Embracing Salvation: The Union of Faith and Grace

In Ephesians 2:4-7, we explore the profound nature of God's work in our salvation, emphasizing the objective reality of His actions and our subjective experience of them. God's rich mercy and great love are objective truths that exist independently of us. Even when we were spiritually dead, God made us alive, raised us up, and seated us with Christ in the heavenly realms. This is the decisive work of God, not something we could achieve on our own. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, highlighting that our salvation is a divine creation, not a human effort.

The essence of salvation is our union with Christ, a supernatural act by God that grafts us into Christ, much like branches to a vine. This union is not something we consciously experience at first, but it becomes real to us through faith. Faith is the subjective experience that allows us to embrace and enjoy the grace of God. It is the means by which we perceive and receive the objective reality of being made alive in Christ.

Faith is crucial because it allows grace to remain grace. If salvation depended on our works, grace would no longer be grace. Instead, faith ensures that the promise of God rests on grace, making it accessible to all. This is why salvation is by grace through faith, as faith is the human response that acknowledges and accepts God's work in us.

Paul's writings in Galatians and Colossians further illustrate this concept. In Galatians 2:20, Paul speaks of being crucified with Christ, an objective reality that he experiences through faith. Similarly, in Colossians 2:12, baptism symbolizes our death and resurrection with Christ, experienced through faith in God's powerful work. Ephesians 4 emphasizes putting off the old self and putting on the new self, created in Christ, which is an act of faith.

Ultimately, our subjective experience of salvation is about embracing, receiving, and resting in the objective reality of God's work. Faith is the key that unlocks the fullness of God's grace in our lives.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God's mercy and love are objective realities that exist independently of us. Even when we were spiritually dead, God made us alive with Christ, highlighting the decisive work of God in our salvation. This underscores that our salvation is not based on our efforts but on God's grace. [01:23]
• 2. Our union with Christ is a supernatural act by God, grafting us into Christ like branches to a vine. This union is not initially a conscious experience but becomes real through faith, which allows us to embrace and enjoy God's grace. [04:00]
• 3. Faith is essential because it allows grace to remain grace. If salvation depended on our works, grace would no longer be grace. Faith ensures that the promise of God rests on grace, making it accessible to all. [08:43]
• 4. Paul's writings in Galatians and Colossians illustrate the concept of being crucified and raised with Christ, experienced through faith. Baptism symbolizes this death and resurrection, showing how faith apprehends and embraces God's work. [11:30]
• 5. Our subjective experience of salvation involves putting off the old self and putting on the new self, created in Christ. This act of faith is about embracing, receiving, and resting in the objective reality of God's work in us. [13:39]
  ** [13:39]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:17] - Objective Work of God
• [00:51] - God's Love and Mercy
• [01:23] - Made Alive with Christ
• [02:10] - Union with Christ
• [03:02] - Created in Christ Jesus
• [04:00] - Experiencing Union with Christ
• [05:08] - Grace and Faith
• [06:38] - Subjective Experience of Faith
• [07:53] - Faith and Grace Relationship
• [09:27] - Faith as Experience
• [10:03] - Paul's Experience of Faith
• [11:12] - Baptism and Faith
• [12:07] - Ethical Implications of Faith
• [13:39] - Embracing New Self by Faith

1. In Ephesians 2:4-7, what are the objective realities of God's work in our salvation as described in the sermon? [01:23]
2. How does the sermon describe our union with Christ, and what metaphor is used to illustrate this relationship? [04:00]
3. According to the sermon, what role does faith play in experiencing the grace of God? [08:43]
4. How does Paul’s writing in Galatians 2:20 and Colossians 2:12 illustrate the concept of being crucified and raised with Christ? [11:30]

1. What does it mean for God's mercy and love to be objective realities that exist independently of us, and how does this impact our understanding of salvation? [01:23]
2. How does the metaphor of being grafted into Christ like branches to a vine help us understand our union with Him? What implications does this have for our daily lives? [04:00]
3. Why is it important that faith allows grace to remain grace, and how does this understanding affect our view of works and salvation? [08:43]
4. In what ways do the concepts of being crucified with Christ and experiencing resurrection through faith challenge or affirm your current understanding of baptism and its significance? [11:30]

1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually dead. How did you experience God's mercy and love during that period, and how can you remind yourself of these objective truths in your current life? [01:23]
2. Consider your personal relationship with Christ. How can you consciously experience and nurture your union with Him, much like branches connected to a vine? [04:00]
3. Identify an area in your life where you might be relying on your own efforts rather than embracing God's grace through faith. What steps can you take to shift your focus back to faith? [08:43]
4. How can you practically "put off the old self and put on the new self" in your daily routine? What specific actions or habits might need to change to align with your new identity in Christ? [13:39]
5. Think of a situation where you struggled to see God's work in your life. How can you use faith to perceive and embrace His grace in similar situations moving forward? [14:33]
6. Reflect on your baptism or the concept of baptism. How does understanding it as a symbol of death and resurrection with Christ influence your spiritual journey today? [11:30]
7. How can you actively rest in the objective reality of God's work in your life this week, and what practical steps can you take to embrace and enjoy His grace more fully? [14:33]