Depths of Salvation

The Depths of Salvation

Introduction

Paul teaches in the book of Ephesians about the glorious riches which belong to all of us by our union to the crucified and resurrected Lord Jesus, and to call us to walk worthy of our privileges by vital church membership, lifelong repentance, well ordered households, and spiritual combat against the devil. Paul writes to strengthen a healthy church and not to address any specific spiritual dangers threatening the church. If we may deduce Paul’s purpose from his prayers for the church, then he wrote to the Ephesians to lead them into a richer experiential knowledge of their savior in the context of their everyday lives in a fallen world. This book was written from the aspect of what Christ did, and what we already have.

1. You are not “OK” and you will not “be fine” Under your own strength and efforts!
   1. Romans 3: 23 – ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
   2. Romans 5: 12 – ¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned
   3. Ephesians 2: 1-3 – And you He made alive,who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the ^[a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
   4. The need for total dependence – Matthew 9: 20-22 – ²⁰ And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

²¹ For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

²² But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

1. The resulting humility equals faith in action.
2. His glorification through humility equals active Faith with manifested signs and wonders.

1. What is Salvation? Total dependence on and submission to Christ, welcoming Him into your heart, proclaiming him publicly with water Baptism as your Savior and Lord.
   1. The Greek word for salvation is “sozo”, meaning to save and to heal.
   2. Matthew 9: 22 “Made whole” was translated from “sozo”
   3. James 5: 15 – ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. “save” was translated from the word “sozo”
   4. Matthew 8: 25 –²⁵ And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. “ save us!” (Deliverance) was translated from the word “sozo” NIV translation.

• Entering a deeper embrace – Psalm 100:4 – ⁴ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name.
  1. Thanksgiving allows us entrance into his gates, which is focusing on his face. This requires humility on our part. Entering his gates isn’t to obtain his presence. He is always with us. What it means is that thanksgiving forces us to take our eyes off of the world and put them back on him, who is with us!
  2. Our praises are what he inhabits and dwells in. Psalm 22:3 – ³ But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our Praises are “to him” not just “of him”. We are to direct our praises to him, out of our love for him. This blesses his heart and he pulls us closer into his embrace! This is what inhabiting our praises means.

1. Being baptized into all Spiritual Blessings in Christ
   1. The word baptize comes from the Greek word “baptizo” which means to submerge, to wash, or to dye and color.
   2. Romans 6: 3-5 – ³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

1. Revelations 19: 13 (from the root word “bapto”) – ¹³ And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
2. To be baptized into something is to fully submit and surrender to it. Once we are emersed, we are indelibly, permanently changed.
3. Baptized in the Holy Spirit Matthew 3: 11 – ¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
4. baptized into the fruits of the Holy Spirit Galatians 5: 22-23 – ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

1. love
2. joy

• peace

1. Patience
2. Kindness
3. Goodness

• Faith
• Gentleness

1. Self-control

1. Being baptized into all spiritual gifts through Christ Jesus – Ephesians 1:7-23, 2:13-17, 5:2,26, 1 Thessalonians 5:23 –

Ephesians 1:7-23

⁷ In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

⁸ Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

⁹ Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

¹¹ In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

¹² That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

¹³ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

¹⁴ Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

¹⁵ Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

¹⁶ Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

¹⁷ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

¹⁸ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

¹⁹ And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

²² And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

²³ Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 2:13-17

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

¹⁴ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

¹⁵ Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

¹⁶ And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

¹⁷ And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Ephesians 5:2,26

² And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

1 Thessalonians 5:23

²³ And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Ephesians 1: 10 – All things in heaven and on earth are available to us through Christ, in who we have been baptized!
2. Redemption-Ephesians 1: 7 – Freedom!

• wisdom and prudence- Ephesians 1: 8 – Knowledge!

1. revelation-Ephesians 1: 9 – Knowledge!
2. Inheritance-Ephesians 1: 11 – Belonging and confidence!
3. God’s presence-Ephesians 1: 12 – Power and protection!

• sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (spirit and soul and body) , Ephesians 1: 13, 1 Thessalonians 5: 23 – Sanctified, Holy and Righteous!
• knowing his hope (enlightenment) Ephesians 1: 18 – Imagination, His desires of heart, Intimacy with God!

1. knowing his power-Ephesians 1: 19 – Intimacy with God!
2. walking in victory-Ephesians 1: 22- 23 – Evidence of Faith, manifestations of signs and wonders, Confidence in Christ!
3. closeness to God-Ephesians 2: 13 – Intimacy with God!

• no condemnation-Ephesians 2: 15- 16 – Victory and freedom!
• peace-Ephesians 2: 14 – Spiritual focus!
• love-Ephesians 5: 2 – The love of God and for God, eternal life here on earth!

1. sanctification-Ephesians 5: 26 – Holiness of Spirit!

1. Baptism in the results of Christ’s sufferings:
   1. Forsaken by God/God’s eternal presence with us.
   2. by his stripes we were healed/physical healing

• ridiculed by the world/we receive honor.

1. weakness/strength stripped of possessions/prosperity.
2. became sin/free of sin.
3. God’s judgment and condemnation/free from judgment with no condemnation

• death/eternal life
• submitted spirit/we gained the Holy Spirit

1. Baptism into spiritual gifts and ministries:

(Given to people)

1. Prophecy
2. Teaching

• Exhortation

1. Giving
2. Leading
3. Mercy

• word of wisdom
• word of knowledge

1. faith
2. healing
3. miracles

• discernment
• tongues
• interpretation of tongues

1. administration

• helps
• serving
• speaking

 (additional / forgotten gifts)

1. Singing
2. Worship leading

• song writing

1. musician
2. craftsmanship
3. seamstress

(The fivefold ministries)

1. Apostles
2. Prophets

• Teachers

1. Evangelists
2. Pastors

Conclusion

God only creates and does not destroy for his people and his Kingdom. Everything that he creates is only completed once and then made to procreate. Thank God does can be undone. Salvation is the completed work of Christ in all areas of our life and existence. He came and died once, for the sins of the whole world and provided all spiritual blessings to US, to equip us to do his will and work by grace. We must first realize what these are, that they have been freely provided to those who believe, and that we are worthy through Christ to access them. Then we must totally submit to Christ’s lordship and be completely dependent on him in all things. We must enter each of these baptisms of the blessings and gifts, being fully submerged and “dyed with his permanent mark”, to gain understanding and to be used by him with his faith that resides in us. We must allow his power to flow through us! Humility is the beginning, dependence follows, and faith in action is the result! Why do we need these baptisms? First, to know his nature and love him more; to become more dependent on him by our knowledge of him; to walk in deeper faith to please him more; to be used by him more, resulting in his glorification. Finally, to give to others what we have been given and perpetuate the growth and blessings of the Kingdom of God on earth and in heaven!