As I mentioned, and as you know, it is the first Sunday of December, which is often called the first Advent. Of course, in December, it's a long Christian tradition that we focus on the birth of Christ. In some ways, we might be thinking that because it's the birth of Christ, that this is where the story starts. After all, it's the birth, so it's the beginning. life and in that sense it is the beginning of our salvation being accomplished Jesus grew up to be a man then he died on a cross for sinners like us then he rose from the dead three days later so in some ways it is the beginning of accomplishing our salvation but salvation in itself and the plan of salvation goes far far far far far before that in fact, before time itself exists. So before there was such a thing as time, before there was such a thing as earth, before there was literally anything except God, who has always been, there was this plan of salvation set into motion. And so even though during this December Christmas passages you know last Christmas we did but even though we're in the book of Ephesians and on the surface it might not seem to relate directly to Christmas no this is exactly what Christmas is about and today we'll be looking at that aspect of before Christ birth before even the creation of the world, what happened then and how does that then play out and how does that relate to Christmas and more importantly how does that relate to every single one of us as an individual made in the image of God. So we're in Ephesians and today we will be looking at verses 3 to 6 and let me read verses 3 to 14 first to And just before I read, I want to also mention that this passage from verse 3 to 14, it seems that it's basically just one sentence. So those who know Greek way better than I do, you know, figure that it's basically Paul is using, you know, even if you write English or Finnish or whatever, it's not very good to write too long sentences because it gets a bit too complicated. You should spread it apart. But it seems here Paul, starting Ephesians, after he said kind of the beginning things, Paul the Apostle, praise to you, he starts this thing and he just keeps on going. So it's almost like without stopping to take a break, So it's basically one sentence. So you could think about it as without any period. And the reason I'm saying that is because that seems to be the case and also for us to think through that this all goes as a unit and how Paul kind of gets carried away in praising God for his greatness in salvation. So, because of that, even still today, Greek scholars consider this, you know, the content, of course, is, you know, great, and the Word of God, but it's basically a very complicated way to write Greek. It's, you know, it's not a textbook example, and the reason that Paul does that is to highlight God's greatness, and he doesn't want to even take a period to stop and just keep on talking. So let me read these verses, beginning at verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved in him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. so that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory. And then he continues for this reason. But all that which I just read is basically one sentence. And obviously it's here divided and it's into verses and everything. But it should strike us that Paul begins this letter with this long explanation. And as you notice, there's so much, like what is he talking about? There's all these big words and it's full of great truths about God and salvation. And this is how he begins Ephesians. And it's also important for us to think about the fact that if you were here two weeks ago when we because all the other letters that Paul wrote, he wrote to address some specific problem. So, you know, he'd heard that the Corinthian church had immorality, other problems, all that, so he's addressing different issues, the different problems they had. Or the Galatians had a problem with this, the Philippians, even though they were doing well, they had some schisms and some fighting there. So there was always a kind of a reason for him to attack not an attack, but to clarify and help them with a problem. But Ephesians is different in that sense that the Ephesians didn't seem to have any problem. They were a very model church and there was no issue. There's no clear thing that Paul says, hey, you need to stop this, do this, or you know. So it's Paul's presentation kind of in a positive light. So in those other letters, he needs to always deal with some problem. In this letter, he has time as he's in prison in Rome he has the opportunity to write a letter, kind of a positive explanation of what is Christianity and how these Christians in Ephesus and other places, how should they live in light of it. So, having that in mind, this is the place where Paul, even more clearly, maybe than in other letters that he wrote, he kind of presents, like, basically, it's like we had Paul here, like, You know, we don't ask him a problem question like, how would you do this? Just tell us, what's the important thing you want to tell us? You know, efficiency probably comes close to what he would start with. Just like a positive presentation of the truth of God and salvation and how Christians are to live in light of that. to six is the practice so the theology and the practice and so Paul then we are of course in chapter one so we're kind of getting that theology so if you have the option as a Christian then to present like