Transformed by Grace: Our Union with Christ
Summary
In Ephesians 2:4-7, we find a profound declaration of God's transformative work in our lives. This passage highlights the transition from our hopeless state in sin to the new life we have in Christ. It is a reminder that our salvation is entirely the work of God, not something we achieve through our efforts. When we were dead in our sins, God, rich in mercy and love, made us alive with Christ. This is the essence of Christianity: not merely a decision we make, but a divine act that changes our very nature.
The Apostle Paul emphasizes that this transformation is not just a future hope but a present reality. We are already seated in heavenly places with Christ, a truth that should shape our identity and perspective. This union with Christ is both a legal and a vital connection. Legally, Christ is our representative, and what He accomplished is credited to us. Vitally, we are organically connected to Him, much like branches to a vine, sharing in His life and power.
Understanding this union is crucial. It is not a mystical achievement for a select few but the foundational reality for every believer. This union means that we have been quickened, raised, and seated with Christ. It is a complete reversal of our previous state of spiritual death and separation from God. This new life is characterized by a new disposition, a new governing principle that directs our faculties and desires towards God.
This transformation is not merely theoretical; it is experiential. It is the work of the Holy Spirit within us, regenerating us and making us new creations. This new life is not something we strive to attain; it is a gift we receive through faith in Christ. As Christians, we must live in the light of this truth, recognizing that our identity and destiny are inextricably linked to Christ.
Key Takeaways:
- God's Transformative Work: Our salvation is entirely the work of God, who, in His rich mercy and love, made us alive with Christ when we were dead in sins. This transformation is not something we achieve but a divine act that changes our very nature. [02:05]
- Present Reality of Salvation: Our union with Christ is not just a future hope but a present reality. We are already seated in heavenly places with Him, and this truth should shape our identity and perspective as believers. [12:26]
- Union with Christ: This union is both legal and vital. Legally, Christ's accomplishments are credited to us, and vitally, we share in His life and power, much like branches connected to a vine. [24:28]
- New Disposition: The new life in Christ is characterized by a new disposition, a governing principle that directs our faculties and desires towards God, marking a complete reversal of our previous state of spiritual death. [37:08]
- Experiential Transformation: This transformation is not merely theoretical but experiential, as the Holy Spirit regenerates us, making us new creations. It is a gift we receive through faith, not something we strive to attain. [43:09]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Ephesians 2:4-7
- [01:11] - Transition from Hopelessness to Gospel
- [02:05] - God's Rich Mercy and Love
- [03:02] - Understanding What God Has Done
- [04:08] - Essence of Christianity
- [05:32] - Union with Christ
- [07:18] - Examining Our Christian Identity
- [09:02] - Objective and Subjective Salvation
- [11:15] - Present Reality of Salvation
- [14:24] - Spiritual Interpretation
- [18:10] - Together with Christ
- [21:16] - Federal and Mystical Union
- [26:41] - Marvel of Salvation
- [30:53] - Quickening and Regeneration
- [37:08] - New Disposition and Life
- [43:09] - Experiential Christianity
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 2:4-7
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Ephesians 2:4-7 say about our state before God's intervention? How does this passage describe the change that occurs through God's action? [00:12]
2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the phrase "but God" in Ephesians 2:4? How does it serve as a transition in the passage? [01:11]
3. How does the sermon describe the nature of our union with Christ as both legal and vital? What analogies are used to explain this union? [24:28]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the present reality of our salvation and how it should influence our identity and perspective as believers? [12:26]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon explain the concept of being "made alive with Christ"? What implications does this have for understanding the essence of Christianity? [04:08]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our union with Christ is foundational for every believer, rather than a mystical achievement for a select few? [06:17]
3. How does the sermon differentiate between the objective and subjective aspects of salvation? Why is it important to understand both? [13:32]
4. What role does the Holy Spirit play in the experiential transformation described in the sermon? How does this relate to the concept of regeneration? [36:32]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: How does understanding that your salvation is entirely the work of God change the way you view your relationship with Him? [02:05]
2. The sermon emphasizes that our union with Christ is a present reality. How can this truth shape your daily identity and perspective? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of this reality? [12:26]
3. Consider the analogy of being branches connected to the vine. How can you actively seek to draw life and power from Christ in your daily walk? [24:28]
4. The sermon describes a new disposition that directs our faculties and desires towards God. What specific areas of your life need realignment to reflect this new disposition? [37:08]
5. How can you cultivate an awareness of the Holy Spirit's work in your life, making you a new creation? What practices or habits might help you stay attuned to this transformation? [43:09]
6. The sermon challenges us to live in the light of our identity in Christ. What are some practical ways you can remind yourself of this identity when facing challenges or temptations? [12:26]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually dead or distant from God. How does the message of being "quickened" with Christ offer hope and encouragement in such moments? [30:53]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Transformative Mercy
Our salvation is a profound act of God's mercy and love, not something we can achieve on our own. When we were spiritually dead in our sins, God intervened, making us alive with Christ. This transformation is a divine act that changes our very nature, highlighting the essence of Christianity as a relationship initiated and sustained by God. It is a reminder that our new life in Christ is a gift, not a result of our efforts. This understanding should fill us with gratitude and humility, recognizing that it is God's rich mercy that has brought us from death to life. [02:05]
"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." (Ephesians 2:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: Consider a time when you felt spiritually distant from God. How can you embrace His mercy today, acknowledging that your salvation is His work, not yours?
