer is, "Not of themselves – only by God’s creative power of grace."

The reader will notice the distinction in idea between the salvation in Ephesians 2:1-10, and the salvation arising from redemption, justification, and adoption in Galatians and Romans. Here the salvation is in us; there it is for us. There the salvation is in relation to its legal aspects; here, to its spiritual effects. Redemption is Christ’s work – justification and adoption, the Father’s work on account of Christ’s work. Regeneration, sanctification, and glorification are the Spirit’s work applying the benefits of Christ’s work. It is not meant that Romans and Galatians leave out the Spirit’s work, but that the prison letters change the emphasis and stress the internal salvation.

QUESTIONS

1. What are the four thoughts in Ephesians 1:22-23?

2. What two ideas involved in "The head of the church?"

3. Where now is "the Head of the church?"

4. How, then, does "the head" in heaven rule the church on earth?

5. What impious claims have been made as to a human, vicar, or vice-regent?

6. When and by what act was the capstone put on the Roman papacy?

7. What is meant by "Christ head over all things to the church?" Illustrate by the Great Commission.

8. Comparing the Great Commission to a suspension bridge, what is the anchorage on either shore?

9. What idea is involved when the church is called the body of Christ, the head, and what the distinction between this idea and the idea of headship in regard to the execution of the Great Commission just considered.

10. In what three senses does the New Testament use the word “church" and how do you apply the double idea of headship to the triple idea of the church?

11. On whom must I look to find the fulness of God, the Father?

12. Where must I look to find the fulness of Christ? Illustrate.

13. In the paragraph Ephesians 2:1-10, what the first thought?

14. What is the first way ill which the sinner’s deadness is expressed? Illustrate by the snake and ink bottle. What the bearing of this deadness on the dogmas of salvation by external ordinances?

15. What is the second thought of the deadness and its relations to the first? Illustrate.

16. What is the third thought of the deadness, and what the appropriate scriptures?

17. What is the fourth thought, and what the appropriate scriptures from other books of the New Testament? Illustrate by Paul’s commission.

18. What is the relation of "good works" to this salvation, and what the proof texts?

19. What is the imagery of this whole passage, and how does this support the teaching so far?

20. What sabbath commemorated the material creation?

21. What is the additional idea underlies the Jewish sabbath?

22. What scriptures prove the abrogation of the Jewish sabbath?

23. What sabbath supersedes and commemorates the greater work of redemption?

24. Cite passages to prove the creative idea in the Spirit’s application of our Lord’s redemption.

25. What distinction in the idea of salvation in Ephesians 2:1-10 from the idea in Galatians and Romans arising from redemption, justification, and adoption?