Sermon Tone Analysis

Our Identity

Who are we as believers?

What is our identity?

This is very important because of the accusations that come against us from Satan, from Godless scientists, and from those who think Christianity is just a religion.

We need to understand who we are in Christ.

This passage addresses that very clearly.

As we look in Ephesians 1:3-14, I want you to notice this little phrase “in Him.”

He uses this phrase often, almost 40 times in the book of Ephesians.

He uses this phrase almost 160 times throughout all his writings.

This phrase is very important.

Look in verse 3...

Did you catch the richness of that passage.

Did you catch the richness of that passage?

In eternity past, before time began, the Father did some work for the believer.

In the present, in history, Jesus did some work for the believer.

Then, in the future there is an inheritance, there is a promise, that the work or the person of the Holy Spirit is a part of.

You see from eternity past to eternity future, the work of the great Triune God of the Bible: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This is your God, Christian.

If you have been born again, if you have been brought into the family of Christ, if you have been given the Holy Spirit, then your identity is radically different from what you used to be and who you used to be.

Praise God that He has...

Made Us Rich in Christ (verse 3)

Paul starts out with “blessed” or “Praise...” This is a praise report.

The rest is a doxology.

In the first 14 verses it’s one sentence in the original Greek language.

Paul just hammers it out.

I want you to see where our real wealth is...

Our wealth is in Christ.

Everything we have of eternal value is because of Christ.

What Jesus has, we have!

Life.

Power.

Relationship with God.

Awesome future.

Think about it...

We have every spiritual blessing there is!

Listen, in Christ you are rich beyond measure whether you realize it or not.

It’s like having oil under your property.

It’s your’s whether you know it’s there are not.

It’s when you realize it’s there and you tap into it that you can fully realize its benefits.

God has given us everything in Christ because of our union with Him.

The next truth is is verse 4. It’s a deep one that we will not begin to fully understand on this side of heaven.

God has...

Chosen Us In Christ (verse 4a)

This is a deep truth that should not cause debate.

It should cause delight.

We will not get into the election debate today.

Suffice it to say we will simply praise God for what the Bible says and you can take it from there.

We don’t understand the fullness of this.

No theologian in this world can fully reconcile God’s sovereignty in salvation.

God does whatever He does, and it’s man’s responsibility to trust Jesus.

We were chosen before the creation of the world.

Sometime in eternity past, before the garden of eden, before Adam and Eve, God had a plan for us.

His plan involved Christ.

We talked about that last week.

Christ’s sacrificial atonement made possible for us to receive His righteousness.

That brings us to the next point...

We are holy and blameless positionally, and we should be progressively.

When you placed your trust in Christ, you were united with Him.

When that happened, your position changed completely.

You were justified.

You were declared right before God, not on the basis of your righteousness, not on the basis of your good deeds, not on the basis of your holiness, but on the basis of the righteousness, the holiness, the perfection of Jesus.

When you trusted Him, what was true of Him became true of you positionally.

However, then progressively, as a result of Christ living in you, as a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit, you will grow progressively in your sanctification, in your walk with God.

You will.

It is automatic.

If the Holy Spirit lives in you, you will begin to live a holy life.

You will begin to live a holy life.

We are holy and blameless positionally, and we should be progressively if we have been justified.

Your identity in Christ is right before Him.

You are righteous.

When He sees you, He sees Christ.

You are free to be holy.

Next truth...

Predestined Us In Love Through Christ (verse 4b-6)

Look at verses 4 through 6...

Now before we go any further, we have to understand that the biblical doctrine of predestination is not the same as the doctrine of election.

This word, “predestination” happens five times in the New Testament.

It is not a bad word.

It is a good word.

It is there.

It is right there, and I don’t understand all the fullness of it.

Nobody does, but here is what you need to know about it.

Before you were born, God destined everyone who trusts in Christ would be adopted into His family, Christian, despite who you were, despite your sin, despite your rebellion against Him, despite your imperfections.

It’s automatic.

Here’s what happens…

We were predestined to be adopted.

The moment you trust Christ as your savior you are adopted into the family of God.

That radically changes your identity Christian.

You are in the family of God.

Not because you were lovable or deserved it.

Think about it.

We are now children of the Heavenly Father, co-heirs with Christ, our identity is a child of God, and since...

Since the Father loves the Son He also loves us!

Isn’t that awesome?

Now the next truth, verses 7 and 8...

Redeemed Us In Christ (verse 7-8)

“In Him,” it says “we have”… already accomplished, we have “redemption”.

Redemption is having the price of something paid.

A ransom was paid to buy someone or something back.

We were in bondage, and Jesus came along and paid the price to buy us back from bondage.