Lesson by Pastor John Skaggs

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

P. O. Box 1173

Claypool, Arizona 85532

520-425-8345

Date: 09-17-00

Sermon Number: 023

Text: 13:42-49

Topics Addressed in this Lesson

(Continuing in the faith, The Sovereignty of God in salvation, The responsibility of man to believe)

As a missionary and apostle Paul’s method of ministry was to preach the gospel to the Jew first and then to the Gentile. When he entered a town he would preach in the synagogues first and then he would go out to the Gentiles. Paul was bold, biblical, and through. He did not fear the frowns of men but faithfully preached the good news, the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation. In the sermon recorded in Acts chapter thirteen our ancient brother sets before the Jews and God fearing Gentiles the fact that Jesus of Nazareth, who the Jews and Romans had crucified, was the promised Messiah. He, and no one else, was, and is the Savior of all who believe! In that message he emphasized Law’s inability to save. Then he spoke of Christ’s ability to do all things necessary for the salvation of sinners. Part of Paul’s sermon reads as follows.

(Acts 13:14-42 NASB) {23} "From the offspring of this man, (Paul is speaking of David) according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, . . . {26} "Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation is sent out. {27} "For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. {28} "And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. {29} "And when they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. {30} "But God raised Him from the dead; . . . {32} "And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, {33} that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'THOU ART MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN THEE.' {34} "And as for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no more to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: 'I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY and SURE blessings OF DAVID.'. . . . {37} but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. {38} "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, {39} and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. . . .{42} And as Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath."

The prophets had predicted everything that came to pass concerning Jesus. He was the Messiah, the Savior of all who come to Him by faith. Verse forty-two tells us there was some real interest in Paul’s message. For, many were begging him to preach again the next Sabbath. In fact some Jews and Gentiles were so captivated by Paul’s message of salvation through Jesus, as opposed to keeping the law, and followed Paul and Barnabas out of the synagogue.

(Acts 13:43 NASB) "Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes (these were Gentiles converted to Judaism) followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God."

Here is evidence that some of those listening to Paul’s sermon were saved, for Paul and Barnabas were encouraging them to continue in the grace of God. One cannot continue in something he has not entered into in the first place. Surely many of these had turned from trusting in their works to Christ for forgiveness and acceptance with God. The pastoral advice given was to, "continue in the grace of God." To do so would prove their profession of faith in Christ. Continuing in the grace of God would prove they had left off trying to make things right by the sweat of their own brow, i.e., keeping the law. Trusting Christ is continuing in grace, trusting in anything else is legalism. If a man hears the gospel of grace and believes but then returns to trust in his own good works for acceptance with God it proves he never understood grace in the first place. Such a man was never saved. One must continue in grace. He must not allow himself to ever again trust in his own works for salvation. Lets spend a few moments on this idea of "continuing in the grace of God."

Consider with me the words of Acts 11:23. "Then when he had come and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart TO REMAIN TRUE TO THE LORD." To remain true to the Lord is to continue in the grace of God. It is to look to no one and nothing else for salvation. It is to follow and serve Him according to the instructions given in the Bible.

Acts 14:22 ". . strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, and saying, "through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of god." Continuing in the faith is the same as continuing in the grace of God. For the Christian faith is one of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus.

To continue in the grace of God is to abide in the words and commands of Christ, John 8:31. "Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you ABIDE in My word, THEN YOU ARE TRULY DISCIPLES OF MINE; (Those who do not abide in, stay with, continue to trust in, follow, obey, and love, Christ were never true disciples in the first place. "Abide in My word" . . ) 32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." The person who knows Christ and abides in His word is free from slavery to the law, sin, the flesh, and the devil. When the professing Christian abides in His word it proves to the individual and to onlookers that his profession is true. Therefore, Paul counsels our ancient brothers and us to continue in the grace of God.

Consider also the words of John 15:5. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who ABIDES in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 "If anyone does not abide (stay with, continue to trust in, rely upon, serve, follow, believe) in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (All who do not abide in Christ are like dried up, useless, branches that are cast into the fire. Unbelievers, all unbelievers, all who do not know and abide in Christ will be cast into the fires of hell. They are all children of the Devil and will have a share in the place prepared for the Devil and his angels.) 7 "If you ABIDE in Me, and My words ABIDE in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. 8 "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." The fruit of faith, obedience, and love is what identifies us as true disciples of Christ. If there is no fruit there is no salvation and there will be no heaven. The true Christian abides in Christ, he continues in the grace of God.

Galatians 5:1 "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; (i.e., saved us from sin, self, the world, the devil) therefore KEEP STANDING FIRM (in the grace of God) and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." In other words, do not let anyone convince you that there is anything necessary for salvation beyond trusting in Jesus and His finished work on the cross. Be careful that you do not begin trying to find or maintain acceptance with God by works. To continue in the grace of God one must cast aside all trust in the flesh.

(Colossians 1:21-23 NASB) "And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, {22} yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- {23} IF INDEED YOU CONTINUE IN THE FAITH FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AND STEADFAST, AND NOT MOVED AWAY FROM THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL THAT YOU HAVE HEARD, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister." If you ever begin to "hope" in anything or anyone but Jesus Christ the Lord you have ceased depending on the grace of God and have entered the world of works. You have left the Christian faith and entered the world of legalism. (Romans 4:3-8 NASB) "For what does the Scripture say? "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." {4} Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, (grace) but as what is due. {5} But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, {6} just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: {7} "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. {8} "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT." To continue in the grace of God is to maintain the faith of Abraham who believed God for the righteousness necessary for salvation. He trusted in God’s grace and did not take his works into account.

Remember from this day forth the words of Romans 11:6. "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace." Which is to say, if salvation is by grace it cannot be by works and if it is by works it cannot be by grace. For one is incompatible with the other. Grace denotes a benefit given which finds no cause for the giving in the one who receives the gift. The moral character of the recipient is not taken into account. If salvation was given to only those of acceptable moral character it would be neither gracious or a gift. Rather it would be the payment of something earned and deserved. If salvation is based on the moral character of the one being saved then grace does not enter the picture. Likewise if salvation is gracious it can have nothing to do with our works or moral character. In our text for today Paul counsels us to drive from our minds all legal thoughts when it comes to salvation and to continue in the grace of God. Continue trusting in the work and righteousness of Jesus for salvation and acceptance with God. Our text continues in Acts chapter thirteen with the words of verse forty-four.

{44} And the next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of God. {45} But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming. (They were blaspheming because they were contradicting truth. They denied that Jesus was the Christ.) {46} And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it, (deny and reject it) and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, (Anyone who rejects the gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ, is unworthy of eternal life.) behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. {47} "For thus the Lord has commanded us, 'I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU SHOULD BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'" {48} And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; (The news that God had included the Gentiles and that Jesus is the Savior of all who come to Him by faith.) and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. {49} And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region."

Verse forty-six reminds us of the temporary nature of our lives on earth and of the eternity each and every human faces. There is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain. Reject Jesus and you have sealed your fate, hell will be your eternal home. In the end you will have no one to blame but yourself. For on this day like may others that have gone before you have heard the good news that Jesus Christ saves all who come to Him by faith. He saves sinners regardless of their moral bankruptcy and gives them eternal life. But one must come to Him, one must turn from their sin to trust in Him. One must cry out in faith to this Savior for forgiveness and life. When he does he will be saved to the uttermost from the wrath of God. The people in our text were not of the sort that rejected Christ. Rather they were beside themselves with joy. At last they had good news. God was not the God of the Jews only but of all men, Jews and Gentiles alike. ". . and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."

This wonderful little phrase tells us how sinners dead in trespasses and sins, come to believe in Jesus. It tells us how a dead man fulfills his responsibility to believe in Jesus for salvation. ". . and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."

These Gentiles turned from their sins and believed in Jesus because they have been appointed to eternal life. Their faith in Jesus was the product and result of eternal election, predestination, and the effectual call of the sinner to salvation. You see God’s redemptive purposes do not consist of Divine desire alone. Rather His desire is joined with power to accomplish His intent. What God wills He brings to pass. In eternity past He determined to save a people. Then He sent His Son to pay the price for their salvation. And then God the Holy Spirit came to apply the intent of God and the work of the Son to the chosen ones at just the right time. ". . and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." This inspired phrase answers the question, "How and when will a sinner go to God?" He will go to God through Christ on the day that God the Holy Spirit exercises His power in him. Lets consider some texts that speak both of eternal election and of the power by which God saves sinners.

Acts 2:47 ". . praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." This speaks of the great numbers of people that were being saved in the early church and it gives credit where credit is due. God was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. The apostles were not doing it, the evangelistic team was not doing it, God was adding to their number. He was saving sinners who could not save themselves.

In the next reference Jesus is speaking to the Jews who hated and rejected Him. He speaks of the elect both Jew and Gentile. John 10:16 "And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; (people I have determined to save who are not Jewish) I MUST bring them also, and they SHALL hear My voice; and they SHALL become one flock with one shepherd." Jesus speaks positively, and confidently, because He is the one on whom this salvation depends. If man was the master of his destiny Jesus would have said something like, "I have other sheep that are not of this fold, I hope I can persuade them to let Me save them. If they do they will become part of the family of God with the believing Jews." But He does not speak in those terms. He speaks positively and certainly of those who will be saved. He also speaks in the same way about those who will not be saved. John 10:26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep." In other words, the particular Jews to whom Jesus was speaking were not among those chosen for salvation by His Father. They were not His sheep at all, lost or saved. They were dead in their sins and would not be brought to life. But things are different for the sheep of God. John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, (you don’t and can’t hear My voice because you are not of my sheep, but My sheep hear Me. .) and I know them, and they follow Me;" They do so because of the power of God the Holy Spirit working in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. It is the good pleasure of God that all His lost sheep come into the fold at some point in time and when He calls they come. ". . and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."

The Jews had been working their fingers to the bone for centuries trying to gain Divine approval, i.e., salvation. They failed of course but that does not mean all Jews will be lost. Listen to Paul in Romans 11:5-7. "In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's GRACIOUS choice. (His eternal election to salvation) {6} But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. {7} What then? That which Israel is seeking for, (by works) it has not obtained, but those who were CHOSEN ("Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world" these. . ) obtained it, and the rest were hardened;" The situation with Israel is the situation with the rest of the world as well. Mixed in among the masses there is a remnant of people. They are the elect of God whom He will save to the uttermost for His glory, by His power, to the praise of His glorious grace!

The incredible power it takes to save a sinner is described in Ephesians 1:18-23. "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, {19} and what is the SURPASSING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might {20} which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, {21} far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come." Do you see it? It takes the same power to save a sinner that it took to raise Jesus from the dead! Why? Ephesians 2:1 answers that question. "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, (We needed a resurrection because we were dead.) . . . {4} BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, {5} even when we were dead in our transgressions, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (by grace you have been saved), {6} and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus!" Only God has the power to raise the dead! Therefore Luke declares, "as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."

The last text I want to bring to your attention tells us how we ought to react to such high and holy truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 "But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, BECAUSE God has chosen (elected) you from the beginning (before the creation of the world) for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth." Every believer ought to be thankful that God has chosen him unto salvation. But we must understand that our salvation comes "THROUGH" the necessary means. God determined to save us but He brings our salvation to pass in a specific way. It is through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. God the Holy Spirit must cut us out of the crowd, raise us from spiritual death, and give us the gifts of repentance and faith. Then we must turn from our sins and trust in Christ. We are saved by the work of the Holy Spirit AND belief of the truth, the gospel truth!

Some people find it difficult to reconcile these two things, the Sovereignty of God in salvation and the responsibility of humans to believe. If God saves and man is the dead, helpless subject of His saving grace then where does human responsibility come in? Mr. J. I. Packer helps us with this. He says, "Scripture teaches that, as King, God orders and controls all things, human actions among them, in accordance with His own eternal purpose. Scripture also teaches that, as Judge, He holds every man responsible for the choices he makes and the courses of action he pursues. Thus, hearers of the gospel are responsible for their reaction; if they reject the good news, they are guilty of unbelief. Man without Christ is a guilty sinner, answerable to God for breaking His law. That is why he needs the gospel. When he hears the gospel, he is responsible for the decision that he makes about it. It sets before him a choice between life and death, the most momentous choice that any man can ever face…. When we preach the promises and invitations of the gospel, and offer Christ to sinful men and women, it is part of our task to emphasize and re-emphasize that they are responsible to God for the way in which they react to the good news of His grace." (Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God [Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1978], 22, 25–26)

There is no contradiction between the Sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. Both truths must be accepted and taught side by side. One man wrote, "Scripture affirms that those who go to hell do so because they judge themselves unworthy of eternal life (Acts 13:46). On the other hand, the elect are saved because God appointed them for eternal life (Acts 13:48). These truths form a narrow passage between two deep pits. To emphasize either truth at the expense of the other is to plunge oneself into the abyss of doctrinal error." I add my hearty amen to that! The true gospel cannot be preached if God’s absolute power over the souls of men is not set forth. Neither has the gospel been proclaimed if men are not told of their responsibility to believe in Jesus salvation and of the consequences that will follow if they refuse Christ. Those consequences are made clear in Acts 13:46. "And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it, (scoff at it, reject the gospel, reject Christ as Savior) and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles." To reject the gospel, the good news that Jesus saves sinner who come to Him by faith is to disqualify one’s self for heaven. Such unbelief robs one of eternal life! What a waste!

We have spoken of the necessity of professing Christians persevering in the grace of God. We must continue in grace and flee all forms of legalism. And working from the phrase, "and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed," we have discussed the doctrines of election, effectual calling, and human responsibility. Now let me make a few closing comments in reference to an often asked question. "How can I know that I am among God’s elect people? How can I know if He has chosen me for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth? How can I know?"

The answer is simple. When you as a sinner put down your weapons and come to Christ then you will know you are among those "appointed to eternal life." When your hope of heaven is Jesus and Him alone, then you will know. When you have believed and responded to the Gospel by crying out to Christ for mercy and forgiveness, then you will know that God chose you in Him before the foundation of the world. For all the elect of God are called to faith in Christ. All the elect of God do in fact respond to the gospel by running to Jesus. Yes God and God alone saves the sinner but I tell you that you must believe. Ephesians 1:3-13 makes this very clear. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, {4} just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, (here is eternal election) that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love {5} He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, {6} to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. {7} In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, {8} which He lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight {9} He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him . . . {13} In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- HAVING ALSO BELIEVED, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise."