Thank you, Mark. Appreciate that. Good morning to everybody. Beautiful, sunny spring morning. 

We're working through the book of Ephesians somewhat slowly of late. We're going to finish our study of Ephesians 2, 1 to 10 this morning. This is really an important text for us as we found it to be so rich and full in our last two studies. It's all about salvation. 

Paul's talking about salvation by God's grace through faith, and that's the essence of his message. And this is the single most important truth we can understand, the very heart of the gospel. We've learned about the condition of the man in Adam, what it means to be dead in sins and trespasses, and what the power of indwelling sin in the lost man means to his outward behavior, how he walks, how he lives. 

We've come to understand the hopelessness of this situation for the man in Adam. There's nothing that he can do to remedy his condition. He cannot save himself. There's no scheme, no religion of man that can deliver him from his deadness and domination by indwelling sin. And the world and the system all around him feeds that beast that lives in him to foster fruit unto death. Continually, perpetually, he produces fruit to death out through his members. 

And we see this all around us in this world, sin and death and corruption, wickedness and evil. Men are blinded by the God of this age. They cannot see the truth, and they choose to believe the lie. It is truly a hopeless situation in which men are destined to spend eternity in the lake of fire separated from God. 

Man is confined to this natural world, and in this world, he is doomed by his own sins, by his bondage to indwelling sin and the law. And there's nothing in this natural world that can deliver him. He is lost. But the good news is that the supernatural has entered the natural. Jesus, the Son of God, has taken on flesh and entered the natural world of man for the express purpose of bringing salvation to lost men in Adam. 

But God, it says, because of His great love with which He loved us, salvation is based solely in the character and nature of God. It is His love, His mercy, His grace that conceived and implemented this plan of salvation. And it was only the mind of God that could plan such a salvation. 

Man could never conceive nor carry out this great salvation, only God. And only because of His love, only by becoming one of us, taking on our nature absent sin and dying a death He did not deserve in our place for our sins. Only in this way could God remain just, punishing every sin by every man on Christ, on the cross by His death, and justify the one who has faith in Jesus. 

This is the sole requirement of salvation, the imputation of God's righteousness to us and our sins to Christ. Faith and faith alone in Jesus alone and what He accomplished on the cross in His one-time death in our place for our sins, satisfying the wrath of God proven by His resurrection from the dead. This is the gospel. This is salvation by God's grace through faith in Jesus. 

And this is what we will see as we focus in on verses 8 to 10 in our text this morning. If you look at Ephesians 2 at verse 8, for by grace you have been saved through faith. And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

Well, I've given you five points on your outline this morning. First, the condition of man. Second, the boast of man. Third, the gift of God. Fourth, the means of appropriation. And fifth, the new creation life. 

Well, as we've seen in the first three verses of our text, man, every man, finds himself in an awful, impossible situation. We've seen in our previous studies in Romans 5, 12 to 21, that every man born in Adam, with Adam as our father, is born into the sentence of physical death and with the presence of indwelling sin. Every man was made a sinner in Adam. The one exception to this, of course, is Jesus, because Jesus' father was not Adam, but God the Father in heaven. 

Jesus was not born a sinner, but was like us in every human respect, yet without sin. So we know that every man sins because he is a sinner. And every man dies because of Adam's sin in the garden. But we learned something else in Romans 1, 18 and following about the condemnation and further judgment of men in this world and why they find themselves in such a predicament. 

Let's look at Romans 1, 18, please. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. 

Because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools. 

Now this text tells us that man knows God, that God has put that knowledge in him. What may be known of God is manifest in them, it says, for God has shown it to them. In other words, the evidence external in the creation and internal for the triune God of the universe is overwhelming. And because this evidence is so overwhelming, what Paul says here is it takes a willful suppression of this evidence of the truths all around us in the creation, the knowledge that God has placed in man in order to reject and deny Him, even His eternal power and Godhead. 

This is an interesting truth, because what we see is that when man chooses to reject God, to suppress the truth of God, rather than what Paul says in Acts 17, where he would that man would seek after God to reach for Him, to seek to find Him, because He's not far from each one of us, to receive the light of revelation of God given to every man, when man chooses to suppress this truth, then what we see in Romans 1 is that God further judges and hardens man, gives him over to his sin, gives him over to a debased mind, gives him over to do vile things, as we see in the rest of this section of Romans 1. 

And yet in all this sin and darkness and gloominess and condemnation, what God has put in man is so powerful, the need to worship, the need for God, the knowledge of His existence and His sovereignty and His judgment, that this remnant that men have tried to stomp out, to suppress, to extinguish, manifests itself in man creating his own gods in order to satisfy his need to worship. 

We see this in verse 23, and here we find the boast of man. It says, verse 22, professing to be wise, they became fools, and they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 

In verse 23, we find the explanation of all the religions of man and the attempt of man to save himself, to deliver himself from his wretched condition and establish his own righteousness, his own salvation. This is what we see in the world of religion, the creations of men. So how can we know what is true and what is false in this realm? 

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10 that the religions of men are inspired by demons and Satan, that behind all false religion is demonic influence and inspiration. What makes religion false? What makes religion satanic? In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul says that Satan works his best work in the pulpits of churches, masquerading as an angel of light, and his ministers pretend to be ministers of righteousness. 

So what marks man's religion versus God's truth? Well, we can know the religion of man by this one thing. Every religion of man is centered in the boast of man. Every religion is based in works, is a man-centered works righteousness. And this is contrasted by God's plan of salvation, based solely in the grace of God, apart from works. 

Turn over to Romans 9.30 with me, please. Romans 9 at verse 30. What shall we say, then, that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith? But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 

As it is written, behold, I lay in Zion, a stumbling stone and rock of offense. And whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 

For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. The legalistic religion of Judaism in Paul's day was designed and created by man, twisting the revelation of God given in the Old Testament to Israel. And it was and is today based on a works righteousness, a seeking to establish one's own righteousness through the works of the law. 

This is common to every religion of man because man wants to boast. He wants to steal the glory of God. We see in the book of Galatians that some religions try to incorporate the grace of God in Christ with the works of man. Believe Jesus, yes. Knowing, believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose the third day. But add works and rites and rituals to accomplish our salvation. Man wants to add his works to accomplish his own salvation, and this is his boast. 

But God rejects every work of man in Adam. He rejects every religious work as filthy rags, as an offense to and rejection of his son. Isaiah 64 6 says, we are all like an unclean thing, and all of our righteousness are like filthy rags. We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away. 

Galatians 6 14 says, but God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. I want you to listen to the warning of Hebrews 10. The willful sin here is unbelief. The willful sin is rejecting God's son, God's way of salvation, in exchange for establishing our own righteousness through the law. 

In Hebrews 10 26, it says, if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there's no other way. There no longer remains a sacrifice for sins if you reject Jesus. But a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 

Of how much worse punishment do you suppose will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified by a common thing, and insulted the spirit of grace? For we know him who said, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. And again, the Lord will judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 

God's salvation, the only salvation through faith in Christ, excludes the works of man and the boasting of man in himself. Romans 11.6 says, if it's by grace, then it is no longer of works. Otherwise, grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it's no longer grace. Otherwise, work is no longer work. 

Turn over to 1 Corinthians 1 with me, please, at verse 27. 1 Corinthians 1.27, Paul says, God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. And the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, God has chosen. 

And the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That as it is written, he who glories, let him glory in the Lord. 

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and fear and much trembling in my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 

I'd like for you also to turn to Romans 3 with me as we see the condition of man in sin and the futility of his work and religion in trying to establish his own righteousness and then God's remedy in the gospel. Romans 3 at verse 10 and here we're going to read a description of mankind. 

As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one. There's none who understands, there's none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside, they have together become unprofitable. There's none who does good, no not one. Their throat is an open tomb and with their tongues they have practiced deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace they have not known. 

And verse 18 summarizes our world today, there is no fear of God before their eyes. There's no fear of God before their eyes. This is what we see in our world, this is an apt description of man. It may have been hidden, covered in the past, but now we see it openly, blatantly, as men shake their fist at God. And man's remedy in religion is futility. 

Look at verse 19 of Romans 3, he says, now we know that whatever the law says it says to those who are under the law, why was the law given? That every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

In Romans 1 to 3 we see the condition of man, the attempted boast of man in religion, and in 321 we see the gift of God, the plan of God for the salvation of man. He says now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness of God, how? What's the means? Through faith. 

Through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there's no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 

Now look at what he says in verse 27, where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. What a clear statement of God's plan of salvation, of the gospel. 

And it's the same truth we see summarized so briefly in our text, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. It is the gift of God, salvation by grace because of his great love with which he loved us, he made us alive. 

Notice it says in verse 8, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that, that what is that? This is a very important question in our text. Let me ask you this, what's Paul been talking about this entire time? Salvation. The subject of this discourse is salvation. By grace you have been saved. 

You may have heard it taught here, and I'm sure you have, that faith is the gift of God. Who's heard this? Who's thought this? In this text, faith is the gift of God, they say. It's a common teaching by many Bible teachers, good conservative Bible teachers. The reason for this is their system of theology. 

The natural reading of this text in the flow of thought and context is that Paul's talking about salvation. This text is all about how a man is saved, his main subject is salvation, so just a natural reading considering the context would lead us to believe that the gift that he's talking about here, the grace gift, is salvation. 

Salvation is not of ourselves. Salvation is the gift of God. Salvation is not of works. But that's not all the evidence we have, and here's where I get so frustrated with men who teach that faith is the gift of God in this text. I know preachers who will spend half an hour drilling down to one jot or one tittle explaining the Greek and the grammar to make some point, and yet when they come to this text they ignore the very basic Greek grammar that makes this so clear. 

When we consider Ephesians 2.8, we must understand what the demonstrative pronoun translated that refers to. That, not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. What is the gift of God? What is that or this thing that he's referring to? In the Greek, unlike the English, each noun is assigned a gender. So it's either masculine or feminine or neuter. The pronoun toutot here translated that is neuter in gender and singular in number in the text. 

So it refers to a singular thing, not many things, and here's the grammatical rule. Pronouns must agree with their antecedent in gender. For example, if the pronoun is feminine, then the noun that it stands for must be feminine. In this case, our pronoun is neuter. That, or it could be translated this thing, and so this thing, this thing that Paul's talking about, must stand for something that's neuter. 

When we consider the word translated faith, it is feminine in gender. So that, or this thing, could not refer to faith by rule of Greek grammar. If Paul had wanted to say that faith was the gift of God, then he would have made the pronoun feminine, but he did not. Faith is not the gift of God here in this text. Faith is not what Paul's referring to in this verse. 

The word grace is also feminine, so it cannot refer to grace. It's interesting that there are no neuter nouns in verse 8 except for gift, which is the thing we're trying to identify. So it's a little bit of a dilemma. However, if we look at the main verb, the main verb is saved. For by grace are you saved. 

This key verb tells us what Paul's talking about. The question he's answering is this, how is a person saved? According to experts in Greek grammar, if Paul had wanted the pronoun to refer to the idea or concept contained in the verb, then the neuter gender would be the one to use. 

You could say it this way, for by grace are you saved through faith, and being saved is not of yourselves, and being saved is the gift of God, and being saved is not of works, lest any man should boast. In other words, this thing that he's talking about, this thing which is conveyed by the main verb saved, this thing refers to salvation. 

So with this in mind, we can read it this way, for by grace you are saved through faith, and this thing that I'm talking about, this salvation, is not of yourselves. When the text says that salvation is not of yourselves, what does this mean? It means that salvation is not of you. Salvation is of the Lord. There's no way you could ever possibly save yourself. You need a saving solution outside of yourself. 

