Ephesians 2: 1-10

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Man’s state of being without Christ.

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Philips Translation:  To you, who were spiritually dead all the time that you drifted along the stream of this worlds’ ideas of living, and obeyed its unseen ruler (who is still operating in those who do not respond to the truth of God), to you Christ has given life!

                In verse one, the Holy Spirit through Paul informs us just exactly what our spiritual state of being is without Jesus Christ.  Spiritually, when we are born into this world, we are still born – dead on arrival (DOA).  We grow and develop as the walking dead.  Our inherited sin nature (1 Cor. 15:22) is the controlling force in our lives which means we live for ourselves fulfilling our own desires and natural inclinations.  We learn and follow the world’s knowledge and philosophies.  We follow the council of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners, and sit in the seat of the scornful (Ps. 1:1).  Also, we are trapped and enslaved by the devices and enticements of Satan, the prince of the power of the air.  With his deep influence over many organizations and industries, he leads this world in the ways of disobedience and down the path to destruction.

                These three verses describe what has been termed as the Total Depravity of Man.  Total depravity is that as a consequence of the fall of man, every person born into this world is by nature a sinner only capable of committing acts of sin and is not able to save himself by any ways or means.  Man is incapable of saving himself no matter how good his works, religion, or intentions.  All men commit evil and are condemned already (Rom. 3: 10-19,23) (John 3: 18-21).  Some acts of evil are evident because they are recognized as a violation of God’s Law, i.e., adultery, murder, violence, and wickedness.  But, evil is really anything that is contrary to the law, nature, and will of God, i.e., disobedience, lack of faith, works in place of faith, faith plus works.  Romans 14: 23 “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”  James 4: 17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”  1 John 3: 4 ”Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”  Isaiah 64: 6 “But we are like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” Anyone not placing their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and His atoning death as the only way of salvation is doing evil.

                If your heart stops and you stop breathing, there is nothing you can do about it.  Dead people cannot give themselves life.  You cannot perform CPR on yourself.  Someone else has to try to bring you back to life.  So it is with salvation.  You cannot give yourself life.  Another dead person cannot give you life.  Only the Spirit of God can give you life through Christ. (Rom. 8: 10,11 & 2 Cor. 3:6).

So what is man’s condition? – Hopelessly Dead!

God’s Solution – the big BUT.

Ephesians 2: 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

                If a doctor tells you, you have a seriously hopeless disease, BUT …  Would not your ears, mind, and all of your attention be focused on his next words?  Verses one to three have given man’s diagnosis and prognosis –spiritual death.  Now, the Spirit writes the word BUT!  Time to listen up people! But GOD!  God Who is rich in mercy.  Mercy is not giving us what we really deserve, but in this case God’s mercy does not want us to stay in our present condition, which is dead in our trespasses and sins.  His compassion and love for us tremendously outweighs the offensiveness of our condition and our enmity towards Him.  Romans 5:6-10 tells us that while we were in our dead state and enemies of God He loved us and had Christ die for us.  John 3:16&17 and 1 John 4:9&10 inform us that God so loved us He sent His Son into the world so that we might have life only through Him.  God has the cure to man’s condition! – Life Through Jesus Christ!

Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

           For those who have the cure, God has not only given them life, but He has given them gifts to serve on earth and a position in the kingdom of heaven.  We have a place prepared for us and a seat in His presence.  It is as if we are there already.  It is like a congressman or senator.  They have a seat in their respective houses of congress even though they are not physically present.  Also, the wonderful things that the Lord has prepared to give us in His presence are beyond comprehension or imagination.  As Paul states in 1 Cor. 2:9 “…eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

Are You Sure There is Nothing a Man Can Do?

Ephesians 2: 8 & 9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

          God is making it very clear here that our salvation is an act of His grace completely and totally performed by God alone.  Salvation is God’s grace plus NOTHING!  This grace has been looked upon in two ways – Irresistible Grace (efficacious grace) and Prevenial Grace (preceding grace).  Irresistible grace teaches that the saving grace of God overcomes the resistance to obeying the call of the gospel for those God has chosen to save.  In short, regeneration must take place before faith.  Prevenial grace teaches that God’s grace precedes human decision.  It allows persons their free will choice to choose or reject the salvation offered by God.  In either case, the Holy Spirit of God impresses on the person the realization that they are a sinner condemned to hell, there is nothing they can do to save their self, and God has provided a way for them to be saved.  (Sin, Judgment, and Righteousness)  God’s grace is that prompting of the Spirit to believe the message of the gospel and to act personally upon it by placing our faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone.  John 1:12 & 13 teaches we become children of God by receiving Christ, by believing on Him; we are not physically born saved, not something we earn(will of the flesh), not something any other man can give us (will of man), but only God can save us.

Charles Spurgeon put it this way:

          “And let me now ask you this question, have you ever proved by experience the truth of this great negative fact, that there is no salvation in any other? I can speak what I do know, and testify what I have seen, when I solemnly declare in the presence of this congregation, that it is even so. Once I thought there was salvation in good works, and I labored hard, and strove diligently to preserve a character for integrity and uprightness; but when the Spirit of God came into my heart, “sin revived and I died,” that which I thought had been good proved to be evil; wherein I thought I had been holy I found myself to be unholy. I discovered that my very best actions were sinful. that my tears needed to be wept over, and that my very prayers needed God’s forgiveness. I discovered that I was seeking after salvation by the works of the law, that I was doing all my good works from a selfish motive, namely to save myself, and therefore they could not be acceptable to God. I found out that I could not be saved by good works for two very good reasons: first, I had not got any and secondly, if I had any, they could not save me. After that I thought, surely salvation might be obtained, partly by reformation, and partly by trusting in Christ; so I labored hard again, and thought if I added a few prayers here and there, a few tears of penitence, and a few vows of improvement, all would be well. But after forging on for many a weary day, like a poor blind horse toiling round the mill, I found I had got no farther, for there was still the curse of God hanging over me: “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them;” and there was still an aching void in my heart the world could never fill—a void of distress and care, for I was sorely troubled because I could not attain unto the rest which my soul desired. Have you tried those two ways of getting to heaven? If you have, I trust the Lord, the Holy Spirit, has made you heartily sick of them, for you shall never enter the kingdom of heaven by the right door, until you have first of all been led to confess that all the other doors are barred in your teeth. No man ever will come to God through the straight and narrow way until he had tried all the other ways; and when we find ourselves beaten, and foiled, and defeated, then it is, that pressed by sore necessity, we betake ourselves to the one open fountain, and there wash ourselves, and are made clean.

          Perhaps I have in my presence this morning some who are trying to gain salvation by ceremonies. You have been baptized in your infancy; you regularly take the Lord’s Supper; you attend your church or chapel; and if you knew any other ceremonies you would attend to them. Ah! my dear friends, all these things are as the chaff before the wind in the matter of salvation; they cannot help you one step towards acceptance in the person of Christ. As well might you labor to build your house with water, as to build salvation with such poor things as these. These are good enough for you when you are saved, but if you seek salvation in them, they shall be to your soul as wells without water, clouds without rain, and withered trees, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Whatever is your way of salvation—for there are a thousand different inventions of men whereby they seek to save themselves—whatever it may be, hear thou its death. knell tolled from this verse: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

What about Works?

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

          Good works do not in any way proceed salvation as we have seen above.  Good works are the result of a changed or new life in Christ brought about at our rebirth by the Holy Spirit.  Good works are the witness and fruit of our salvation.  God makes us new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) and the Holy Spirit transforms us into the image of Jesus Christ.  As Paul states in Gal. 2:20 it is no longer he who lives but Christ lives through him.  The works that we do were planned by God before we were saved, even before the foundation of the world.  The Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in us and gives us our spiritual gift(s) according to what He, the Spirit, wills 1 Cor. 12:11.  We are instructed to walk by the Spirit and to walk by faith.  This Spirit-faith walk produces the works in us that James says is a testimony to one’s faith. James writes, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered up Isaac his son upon the alter?  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:20-22 but read 17-26)  This is why we should develop a close walk with God so that we will know what HE wants us to do.

Verse 3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,

The literal translation is “in the heavenlies” according to the New Scofeld Reference Bible (1967). This has to do with the sphere of the Christian’s spiritual experience as identified with Christ in nature (1Pet 1:4), life (Col 3:4, 1 John 5:12), relationships (John20:17, Heb 2:11), service (Matt 28:20, John 17:18), suffering (Phil 1:29, 3:10, Col 1:24), inheritance (Rom 8:16,17) and future glory in the kingdom (Rom 8:18-21, 1 Pet 2:9, Rev 1:6, 5:10). The Christian is a heavenly man, and a stranger and pilgrim on the earth. (Heb 3:1, 1 Pet 2:11).

Verse three tells us we are blessed by God in all these areas of life. Peter puts it this way – that God according to His divine power has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue (2 Pet 1:3). I would like to look at the list that Scofeld has given us. I am sure it is not a complete list, but one that needs our scrutiny.

Nature – 1 Pet 1:4 an incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance reserved in heaven for you. (1 Cor. 3:12) We build on this inheritance with gold, silver, precious stones or wood hay or stubble.

Life – Col. 3:4 When Christ is revealed in glory so shall we be in glory. (1 Cor. 15:53 & 1 Jn 3:2) 1 John 5:11,12 We only have life in Christ. There is no other one that gives life.

Relationships – John 20:17 God is now our personal Father and our personal God.
Heb. 2:11 Christ and all the saved have the same Father. Christ has made us
brethren and is not ashamed of us.

Service – Matt 28:20 Jesus Christ is with us always. He will not leave us or forsake us. We are empowered by His Spirit.  John 17:18 As God the Father sent Christ into the world (filled with His Spirit), Christ sends us into the world (filled with His Spirit).

Suffering – Phil 1:29 For the magnification and glory or Christ, not only do we believe, but we suffer for Him (here on earth).  Col 1:24 complete and fulfill the sufferings of Christ. When we suffer for Him, He suffers with us.

Inheritance – Rom 8:16,17 God’s Spirit confirms our sonship/daughtership to God. This makes us the heirs of the kingdom; we are joint heirs with Christ.

Future Glory – Rom 8:18-21 God’s glory in Christ will ond day be revealed in us (1 John 3:2).  All creation will be released from the curse on that day.
1 Pet 2:9 We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood. (Jer 31:34, Heb. 8:11)
Rev 1:6 We will be priests and kings.
Rev 5:10 We will be priests and kings that reign on the earth with (under) Christ.

This completes Scofeld’s list in the commentaries at the bottom of the page. I think we could add to this list as follows:

The Forgiveness of All Sin Completely – 1 Pet 3:18 The just and righteous Christ has once suffered once and for all for all of our sins. 1 Pet 2:24 Jesus bore our sins on the cross.  Christ has paid it all. Jer. 31:34b, Heb. 10:17 tells us that are iniquities and sins will not be remembered. One we have trusted Christ, confess, and forsake sin it will not be
mentioned again.

Answered Prayer – Heb. 4:1516 We can boldly (without fear) come before our Father and ask for His mercy and grace. 1 Pet 3:12, Psa. 34:15 God’s eyes are constantly upon us and His ears are open to our cries. Isa. 65:24 The answer is already on the way.

A Heavenly Home – John 14:1-4 Christ has prepared a place for us in His Father’s house.  He is coming back for us who know the way which is to believe and trust in Christ.

Protection – Job 1 & 2 God does not allow the enemy or the world to do more to us than what He approves. Psalm 91 God promises His protection.