explanation of what is Christianity about kind of well obviously these believers knew it but he's reminding them of it and then what is the kind of important build his life upon, because then later when he talks about how men should act, how women should act, how mothers, how fathers, how husbands, how slaves even should, or workers, and how master, all that, before he comes to that, how they should live, he gives this theology. And what he begins with is quite, in some ways, shocking. especially for most modern Christians, because he begins with a subject that even Christians still today have very strong different opinions on. And that's the subject of election, and I'm not talking about political election, but predestination, election to salvation, which is also talked about as the words Calvinism, Arminianism, and all these things. This is what Paul begins with. And so in some ways, it's like it's very, very few modern Christians would begin with this. They would avoid this. And a lot of Christians, and at least professing Christians also, they don't even almost believe this, what Paul says here. And they would avoid this topic completely. But for Paul, this is the first thing thing that he starts reminding the Ephesian believers for this is where he's like building the foundation for how a Christian should think about life everything and how they should live in light of that so as I read here verse 3 he gives this you know kind of beginning blessings blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. So it begins with this general blessing. And basically, blessing here means, you know, praise God. God is worthy to be praised. And he, Paul, is praising God. And we as believers should, and the Ephesians, should praise God. And that this is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as we Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He again uses these same terms. This is not just a generic God. This is the God of the Bible. This is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Every other God is a false imagination of men and women. or demons masquerading as so-called God. But this is the true God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And what has He done? What is kind of the reason for Paul's praise here and blessing? He says, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. So not only is God worthy of praise because He is God and He has made us, that alone should suffice. But for a Christian, for someone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, this is true, that He has blessed us. He has given us unmerited favor in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. So you can kind of start seeing here also like why Paul begins with this because if a Christian truly understands who God is and what he has done in saving us from our sin and how we don't deserve any of it, that builds the foundation of our life and then we live in light of that. That's why he, you know, it's not just an accident that, well, I'll just first write three chapters about theology, then I'll go upon so blessed us in Christ and this is a theme that in Ephesians goes all the way he says many times in him in him in Christ in Christ Jesus and this is a great truth about our covenant union with Christ so a person who believes in Jesus Christ a person who has turned from their sin and trusted in Jesus Christ like the Ephesians for Ephesians chapter 1, like I read to you earlier in verse 13, but I want to point it out again here. So Ephesians 1 verse 13 describes how the Ephesians came into this, so to say, covenant union with Christ and how they were saved. It says, in him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, so the Ephesians heard So they heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation, and how did they respond? And believed in Him. They believed that message, they repented of their sins, they confessed their sins to a holy God, and they believed that message. And because they believed, they were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance. And so this is how a person comes into this covenant union with Christ. Christ has a covenant, a promise, a solemn agreement with a group of people. There's people who belong to Christ. And that's why even the word Christian comes from belonging to Christ. But as a believer in Jesus, You are part of the new covenant the new covenant. So, you know, sometimes we talk about new testament the new covenant and the new testament is the new covenant, but The scriptures itself is not, so to say, the covenant is the union between Christ, between God and His people. That new covenant that was promised already in the Old Testament and now came in the life of Jesus Christ. So in Christ. We're in Christ, this covenant union, and there's only one entrance into this covenant, and that is repentance from sin and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot be born naturally into this covenant. You cannot, you know, even, you know, I love my boys, of course, and I will, you know, live and die for them, but I can't, they are not part of this new covenant. I will teach everything I can, And then they can be part of this covenant, but they are outside of this covenant in that sense because they are not, you know, until they turn from their sins and believe in Him. I don't understand this. But what I'm saying is because you know some Christians believe that the children of believers are part of the covenant. Some of the Presbyterians