Salvation is not of you. You could never work for it, you could never earn it, you could never merit it. It's by grace. You know, most people in this world think that salvation is by works. The very thing that Paul's trying to say here, it's not of you, it's not out of you, you're not the source of salvation, it's not by your works, it's not being good enough, it's not by baptism, it's not by confession, it's not by... it's by grace, it's a gift. 

What's a gift? Salvation is a gift. And when we compare Scripture with Scripture, this truth becomes evident as well. There are four closely related Greek words translated gift in the New Testament. These words are used in relation to salvation, but they're never used of saving faith. For instance, in Romans 6 23, Paul says the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. 

In John 4 10, the gift of God is living water, and in verse 14, this living water is defined as eternal life. In several passages, the gift of God is spoken of in justification, or the gift of the Holy Spirit in salvation. We see this in Acts 2 38, 8 20, 10 45, 11 17, Romans 5 15 and 17, 2nd Corinthians 9 15. Never do we see saving faith as referred to as the gift of God. 

Now I want to be clear here, and I belabor the point because it's really important, it matters. The clear call of the gospel of the New Testament is to believe Jesus in order to be saved. We looked at this earlier in our passage concerning regeneration and faith. The Bible says over and over and over again, I believe 157 times in the New Testament according to Haddon Robinson, hear the truth, believe, and be saved. 

It never says we are saved so that we can believe. The idea of faith being a gift of God runs in the same vein the way so many men define it. The Reformed theologian says that we must pray that God will give us the gift of faith, that faith has nothing at all to do with us, that we cannot believe until we are saved. 

The point I want to emphasize is what God says in His Word, and what Paul is saying in our text is that salvation is of God. Salvation is entirely conceived and implemented by God alone in His sovereignty and that it is by His grace that we are saved. What the words say in verse 8 is that the means of apprehension of this salvation is faith, and this is what is incumbent upon man if he is to experience the gift of salvation. 

When he hears the message about Jesus, he must believe. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. The Bible never tells us that we need to pray to God to give us the gift of faith, it simply tells us to believe. Believe Jesus, receive the gospel, and you will be saved. 

Now this does not mean that God is not involved in bringing us to saving faith. He most certainly is. John 6, along with other scriptures, make this clear. Turn to John 6 with me. John 6 at verse 44. Jesus says here, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 

It is written in the Prophets, and they shall all be taught by God. Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me, not that anyone has seen the Father except he is from God, he has seen the Father. Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in me has everlasting life. 

We see in this text that coming to Jesus is synonymous with faith. The one who comes to me I will raise up on the last day. He who believes in me has everlasting life. Now in verse 44 it says, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. God opens our hearts, right? God opens our eyes. 

But he does this through the preaching of the gospel. I remember talking to my brother one time about witnessing, and he would say, he's in a Reformed Baptist Church in Indiana, he said, well God has to open their eyes. Yeah, God has to open their eyes. That's right, men are blind. God has to open their eyes. But you need to tell men about Jesus. 

Well, God has to open their eyes. Okay, well let's look at Acts 26-17. Acts 26-17 is Paul's testimony. Jesus, speaking to Paul, says, I will deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you. Why? To open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me. 

Does God open our eyes to the truth? Yes, but how? He sent Paul, he sends each one of us, every believer, to open their eyes through the preaching of the gospel. Romans 10-17 says faith comes by hearing, literally a message about Jesus. So clearly the drawing of God, the work of God in the sinner is necessary. Man does not come on his own. But at the same time, we see that the clear and consistent call of the New Testament is to believe Jesus. 

We are commanded again and again to believe. Faith is our part in responding to the calling of God through the preaching of the gospel. That's why in our text in verse 8 it says that salvation is through faith. I want you to listen to Weiss' comments on this. 

He says the words through faith speak of the instrument or the means whereby the sinner avails himself of this salvation which God offers him in pure grace. Expositor says Paul never says, through the faith, as if the faith were the ground or procuring cause of the salvation. Alford says it is said the salvation has been affected by grace and it's apprehended by faith. 

