The Free Gift That Costs Everything

Grace can sound gentle and vague until you stare at what it cost. We open Ephesians 1 and talk about the kind of grace that isn’t sentimental, because Jesus doesn’t dismiss sin and move on. He pays for it in his own blood. That single truth reframes everything: forgiveness is real, worship is warranted, and the Christian life stops being self-improvement and becomes gratitude with a backbone.

From there, we trace how God’s grace overflows with wisdom and purpose. Salvation doesn’t just cancel an impossible debt, it deposits riches you could never earn: adoption, redemption, and every blessing in Christ. We also lean into the repeated aim of the passage, “to the praise of his glory,” and ask the uncomfortable but necessary question: if we were saved to reflect God’s glory here and now, what does our daily life actually say about him?

We then move into assurance of salvation and the role of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 1:13–14. The gospel comes through hearing the word of truth and believing, not through rituals, tradition, or vague spirituality. And when we believe, God seals us with the Holy Spirit, marking us as his and giving a guarantee, a down payment, that full redemption is coming. If you’ve wrestled with doubt, suffering, or waiting, this is sturdy ground.

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Transcript

Grace Is Costly Not Soft

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Today at Foundations of Truth, we continue our series to say understanding God's Word in us. Here now with part two of the message to God be the glory is Dr. Timothy Mann.

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Sometimes we mistake things, we get things wrong. And it's this God's grace is neither soft nor is it sentimental. It's sacrificial. We need to be reminded, as I've tried to do over and over through this series, that it costs Jesus everything to secure your forgiveness. He didn't just simply dismiss your sin. You know, he doesn't do that, right? He doesn't just dismiss your sin. He doesn't say, oh, honey, don't worry about it. It's okay. I know you can't help it. I'm just going to overlook that. No. He doesn't just simply dismiss your sin. No, what he did, what he did was, is he paid for it in his own blood. He paid the penalty for it. He paid the punishment that I deserve, that you deserve. Look what else. We also see this grace that overflows with wisdom. Verse 7 through 8, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence. I'm happy this morning that God didn't just give us a little grace. He poured it out on us, made it to abound toward us. He poured it out on us, and it overflowed. He knew exactly what we needed, and he supplied it all through Christ. I like Romans chapter 5, verse 20 that says, moreover, the law entered, the law of God entered, so that the offense, the sin, might abound, but where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. Praise God. I mean, imagine this morning, owing a billion dollars. Do you even know how much money that is? I have no idea. I hear about it all the time on the TV. How much we're in debt and how much everything costs, and supposedly they're like getting back nine billion dollars here pretty quickly, and I'm like, okay, I guess that's good. Is that a lot? Sounds like it's a lot. Imagine you owing a billion dollars. Would you have, is there anybody in this room that'd have a way to pay it off? Anybody? No. Most of us couldn't even pay off $1,000, much less a billion dollars. And then someone steps in. Not only canceling your debt, but actually also depositing a fortune into your account. That's grace. God didn't just wipe your slate clean, he filled your life with every blessing in Christ. Why? Here it is. So that your life would become, listen,

Saved To Live For His Glory

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a living testimony to his glory. So that your life would become a living testimony to his glory. And all of this should lead to praise. I mean, it's how the Apostle Paul began this section, and it's also how we should respond. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are in Christ. Bless His name. You've been adopted. Glorify Him. You've been redeemed. Praise His name. You've been graced. Live to honor Him. Live in such a way to honor Him. And don't allow these truths to fade. Revisit them often. And reignite your worship. Let grace, God's grace, guide you back to the wonder of it all. To awe. You are not saved because of who you are, but because of who Christ is. Stand in that. Rejoice in that. And if you are truly still an unbeliever, I mean honestly not a Christian. Hear me. This grace is real. It's free. It's overflowing. And you can't earn it. But you can receive it. Believe on Jesus today. Right now. Repent. That means turn around and believe in Christ. So, if the first half of Ephesians 1 shows us what God has done to save us, the final part shows us why and how we are called to live in response.

