Transformed by Grace: Our Identity and Purpose in Christ
Summary
In our journey through the five solas, the fundamental principles of our faith, we have come to understand the profound truth that our salvation is not a result of our own efforts or achievements. It is by grace alone—Sola Gratia—that we are saved. This grace is the unmerited favor of God, a divine gift that we could never earn or deserve. It is the means by which God, in His sovereignty, reaches down to us in our spiritual deadness and breathes life into our souls.
We must remember who we were before Christ: spiritually dead, following the ways of the world, and by nature children of wrath. Our status, practice, and nature were all in opposition to God. But God, rich in mercy and love, made us alive with Christ. It is essential to recognize that we were incapable of seeking God or doing any good on our own. This realization brings us to a place of humility and dependence on God's grace.
Furthermore, we must be reminded of who God is. He is the one who initiates our salvation, not because of anything we have done, but purely out of His love and mercy. His grace is extended to us while we were still sinners, demonstrating His love in the most profound way through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Lastly, we must understand who we are now in Christ. We are His workmanship, created for good works that He prepared in advance for us to do. Our salvation is not for our own boasting but to showcase the immeasurable riches of God's grace and kindness. It is a testimony to the world of the transformative power of God's grace.
As we reflect on these truths, let us respond with a heart of worship, praising God for His grace that has changed our lives. Let us also commit to living out the purpose of our salvation, which is to glorify God and point others to the saving grace found in Jesus Christ.
Key Takeaways:
- Grace alone is the divine initiative that brings us from death to life. Our spiritual rebirth is not a consequence of our actions but a gift from God, who is rich in mercy and love. This grace is extended to us while we were still sinners, underscoring the depth of God's love and the transformative power of His grace. [01:02:31]
- Our salvation serves as a testimony to God's grace. As we live out our faith, we become living proof of God's ability to change lives. Our transformation is meant to inspire others and demonstrate that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. [01:14:07]
- The purpose of our salvation is to glorify God. We are saved not to boast in our own achievements but to boast in Jesus Christ and the work He has done in our lives. Our confidence rests not in ourselves but in the One who saved us when we were utterly helpless. [01:12:25]
- Our identity in Christ is as God's workmanship, created for good works. These works are not the means of our salvation but the fruit of it, prepared by God to display His grace through our lives. Our good works are designed to point others to the grace of God in Christ. [01:13:16]
- The doctrine of grace alone challenges the world's belief in self-salvation. It confronts the notion that we can earn our way to God and instead presents a God who saves us purely out of His love and mercy. This grace compels us to live in humility and gratitude, fully reliant on God's sovereign grace for our salvation. [01:07:46]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Ephesians 2:1-3, what was our spiritual condition before knowing Christ?
2. What does Ephesians 2:4-5 say about God's response to our spiritual deadness?
3. How does Ephesians 2:8-9 describe the nature of our salvation?
4. What purpose does Ephesians 2:10 give for our creation in Christ Jesus?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that Paul describes our pre-Christian state as "dead" in trespasses and sins? [48:01]
2. How does the phrase "But God" in Ephesians 2:4-5 change the narrative of our spiritual condition? [59:56]
3. What does it mean that we are "God's workmanship" created for good works, and how does this relate to the concept of grace alone? [01:13:11]
4. How does understanding that salvation is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9) impact our view of grace and our relationship with God? [01:10:02]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your life before knowing Christ. How does remembering your past spiritual deadness affect your gratitude for God's grace? [48:01]
2. In what ways can you remind yourself daily of God's rich mercy and great love that made you alive in Christ? [01:00:00]
3. How can you live out the truth that your salvation is not a result of your works but a gift from God? What practical steps can you take to avoid boasting in your own achievements? [01:10:02]
4. Considering that we are created for good works prepared by God, what specific good works do you feel called to pursue in your current season of life? [01:13:11]
5. How can you use your testimony of transformation to inspire others and point them to the saving grace found in Jesus Christ? [01:14:07]
6. The sermon mentioned that our salvation is meant to glorify God and demonstrate His grace. How can you ensure that your daily actions and decisions reflect this purpose? [01:13:07]
7. Think about a time when you relied on your own efforts rather than God's grace. How did that experience differ from times when you fully depended on God's grace? How can you cultivate a deeper reliance on God's grace in your life? [01:07:46]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Grace as Divine Initiative
Grace is not earned; it is a divine gift that brings us to life. This profound understanding shifts our perspective from self-reliance to a deep appreciation for the unmerited favor we receive from God. Recognizing that we were spiritually dead and incapable of seeking God on our own, we come to see grace as the sole catalyst for our spiritual rebirth. It is God, rich in mercy and love, who reaches down to us in our sinfulness and provides the means for our salvation. This grace is not a response to our actions but a generous gift, highlighting the depth of God's love and the transformative power of His grace. [07:40]
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Reflection: How does understanding salvation as a gift of grace change the way you view your relationship with God and others?
