Receiving Grace: The Fullness of Christ in Salvation
Summary
In the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 16, we find a profound summary of the Christian Gospel: "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." This verse encapsulates the essence of Christian salvation, emphasizing that to be a Christian is to receive from the fullness of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John wrote his Gospel to correct early false teachings and to clarify the truth about Jesus and His salvation. The world is fallen and in sin, and no man is adequate to save it. This is why the Incarnation was necessary—God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be born as a man, full of grace and truth, to save humanity.
The Christian salvation is entirely in Jesus Christ. We cannot save ourselves; we have all sinned and gone astray. Jesus, in His fullness, has done everything necessary for our salvation. The Apostle Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 1:30, stating that Christ is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. This means that all aspects of our salvation are found in Christ. The world, with all its wisdom and efforts, cannot save itself. Only God's wisdom, manifested in Christ, can redeem us.
Sanctification is a process where we are renewed in the image of God, enabled to die unto sin and live unto righteousness. This new life in the Spirit is the essence of being a Christian. We are not merely trying to live a good life; we have been born again, given a new nature, and empowered by the Spirit. The Apostle Paul urges us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, acknowledging that it is God who works in us to will and to do His good pleasure.
As Christians, we are called to live with a new mind, the mind of Christ, which is already in us. This involves living with fear and trembling, recognizing the holiness of God and the evil of the world. We are to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation, living as sons of God. Our lives should reflect the glory of our Father in heaven, motivating us to live as Christ lived, in obedience and humility.
Key Takeaways:
- The fullness of Jesus Christ is the foundation of Christian salvation. We cannot save ourselves; it is only through receiving from His fullness that we are saved. This truth corrects any false teachings and emphasizes the necessity of the Incarnation. [01:47]
- Sanctification is a process of being renewed in the image of God, dying to sin, and living unto righteousness. It is not a passive state but an active working out of our salvation, empowered by the Spirit. [10:31]
- Christians are called to live with the mind of Christ, which involves fear and trembling. This fear is rooted in the holiness of God and the recognition of the world's evil, motivating us to live as lights in darkness. [22:24]
- Our identity as sons of God should drive us to live in a way that reflects our heavenly Father. This involves living with integrity and shining as lights in a crooked and perverse generation. [31:39]
- The example of Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, is the ultimate motivation for our sanctification. We are called to live in obedience and humility, following His example. [37:16]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to the Gospel of John
- [00:37] - The Essence of Christian Faith
- [01:12] - Correcting False Teachings
- [02:07] - The Necessity of the Incarnation
- [03:00] - Fullness of Grace and Truth
- [03:35] - Salvation in Christ Alone
- [05:01] - Christ as Wisdom and Righteousness
- [06:43] - God's Wisdom in Redemption
- [07:41] - Righteousness Through Christ
- [10:06] - The Process of Sanctification
- [12:01] - Living a New Life in the Spirit
- [13:17] - Working Out Salvation
- [19:09] - The Christian's New Mind
- [22:24] - Fear and Trembling in Holiness
- [31:39] - Living as Sons of God
- [37:16] - The Example of Christ's Humility
- [44:20] - Closing Hymn and Benediction
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 1:16
- 1 Corinthians 1:30
- Philippians 2:12-13
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Observation Questions:
1. What does John 1:16 mean when it says, "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace"? How does this relate to the concept of Christian salvation? [00:37]
2. According to the sermon, why was the Incarnation necessary for salvation? [02:24]
3. In 1 Corinthians 1:30, Paul describes Christ as being made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. How does this verse support the idea that all aspects of salvation are found in Christ? [05:01]
4. What does it mean to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," as mentioned in Philippians 2:12-13? How does this relate to the process of sanctification? [13:42]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon explain the relationship between God's wisdom and human efforts in the context of salvation? Why is human wisdom insufficient? [06:43]
2. What role does the "mind of Christ" play in a Christian's life according to the sermon, and how does it influence their behavior in a "crooked and perverse generation"? [22:24]
3. The sermon emphasizes living as "sons of God." How does this identity influence a Christian's actions and motivations in the world? [31:39]
4. How does the example of Christ's humility and obedience serve as a motivation for Christians in their journey of sanctification? [37:16]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the idea that we receive from the fullness of Christ. How can you actively seek to receive more of His fullness in your daily life? [00:37]
2. The sermon discusses the necessity of the Incarnation. How does understanding the significance of Christ's coming to earth impact your view of salvation and your personal faith journey? [02:24]
3. Consider the process of sanctification as described in the sermon. What specific steps can you take to actively participate in this process in your own life? [10:31]
4. The sermon calls Christians to live with the mind of Christ. Identify one area in your life where you can apply the mind of Christ more fully. What changes might this require? [22:24]
5. As a "son of God," how can you let your light shine in your community or workplace? What practical actions can you take to reflect your identity in Christ? [31:39]
6. Reflect on the example of Christ's humility and obedience. In what ways can you emulate His example in your relationships and daily interactions? [37:16]
7. The sermon mentions living with fear and trembling due to the holiness of God and the evil of the world. How can this perspective shape your approach to challenges and temptations you face? [22:24]
Devotional
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Quotes
The Apostle here in this prologue, this introduction to his gospel, is reminding those early Christians to whom he wrote the Gospel and for whom he wrote it of the very essence of the Christian faith. He wrote it because even as early as that certain false teachings have been creeping in and there was confusion with regard to the person of our Lord and with regard to the character and the nature of this great Christian salvation. [00:56:92]
The world is fallen and the world is in sin and The Business of the Christian salvation is to save the world and to save men and the great message is that no man was adequate to this and that is why the Incarnation had to take place all men had failed Adam the perfect man had failed he'd been tempted and had form, and all the mighty succession of Patriarchs and pists and Prophets they've all failed man can't save himself still less others. [01:33:80]
The Christian salvation is entirely in the Lord Jesus Christ we don't save ourselves we can't do that we have all sinned we have all gone astray there is none righteous know not one and the great message is that he is the savior he in his fullness has done everything and that is what makes a man a Christian is that he receives of this fullness. [03:35:68]
Christ is made unto us wisdom if you want to know God's mind about the world and what can be done with respect to it you see it all in Jesus Christ God has acted in this world in the person of his only begotten son so he's made wisdom unto us and this according to the Bible is the only way whereby the world ever can be put right or whereby any individual can ever be put right it takes God's wisdom in Christ to redeem us. [07:04:19]
Sanctification is a process whereby we are renewed in the whole men after the image of God and are enabled more and More To Die un sin and to live unto righteousness now then Christ is made unto us sanctification as well as wisdom and as righteousness and we've been looking into this and we've seen that this process of sanctification means that we are separated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God from the world into the Kingdom of Heaven. [10:51:19]
A Christian is a man who's living this new life in the spirit the Apostle contrasts it with the Life In the Flesh he says when we were in the flesh we did certain things but now we are in the spirit we are living a new life in the spirit that we may bear fruit unto God now then that is the essence of the Christian's position and this of course is of prime and supreme importance. [11:52:63]
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both the will and to do of his good pleasure now this is a magnificent statement of this whole question and particularly when we take it as we're going to do in its own setting and in its own context now you notice the significant statement work out your own salvation in other words you've been given it you are saved you've got the Salvation work it out now says the apostle. [13:33:12]
The Christian lives in fear and trembling because of the state of the world it's described for us in the 15th verse do all things in verse 14 without murmurings and disputings that you may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation generation among whom you shine as lights in the world now this is a very wonderful picture you as Christians says the Apostle to these people at Philippi are like the stars in a in the heavens on a dark night. [24:21:68]
You are sons of God you've been born again you've become a partaker of the divine nature you've been renewed in the very Spirit of your mind you are not what you used to be there is an absolute division between Christian and non-Christian the non-Christian is a natural man he's a man in the flesh but the Christian isn't that man is an alien from God is under the wrath of God but the moment a man becomes a Christian he's not only reconciled to God he's a son of God. [31:11:32]
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion of a man as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross. [36:41:56]
The Son of God for my sake for my salvation humbled him self laid aside his own rights and prerogatives and what he as it were wanted to do he humbled himself he became obedient in order to save men and to carry out God's wisdom in men's salvation he went through all that ending even with the death of the Cross he was obedient unto death in other words if I may put it in our own terminology what the father said to the son is this. [40:20:56]
Let this mind be in you also that's the way the Christian is Sanctified that's the way the Christian lives the holy life he says I'm not my own I've been bought with a price the Son of God has died for me he left the courts of Heaven he endured the contradiction of Sinners against himself he even bled and died for me I have no right to live as I want to that's sanctification working out this this mind is in us as he did that for me in obedience to his father's will so I must be ready to do anything that I may be obedient to the father's will whatever the cost. [43:02:64]
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