Inheritance And God’s Sovereign Work

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Y'all still doing good? Alright, let's look back at it together. Second part of this, we're going to pick up in verse 11. In him, again, meaning Jesus, also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory. In him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession. Here it is again, to the praise of his glory. And so the Bible here shows us that salvation not only, and we and we praise God for this, we rejoice in this all the time. We're thanking the Lord for it. We had a memorial service celebration of life service here Friday night. And if you were here, you know it was our brother Mike Chitty, who was a church member here for nine years, and we were just celebrating that his salvation secured his future, and now he was with the Lord. But listen, the Bible shows us that salvation not only secures our future, but it also shapes our present. It shapes our present. Right now. It transforms saved sinners into grateful worshipers. And then it turns our lives into a song of praise to God and for God. Our life becomes that. Look what it says. It says we've received an eternal inheritance. In Him, meaning it's all in Christ. Also, we have obtained an inheritance. And this inheritance isn't wealth, it isn't land, it isn't earthly treasures. That's not what this is talking about. We are going to have a new earth and a new heaven one day. But this is eternal life. This is fellowship with God. This is resurrection hope. This is everlasting joy in his kingdom. And I'm grateful today to tell you, you don't need to wonder if it will come. You already have it secured in Christ. And you're not earning it, you're receiving it by grace. Look what else it says. God is working all things according to his will. Verse 11, second part. According to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. Now this verse for me really offers unwavering hope. And it's this God isn't just involved in salvation, he is working in all things. You know what that means? That means your past, he can redeem it. Your present, he's with you in it. And your future, he's already prepared it. And so your struggles, your waiting, your uncertainty, none of it is wasted. He is weaving it all together for his purpose and for his glory. Verse 12. We were saved to the praise of his glory. Look at verse 12. That we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory. Yes, salvation brings peace. Praise God. Yes, salvation brings hope. Hallelujah. Yes, salvation brings assurance. Man, that's good. But ultimately, you were saved to glorify God. You know what that means? That means your faith, your obedience, your endurance, and your worship, it all testifies to his grace. God saved you not to just take you to heaven, but to reflect his glory here and now on planet earth. How's that working for you? How's that going? Well, owe me, not amen. Look what else.

Hearing The Gospel And Believing

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We heard the gospel and believed. First part of verse 13. In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Now, pay attention. Here, the Apostle Paul reminds the Ephesians and he reminds us that salvation comes through hearing the truth about Christ and believing it and trusting him. The gospel and the salvation it declares aren't achieved through ritual. They're not inherited from tradition. No, it comes through true faith in Jesus. Trusting, depending on, relying only on the reality that He died for your sins, that He rose again, and He is Lord of all. Have you heard the word of truth? Have you listened to the gospel of your salvation? Have you believed? Look, don't assume, don't assume you're saved because you're religious. Look, every world religion practitioner is religious. But that doesn't mean they're saved. And don't think you're saved because you're spiritual. The very demons of hell are spiritual. Ocultic practices are spiritual. New age incantations and crystals are spiritual. Being spiritual doesn't save you. In fact, being spiritual may very well condemn you to hell. Because salvation only comes through hearing the truth about Christ, believing it, and trusting in him alone. So make sure, make sure today you've personally trusted in Christ. I'm talking about his death on the cross for your sins and his resurrection from the dead because they're the only way anyone can be saved. According to the Bible. According to what Jesus Himself said. Not what this preacher's saying. According to the Bible, and what Jesus Himself said. Let's keep going. You got time for that? Let's keep going. Second part of verse 13 says, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit. Having believed, see that? Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Now being sealed means being marked as God's possession, secured, and possessed. I'm grateful this morning that God didn't just save me and say, good luck, Tim. I hope it works out. No. And he didn't say that to you. In fact, instead, he placed his Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Godhead, came in you as a sign of ownership and as a source of assurance. The Holy Spirit isn't an optional gift, He's the seal of your salvation, having belief.

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You know, the world offers uncertainty at every turn, but God's word gives believers something solid to stand

Ministry Support Message

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on. At Firm Foundations Ministries, we're committed to proclaiming biblical truth clearly, faithfully, and without compromise. And your prayers and financial support help make this radio and podcast ministry possible, allowing listeners across the country and the world to hear the life-changing message of God's grace. If Foundations of Truth has encouraged your walk with Christ, would you consider partnering with us? You can learn more or give securely online right now at firm-foundations.org. Now let's return to today's message.

Sealed By The Spirit With Assurance

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And look at verse 14. First part of verse 14. The Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is the guarantee of our inheritance. It says, who, it's the Holy Spirit, is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. That means that day when it's all done. That word, guarantee. That's like a down payment. Some Bible translations say the earnest. I just didn't want to use that word because, you know, I might get David confused there. He's not the down payment of your salvation. I promise you that much. The Holy Spirit is. Thank God for that, right? That word guarantee is a down payment. A down payment from God is a promise that the full amount will come. So the Holy Spirit is your daily reminder because He lives in you and He's your down payment. So the Holy Spirit, especially if you're not quenching him and not resisting him, you're not grieving him, you're yielding to him and seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit, following God's word. If that's true, if that fellowship and that relationship is right like it should be, then the Holy Spirit is your daily reminder that heaven is absolute, that God is faithful, and that the best, the best is yet to come. Yeah. And one day we will be fully redeemed. Body, soul, and spirit. In his presence forever. Verse 14, second part of it. All of this leads to the praise of his glory. To the praise of his glory. So this is the third time that the Apostle Paul uses this phrase in this chapter. And it really serves as the crescendo, the top, the mountain peak of this passage. Why did God save you? Why did he pour out his grace? Why did he put his spirit in you and give you an inheritance? It's so that your life would become a living praise song. So that it would become, so that your life would be a living doxology. So that your life would be a living glory speech. A living glory saying. Bring him glory. Your repentance of sin. Not your tolerance of it, not your acceptance of it, not your enjoying it and wallowing in it. No. Your hatred of sin and your repentance of sin and your confession of sin brings him glory. Gives him glory. Your faithfulness in the truth of his word and commitment to the truth of his word brings him glory. Your joy in suffering. Your worship in the storm. Your hope in the waiting. All of it is for him. And it points others to him. It points others to him. We don't have any in here, but imagine a stained glass window. Stained glass window. See it in your mind. Each piece of glass may seem very ordinary on its own, even broken on its own. But when the light passes through the whole thing, the entire design becomes vivid with color and splendor. That's your life in Jesus. That's your life in Christ. You were once a shattered piece, but now redeemed. And you've been arranged by grace, and you've been illuminated by the Holy Spirit, and now what should happen is that your life should radiate his beauty. Is it? Is it really? You were saved for praise. So let every part of your life, I'll say it again, let every part of your life, your work, whether it's on a job you get paid for, or whether it's working around the house, or whatever. Let your work, let your words, let your witness reflect the glory of the one who saved you. You are sealed, you are his.

