Why Does Man Need a Savior?

Sovereign Grace Family Church iconSovereign Grace Family Church

2 views

0 comments

02:25
Look at man's condition and see two entirely different realities.
02:33
These two versions of truth cannot be reconciled.
02:53
Man's version of reality is if humanity is only in order for change to evolve.
03:18
Now in fairness, I think that only a few people would agree that this is achieved.
03:37
Now if you don't ask the average man on the street if he has achieved perfection, he likely will tell you that he will be more merry.
04:06
He really sees himself as being able to achieve perfection.
04:17
Yes, these accomplishments and men continue to go to war.
04:58
Therefore, the history student must ask the question, has man changed at all? Let us be careful and not confuse the improvements of technology.
05:33
Therefore, let us turn to God.
05:44
Now we must face the question, who knows what understanding of man's condition? So we do not need to be discerned spiritually, meaning of the Holy Spirit.
06:19
We do not have to turn very many pages to begin to find God's answer to the question regarding man's reality.
06:25
We need to look no further than the very first book in the Bible, In Genesis 3, we read of man's fall into sin.
06:33
Beginning in verse 6, When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to man, and she gave also to her husband to make covenants from sin, even here we read that they did not go to God to make excuses for their behavior.
07:33
In the same chapter in Genesis 3, we read that these covenants were not adequate.
07:40
In verse 21, we read that the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.
07:49
Their efforts to clothe themselves were not adequate.
07:52
This is difficult for man to accept about himself that his works are not adequate.
07:57
His understanding of his own reality is false, and it is that his works are not adequate.
08:01
His understanding of his own reality, man thinks he can improve himself.
08:10
Well, man thinks he can fix his own inadequacies.
08:13
Man's feast is false.
08:15
Man knows he has faults.
08:18
However, he is faced with the reality of not being able to correct the garments of skin for Adam and Eve.
08:28
We are led to conclude that the skins came from an animal.
08:32
Where else could the skins have come from? Therefore, we see the first example of a blood sacrifice, and the first example of God demonstrating that the shedding of blood is necessary for the remission of sin.
08:44
Through our pastor's sermons on the book of Hebrews, we have learned that these sacrifices act for sin, rather than through sacrifice, that actually would atone for sin.
09:00
The first sin of Adam and Eve plunged man into a state of complete inadequacy.
09:06
Man cannot earn his salvation.
09:08
He cannot, on his own, overcome his own tendency to sin.
09:13
Also, his sin must be paid for because God is just.
09:39
To answer this question, it is to Paul's letter to the Ephesians that we will turn.
09:52
Paul's letter to the Ephesians is filled with instruction both in theology and application.
09:57
He describes the role of all three members of the church.
10:04
He addresses the Salvation.
10:23
In chapter 3, he addresses the Jews and Gentiles being saved into one body.
10:28
Chapter 4 addresses spiritual gifts, their purpose, and the transition of Adam's sin to a pattern of righteousness.
10:41
Chapter 5 addresses avoiding false teachers and relationships within the family.
10:47
Not avoiding relationships.
10:51
Chapter 6 addresses the believers striving for personal righteousness, and resisting the attempts of the evil one.
11:00
During this series of three sermons, we are going to examine the life of a person prior to salvation, the transition from being an unbeliever to being a believer, and finally, third, the goal for the believer.
11:15
Therefore, as to chapter 2, in this text, Paul sets down the truth of the gospel, beginning with the state of man, and demonstrating that salvation is entirely and completely complete.
11:31
If you would stand with me.
11:41
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you forewarned.
12:34
One of the first things we notice about our text is the conjunction of and.
12:39
This conjunction connects the preceding verses to this verse.
12:44
Remember that the chapter and verse numbers were not part of the inspired text.
12:48
Paul didn't sit down and start with these.
12:51
Chapter 1, verse 1, verse 2, so forth and so on.
12:55
He did not do this.
12:57
They were added.
12:58
The numbers were added later.
13:10
In chapter 15 of chapter 1, Paul then says that all three of these are in accordance with the working of his strength, which he brought about in Christ.
14:39
This thought of strength and power continues on.
14:45
Number one, he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand.
14:49
Secondly, he seated Christ above all rule, authority, and dominion.
14:53
Number three, he placed everything in subjection to Christ, that is, under his feet.
14:58
And number four, he gave him his head to the church.
15:02
Then Paul says, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.
15:07
Paul is continuing this thought of all things being in subjection to Christ as he moves into what we know as chapter 2.
15:19
He made us alive together with Christ.
15:22
Number two, he says in verse 6 that he raised us up and set us in heavenly places with Christ.
15:28
Third, in verse 10, we are his workmanship.