Many of the laws and feasts given to Israel by God through Moses foreshadow or reflect the work that Jesus Christ would perform for us. His life was lived and His Passion was completed for the fulfillment of the Law and a requirement for a relationship with God the Father. In Mathew 5:17 & 18 Jesus said that he did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill It. One of the laws given by God was the redemption of property or a person. It is the law of the kinsman redeemer found in Leviticus 25: 47-52 and Deuteronomy 25: 5-10. I will discuss Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of this law in reference to a person here.

Three requirements are listed in these passages for the kinsman – redeemer. They must be related to the person in need of redemption, usually the nearest relative. They must be able to pay the price of redemption. They must be willing to pay the price of the redemption. Jesus not only fulfilled these requirements to be our Kinsman – Redeemer; He is the only ONE who could fulfill the requirements.

To rightly begin this study, we must see and realize that all of us are in bondage to sin, and therefore we are in need of redemption. In the beginning, Adam and Eve had a right relationship with God and fellowshipped with Him in the Garden of Eden, but Satan entered into the Garden and tempted Adam and Eve (Genesis 3). They disobeyed God’s command and brought sin into this world. Paul tells us in Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. When Adam sinned he sold himself and his descendants to Satan’s influence and control. Adam acquired a sinful nature which he passed on to all of his descendants. This is how Satan became the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), so that he could blind men’s eyes to the Gospel, the truth of God’s Word, and right living. Also, we have sold ourselves into the bondage of sin. Jesus said in John 8:34 “…whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Paul confirms this in Roman 6:16 “Knew ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” All of us are sinners that are sold into the bondage of sin – Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” We are destitute and are without any means to redeem ourselves. Everyone is in the same situation. Psalms 49: 6, 7 tells us “they that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.”

Tragically, most people do not see their need for redemption, but God, Who is rich in mercy, grace, and love, has seen and done something about our situation. He has provided the Redeemer for us. This Redeemer satisfied all the requirements of the Law. The holiness, righteousness, and justness of God has been met by this Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Jesus was near kin to all of us. He was able to pay the price for our redemption. He was willing to pay the price.

First of all, Jesus Christ is our near kinsman. To be our kinsman means that Jesus was human. From the time Jesus came into the world, people have disputed His incarnation. In the days of the Church, some denied He came in the flesh and was some form of apparition or spirit being not a flesh and blood human being. Today, the world acknowledges that Jesus was a real human being, but not God. Both of these views are anti-biblical and are of the antichrist as 1 John 4:2, 3 says “…every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist…” Jesus was both God and man. God’s Word specifically tells us the following about Jesus:

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

John 1: 1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more.

1 John 1:1-3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life:  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:14, 15 (Philips) Since, then, “the children” have a common physical nature as human beings, he also became a human being, so that by going through death as a man he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might also set freethose who lived their whole lives a prey to the fear of death. It is plain that for this purposehe did not become an angel; he became a man, in actual fact a descendant of Abraham.

There are many other scriptures that can be quoted to show that God the Son became a real living, breathing man with blood in His veins. John has told us he heard, saw, and touched Jesus Christ in the flesh. Paul said we once knew Jesus Christ according to the flesh. God’s Word tells us that Jesus Christ has met the first qualification as the Kinsman-Redeemer.

The second qualification is the redeemer must be able to pay the price. The payment for sin is death, more specifically, the sacrificing and shedding of blood of an innocent and pure animal as the substitute for the sinner. In the beginning, God had instructed Adam and Eve about the Garden and the trees, especially the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were not to eat of that tree. If they disobeyed they would die. This death was twofold. First, they instantly died spiritually which separated them from God. Isaiah 59:2 tells us that “your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you…” Paul confirms this in Ephesians 2:2 when he tells us that we “were dead in trespasses and sins.” The second part of Adam’s and Eve’s death was the physical decline and death of their bodies. God could have ended their physical lives there, but He chose to cover their sin by the death sacrifice of two animals whose skins made a covering for Adam and Eve. Their sin and death were passed on to all of us. We were now sold into sin.

Throughout the Old Testament, God provision for sin was the sacrificial system in which an innocent, unblemished animal’s blood would be shed to cover the sin of the sinner. This practice was repeated over and over. The sacrifices merely covered and delayed God’s final judgment until death. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Heb. 9:27).” “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (Heb. 10:3 ,4).” Total and permanent payment would have to come in the sacrifice of a perfect and sinless human substitute. This is the only payment that is acceptable to bring us out of bondage. Because of His great love and mercy, God would provide this substitute just as He did for Adam and Eve in the Garden after they sinned.

As we have seen, Jesus Christ came and was a human being. Does He qualify to be our substitute? (Remember sacrifices must be innocent and unblemished – without sin.) John the Baptist said of Jesus that He was the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). In referring to Jesus as the Lamb, John was declaring that Jesus was sinless and the only suitable sacrifice to God for sin. Jesus asked the people including those in opposition to Him “Which of you convicts me of sin?” (John 8:46a) There were no accusations made against Him. Paul declares “he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21) Paul, once an enemy of Jesus Christ but now His great apostle, tells us that Jesus knew no sin. Peter, an intimate companion of Jesus, writes that Jesus, “knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.”(1 Pet 2:22) The writer of Hebrews writes “for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”(Heb. 4:15) Finally, John the Apostle, another intimate friend of Jesus, proclaims “…that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”(1 John 3:5) Also, Jesus states in John 14:30 that “the prince of this world is coming very close and he has no hold over me (Jesus).”(Phillips) From the testimony of all including the Devil, Jesus was a sinless, pure person able to pay the price of redemption.

The last requirement for the redeemer was the willingness to redeem the person in need of redemption. In Leviticus 25:47-55, it is implied that the near kinsman is willing to negotiate and pay the redemption price. In Deuteronomy 25:5-10, if the near kinsman is not willing to redeem his brother by producing an heir, then he is to be humiliated before the people. An example of a willing redeemer is found in Jeremiah. In Jer. 32, the Lord instructs Jeremiah to redeem the field of his cousin Hanameel. So, Jeremiah weighs out the silver, pays the price, and the deed is recorded and saved so that their descendants can claim the land after the exile. An unwilling kinsman is found in the book of Ruth. Ruth asks Boaz for redemption which he is willing to do but there is a closer relative that must be given first choice. When the nearer relative is presented with the redemption rights and the conditions that go along with it, he refuses and according to the Law removes his right sandal in the presence of the elders. This allows Boaz, who is willing, to perform the redemption of Elimelech’s property and produce the heir for the property by marriage to Ruth. Even more amazing is the redemption of Gomer by Hosea. (Hosea 1-3) How willing was Christ to redeem us? Again, let us examine the Word of God:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 10:11 Jesus said “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

Roman 5:7,8 “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you. which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us…” These are but a few verses that tell us of God’s love and mercy towards us and of His willingness to save us.

Not only has Christ qualified as our Redeemer, He has already met and paid the price of our redemption. He has paid the price of our release. Peter writes “who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”(1 Pet. 2:24) and “for Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit.”(1 Pet. 3:18) Paul writes the Colossian church that they “being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”(Col. 2:13,14)

As we have now seen, Jesus Christ not only qualifies as our kinsman redeemer, He is the only one that can qualify as our redeemer. The final part of this transaction of redemption is up to you. You must be willing for Jesus to redeem you, and you must ask Him to redeem you. The Philippian jailor asked what he must do to be saved, and Paul answered believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. (Acts 16:30,31) The Ethiopian eunuch asked what prevented him from being baptized and Philip said that if he believed the scriptures and message about Jesus with all his heart, there was nothing to prevent his baptism. Upon hearing this, the eunuch exclaimed that he believed Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Act 8:27-38)

Redemption is yours for the asking. If you believe Jesus is God the Son made human and believe He died on the cross and rose again for your sins, you can bow your head and pray and ask Him to save you now. Are you willing to ask Him?

