Sermon
#1111 Miscellaneous
Sermons
Title: A
GOD WROUGHT SALVATION
Text: Isaiah
26:12
Scripture Reading:
Psalm 62:1-12
Subject: Salvation, The Work of God Alone
Date: Sunday Morning – October 17, 1993
Tape #
Introduction:
I want to talk to you this morning about A God Wrought Salvation. My text is Isaiah 26:12. “Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.”
What a humbling confession this is! It ascribes everything to
God in the matter of salvation, and nothing to man. Self-sufficiency and
self-satisfaction are the tendencies of proud human hearts the world over. We
all like to think, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of
nothing.” (Rev. 3:17). But we are not! Since God has wrought all our works in
us, we have nothing to boast of (I Cor. 4:7).
This text proclaims two things emphatically:
1.
Salvation is something that is wrought in a person. “Thou also hast wrought
all our works in us.” Do you see that? Salvation is internal, not external. All
human religion is external. God’s salvation is internal. “Ye make clear the
outside of the cup and platter, but within are full of extortion and excess.”
(Matt. 23:25). All carnal, human religion is on the surface. God looks upon the
heart (I Sam. 16:7). God deals with the heart (Heb. 10:16). God hears the heart
(Rom. 10:9-10).
2.
This salvation that is wrought in the heart is God’s work alone. “Thou also hast wrought
all our works in us!” I contend that every true believer gladly makes this
acknowledgement of grace. “Thou hast wrought all our works in us.” Every person
taught of God is taught what Jonah was taught down in whale-belly seminary – “Salvation
is of the Lord!” This is the universal testimony of Holy Scripture.
Psalm 37:39
Galatians 1:15-16
Philippians 1:6
Philippians 2:13
Hebrews 10:16
Hebrews 13:20-21
Romans 9:16
I Corinthians 15:10
It
does not matter how you study it, or from what angle you look at it, salvation
in the Bible is described as the work of God alone. Whenever salvation is
discussed in Bible terms, it is acknowledged that “Salvation is of the Lord!”
It was planned and purposed by God the Father for his elect before the foundation
of the world (Eph. 1:3-6). Salvation was earned and purchased for all the
chosen by the holy life and vicarious atonement of God the Son (Eph. 1:7-12).
And this salvation is revealed to, performed in, and preserved in every chosen,
redeemed sinner by God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14). In its planning, in its
purchase, in its performance, in its preservation, and in its perfection,
“Salvation is of the Lord!”
Proposition: This is the doctrine of our text and the
message of the entire Bible – “Salvation is of the Lord!” Ours is a God Wrought
Salvation! “For thou also hast wrought all our works in us.”
Divisions:
1. Who Are The People In Whom
God Works?
2. What Is It That God Works In
His People?
3. Why Has The Lord God Wrought
All Our Works In Us?
4. Is My Salvation A God
Wrought Salvation?
I. Who
Are These People In Whom God Works?
Let me answer that question three ways.
A. God
works his grace in His Elect, His Chosen, The People Ordained to Eternal Life
before The World Began (II Thess. 2:13-14).
Grace always travels a predestined road to a
foreordained house, and gives life to a chosen sinner. Grace never goes where
election and predestination do not send it.
B. God’s
saving grace comes to every sinner for whom There Is A High Priest and A
Sacrifice In Heaven.
Grace comes to all those, but only to those for whom
The Lord Jesus Christ…
1. Makes Intercession (John
17:9, 20).
2. Obtained Redemption (Gal.
3:13-14; Heb. 9:12).
3. Was Made A Sin Offering
(Isa. 53:10-11).
C. Grace
Always Comes To The Most Unlikely, Unexpected And Undeserving of Sinners.
(I Sam. 16:12; I Cor. 1:26-29).
Those who have no claim whatever on God, who are
utterly destitute of merit, who are completely unworthy of his favor and
altogether deserve his wrath, miserable failures, corrupt sinners, depraved
rebels, vile, wretched, undone condemned, worthless worms – These are the
people to whom God is gracious! Where sin abounds, there grace doth much more
abound!
II. What
Are The Works That God Works In His Elect?
Our text declares, “Thou also hast wrought all
our works in us.” Do you see that? Whatever works there are in us that are
related in any way to God’s salvation are works that the Lord God has wrought
in us.
·
In this Book nothing is ascribed to man but sin.
·
Everything relating to salvation is wrought of God. Let’s look into the
Book of God and see if this is not so. 10 things…
A. Regeneration, the New Birth is wrought
in The Chosen by the Sovereign Power and Irresistible Grace of God The Holy
Spirit. (John 1:11-13; 3:8; 6:63; James 1:18).
B. Repentance is the gift of God, wrought
in his people by grace (Acts 5:31; 11:18; Rom. 2:4; II Tim. 2:25).
Repentance is an abhorrence
of self and sin, caused by a saving view of Christ (Zech. 12:10). It is a
change, a change of mind, a change of masters, a
charge of motives.
Whitefield said, “No man has truly repented
until he has repented of his sins – his sin – and his righteousnesses.”
C. Conviction, that conviction which
precedes and always causes repentance, is the work of God the Holy Spirit. (John
16:8-14).
·
“Of Sin” – My Sin!
·
“Of Righteousness” – God’s Requirement, My Lack, and
Christ’s Fulfillment!
·
“Of Judgment” – God’s complete judgment of sin in Christ
– The satisfaction of justice in his death.
NOTE: Because conviction is a
never ending, continual increasing thing, repentance is a never ending,
continual increasing thing.
D. Faith In Christ is the gift of and
operation of God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8; Col. 2:12).
Faith is something we must
exercise. And the faith we exercise is our faith. But it is the gift of God! It
is something God works in us (Phil. 1:29).
E. Spiritual Understanding is the gift of God the Holy
Spirit, granted to every true believer (I John 2:20-27; 5:20).
Spiritual understanding has nothing to do with I.Q, or mental aptitude, or education. All who are taught of God are well taught and have the mind of Christ – (I Cor. 2:9-14).
F. Good Works, which we must carefully
maintain, are the result not of creature effort and diligent reformation, but
of God’s purpose and grace (Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 2:11-14).
G. All Works Of Service to Christ and his church are
the results of God’s purpose and grace and the gifts of his Spirit (I Cor.
15:10).
Illustration: Paul, Apollos, and Peter
1. Gifts for the ministry come
from God.
2. Success in the ministry comes
from God.
3. Gifts of service (ministry)
come from God.
H. Spiritual Fruit is the produce of God the
Holy Spirit – (Gal. 5:22-23).
I.
Perseverance in Faith is the result of our being preserved by God’s grace
(Mal. 3:6; I Pet. 1:5).
J.
Even Prayer is found in the heart only when God puts it
there (II Sam. 7:27).
Whatever aspect of salvation
you look at, if you consider it as it is revealed in this Book, you must
confess, “Salvation is of the Lord!” Completely! In its entirety! (I Cor.
1:30).
1. “Of Him” – The Source of
Grace.
2. “Are ye in Christ Jesus.” –
The Place of Grace.
3. “Who of God is made unto
us…” –The Method of Grace.
·
“Wisdom”
·
“Righteousness”
·
Sanctification”
·
“And Redemption!”
III. Why
Has The Lord God Wrought All Our Works In Us?
We should never ask why God does anything, or why he
does anything the way he does, unless he has given us the answer. Regarding
this question, God has given us three clear answers, as to why he has wrought
all our works in us.
A. Had
God not wrought all our works in us we never could have been saved
(Rom. 8:29).
1.
We were dead – We could never have made ourselves righteous.
2.
We were lost. We would never have come to Christ.
a. It is true, all men are
responsible to believe. But no man can believe God.
b. It is true, the gospel calls
and commands all the obedience of faith – But no man can obey the call.
c. Only grace makes sinners
willing to trust Christ – (Ps. 110:3; 65:4).
3.
We are depraved – We could never make ourselves righteous!
B. The
Lord God has wrought all our works in us so that our salvation might be
effectually and securely accomplished.
Were anything left up to us, we would perish. But
this is God’s work. It is forever – “My salvation shall be forever, and my
righteousness shall not be abolished” (Isa. 51:6; Eccles. 3:14).
C. The
Lord God wrought all our works in us so that he alone might have all the praise
for all our salvation (I Cor. 1:29-32; Eph. 1:3-14).
IV. I have been talking to you about A God Wrought Salvation. Now I have one more question to consider I hope you will consider it with me – Is My Salvation A God Wrought Salvation?
Is my salvation something I have done, something I have been talked into, something produced by the flesh; or is it a God wrought salvation? This much I know – If you have a God wrought salvation, if I have a God wrought salvation…
A. A God
wrought salvation Puts A New Nature In A Person – (“Christ in
you” II Cor. 5:17; II Pet. 1:4).
Illustration:
The Warfare (Rom. 7:14-24).
B. A
God wrought salvation produces an increasing abherence
of Self (Job 42:6).
Illustration:
The Publican (Luke 18).
C. A God
wrought salvation Renounces All Creature Confidence and Looks to Christ
Alone – (Isa. 45:22; I Cor. 1:30).
·
Not My Righteousness – His!
·
Not My Suffering – His!
·
Not My Experiences – His!
·
Not My Works – His!
·
Not My Baptism – His!
D. A God
wrought salvation Causes a Person to Truly Love The Lord Jesus Christ
(I Cor. 16:22).
1. To Love Christ is to Seek
Perfect, Perpetual…
·
Communion with Him!
·
Commitment to Him!
·
Conformity to Him!
2. To Love Christ is to Love
His People!
Application: