In having recently read through the book of Ephesians I would like to impart to you a few thoughts I had. Ephesians 6:12 says: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Now I have to tell you, that in and of itself is frightening, but he goes on to tell us the weaponry used to fight this battle and one of which is, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). Now how powerful is this sword that we have been given by our Lord? Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Now if you ask me I would say that is one powerful weapon, and should give us much confidence in using it “against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Now take the gospel for instance; the apostle Paul said of the gospel in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” It is not you the preacher that has the power; it is the gospel, it is not the messenger that has power, it is the word of God that is the power.
So my friends let’s take a look at how the word of God says, a man is saved. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). So salvation is by the grace of God alone, through faith alone; it’s not by anything we can do, it is by the grace of God alone. So who and what is that saving faith in? “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). So salvation is by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in the person of Jesus Christ alone; not of us it is of God alone. And what is that faith in? “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). So salvation is by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. So how does one come to this faith in Jesus Christ? “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). So salvation is by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone, through the hearing of the word of God alone. “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15). We have been commissioned by our Lord, we have our marching orders, and that includes all who believe. So what are we to do? We are to do exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ said to do, just before He ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father in heaven. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). All is of God, the word preached is His, grace is His, faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ is His; none of salvation is of us, none; it belongs to God alone, “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). God gives us a wonderful gift; the believer gets to participate in being used by God, to preach the word of God, which God uses to save those He has elected by His grace, through faith. How awesome is that?
Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,
Mike Peek a slave of Jesus Christ
