Understanding Salvation: Love in the Beloved
Summary
In the epistle to the Ephesians, Paul presents a profound exploration of salvation through Jesus Christ, encapsulated in the phrase "in the Beloved." This term is not merely a title but a revelation of the depth of God's love and the glory of His plan for humanity. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that every spiritual blessing we receive is through Christ, chosen before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love. This divine plan is not just about individual salvation but about manifesting God's glory through us, His chosen people.
The term "in the Beloved" is significant because it highlights the unique relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ, His beloved Son. This relationship is the cornerstone of our redemption. The Beloved is not just a title; it signifies the eternal love and unity between the Father and the Son. This love is the foundation of our salvation, as God sent His Beloved into the world to redeem us. The incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the ultimate expressions of God's love, revealing His glory and grace.
Moreover, this term also reflects the measure of God's love for us. Through Christ, we are not only saved but also adopted as sons and daughters, sharing in the love that the Father has for the Son. This is a staggering truth, as it means that we are loved by God with the same intensity and depth as He loves His Beloved Son. This love is not based on our merit but on God's grace and the work of Christ.
As we reflect on the incarnation and the events of Christmas, we are reminded of the profound mystery and wonder of God's love. The Beloved came into the world, endured suffering, and was ultimately forsaken on the cross, all for our sake. This sacrificial love calls us to live lives that reflect the glory of God, understanding that we are beloved by Him.
Key Takeaways:
- The term "in the Beloved" reveals the depth of God's love and the glory of His plan for humanity. It signifies the unique relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, which is the cornerstone of our redemption. [06:43]
- Our salvation is not just about individual redemption but about manifesting God's glory through us, His chosen people. We are called to be holy and blameless, reflecting the glory of God in our lives. [05:00]
- The incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the ultimate expressions of God's love, revealing His glory and grace. This sacrificial love calls us to live lives that reflect the glory of God. [19:17]
- Through Christ, we are adopted as sons and daughters, sharing in the love that the Father has for the Son. This means we are loved by God with the same intensity and depth as He loves His Beloved Son. [38:27]
- The Beloved's suffering and forsakenness on the cross demonstrate the measure of God's love for us. This sacrificial love is the foundation of our salvation and calls us to live in gratitude and devotion. [35:19]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to Ephesians
- [00:29] - Spiritual Blessings in Christ
- [01:28] - The Purpose of Salvation
- [02:05] - The Glory of Salvation
- [03:20] - Facts and Interpretation
- [04:43] - God's Glory Revealed
- [06:43] - In the Beloved
- [07:35] - The Significance of the Term
- [10:10] - The Apostle's Deliberate Choice
- [12:33] - The Person of the Lord
- [20:18] - The Measure of the Father's Love
- [30:47] - The Measure of the Son's Love
- [36:21] - Our Relationship to God
- [42:24] - Conclusion and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 1:3-6
- John 1:14
- Romans 8:32
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the phrase "in the Beloved" signify in Ephesians 1:6, and why is it important in the context of our salvation? [06:43]
2. How does the Apostle Paul describe the blessings we receive through Christ in Ephesians 1:3-4? [00:29]
3. According to the sermon, what is the relationship between God's glory and our salvation? [04:43]
4. How does the sermon explain the significance of Jesus being referred to as "the Beloved" during key events like His baptism and transfiguration? [13:41]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the term "in the Beloved" deepen our understanding of the relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ? How does this relationship impact our own relationship with God? [10:10]
2. The sermon emphasizes that our salvation is not just about individual redemption but about manifesting God's glory. How can this perspective change the way we view our role as Christians in the world? [05:00]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the measure of God's love for us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? What does this reveal about the nature of God's love? [22:43]
4. The sermon mentions that through Christ, we are adopted as sons and daughters. How does this adoption affect our identity and how we live our lives? [38:27]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the idea that we are loved by God with the same intensity as He loves His Beloved Son. How does this truth affect your self-worth and daily life? [38:27]
2. The sermon calls us to live lives that reflect the glory of God. What specific actions can you take this week to manifest God's glory in your workplace or community? [05:00]
3. Consider the sacrificial love of Jesus, who was forsaken on the cross for our sake. How can you express gratitude for this sacrifice in your relationships and interactions with others? [35:19]
4. The sermon highlights the importance of understanding the incarnation and the events of Christmas. How can you incorporate this understanding into your holiday traditions to keep the focus on Christ? [12:33]
5. How does knowing that you are adopted as a child of God influence the way you approach challenges and difficulties in life? [38:27]
6. The sermon suggests that our salvation is about manifesting God's glory. What are some practical ways you can contribute to this mission within your church or community? [05:00]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. How can the truth of being "in the Beloved" help you draw closer to Him during such times? [36:21]
Devotional
Day 1: The Depth of God's Love and Glory in "The Beloved"
The phrase "in the Beloved" reveals the profound depth of God's love and the glory of His plan for humanity. This term signifies the unique relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, which is the cornerstone of our redemption. It is through this relationship that we understand the magnitude of God's love for us. The Beloved is not just a title; it signifies the eternal love and unity between the Father and the Son. This love is the foundation of our salvation, as God sent His Beloved into the world to redeem us. The incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the ultimate expressions of God's love, revealing His glory and grace. [06:43]
Ephesians 1:4-6 (ESV): "Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."
Reflection: How does understanding the unique relationship between the Father and the Son change the way you perceive your own relationship with God today?
Day 2: Manifesting God's Glory Through Our Lives
Our salvation is not just about individual redemption but about manifesting God's glory through us, His chosen people. We are called to be holy and blameless, reflecting the glory of God in our lives. This divine plan is not merely about personal salvation but about being a living testament to God's glory. As believers, we are chosen to be a reflection of His holiness and love, demonstrating the transformative power of His grace in our daily lives. This calling challenges us to live in a way that honors God and makes His presence known to those around us. [05:00]
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: In what specific ways can you reflect God's glory in your interactions with others this week?
Day 3: The Ultimate Expression of God's Love
The incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the ultimate expressions of God's love, revealing His glory and grace. This sacrificial love calls us to live lives that reflect the glory of God. Jesus' journey on earth, from His humble birth to His sacrificial death, is a testament to the depth of God's love for humanity. This love is not passive but active, calling us to respond by living lives that honor and glorify God. As we reflect on the events of Christmas and the life of Jesus, we are reminded of the profound mystery and wonder of God's love, which compels us to live in gratitude and devotion. [19:17]
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 can you actively demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to someone in need today?
Day 4: Adoption into God's Family
Through Christ, we are adopted as sons and daughters, sharing in the love that the Father has for the Son. This means we are loved by God with the same intensity and depth as He loves His Beloved Son. This adoption is a staggering truth, as it signifies our inclusion into God's family, not based on our merit but on His grace and the work of Christ. As adopted children, we are invited to share in the love and inheritance of the Son, experiencing the fullness of God's love and grace in our lives. This truth should transform how we view ourselves and our relationship with God, knowing that we are deeply loved and valued by Him. [38:27]
Galatians 4:4-7 (ESV): "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
Reflection: What does it mean to you personally to be adopted into God's family, and how does this truth impact your daily life?
Day 5: The Sacrificial Love of the Beloved
The Beloved's suffering and forsakenness on the cross demonstrate the measure of God's love for us. This sacrificial love is the foundation of our salvation and calls us to live in gratitude and devotion. Jesus' willingness to endure suffering and separation from the Father for our sake is a profound expression of love that should inspire us to live lives of gratitude and devotion. This love is not something we earn but a gift we receive, calling us to respond by living in a way that honors the sacrifice made for us. As we reflect on the cross, we are reminded of the depth of God's love and the call to live in response to that love. [35:19]
Isaiah 53:4-5 (ESV): "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."
Reflection: How can you express your gratitude for Jesus' sacrificial love in your actions and attitudes today?
Quotes
Now here we are looking immediately and directly into what is the great theme of Salvation through Jesus Christ Our Lord. It's one of those great and magnificent summaries of it all. It's the purpose, it's an explanation of the purpose, it's an outline of what God planned and what God had in his mind and what his idea is with respect to us. [00:01:12]
The Apostle is giving us one of these great summaries of this Salvation. And as we were pointing out last Sunday, the thing that he emphasizes is this: that we must always begin to think about it in terms of the glory of God. It is all to the praise of the glory of his grace. [00:03:37]
Every blessing that men ever enjoys from God is always in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Very well then, we can put it like this, can't we? If the whole of redemption is a manifestation of the glory of God, we are entitled to say that God's glory is revealed ultimately and finally and most completely in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:06:51]
The Apostle clearly used it deliberately in order to bring out that aspect of the truth and to emphasize it. The Beloved is none other than the substance of the Eternal substance, God the Eternal son. And of course, because of that, we understand this: you and I, as the result of being made holy and our adoption as sons and so on, do live and exist to the praise of the glory of God. [00:16:01]
The very fact that God ever sent him into this world is an astounding thing in and of itself. We can't conceive of these things, can we? Our minds are too small; they boggle at the very concept. But here is the truth: without beginning, from eternity, you see, we can't even take that in. [00:23:00]
The astounding thing that our Salvation tells us is this: that God sent him forth. When the fullness of the times was come, God sent forth, sent him out of that as it were, sent him out of his own bosom, sent him out of heaven and out of the glory and the radiance and the glory and the magnificence of it all, sent him forth into the world. [00:24:19]
He didn't spare the Beloved, though he had loved him with that eternal love from all eternity and with all the intensity of his holy Eternal nature. Though he is the Beloved, he didn't spare him. He spared him no suffering; he laid upon him the iniquity of us all. [00:29:15]
If you and I want to know anything about the love of God, we've got to start with this term, the Beloved. It was to the Beloved he did that. He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [00:30:08]
The Beloved came down to that, and his very body was buried in a grave and a stone thrown over it. He descended into hell, the Beloved. He went into the lowest parts of the earth, he who made everything out of nothing, for us and for our Salvation. [00:35:38]
The truth about the Christian, the truth about the one who is in Christ, is this: because he's in Christ and adopted as a son in the Beloved, God the first loves us as he loved him in the same way as thou Hast loved me. You see, that's even beyond sunship. [00:38:27]
We are the Beloved of God. That is the ultimate height of our salvation and Redemption, that the Christ who came down from the glory to Earth and went down into Hades has risen and has taken us up with him, and he's put us there, and we are loved as he is loved, holy and beloved. [00:39:56]
It is because we have everything that we have in the Beloved that we become the very beloved of God. God loves the Christian as he loved the son. We share that love, nothing less. We know something of how we loved him. My dear friend, it's like that. [00:41:04]
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