People like us Ephesus

1
People like us _at_ Ephesus

• New Christians
• City dwellers
• Multi- society
• Help please!

2
People with needs God who provides

• A need of security . Predestination
• A need of forgiveness . Justification
• A need of direction Sanctification
• A need of hope . Glorification

3
Four words, one passage, one purpose

• One big point Praise be (v3a)
• Why praise?
• Summary who has blessed us in the heavenly
  realms with every blessing in Christ (v3b)
• Details vv4-10

4
Our need of forgiveness

• Why do we need forgiveness?
• Denying and defying God (22-3a)
• Under Gods judgement (23b)
• We cant meet this need ourselves (21)

5
Our need Gods deed

• Justification
• Justification is a loving act of God in which
  he pays our debt of sin-guilt so that we can be
  debt-free in his sight, adopted into his family
  and be reconciled to him.

6
The What? of justification

• The puzzle
• Saints? (v1)
• Holy and blameless? (v4)
• The clue in his sight.
• Getting the all-clear because the debt of
  sin-guilt is paid

7
The How? of justification

• Redemption (v7)
• A price is paid to buy a release
• The price was Jesus blood (Lev 1711
• Heb 922)

8
The So What? of justification

• Forgiveness of sins (v7)
• Fit for adoption (v5)
• Reconciled to God as part of his great big
  purpose in Jesus (v10)

9
The Why? of justification

• Grace (vv2,6)
• Love (v4)
• Mercy (24)
• The great big loving heart of God that gives and
  gives again to meet our need of forgiveness.

10
Justification - summary

• Justification is a loving act of God in which
  he pays our debt of sin-guilt so that we can be
  debt-free in his sight, adopted into his family
  and be reconciled to him.

11
Justification our response

• Uncluttered faith in Jesus
• Another set of four words (Rom 830)
• Predestined
• Called (sanctified)
• Justified
• Glorified

12
Justification our response

• Called to faith (113 28) because God works
  through us and not despite us
• Not faith plus (confusing faith / works
  justification / sanctification)
• Nor faith minus (faith without works)

13
Justification our response

• Undivided praise to God (vv3,6,12)
• Because God does all the justifying God deserves
  all the praising
• Praising with lips and lives and so

14
Justification our response

• Uncompromised living
• Living out Gods verdict As God enables through
  His Spirit (v13) we strive to be, in fact, holy
  and blameless before him (v4)
• And so the bridge from justification to
  sanctification