teach it, the Lutherans. That's false. The New Testament teaches, the Old Testament even clearly teaches that there's a one way to the new covenant and it's in Christ. But anyway, He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. And notice how it says, it doesn't say, He's blessed us with a few spiritual blessings, or at least one spiritual blessing per person, or something like that. He says, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. And another passage that helps to also emphasize this point here is in 2 Peter 1, 3, where it says, His divine power, talking about God, has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence. So as believers we've been blessed with every spiritual blessing and as second Peter says we have all things all things that we need for a god-honoring spiritual life We might be lacking putting that into practice in our life and kind of applying it in our life, but God has given everything. Every true spiritual blessing for true spiritual life has been given to those who are in Christ, those who are in covenant union with Him, by faith in Him. And in the heavenly places, which refers to God's domain, God dwells in the heavens. true blessings come from. So no controversy here yet, you know. Well, you know, there's nothing too controversial except about how you get into the covenant for it. That would be a controversial. But in verse four, this is where the controversial parts kicks in. As Paul then starts explaining, so what does this spiritual blessing look like? How has God blessed us? And you know, He blesses us in the present day in numerous ways, but the foundation for all that blessing comes here in verse 4. Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. Even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. And truth be told, this simple truth And the more Paul keeps on going, this makes many people angry even, even Christians. And I remember when I, I've been a Christian for maybe a year or less, less than a year, when I started understanding some of these things that is called Calvinism, the doctrines of grace, which is the nickname for this teaching that Paul teaches here of predestination. this idea that the reason I'm saved is not that I'm somehow so clever and I decided out of my own free will to make the right decision and just happened to be. Actually, God chose us in Him even before the foundation of the world. And that's what I said, you know, like the salvation goes not just at the beginning of time but even before You know, that's not right. God can't choose, I need to choose. Well, the truth is, if God did not choose, and he left men and women in the state that they are, without him choosing, no one would choose him. Because we, as humans who have rebelled against the Holy God, are dead in our sin, and we do not naturally want him. No one seeks God on their own. So if God, you know, God would have been right, He could have let all of humanity throughout all the ages, you know, just keep on wandering in their journey into eternal destruction, eternal hell and judgment because of their sin against the Holy God. He would have been right and just and even loving to let that happen. But because of His purpose, which we will see later, He decided to choose some for salvation. So this is the first thing we see here, the first point, so to say, first point of the sermon, the reality of election. The reality of election is presented here in verse 4. He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. And at this point, people might say, well, what does it mean, choose, you know, maybe, all that. But as we go forward, and as we will go forward in weeks to come in Ephesians, it becomes clear that you cannot change this meaning to something else, but it actually means what it seems to mean. That God chose, and the reason, and that happens before anything else. So, God is the one who elects people to salvation. So, yeah, before the foundation of the world means before the creation of the world itself. So this is the big first thing, the reality of election. And the Bible, this is by no means the only place that speaks about this. There's multiple places in the New Testament that speak and use the word choosing, predestination, election, and even in the Old Testament. So then he continues and he gives, so after he's given this reality of election, he says the result of that election, what is the result? What is the purpose, so to say? Why? He says that we should be holy and blameless before Him. This is the reason he has chosen believers, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, he's chosen them before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy and blameless before Him. And that's what it means to be a saint, as we saw the first time when He says in the beginning of Ephesians, to the saints who are in Ephesus. That's what it means to be a saint, to be holy and blameless before Him. And the way a person becomes holy and blameless is not by their own works because that's been established everywhere in the scripture. We are sinners and we deserve God's judgment. We are not holy and blameless in ourselves. But the way we can become and the way those who He has chosen do become holy and blameless is by Christ. also to see this idea. This idea that is often called, in theological terms, imputed righteousness. Imputed righteousness. So meaning the righteousness, the goodness and holiness of God is credited on to the believer. It imputes