Day 2: Present Reality of Salvation
Our union with Christ is not just a future hope but a present reality. We are already seated in heavenly places with Him, a truth that should shape our identity and perspective as believers. This present reality means that our lives are intertwined with Christ's, and we are called to live in the light of this truth. Our identity is no longer defined by our past or our failures but by our position in Christ. This understanding should transform how we view ourselves and the world around us, encouraging us to live with confidence and purpose. [12:26]
"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4, ESV)
Reflection: How does knowing you are already seated with Christ in heavenly places change the way you approach your daily challenges and decisions?
Day 3: Legal and Vital Union with Christ
Our union with Christ is both legal and vital. Legally, Christ's accomplishments are credited to us, and vitally, we share in His life and power, much like branches connected to a vine. This union is not a mystical achievement for a select few but the foundational reality for every believer. It signifies a complete reversal of our previous state of spiritual death and separation from God. Understanding this union helps us grasp the depth of our relationship with Christ and the resources available to us through Him. [24:28]
"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you more fully abide in Christ today, drawing on His life and power to bear fruit in your life?
Day 4: New Disposition in Christ
The new life in Christ is characterized by a new disposition, a governing principle that directs our faculties and desires towards God. This marks a complete reversal of our previous state of spiritual death, as we are now oriented towards God and His purposes. This transformation is not merely theoretical but experiential, as the Holy Spirit regenerates us, making us new creations. As we embrace this new disposition, our desires and actions align more closely with God's will, leading to a life that reflects His character and love. [37:08]
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)
Reflection: What old habits or mindsets do you need to let go of to fully embrace your new disposition in Christ?
Day 5: Experiential Transformation by the Holy Spirit
This transformation is not merely theoretical but experiential, as the Holy Spirit regenerates us, making us new creations. It is a gift we receive through faith, not something we strive to attain. As we live in the light of this truth, we recognize that our identity and destiny are inextricably linked to Christ. The Holy Spirit's work within us is ongoing, continually shaping us to reflect Christ's image. This experiential transformation calls us to be attentive to the Spirit's leading and to actively participate in the process of becoming more like Christ. [43:09]
"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." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)
Reflection: How can you be more attentive to the Holy Spirit's work in your life today, allowing Him to transform you into the image of Christ?
Quotes
It is when we were dead and could do nothing that God did the thing which he has done. It's the power of God, and we emphasized particularly last Sunday morning what it was in God that led him to do this. It's here we see the contrast between God and ourselves most clearly. He is rich in Mercy, he has great love toward us, and he has Grace which is exceeding rich, and he is kindly and benignly disposed toward us. [00:21:00]
Christianity, in other words, doesn't just mean that you and I have taken a decision. Of course, it includes that, but that isn't the essence of Christianity. People can decide to be religious; that's not Christianity. People can decide to stop doing certain things and to start doing other things; that's not Christianity. People can believe that God forgives them their sins; that's not Christianity in and of itself. [00:47:06]
The Apostle is not so much concerned to remind these Ephesians of something that's going to happen to them. His great concern here is to remind them of what has already happened to them, their present position. You remember that is why it's so important we should always carry the context with us. What the Apostle is concerned about in this whole statement is that we may know the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe. [00:11:15]
The Apostle says, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, and then in brackets, by Grace ye are saved. In other words, he says, what I'm talking about is your salvation, and remember, by Grace ye are saved means by Grace you have been saved. That's the tense; you have been saved. [00:12:26]
The union between the branches and the vine is not a mechanical one; it's a vital one, it's an organic one. They are bound together; the same life is in the tree as in the vine as in the branches. You can't separate them. But that's not the only illustration which is given. We have already seen at the end of the first chapter of this epistle to the Ephesians. [00:24:28]
The position of the Christian is the exact opposite of the man who's not a Christian. The man who's not a Christian is a man who is dead in trespasses and sins. He is being led about according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of Disobedience. [00:37:08]
The first thing that is true of the Christian is this: that he has come to the end of his death. We were dead in trespasses and sins; we were born dead spiritually. There is no Divine spark in everybody born into this world. Everybody born into this world, because they are children of Adam, are born dead, born dead spiritually. [00:43:09]
Regeneration is an act of God by which a principle of new life is implanted in men, and the governing disposition of the soul is made holy. It is also the first holy exercise of this disposition. That's regeneration. It means this: that God, by his mighty action, puts a new disposition into my soul. [00:37:08]
The difference between this sinner and the Christian, the unbeliever and the believer, is not that the believer, the Christian, has certain faculties which the other man hasn't got. No, no. What happens is that this new disposition that he's given directs those faculties in an entirely different way. [00:37:08]
The Christian is a possessed man. This principle of life has come in, this new disposition that possesses him, and he's aware of a working within him. Quickened together with Christ. Oh, what a tremendous thing it is to be a Christian. What a glorious thing, what a mighty thing. This is objective, but thank God it's subjective. [00:43:09]
God has begun a good work in me, and I know it. He has put this new life in me. I am born again, therefore, because of my union with Christ. May God, by his Holy Spirit, enlighten the eyes of our understanding that we may begin to comprehend this mighty working of God's power in us. [00:43:09]
The Apostle obviously, at this point, is concerned primarily to emphasize the positive aspect of all this and not the negative. He will deal with the negative a little bit later in this chapter, but of necessity, the negative also has to be borne in mind. But what the Apostle is primarily concerned to emphasize is this: that whereas we were dead, we are now alive. [00:43:09]
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