The Lord's Day Bible Message Outlines
April 11, 2010
Pastor Dana Johnson
"...the good
pleasure of His will...."
-Ephesians
1:5
Having predestined us to adoption
as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good
pleasure of His will.
1. God, in His
sovereign will, has determined to demonstrate to a sinful
world His "good pleasure."
a. This "good
pleasure" is completely undeserved by rebellious
sinners.
b. Accordingly, the
good pleasure of God is closely tied to his grace.
Ephesians
1:6-7 - To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which
He has made us accepted in the Beloved. 7In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of His
grace.
c. Remember that
God is still good even if He chose to condemn all sinners
(giving them what they deserve) and chose not to extend
His gracious good pleasure to any of them.
d. Thus, the fact
that God, who is not obligated to demonstrate His
gracious good will to sinners does so, is a sign of the
inherent goodness of God's nature.
2. God, in His
sovereign will, predestined before the world's beginning the
objects of His gracious good pleasure.
a. God's will
is the primary cause of our salvation; not our
will.
b. Though some
react to predestination with accusations of tyrannical
partiality and unfairness, the Bible always connects
predestination with mercy, grace, and love.
3. God, in His
sovereign will, has determined the details and features of
His good pleasure for those whom He has
predestined.
a.
He could
have made us His servants. Instead, He made us His
sons.
b. We became sons,
not by legal transaction, but by being placed in
Christ.
Ephesians
1:3, 4, 6, 7 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4just as He chose us in Him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before Him in love, 6to the
praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us
accepted in the Beloved. 7In Him we have
redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of His grace.
4. God, in His
sovereign will, has determined that His predestined ones
will experience His good pleasure by Jesus
Christ.
a. In
obedience to the Father He accomplished everything
necessary for our redemption.
Ephesians
1:7 -
In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
b. By our being in
Christ He provides for us every blessing the Father wants
us to enjoy.
Ephesians
1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing
in the heavenly places in Christ.
(All
Scripture quoted is from the New King James
Version)
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