Day 2: Testimony of Transformation
Our lives serve as a living testimony to the grace of God. As we walk in faith, our transformation becomes evident to those around us, showcasing God's power to change and redeem. This change is not for our glory but to inspire others and to demonstrate that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace. Our salvation is a story that speaks of God's ability to bring life where there was once spiritual death. [01:14:07]
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)
Reflection: In what ways can you share your personal story of transformation to encourage someone who may be struggling with their faith?
Day 3: Glorifying God in Salvation
The ultimate purpose of our salvation is to glorify God. We are not saved by our works or for our own boasting, but to exalt Jesus Christ and the work He has accomplished in us. Our confidence and hope rest in Him alone, who saved us in our helplessness. This understanding calls us to live in humility, recognizing that our salvation is meant to point others to the grace and mercy of God. [01:12:25]
"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." (2 Corinthians 4:5)
Reflection: How can you actively shift the focus from your own achievements to God's grace in conversations about your faith journey?
Day 4: Created for Good Works
As God's workmanship, we are created for good works, which are the fruit of our salvation. These works are not the means to salvation but are prepared by God for us to walk in, displaying His grace through our lives. Our good deeds are a reflection of God's transformative work in us and are designed to lead others to the grace found in Christ. [01:13:16]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
Reflection: What is one good work God might be calling you to pursue today, and how can it serve as a reflection of His grace to others?
Day 5: Challenging Self-Salvation
The doctrine of grace alone confronts the world's belief in self-salvation. It challenges the notion that we can earn our way to God and presents a God who saves us purely out of love and mercy. This grace calls us to live in humility and gratitude, relying fully on God's sovereign grace for our salvation. It is a radical departure from the self-reliance celebrated by the world, inviting us into a deeper trust in God. [01:07:46]
"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:4-5)
Reflection: How does the grace of God challenge the way you view success and achievement, and how can you live out this grace in a performance-driven world?
Quotes
- "Our salvation, it's through grace alone, meaning he reached out and he chose us, not the other way around, and in our salvation, through grace alone, he maintains what he's given." [01:05:07](Download | Download)
- "The fact that we heard the gospel, the fact that we were able to respond to the gospel, the fact that we're here this morning, it's all because of God's sovereign grace alone." [01:05:07](Download | Download)
- "Our salvation, our spiritual life, it's because of God's grace alone. And so that's the second point. We must be reminded of who God is, that he alone has given us salvation." [01:10:19](Download | Download)
- "Our salvation, it's also through faith alone. That faith part, it always follows the repentance part, which is initiated because of God's grace alone." [01:06:22](Download | Download)
- "Grace alone, it's all about who God is, and it's about his motive in saving us. It's about things a lot of us refuse to learn about or try to understand or read about." [01:07:46](Download | Download)
- "Our salvation, it's also about God's means. How did he save us through grace alone? Well, again, it wasn't through us. It doesn't say because we would make some decision or that somehow he knew we'd pick him or any of that." [01:09:01](Download | Download)
- "Because I can't walk around bragging to my friends and the people around me about my salvation, because guess what I've done? I deserve death. I didn't do anything." [01:11:37](Download | Download)
- "My salvation, your salvation, it's proof to others that God is a gracious God. It's proof that no matter who they are, the people that see you, no matter what they've done, God can extend that same grace to them." [01:14:07](Download | Download)
- "That's why God's merciful love, it's expressed to the complete opposite, to those who've been disobedient. To those that wanted nothing to do with him. To those by nature that followed the ways of the world and the ways of Satan." [01:02:31](Download | Download)
- "Grace, it's about God giving us something entirely different than what we deserve, which of course is death. Instead, he gives us life through grace alone." [46:28](Download | Download)
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