that righteousness to us. And one passage that speaks about this is 2 Corinthians 5, 21 that says, talking about Christ, for our sake we make him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. That's what it's all about, that Christ came and lived a perfect life. and died in the place of sinners as a substitute. He knew no sin. He was not a sinner. He did not deserve to die. But we deserve not just to die on the cross, but we deserve eternal judgment, the eternal weight of the wrath of God against sin. But for our sake, for our sake, God the Father made Him, Christ, to be sin so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. So what we deserve was poured on Jesus Christ. He took on the full weight of all the sins that will ever be committed by all those who turn to Him and believe in Him. He took that weight, that eternal weight of sin upon His shoulders 2,000 years ago as He died on the cross. And because He took our sin, Not only is our slate wiped clean, but we are also given His righteousness. So the perfect life He lived is accredited to us as well. And all this happens if we, or when we, as the Ephesians, hear the word of truth and believe it, turn from our sins and trust in Him. And by belief and faith in Him, we enter that covenant. union we're in covenant with him no one can take his way so this is what is to be holy and blameless so believer is positionally positionally holy and blameless I positionally before God and holy and blameless and I'm sure all of you have come to this conclusion already, I am not perfect in everything I do and say and think all the time. So you might say, hey, how are you, Miska, saying that you're holy and blameless? I can think of at least a few things that you've not been completely blameless in. You know, last week you said to me this thing, that wasn't very considerate, or whatever, you know, and you only know half the story. So how can I say that I'm holy and blameless? Exactly because spiritual before God, when God looks at me, He sees His own Son, Jesus Christ. And that's why He loves me, not because of what I am or there's something amazing in me, but because I am in covenant union with Christ, who is my Savior. And because of that, I'm holy and blameless. And that holiness and blamelessness should, you know, a Christian. So of course you know there's no excuse for sinful behavior for believers and we need to repent of sin and if there is no fruit in your life then it's a question well are you actually a believer at all? But And it's because of this holiness and blamelessness in Christ that our lives are more and more conformed, on the outside also, according to what is already a spiritual truth, because we believe in Christ. So this is the result of election, that a person, and the end result, in the end when Christ comes back and there's new heavens and new earth, we will be as believers, we will be given resurrected bodies, and then I will be fully holy and blameless on the outside also, as I am on the inside by faith in Christ. So, that's the result of election, and then Paul continues, he says in verse 5, and at the end of verse 4, almost all Bible translations have at the end of verse 4, in love, And it's a bit unfortunate because the verse divider has been put in the wrong place here. And depending on your translation, you know. But even, and some people think that love should be holy and blameless before Him in love. That the word love describes how we are holy and blameless before Him. And of course it's true. much more sense that in love modifies what comes after he predestined us for adoption so that's why for example even the ESV which we use here in church has it even though the verse markings are in the same place that they they kind of started with the big I begin love to show that that's and just as a side note verse numberings are you know I think it was as in for 500 years old, you know, since like the word, basically that to say the verse numbers are not part of the biblical text. It's just put there. The Geneva Bible, which was published about 500 years ago, was the first English Bible to have verse markings. well, turn in your Ephesians scroll and like, okay, what verse are we looking at? It's easy for you when I say verse three, verse three. But if there's no verse numbers, it's like, where are we? Anyway, but sometimes the verse numbers divide verses or chapters in an awkward place. So, all that to say, in love goes with verse five, not with verse four. In love, he for adoption to himself. So he said or earlier said chose and then Paul he continues this point he's like okay if that wasn't controversial enough that God would be the one choosing as he says in love he predestined us for adoption. And especially this word predestined or predestination, as many Christians, you know, oh, that's a bad thing, that's a wrong thing, you know, we can't do that, that's not biblical, right? Well, if they say that's not biblical, or most of the New Testament, where the word is mentioned many times. And of course, if you have a Finnish translation, it's a different word. It's not the word predestination, but the idea is the same. To decide beforehand. That's what the Greek word means. To decide beforehand. Before something happens. That's what God has done in love, in his great love towards sinful men and women. He has predestined, so just like He chose before the foundation, predestined for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of His will. And I want to read another passage that opens up this idea even more, and it's Romans chapter 8. So Paul writes to the Romans, Romans chapter 8 verse 29, which is often referred to as the golden chain of redemption. The golden chain of redemption. So if you think about redemption or salvation, where does it begin and where does it kind of end? What's the golden chain, the different events in salvation? And in Romans 8, Verse 29, this is what Paul says. And let me just read verse 28 also, because this is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, and maybe some of yours too. And it's after that favorite verse that he gives this golden chain of redemption. He says in verse 28, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. That's the comforting verse that all of us, many of us know. And then verse 29. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, he also called. And those whom he called, he also he also glorified so you see what I mean that golden chain of redemption so first it begins with God for knowing then he predestined calls them, then He justifies them, making it like that they are just before God, they've been cleansed from their sins. And eventually, glorification, which is even future, when we will be made perfect. These are the different steps of salvation. And just as a quick side note, obviously I'm not preaching Romans 8 now, I'm preaching Ephesians 1, but I wanted to bring this up. But some people say, oh see, it says forenew, forenew. So that's how we should understand predestination. We should understand it in a way that God, because He's God, He can look forward in time, and He looks in the corridors of time, and He looks forward and sees, hand wanting to be saved out of his free will and because Miska or whoever else does that then God because he foreknows because he knows that beforehand God because of Miska or whoever else doing the first thing he then responds and does all the rest and the reason people of course believe that is that that would make it very, that would make this truth very explainable. Okay, yeah, it's not, okay, I can believe that. That's not, you know, no one would think that's unfair or unjust or in any way. And it would be, okay. The problem is that's not what it means to foreknow in a biblical sense. And the problem is that the message Paul preaches, even in Romans, he expects people this as we see in chapter 9 but just briefly the reason I say foreknow biblically does not mean that even though we might think it knows like knowledge beforehand foreknowing especially the word knowing means biblically usually much more than just intellectual knowledge like in the book of Genesis you can read and Adam knew his wife and she had a child Does it mean that Adam just knew about something about his wife? No, it refers to very intimate knowledge and love and care for the other person. So knowledge is setting your love upon someone as your source of whom you love and care for. So foreknowing God, is not doing it based on something I have done or you have done, but he, out of his own will, according to his purpose, he foreknows, he decides and chooses certain individuals for salvation. And this is the thing that most people don't want to believe. And I understand that. It goes against our human sense of, you know, that's not just. That's not just. But the truth is, So if God decides, if He would decide to save everyone, He could do that. If He would decide to save no one, He could do that. If He decides to save some, to show His greatness, both in salvation and in judgment, He can do that. And that's what He has done. And because He has done, that is the best thing. Because He knows way better than we do. is something that people would easily accept that should be a warning sign because the message that Paul Paul preached and and the kind of the how do you say the the response that Paul you hear in verse... Yeah, here. In Romans chapter 9, verse 19, Paul says, after he's been talking about election, he says, you will say to me then, why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will? So that's the question. Well, if God chooses people to salvation, How can God, how can He do that? How can He still find fault? How can He hold us responsible? What's Paul's answer? Verse 20, but who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, why have you made me this way? Has the potter no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honourable use and another for dishonourable use? What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory? even us whom he has called, not from Jews only, but also from Gentiles." And then he continues on explaining all that. But, again, Paul expected, after he talked about the election in Romans 8, he expected that people would respond to what his teaching is, hey, hey, that doesn't seem fair. And he says, But who are you, old man? Answer back to God. And if you ask me the same question, I have no better answer than what Paul had. But who are you? Answer back to God. God is just, and He has done, and even if you can't come Well, let's be back in Ephesians 1 still, look at these last two verses here. So, chapter 5, he says he's predestined us, so deciding beforehand, that's what predestination is about. For adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ. And that's what believers are. If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have been adopted. You did not always belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. You did not always belong to God, even though he's the one who's created you. In fact, as a sinner, as a disobedient creature in the sight of a holy God, all of us, by naturally, we are sons of the devil. Even, you know, you don't have to be a Satanist to be a Satanist. All you have to of the word, a Satanist. Jesus said, you are either for me, that you trust in Christ and believe in him, or you're against me. And Jesus called even religious leaders as sons of the evil one, sons of Satan. And so we, without Christ, follow in our sin, and we are basically, we follow sin. And we belong to Satan. Even if our lives might look good on the outside and all that. If we are without Christ, we belong to Satan. Because we follow his ways. But those who turn from their sin and trust in Christ have been adopted. And this is what God has predestined believers to be. That they would be adopted to himself. That even though we rebelled, and go on the complete opposite way. He saves some and He brings them back. He adopts them as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. So then, this is what Paul, first we've seen the reality of election, that God has chosen before the foundation of the world. We see the result, that it is to be holy and blameless, and adopted as sons. Why? Then the question that easily, quickly comes, well, if God chooses son to salvation, and he does not choose others, why on earth did he choose me, or why did he choose you? Is it that there's something just so amazing about you or me and just, you know, He just kind of puts humanity and it's like, oh, there's these amazing people, I will choose them. No. No. In fact, the Bible says that we are the most weak and pitiful and if we're anything, it's because we're the worst of the bunch, Christians in general. But even that is not the ultimate reason. The ultimate reason is, simply here, according to the purpose of His will. That's the end of verse 5. According to the purpose of His will. Why did God choose some for salvation? According to the purpose of His will. And I don't have a better answer. And we're not given another answer. We are given an answer for what it isn't. Because it isn't or look at me, how great I am, you know, God has chosen me because I'm so good or something. No, no. There's nothing to boast about. That's why this doctrine, this teaching, this theology about God's sovereignty is the thing that humbles people. It should crush us. And when it humbles us rightly, we see our place rightly and we see God's place rightly. And that's why Paul, the apostle, begins this whole letter about the Christian life and everything with this foundational truth of election. And that's why this is something very important for us to understand. And before we understand that salvation is all And it's all from God, there's nothing, it's not like I made 1% and He then did the rest, or I started, no, no, it's all of Him. And the very fact that I believe was a gift of Him, the very fact that I became a Christian was the outworking of His will in my life. Everything about salvation is His work, that I have nothing to boast, all I have is to praise God for His greatness and undeserved kindness and grace. or 1% I would have done something and I would be earning it but the Bible says we've been saved by grace not on the basis of our works not on the basis of our works and that's what we as Baptist Church are Protestant Church we're not a Catholic Church because the Catholics teach that you can do something and you do earn your salvation and every other religion salvation to be saved but true Christianity biblical Christianity teaches no you can't it's all by God's grace every single person is called and commanded to turn away from their sins and believe in Christ every single person is responsible before God to do that and to believe in him so that's that that's clear from the Bible And we certainly do not disbelieve that. That's, you know, when we go to the streets every now and then and do a vengeance. That's why we talk with our neighbors if we have the opportunity. That's why we talk with family members. That's why we pray for others and we tell them the gospel. You need to turn from your sins and believe in Christ. But when a person does, and when they truly become a believer, that shows that God has saved them. And so there's this human responsibility and divine sovereignty. These are two truths that are clear in the Bible. You cannot emphasize one or the other. You cannot just say, oh, humans are responsible, but God is in sovereign salvation. Or you can't say that God is sovereign in salvation and humans are not responsible. Both are true and both are needed. Just like the New Testament clearly teaches. So that's the reason for election. according to the purpose of His will. That's the only reason we have. And it's certainly not based on works. And I want to read a few verses in Ephesians chapter 2 to explain this, that it's not based on works. In Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8 and 9, this is what Paul says. For by grace you have been saved through faith. and this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. That's why a Christian man or woman there is. That's why humility is the Christian virtue because there's nothing to boast about. There's nothing to boast before God. There's nothing to boast before other men. That's why we should be humble. That's why Paul starts with this amazing truth and if a believer truly grasps and understands the greatness of God in salvation and the greatness of of His grace that has been shown toward us, that will have massive influences of how we then live. You know, the problem is we don't always live that way, but we should. And the more we put that, the more we think about the truth about God, the more it should affect how we then live out that truth. There's no boasting. None. None. So, last verse, verse 6. What's the end result of all of this? What's the ramifications of election? So, you know, I try to use the same letter, R, R, R. So we've seen the reality of election, the result of election, blameless and holy, the reason for election, for the purpose of His will, God's will, and then finally, number four, the ramification of election. So what's the... What does it all lead to? What's the purpose of it? What's the result of this election? That's the end. That's the end result of salvation. That's the end result of life and meaning of life and everything. To the praise of my cleverness? No. To the praise of something I have done and decided? No. To the praise of something I have achieved or earned? No. To the praise of His, referring to God, His glorious grace. So that's what the truth about the lecture, which is true according to scripture. That's the end result that it is, that there's all the in salvation. There's nothing to boast about. Nothing. We should praise Him and praise His glorious grace, as it says. And with this grace He has blessed us in the Beloved. And the Beloved here is a reference to Christ. Again, you know, He began in the beginning. He has blessed us in Christ. Again in the beloved a believer is united by covenant by the new covenant in Christ and nothing can take that person away from Christ and Because we are in Christ. We've been given his righteousness. We've been forgiven all our sins He has blessed us in the beloved in Christ. So just like Christ when God the Father says, you know, my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. My beloved son, he speaks about Jesus Christ. That same terminology can be applied to every single true believer, not because there's anything in us, but because we belong to him. We're in the beloved, we're in Christ. So God can say about us, my beloved son or daughter, because we are being clothed with the righteousness of Christ by faith in Him, to the praise of His glorious grace. So, this was the first. So, you know, I read in the beginning verses 3 to 14, and we end now here at verse 6. And the reason we end here is that this first part deals with God the Father. So, this, you know, this that happened before time. So you could say that, and I titled this sermon, Salvation Authored by God the Father. As in, he's authored, he's planned it, and he's predestined and elected. And it ends in verse six, to the praise of his glory. And then, in verse seven, it begins a little bit of a new section. Even though it's one sentence, he then speaks about Christ. So we first see salvation authored by the Father, Next, not next Sunday, two Sundays from now, because next Sunday we have the baptism. Two Sundays from now we will look at Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we celebrate at Christmas. How Christ is the one who salvation is accomplished by. So salvation is accomplished by the Son. And then after that, the Sunday before Christmas, we will see how salvation is applied by the Holy Spirit. So salvation is a work of the Triune God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, each playing a part, different parts. And it is all to the praise of His glorious grace. And this praise of His glorious grace is repeated after each time. It's amazing to see just how the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, how they work in salvation. So let's end here and we end in prayer. Our Father, we praise you that you are a God and our Father. We praise you that you are the one who has authored salvation, that as we read in these verses in Ephesians, you are the one who has chosen, even before the beginning of time, before the creation of the world. No one deserves your grace, but out of your kindness and the purpose of your will, you have chosen, Son, to be saved. And it's those who will turn from their sins and trust in you that then can be part of this covenant, this new covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord Jesus, we praise you for your greatness in accomplishing our salvation. In this Christmas time, as we think of you as how you came as a baby to be born, but then you lived a perfect life, a full manhood. and then you gave your life for sinners like us that we might be forgiven and rose on the third day and you accomplished our salvation. Now Holy Spirit, we praise you for your work in our lives to open our eyes to believe the truth and to apply that salvation into our lives that we might, that you would open our eyes to, that we would see the gospel message and know that it's true and believe in it and trust in it. So we thank you now for this time together and may you bless us as we spend time together here after the meeting and as we go to our homes and in this new week when we go to work or studies or home, whatever we do, help us to live in light of these truths. As Paul began Ephesians by reminding the Ephesians of these great truths, that they should live in light of them. Help us to live in light of this and to be humble way that brings glory to you. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.