Wiest goes on, the word that is tuto, this a demonstrative pronoun in the neuter gender. The Greek word faith is feminine in gender and therefore tuto could not refer to faith. It refers to the general idea of salvation in the immediate context. The translation reads, and this not out from you as a source of God, it is a gift. That is, salvation is a gift of God. It does not find its source in man. Furthermore, this salvation is not out of a source of works. This explains salvation by grace. 

It's not produced by man nor earned by him. It is a gift from God with no strings tied to it. I hope that was worthwhile for you, it's very interesting to me. Faith is the instrument or the means by which we receive or apprehend the gift of salvation. God has decided and offered and commanded this. Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved. 

Let's look at Romans 4 2. Romans 4 verse 2. Paul, after that tremendous statement in Romans 3 that we read before, he says what did Abraham find according to this? For if Abraham, verse 2, was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Just as David also described the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works, blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered, blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. 

Now some argue that if we believe, if faith is of us, if we believe Jesus, then our faith is a work. But this scripture shows that faith is not a work. What does it say? Him who does not work, but believes. The means, the instrument by which we are imputed the righteousness of God and our sins are imputed to Christ is faith, is believing Jesus. 

And this is what God's Word so clearly says in a multitude of passages throughout the New Testament. If we read Ephesians 2, 1 to 10 naturally, it is clear that salvation is from God because of His love, by His grace, and we become partakers of this great grace gift by the means or instrument of our faith. 

So we see in our text the condition of man, we see the boast of man, we see the gift of God, we see the means of appropriation, and finally we see the new creation life in verse 10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

We are His workmanship. He has recreated the one who believes Jesus. He's regenerated Him in the new birth. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation, and now we have been united to Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection. We have died to sin, we have died to the law, we've been released from bondage to fear of death, and now we have the Holy Spirit permanently indwelling us, the life of Christ living in and through us, the power of God working in us to produce fruit for His glory. 

Not only has God done all of this in saving us, He has created us in Christ Jesus for good works, it says. And God has also prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. This is incredible. God prepared us, saved us from sin and death and hell, and empowered us to live for Him. 

He gave to us His divine nature, He gave to us the mind of Christ, He's given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, and He has also arranged all the details, the opportunities to do these good works, to bear fruit, the fruit of holiness, the fruit of new believers, converts to Christ. 

He has equipped us to do the work of ministry, preaching the gospel, and even beforehand, before us, He has arranged the opportunities in this life to share the good news with others, with every creature, everyone that God brings across our path. We don't always see those opportunities, we don't always take those opportunities, but they're there every day, and if you begin to pray for people and certain people and you look to witness and you want to share, you ask God to help you, you'll find yourself witnessing, you'll find yourself finding those opportunities that God has prepared. 

What God wants from us is to believe Him. He wants us to trust Him and He wants us to obey Him and the commission that He has given to us. Go into all the world and preach the gospel. It's the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation. Persuade men, implore them to believe Jesus, tell them about salvation through Christ, and give them the promise of God that if they believe Jesus, they will be saved. 

My friends, this is the simplicity of Christ, of the Christ's life. This is the clarity of the scriptures. This is what we need to know, so we need to believe, so we need to obey. And this is why we so love this great truth, for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we're so thankful that you've made it clear and simple in your Word for us that what you want us to do is to tell men about Jesus, that you want us to love men as you love men, that you want us to to give our lives a sacrifice, a living sacrifice to serve you and to serve men, to have an opportunity to tell them about Jesus. 

And we thank you that you prepare those opportunities, that you arrange all those details, and that if we are looking to Jesus as we run this race, if we are praying and spending time with you and in fellowship with believers and renewing our mind to your Word, that we'll see those things and that you'll empower us, you'll give us the words, and through your power, through your grace, you'll draw men to yourself in the hearing of the gospel and faith in Jesus. 

In His name we pray. Amen.