Respond With Repentance And Obedience

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Come to Christ. Be forgiven. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and join the song of the redeemed with your life. So right now, right now, ask Jesus to save you. Express your faith to Him and praying to Him right now. You don't have to walk an aisle, you don't have to talk to me. Right where you are. And there's some of you, there's some of you who need to go public with your faith in Jesus in a biblical way. You need to identify with Jesus as your Savior and Lord through believer's baptism. Some of you, the Lord has saved. You have repented and you believed, but you have not yet obeyed Him in showing that forth through the symbolic testimony of a water death, burial, and resurrection. It's time to do that. It's time to obey the Lord Jesus. And so if you're ready, come let me know. Not right now, hold your seat. But come let me know. Call the church office this week. 310-4997. 310-4997. Ask for Judy. And if she can't help you, let Gail take it down. We'll get back with you. We'll be setting up a baptism time real soon. Obey Christ in this way.

To God Be The Glory

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Well, we've been exploring the powerful soul-stirring truth of salvation in this series. We've seen that we are saved by grace, through faith, in Christ alone. Not by our works, not by our power, but by God's mercy. Hey, we were spiritually dead, but he brought us to life. We were far away, but he drew us close. We were lost, but he found us. We were sinners, but now we are saints. We were condemned, but now we are safe. And one day we will be glorified with him. Why? So that our lives would echo with one resounding anthem, and it is to God be the glory. The Apostle Paul puts it this way, back over in Romans 11, verse 36, he said, For of him and through him and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. You weren't saved to build your glory, you were saved to lift his. You weren't redeemed to live for your glory, you were redeemed to reflect his. This world is broken. This world is broken. One day. One day. Everything will die. And every tongue will confess. And one day, every saved person, every saint will sing. And what will we say? Not I did it. Not I made it. Not look at me. No, it'll be to him who loved us and washed us from our own sins in his own blood and has made us kings and priests to his God and Father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1, verses 5 through 6. Or in the words of that gospel singer, Andre Crouch, how can I say thanks for the things you have done for me? Things so undeserved, yet you prove your love to me. The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude. All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to thee. To God be the glory. To God be the glory. To God be the glory for the things he has done. With his blood, he has saved me. With his power, he has raised me. To God be the glory for the things he has done forever and ever. Amen.

Resources Book And Contact Info

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Thanks so much for listening today to Foundations of Truth, the biblical teaching ministry of Dr. Timothy Mann. If you'd like to hear this message again, get more biblical resources, or give a financial gift, you can do so online. Firm-foundations.org. That's firm-foundations.org.

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Before we close today, I want to tell you about a resource that I believe will be a genuine help to you. I've recently published my first book, Saved, Understanding God's Work in Us. In over 30 years of pastoral ministry, one of the questions I've encountered more than almost any other is this. How can I know that I am truly saved? It is a question that deserves a careful biblical answer. And that is exactly what this book is designed to give. Saved, understanding God's work in us, walks through what the scripture teaches about salvation, what God has done for us, what he is doing in us, and the assurance that every believer can have because of his work. If you want to understand salvation more deeply, stand on firmer ground in your faith, or be better equipped to share the gospel with someone you love, then this book was written for you. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes Noble, and Books a Million, and pretty much anywhere you buy books. Just search Saved, Understanding God's Work in Us by Dr. Timothy Mann. I pray it strengthens your faith. Thanks for being with us today. God bless you. Hey, this is Dr. Timothy Mann with Foundations of Truth. And if you listen to the program on the Word Orlando 990 a.m. or 101.5 FM, I would love to hear from you. We're on at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday on the Word Orlando. If you're a listener, we'd like to know. So be sure and send me an email at Timothy Mann at Firm Dash Foundations.org. That's Timothy Mann at Firm Foundations.org. I would sure love to hear from you. God bless.