Many people now use the phrase “God Bless America” as they have done over the past few decades.  Many use it at the end of their speeches or programs.  Since the attacks of 911, it has been proficiently used by everyone.  Many major league teams play and have the crowd sing the song God Bless America at the seventh inning stretch.  I do not oppose any use of this phrase on any occasion.  Neither would I support in any way those who ask God to condemn America.  Yet, now every time I hear “God Bless America”, a question is raised in my mind.  Why should God bless America?

Maybe, this phrase has become like the question “Hi, how are you?”  A question people have turned into a greeting and not a real question.  Yet, because its more frequent and wider use, “God Bless America” must be what it is, a prayer that asks God to show His favor upon our country.  It asks God to prosper us, to protect us, and to justify our cause.  Again I say, it is a prayer that also asks the question how can God bless America?

God has and continues to show His goodness and benevolence to all people.  It is the general mercy and grace He extends to all people.  He created and placed the Earth in the right orbit around the Sun to support life here.  He sends the rain, sunshine, and good weather on all – the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45).  “He gives to all life, breath, and all things…in Him we live and move and have our being…”(Acts 17: 25, 27). Paul in this passage tells the Athenians that God gives life to all, appoints nations their boundaries and times, and supplies their resources.  God’s kindness to all is so that men will see and recognize Him as the one and only true God (Rom 2:4).  God has bestowed a general benefit to America by His gracious plans.

However, for God to give His blessing, certain conditions must be met.  The blessing of forgiveness is given to the person who acknowledges to God that they are a sinner and that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died in their place on the cross for their sin (Psalms 32: 1, 2).  The person’s blessing of forgiveness is met on the condition that Christ died for our sin (1 Pet. 3: 18) and the person has received Christ as their Savior (John 1: 12).  Although, God is loving, kind, merciful, and gracious; He is holy, righteous, pure, and sinless.  Sin and sinners cannot be in His presence, nor can they expect His blessings.  The sin must be removed from the sinner by the blood of Christ.  This is the first and primary condition that must be met in order to obtain any of God’s blessings.  When a person has received Christ, then God’s blessings are based on our following His commandments and principles.  “How blessed is the man that doesn’t walk in the council of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf will not wither: and whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalms 1: 1-3). 

Conditions apply to whether a nation can be blest by God.  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, and the people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance.” (Psalms 33: 12).  As God told the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 28, a number of His blessing would be contingent upon their obedience to His commandments.  Some of these blessings included their health, economy, prosperity, safety, and status among the nations.  God’s message and instruction to Israel sets the standards that God will use to judge all nations including the United States of America. 

Does America meet any of the conditions that God said He would look for before He would give His blessings?  Let us examine America.

America has expelled the God of creation from all scientific fields.  They have denied His creative ability and the witness of creation itself, and replaced it with the hypothesis (not theory) of evolution.  Evolution is the only explanation offered to our beginnings in the scientific community and in our educational system.  (See Ben Stein’s movie Expelled.)   Biblical moral views are no longer a consideration in research.  The end will justify the methods.

America has expelled God from its educational systems.  Prayer is out.  Bible reading is out.  The Ten Commandments are out.  Christian moral standards are out.  Teaching abstinence is out.  Teaching lifestyles contrary to the Bible is in.  Teaching situation ethics is in.  Purposing to deny schools funds if the students have a Christian clubs is in.

America has asked God to leave our public places.  No displays of the Ten Commandments.  I am surprised they have not chiseled them off the Supreme Court Building.  No nativity scenes or other Christian religious displays.  The revival of the so called Fairness Doctrine will severely suppress or stop the true preaching and teaching of the Bible and God’s way of salvation through Jesus Christ.

 America has asked God to leave government in all three branches.  The founding fathers in writing the Constitution wrote it in such a way that God and His principles were to be part of the laws of the country and government.  The government was to separate itself from God only in the area of having a national church or national denomination.  This came from the lesson of England during “Bloody” Mary’s reign and the example of Roger Williams in Rhode Island.  Now, in the new Capitol visitor’s center all references to God in our documents have been deleted.  The references to God and the faith our founding fathers and subsequent leaders have been left out.  Many leaders today, even the ones that profess Christianity, still support the government sanction of murder by abortion.  Many are working to suppress and silence the Bible, good moral living, and the way of salvation through Jesus Christ.

This country has not met the conditions of Deuteronomy 28 for God to bless us, but as the latter part of the chapter states we have met the conditions for the cursing of God to take place.  As Billy Graham’s daughter, Ann Graham said in an interview with Jane Clayson on the Early Show when asked how God could allow Katrina to happen.  She said “I believe God is a deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government, and to get out of our lives.  And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.  How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”

Ann Graham is right, but there is more to it than God just being a gentleman.  As was declared on Mount Carmel in Elijah’s day, “the LORD He is God!” (1Kings 18: 39).  This is God’s world and we are His creation.  He created us; we did not invent Him.  Therefore, as Paul declared on Mars hill in Athens “in Him we live and move and have our being.”(Acts 17:28)  This means that God is in charge and that He is sovereign.  In fact the battle cry of our Revolution was “no king but King Jesus!”  God, also, has the supreme right to judge this world and our nation and His judgments are final and complete.

As a subject of the King and Judge of all the Earth, if one wishes to have the King’s favor or blessing, then one should honor and obey the King.  One should live in obedience to the King’s laws and commands.  If one denies or rebels against the King, then the King has the right and power to judge and punish the offender.  Therefore, God the sovereign King of the Universe, which does include the U.S.A., has a right to bless and to judge.  America’s rejection (rebellion) against God has not placed us in the position of blessing.  On the contrary, America has placed herself in the position where God’s corrective and directive judgments have already started.

Ever since Mt. St. Helens erupted and possibly earlier, God has been trying to get our attention.  Over the last few decades, the United States has seen devastating floods, tornados, hurricanes, cold waves, heat waves, ice storms, snow storms, and wind storms.  There have been droughts or too much rain.  On September 11, 2001, evil men succeeded in attacking the country on our own soil.  Now, this country is in a financial, an economic, and health care disasters.  There have been out breaks of diseases like swine flu and diseases that cannot be treated or cured.  Is all this just coincidence, isolated weather events, and a lapse in our intelligence?  Have we over used antibiotics?  OR, is it possible that God is trying to get our attention and tell us something? 

The reason evil men succeeded in attacking us is not so much a lack in our intelligence or ignoring the information gather by our intelligence.  With all of the finger pointing taking place, the main reason for the success of the attacks is the people of this country’s rejection of God.  Psalms 127: 1 says “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”  Because our leaders reject God’s presence in the government and pass laws that are contrary to His law, the Lord let down His guard on 911.  Because groups promoting sinful lifestyles and advocating murder of innocents, the Lord let down His guard on 911.  Because of people seeking self, pleasure, and material possessions without moral codes, the Lord let down His guard on 911.  Because of this country’s rejection of Jesus Christ, the Lord let His guard down on 911.

All of our so called natural disasters should be looked at with this passage of Isaiah 45: 5-7 in mind.  “I am the Lord, and there is no other; beside Me there is no God.  I will gird you, though you have not known Me; that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me.  I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” (emphasis mine)  Do you think that Katrina was focus on New Orleans, the murder capitol, just by coincidence?

Previously, God’s goodness to this country was designed to lead us to repentance (Roman 2: 4).  Now, God has brought about these calamities to turn us back to Him.  They are designed so that we will invite Him back into this country.  The Lord wishes all men to repent and not perish (2 Peter 3: 9 and John 3: 16).  God has no pleasure in the death of any person (Ezekiel 18: 32).

In fact, God has told us how to receive His blessings again; how we can be revived.  For some it will be to get right with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.  For the ones already saved, it means humbling themselves before God, praying (confess sin and confess faith), and turning from their wicked sinful ways (2 Chronicles 7: 14).

If America returns to the Lord Jesus Christ, then He can bless us.  So I say, “God Revive America!” 

To anyone reading this blog that does not know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, or if you are not sure, my desire is for you to realize that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He died for you on the cross to take upon Himself the just punishment for our sins.  He rose again (bodily) for our justification before God, the Father.  There is no other way of salvation.  My hope is that you will pray and ask Him to save you and make you His child.

Many of us may be disappointed because of the election results and what the new administration will mean for those who follow Jesus. Let me remind you of what our God, King, and Savior told us in Luke 18:1, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” As He
assured us of His speedy care in verse 8, He also asked a question about where our faith will be.

Here is where I would like to make some suggestions:

I. Restore or Strengthen Your Faith in Jesus Christ the King.  Barak Obama did not really win the election, the sovereign God allowed him to be elected for His purposes. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He assured us that ALL POWER and AUTHORITY have already been given unto Him in heaven and ON EARTH (Matt. 28:18) and as Paul reminds us in Rom 13:1 that “… there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”  Therefore the sovereign God is in control of our government. God is always in control. As Paul reminds us in Romans 9:17 “for the Scripture says to Pharaoh [Obama], even for this same purpose I have raised
you up, that I might show My power in you, and that My name might be declared in all the earth.” So, rest assured that God has the situation well under control.  Our trust should always be in Christ. Read, meditate, and pray about Psalm 37. Renew your faith in  God and His Son, Jesus.

II. Rely on God for Your Needs.

Many people have been relying on the government to bail them out. Many have trusted in their 401K’s, their stocks portfolios, their investments, and their real-estate. They put their faith and trust in their jobs or retirement plans. Now we see many of these failing and causing great fear of want and recession.  Psalms 34 and well as 37 tell us to fear and trust the Lord. We need to turn to Him in these times. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry…The righteous cry out, and the
Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.” (Ps. 34:15,17) “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.” (Ps.37:25) It is God
Who supplies all our needs – Phil. 4:19. Turn it all over to Him now.

III. Pray, Pray, Pray

Pray for President Barak Obama to really know Jesus the Christ (genuine salvation). Many candidates have proclaimed their salvation and have worn it on their coat sleeves or lapels, but after being elected they take
it off and discard it.  We need a president like King Josiah of Judah, who grieved at the violation of God’s Law and brought revival.  Pray for President Obama to be sensitive to the Law of God and the leading of King Jesus the Christ, regardless of his true relationship with Jesus. Only the Word of God and God’s leading will bring President Obama success (Josh. 1:8).  Pray that President Obama will have Godly wisdom and will lead with Godly principles (Prov. 21:1).  Pray that President Obama will have the strength to resist the ungodly influences that will be pressed upon by the world and ungodly groups.

Pray all the above for Congress – Salvation – Biblical direction – God honoring decisions – Resistance to evil.

Pray for all the people that will be impacted by this economic crisis. People without jobs, homes, insurance, medicine, and direction. People that will be devastated with no hope.

PRAY FOR REVIVAL!  If there ever was a time in our country for the renewing of our relationship with God, it is NOW!  Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict this country of sin, righteousness, and judgment as the preaching of Jonah did in Nineveh. Pray that all the true believers would do as God instructed in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.” Ask God to sweep revival across this land as He did in the Great Awakening.

IV. Work for God now.

As stated above, take 2 Chron. 7:14, kneel down before the Lord, and pray. Seek His face – a closer relationship with Him. Confess your sins and determine by His Power to turn from them and all sin. Let God heal you (spiritually) and revive you.  Ask God for wisdom and direction. Ask God what He wants you to do for Him.  As Arthur Ashe wrote “ask God for wisdom to know what is right, what God wants done, and the will to do it.”
Read, study, and apply the Word of God to your life.  Live it.  Walk the walk. Love your bretheren. Help and encourage them.  Be ready to share the gospel, then share it. There are only two investments that follow you into eternity,  The Word of God and the souls of men.

In conclusion.

Unless we follow some kind of plan like the one above, my fear is that when President Obama gives the State of the Union address, the following will happen.  During the speech a hand will appear out of nowhere and write the words “MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN” on the wall. (Daniel 5:25)