Galatians 6:15
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature," Galatians 6:15. Let us again go to Ephesians 1, and today we will pick up in verse 4. "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love," Ephesians 1:4. "He" is speaking of God. "Hath chosen" is simple undefined action occurring in past time. The subject, which is God, as acting in some way upon Himself or concerning Himself. So, God, before time began, acted in some way without any outside influence. God did something; what did He do? Verse 4- "hath chosen". "Chosen" by implication: to choose out, with the accessory idea of kindness, favour, love (Romans 5:8). When did God choose out? What did God choose out? How did God choose out? According to verse 4, God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world; He did this in love.
"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will," Ephesians 1:5. "Having predestinated" this is to limit in advance, i.e. (figurative) predetermine: - determine before, ordain, predestinate. Predestinated is used to declare God's eternal decrees of both the objects and goal of His plan of salvation. The objects are those whom He has chosen to save, and the goal is that He be glorified.
"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved," Ephesians 1:6. He hath made everyone who has and will believe accepted in the beloved. Accepted is to bestow grace, highly honour or greatly favour. Remember, this is done without any kind of influence. God did this by Himself. Beloved is to love; to regard with strong affection.
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 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: 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," Ephesians 1:1-11. We have been chosen unto salvation and love; according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will, hence, Sovereign Salvation. This is very humbling. I know of no other doctrine that humbles us as the Doctrine of Unconditional Election. Who are we that God would choose us? So we understand according to the Bible that we are chosen unto salvation by God from before the foundation of the world. It is God that chooses, it is God that justifies, and it is God that receives all the honour and glory. We did nothing to earn favour with God.
This leads us to some questions. Don't we have to have faith in order to be saved? Yes we do, so let us turn to Ephesians 2:8-9. Notice the phrase, "And not of yourselves". This faith came from God. It is a working of His grace towards us. Another question is, "Didn't we at some point have a desire to come to Jesus Christ"? Turn to John 1:12-13. This takes us back to Ephesians 1. God the Father has purposed to give a people to His Son. Turn to John 6:35-44, 65.
Let us use another word that shows God's Sovereign Salvation. Turn to II Peter 1:10. Election is the benevolent purpose of God by which any are chosen unto salvation so that they are led to embrace and persevere in Christ's bestowed grace and the enjoyment of its privileges and blessings here and hereafter. This means that God's intention was according to the principle of election which is God's free choice without being affected by any outside circumstances or the worth of the individuals concerned. "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God," I Thessalonians 1:4. II Thessalonians 2:13.
How do I know if God has chosen me to salvation? (I John 5:13). He quickens us, Ephesians 2:1. He gives us grace and faith, Ephesians 2:8-9. He gives us grace to repent, II Corinthians 5:17 and I Corinthians 6:9-11. We love Him because He first loved us, I John 4:19. We have love of the brethren, I John 3:14. We love the Scriptures, Psalm 119:47 "And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved". We live a life of repentance and constant cleansing, I John 3:3. Colossians 3:5-25.
Our hope is built upon the finished work of Jesus Christ; nothing more and nothing less. "And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him," I John 3:19. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith: prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates," II Corinthians 13:5. Multitudes speak of a profession, but it is the life lived after the profession which shows us if someone is truly saved or not. We will bring forth fruit meet for repentance. An un-surrendered life is a life that has not been conquered by Christ; therefore, that person is still dead in trespasses and sins.
The false teachers were taking emphasis off of God, and putting it on man. This is real easy to do, especially in our self-exalting culture. In Galatians 6:15 the word "availeth" is to have efficacy, to avail, have force and value. In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any kind of saving force (Galatians 2:16). What is made manifest through salvation is a new creature. "New" in this verse speaks of Christians who are renewed and changed from evil to good by the Spirit of God: a new creation. As we have learned already, this is only something that God can do. "Creature" in this verse means original formation, the act. By the will and power of God we are brought back into a right relationship with God. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 5:1.
We are made right with God by the power of God, for the eternal purpose of God, and for the glory of God. It is easy for us to say, "I got saved" when the correct terminology is, "The Lord saved me." Stop and think about what we have learned from the Scriptures today. Has God saved you by His grace through the faith He has given you, or are you trusting something you felt, said, or done? A life interrupted by Jesus Christ is a life that is radically changed by Jesus Christ. Salvation is totally a work of God according to the Bible. I want to encourage you to study the Scriptures. We have no confidence in our flesh. Yes, we call upon the Lord to save us, but it is not words which save us. Those who trust in what they have said or did usually live like it. The Bible says that we can know that we are saved. Do you know according to the Scriptures that you are saved? Thank God for His Sovereign Salvation and for the Scripture's that gives us clarity and confidence. To God be the glory.
