Transformative Power of the Gospel and the Spirit

 

Summary

Change is a profound journey that begins in the heart, and the Spirit is the agent of this transformation. The Westminster Confession provides insight into sanctification, emphasizing that those who are called and regenerated are sanctified through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection. This sanctification is not merely about following rules but involves a deep transformation of our affections through the gospel. The gospel, as the power of God for salvation, trains us to renounce ungodliness and embrace godliness. It is through the gospel that the Spirit opens our eyes to the beauty and holiness of God, drawing us closer to Him.

The distinction between law and gospel is crucial. The law exposes sin and shows us our need for the gospel, but it cannot change our hearts. Only the gospel has the power to transform us from within, aligning our desires with God's will. This transformation is beautifully illustrated in John 3, where Jesus explains to Nicodemus the necessity of being born again of the Spirit. The Spirit gives us a new heart, enabling us to love God and walk in His ways.

The gospel reveals the depth of God's love, as seen in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. This revelation melts our hearts, turning our affections away from sin and towards God. It is not merely about gratitude for what God has done but about marveling at who He is. As we behold the glory of Christ, we are transformed into His likeness, reflecting His love and holiness.

The Spirit's work is ongoing, continually using the gospel to deepen our faith and sanctification. Holiness is the writing of the gospel on our hearts, and without it, we are prone to drift away from God. The Spirit cultivates in us a love for Christ, polishing us into a new humanity that shines with His light. Ultimately, we become like what we worship, and as we fix our gaze on Christ, we are transformed both spiritually and physically, anticipating the day when we will be fully like Him.

Key Takeaways:

1. Sanctification through the Gospel: True change in a Christian's life is brought about by the gospel, which sanctifies us through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection. This transformation is not about mere rule-following but involves a deep change in our affections, aligning them with God's will. [12:15]

2. Law vs. Gospel: The law exposes our sin and shows us our need for the gospel, but it cannot change our hearts. Only the gospel, with the power of the Holy Spirit, can transform us from within, enabling us to love God and live in holiness. [14:33]

3. The Power of the Cross: The sight of Christ on the cross reveals the depth of God's love, melting our hearts and turning our affections towards Him. This revelation transforms us, making us more like Christ as we behold His glory. [20:21]

4. Ongoing Work of the Spirit: The Spirit continually uses the gospel to deepen our faith and sanctification. Holiness is the writing of the gospel on our hearts, and without it, we are prone to drift away from God. [30:15]

5. Transformation through Worship: We become like what we worship. As we fix our gaze on Christ, we are transformed into His likeness, both spiritually and physically, anticipating the day when we will be fully like Him. [32:06]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [11:35] - Understanding Sanctification
- [12:34] - The Role of the Gospel
- [13:31] - Law and Gospel Distinction
- [14:33] - The Power of the Gospel
- [17:44] - New Birth in the Spirit
- [19:16] - Redemption through Christ
- [20:21] - The Cross and Our Affections
- [22:13] - From Gratitude to Love
- [23:15] - True Heart Transformation
- [24:15] - The Majesty of God's Grace
- [26:28] - Knowing Christ through the Spirit
- [27:24] - Beholding Christ's Glory
- [29:31] - The Gospel's Ongoing Work
- [32:06] - Becoming Like What We Worship

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 3:1-8
2. Ezekiel 36:26-27
3. Romans 1:16

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Observation Questions:

1. In John 3:1-8, what does Jesus tell Nicodemus about the necessity of being born again? How does this relate to the concept of transformation discussed in the sermon? [17:44]

2. According to Ezekiel 36:26-27, what does God promise to do for His people? How does this promise connect to the idea of receiving a new heart and spirit? [18:42]

3. Romans 1:16 describes the gospel as the power of God for salvation. How does this verse support the sermon’s emphasis on the gospel’s role in transformation? [12:34]

4. What distinction does the sermon make between the law and the gospel, and how does this distinction help us understand the process of sanctification? [13:31]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon explain the role of the Holy Spirit in transforming our hearts, and why is this transformation essential for living a godly life? [15:22]

2. The sermon mentions that the gospel reveals the depth of God's love through the cross. How does this revelation impact a believer's affections and actions? [20:21]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the ongoing work of the Spirit is necessary for maintaining a life of holiness and avoiding spiritual drift? [30:15]

4. The sermon states that we become like what we worship. How does this idea challenge or affirm your understanding of spiritual growth and transformation? [32:06]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you experienced a significant change in your heart or behavior. How did the gospel play a role in that transformation? [15:41]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between law and gospel. How can you apply this understanding in your daily walk with Christ to avoid legalism? [14:33]

3. Consider the depth of God's love as revealed on the cross. How can this understanding motivate you to turn away from sin and towards God in your daily life? [20:21]

4. The sermon discusses the ongoing work of the Spirit in deepening our faith. What practical steps can you take to remain open to the Spirit’s work in your life? [30:15]

5. Think about what you currently worship or focus on in your life. How does this focus shape your character and actions, and what changes might you need to make to align more closely with Christ? [32:06]

6. How can you cultivate a deeper love for God that goes beyond gratitude for His gifts to marveling at who He is? What specific practices can help you in this journey? [22:13]

7. Identify one area of your life where you feel spiritually stagnant. What role can the gospel play in revitalizing that area, and what steps will you take this week to invite transformation? [29:31]

Devotional

Day 1: Transformation through the Gospel
The journey of sanctification in a Christian's life is initiated and sustained by the gospel, which sanctifies believers through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection. This transformation is not about adhering to a set of rules but involves a profound change in our affections, aligning them with God's will. The gospel, as the power of God for salvation, trains us to renounce ungodliness and embrace godliness. It is through the gospel that the Spirit opens our eyes to the beauty and holiness of God, drawing us closer to Him. This deep transformation of our desires is a testament to the gospel's power to change us from within, making us more like Christ. [12:15]

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Reflection: What specific desires or affections in your life need to be realigned with God's will through the power of the gospel today?


Day 2: The Law's Role in Revealing Our Need for the Gospel
The distinction between law and gospel is crucial in understanding the Christian journey. The law exposes sin and shows us our need for the gospel, but it cannot change our hearts. Only the gospel, with the power of the Holy Spirit, can transform us from within, enabling us to love God and live in holiness. This transformation is beautifully illustrated in John 3, where Jesus explains to Nicodemus the necessity of being born again of the Spirit. The Spirit gives us a new heart, enabling us to love God and walk in His ways. The law serves as a mirror, reflecting our shortcomings and pointing us to the grace found in the gospel. [14:33]

Galatians 3:24-25 (ESV): "So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian."

Reflection: In what ways has the law revealed your need for the gospel recently, and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to transform those areas of your heart?


Day 3: The Cross as a Revelation of God's Love
The sight of Christ on the cross reveals the depth of God's love, melting our hearts and turning our affections towards Him. This revelation transforms us, making us more like Christ as we behold His glory. It is not merely about gratitude for what God has done but about marveling at who He is. As we behold the glory of Christ, we are transformed into His likeness, reflecting His love and holiness. The cross stands as the ultimate demonstration of God's love, inviting us to respond with a heart that is fully devoted to Him. [20:21]

1 John 4:9-10 (ESV): "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Reflection: How does the revelation of God's love on the cross inspire you to reflect His love and holiness in your daily interactions?


Day 4: The Spirit's Ongoing Work in Our Lives
The Spirit continually uses the gospel to deepen our faith and sanctification. Holiness is the writing of the gospel on our hearts, and without it, we are prone to drift away from God. The Spirit cultivates in us a love for Christ, polishing us into a new humanity that shines with His light. This ongoing work of the Spirit is essential for our spiritual growth, as it keeps us anchored in the truth of the gospel and prevents us from straying. The Spirit's work is a continuous process, shaping us into the image of Christ and preparing us for the day when we will be fully like Him. [30:15]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: In what ways can you invite the Holy Spirit to deepen your faith and sanctification today, ensuring that you remain anchored in the truth of the gospel?


Day 5: Becoming Like What We Worship
We become like what we worship. As we fix our gaze on Christ, we are transformed into His likeness, both spiritually and physically, anticipating the day when we will be fully like Him. Worship is not just an act but a transformative experience that shapes our identity and character. By focusing on Christ, we allow His light to shine through us, reflecting His love and holiness to the world. This transformation is a testament to the power of worship in aligning our hearts with God's will and preparing us for eternity with Him. [32:06]

Psalm 115:4-8 (ESV): "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them."

Reflection: What are you currently worshiping in your life, and how is it shaping your identity and character? How can you refocus your worship on Christ today?

Quotes


The Westminster Confession is fascinating in how it speaks here on sanctification. It says those who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified really and personally. They are sanctified through the virtue of Christ's death and resurrection. [00:11:20]

The spirit uses the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation. Romans 1: In The Gospel, Titus 2: The grace of God has appeared, training us to renounce ungodliness. It's the grace of God that trains us to renounce ungodliness. [00:12:29]

The law, the Commandments, expose the disease of sin and stimulate and stir up sin. But he said, here's the key thing: the law provides no remedy for sin. However, the gospel not only teaches us what is to be done, it also has the power of the Holy Spirit in it. [00:14:18]

The law shows us our need for the gospel. It shows us how we fall short. It shows us what holy living looks like, and Christians, as they mature, increasingly want to live in godliness. So they want to turn to the law to know what that should look like, but the law will not change their hearts. [00:14:47]

Only the gospel of Christ has the ability to affect that sort of deep transformation of our affections. It is the gospel that changes our hearts so that we want to walk in Christlikeness. As Jesus said, it is those who love him who keep his word. [00:15:27]

The gospel that will melt and renew hearts of stone. It is that sight of the Son of Man lifted up on the cross, proving the love of the Father. That is what realigns our affections because there on the cross, we see the full gravity of our sin in what it cost him. [00:19:59]

The good news of our redemption and forgiveness might only make us grateful, but his grace acts as a breadcrumb trail leading us from the gift to the Giver, from marveling at what he's done for us to marveling at who he is in himself. [00:22:13]

The gospel, friends, is the means the spirit uses both to convert and to build us up in faith. It's not that the spirit merely uses the gospel once to give us new birth and then leaves us to sweat out our sanctification by mere self-effort. [00:29:45]

Holiness is nothing but the implanting, writing, and realizing of the Gospel in our souls. That is, Holiness is the writing of the Gospel on our hearts. Without that gospel, even mature Christians feel the daily pull of sin outweighing their love for God. [00:30:28]

By cultivating in us a taste for Christ, who is the epitome of beauty, by doing that, the spirit polishes a new humanity who begin to shine with Christ's light. Friends, we become like what we worship. You will always become like what you focus on, gaze on, dream about. [00:31:52]

The spirit beautifies his new creation. It starts now spiritually. It'll one day mean the very transformation of our bodies. Just as it is the sight of Christ by faith now that makes us more Christlike, so it is 1 John 3: When we see him, we shall be like him. [00:33:22]

The way the spirit changes us is by untwisting us. Naturally, we are, Luther said, incurvatus in se, twisted in on ourselves. We take a hellish delight in our own supposed independence. But if I'm to be like the outward-looking Father, Son, Spirit, the spirit must take my eyes off myself. [00:34:10]

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Transcript
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