Essex Congregational Remembrancer Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Salvation is a term inclusive of all the benefits enjoyed by a penitent believing sinner through the mediation of Christ. I. ILLUSTRATE IT UPON LEADING SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES. The whole scheme of redemption is traced up to its source in the Divine benevolence — "God so loved the world," etc. It means a principle of love, proving its reality by gifts; love to sinners, fraught with kindest volitions, costly blessings. This love was self-moved, not necessarily excited by any external cause. There was no excellence to provoke, but sin to prevent its exercise. Hence its freeness is made to appear distinctly — "Not that we loved God, but that He loved us." Hence, too, the sovereignty of this love appears. He has placed mankind under a dispensation of forbearance. II. ILLUSTRATE IT BY A REFERENCE TO FACTS AND DOCTRINES BELONGING TO CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. 1. The declared depravity of human nature. 2. The doctrine of justification by faith. 3. The blessing of sanctification. 4. The prospects of the Christian eminently involve the grace of his salvation.Let us observe from these remarks — 1. How completely the gospel meets the wants of sinners, their ignorance, their guilt, their pollution, their destitution. It represents God to be full of compassion, salvation to be an act of unqualified grace, while its proclamation is made to all, not excepting the most guilty. 2. How awful to abuse this grace. 3. How dreadful the character and prospects of unbelieving, ungodly men! They not only break the law of God, but despise the grace of His gospel. (Essex Congregational Remembrancer.) Parallel Verses KJV: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. |
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