15:33
Number four, in verse 13, the Gentiles have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
15:40
In verse 14, he has made the Jews in Christ.
15:47
It is clear that Paul is establishing the argument that it is within his status.
16:04
He cannot make himself a Christian.
16:10
Paul says the same truth in Colossians 2.13 when he says that we were dead.
16:25
To be dead spiritually means that we do not have a name.
16:57
Consider the following.
17:26
We could quote more, but the commentary is on our sins.
17:50
Notice that both of these words, trespasses and sins, are in plural.
17:56
That is important because it denotes, therefore, the unbeliever is in a state of completely being able to...
18:11
...since he is dead.
18:40
He does not stand in the truth, but he speaks a lie.
18:45
He speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar.
18:58
Christian sin characterizes...
19:13
So look in our text once again.
19:15
He says, you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formerly walked.
19:22
Now we are going to come back to that word formerly.
19:27
But the idea of walking...
19:34
Pay attention to this in Scripture.
19:36
The idea of walking is an important theme in Scripture.
19:40
Walking denotes the pattern of your routines and those things which are priorities to you.
19:47
In addition to our text...
20:07
You were formerly...
21:05
So including our text, seven times in his letter to the Ephesians, the Christian needs to pay attention to his walk.
21:20
Paul emphasizes this again and again.
21:23
...in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world.
21:37
So according to the course of this world or the status of this world, which is opposed to God.
21:44
The walk of the unbeliever is according to the course of this world.
21:49
We must realize that Paul is...
21:55
John states this most clearly.
21:57
We've already referred to it.
21:58
1 John 2.
22:00
Here's verse 16.
22:01
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not but is from the world.
22:11
The world's system and focus is upon what is temporary.
22:15
Lusts change from one moment to the next.
22:18
What our eyes focus on also changes from one moment to the next.
22:23
Yet God is eternal.
22:25
And like with him, the world's system and its focus eventually will be no more after Christ returns to take his church with him to heaven.
22:36
The walk emphasized by the world is in opposition to...
22:52
Yet the unbeliever...
22:56
And indeed he cannot.
22:58
We quoted Ephesians chapter 4 verse 17.
23:03
Verse 17 says, So this I say and affirm together with the Lord that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk in the futility of...
23:16
Excluded from the life of God...
23:33
You see the root of the unbeliever's trouble is not...
23:38
The hardness of his heart tends to become a callus.
24:14
The imagery of a callus is most telling.
24:18
From our own experience, we know that blisters form as a result of work.
24:23
Work that is repeated over and over again.
24:27
When the blister heals, calluses first.
24:34
The skin from being further damaged.
25:05
He said they formally walked according to verse 2 of chapter 2.
25:12
And he says according to...
25:19
Very simply, this is the devil.
25:24
We need to note the apostle Paul tells us that this walk is according to the prince of the air.
25:30
He is opposed to God.
25:32
And has been opposed to God since the beginning.
25:35
It is the devil who tempted Eve in the garden.
25:39
It is the devil who asked...
25:48
It is the devil who one day...
26:12
In his case, the gods of that day might not see the light of God.
26:31
This is spiritual.
26:52
Paul says this is plain as day.
26:54
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood.
26:58
But against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness.
27:03
Against the spiritual forces.
27:05
The wickedness.
27:16
It is against the devil.
27:36
If you were to ask people of all walks of life.
27:41
What they want in their community.
28:36
You see Paul says that the devil...
28:41
Coupled with the fact that we can see that it is quite difficult for the gods.
28:51
Yet God walked according to the course of this world.
29:15
According to the prince of the power of the spirits.
29:22
That is now working in the sons of disobedience.
29:29
The devil works through the sons of disobedience.
29:37
Unbelievers are sons of disobedience.
29:42
You see the something of which we are a son of.
29:47
Is that from which we originated.
29:51
Thus Paul is describing our nature.
29:54
We are sons of disobedience prior to salvation.
29:58
Meaning that we have a sense of disobedience.
30:23
We have emphasis past tense.
30:26
We have a nature that was opposed to God.
30:29
And we lived according to that nature.
30:32
Note the logic.
30:33
We act according to that nature.
30:35
We expect dogs to act according to that nature.
30:44
It makes sense that sinners act like sinners.
30:49
Our nature is to sin.
30:52
We are sons of disobedience.
30:58
And therefore as sons we act as our father.
31:01
Which Jesus said back in the gospel of John.
31:04
Chapter 8 verse 44 that we read earlier.
31:32
Notice the universality of Paul's statement.
31:35
We to all.
31:37
He includes himself as well as all of the believers that he is addressing.
31:43
And keep in mind he does not say to the unbelievers who live at Ephesus.
31:49
He is writing to the church.
31:51
He is writing to believers.
31:53
And he makes no exceptions here.
31:55
If Paul does anything about himself.
31:57
He is honest about his own past.
32:00
Paul does anything about himself.
32:02
He is honest about his own past.
32:05
In 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 13 he says.
32:08
Even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.
32:13
He says in Galatians chapter 1 verse 13.
32:16
For you have heard.
32:26
He says in Acts 26 verse 9.
32:29
So then I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
32:35
And this is just what I did in Jerusalem.
32:37
Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons.
32:40
Having received authority from the chief priest.
32:42
But also when they were being put to death.
32:53
And being furiously enraged.
32:55
We have already quoted many verses addressing the universality of man's depravity.
33:31
He is honest about the condition of his own.
33:48
Note how we all.
34:17
Not a single one of us.
34:18
Has any aspect of our lives.
34:25
In other words we may look good in the eyes of the standard that is Christ.
34:32
We fail to measure up to God's standard.
34:35
We have sinned.
34:47
His death.
34:48
According to Paul we live to satisfy our own desires.
34:57
And then he says.
34:59
That we were.
35:00
Again he is referring to the state and universality of the depravity.
35:22
We were by nature.
35:26
It is difficult for us to grow in this chapter 5 verse 8.
35:41
And verse 9.
35:42
But God demonstrates his own love for us.
35:51
And we shall be saved from the wrath of God through him.
35:55
For while we were enemies.
36:02
Much more having been reconciled.
36:06
If Christ's blood had not covered our sin.
36:08
We would still be objects of wrath.
36:11
Paul says the same thing in Colossians.
36:13
In chapter 1 verse 21.
36:15
Although you were formerly engaged in evil deeds.
36:21
We were alienated.
36:25
We were engaged in evil deeds.
36:26
Whether we were hostile towards God and our thoughts and deeds.
36:35
We deserve his.
36:47
So why does man need to say.
36:51
Man according to the apostle Paul is dead.
36:54
In his trespasses and sins.
36:57
He walks according to the course of this world.
37:00
According to the prince of this world.
37:01
Who is working in the substance of disobedience.
37:03
He lives according.
37:38
Yet there is hope.
37:41
Return to the first verse.
37:44
Paul says.
37:46
And you were dead.
37:48
In your trespasses and sins.
37:51
In verse 2 he says.
37:52
In which you formerly walked.
37:55
According to the course of this world.
37:58
And in verse 3 he says.
37:59
Among them we too.
38:04
Notice the words were and formerly.
38:07
These words are important for the believer this morning.
38:11
Because these words indicate.
38:13
That we are not presently.
38:15
What we used to be.
38:17
We are no longer sons of disobedience.
38:20
We are no longer ways of the world.
38:26
The Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel.
38:29
Has changed our hearts and cross.
38:37
We are no longer.
39:20
So although this message has focused upon the sinfulness of man.
39:24
Take comfort that Paul indicates.
39:27
That these traits are in the past.
39:50
To meet our needs.
40:15
We shall be saved from the wrath.
40:26
Much more having been reconciled.
40:28
We shall be saved by his life.
40:30
If Christ's blood had not covered our sin.
40:33
We would still be objects of wrath.
40:35
Paul says the same thing in Colossians.
40:37
In chapter 1 verse 21.
40:39
Although you were formerly alienated.
40:43
Engaged in evil deeds.
40:45
We were alienated from God.
41:11
So why does man.
41:15
Man according to the apostle Paul.
41:17
Is dead in his trespasses and sins.
41:21
He walks according to the course of this world.
41:28
He lives according to the course of this world.
41:40
And he cannot change his own nature.
42:03
Yet there is hope.
42:06
Return to the first verse.
42:08
Paul says and you were dead.
42:12
In your trespasses and sins.
42:15
In verse 2 he says in which you formerly walked.
42:19
According to the course of this world.
42:22
And in verse 3 he says among them were and formerly.
42:32
These words are important for the believer this morning.
42:35
Because he used to be.
42:41
We are no longer sons of disobedience.
42:44
We are no longer children of wrath.
42:47
We no longer desire to walk in the ways of the world.
42:50
The Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel.
42:52
Has changed our hearts and enabled us to believe.
43:02
We are no longer.
43:44
So although this message has focused upon the sinfulness of man.
43:48
Take comfort that Paul indicates that these traits are intact.
43:56
These traits are not gospel.
44:35
And may we ever praise him for his work.
44:43
Take your hymnal again.
45:08
Dear God.
45:26
Be safe.
45:33
Be safe.
45:50
Be safe.