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Sola

The GT Weekend! ~ Sola Week 3

May 30, 2020 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) When the work of saving our souls, and the work of giving us the gift of faith, and the work of making a Christian to grow into a clearer image of Christ begins and ends with the triune God, there is zero way we can take credit for any part of it ourselves. We submit to Him in total surrender, offering all we are, and He does the remarkable work of building His Church in and through us as we continue to surrender and follow Him. Praise God for this amazing work!! It’s when we refuse His work in our lives that we are met with discord in our relationship with Him and when we see our own relationships struggle. Human beings make very poor saviors. Where are you working hard to maintain control and be your own savior? Where is the Lord calling you into total surrender? What holds you back from doing this?

2) What if this was just a nice journey theme to study? Suppose we only learned some interesting facts about the Church during the Reformation years? If you and I choose to read and learn and then keep on walking without being challenged, we are the ones missing out. Not just us, but the ones God has crafted for us to influence with His truth. We must know this central Sola truths. We must hold them so dear to us they begin to shape how we view God, ourselves, Scripture, the Church, our purpose, and other people. The price of walking away from these Solas without a personal reformation is just too high. Where will you begin to intentionally make a shift? Which Sola was the most challenging to you as you studied? Where are you out of balance in holding tightly to some Solas, but distancing yourself from others? What will you do to make the Solas yours?

3) We need the truths represented by these Solas to color our everyday lives. Take a few minutes this weekend to sit with your Bible and a journal and pen and think through what are the most important aspects of each Sola and how you can align your real life with these truths. Scripture alone. How does this Sola impact where you seek wisdom and whose voice you listen to with final authority? Who dictates what’s right or wise?  Grace alone. Where are you tempted to bring God something in expectation of His favor being given? Is it your prayer life? Is it working hard in your relationship? We are called to follow Him, but out of a heart of love and obedience, not an attempt to win favor. Faith alone. It’s only through faith we are saved for eternity. Nothing Else. How is your faith? Is there evidence of trusting God woven into the fabric of your real, everyday life? Jesus alone. No other name can save us! Do you see Him as holding all authority? Is He the first you run toward, or your last? Where have you combined aspects of some other religions into what you believe? Is Jesus fully God and fully man? God’s glory alone. Whose glory are you living for? Yours? Your spouse? Do your kids carry a weight of performance driven expectations in order for you to feel like you’re a success? Begin asking yourself, is this for God’s glory or mine?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from John 3:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Prayer Journal
Father God, it’s by Your powerful Holy Spirit that we are made new and awakened to a new life. Remind me it isn’t by my flesh, or my agenda, or my purposes that Your kingdom is built and people come to know You. Remind me to listen for the rhythms of Your Spirit and to live in a constant state of submission of my will to Yours. How fast I forget to do this and begin living in my own strength and wisdom instead of Yours! Make my heart soft to hunger for Your ways over mine. Ground me in truth, teach my heart Your Word so I live it out in greater ways each day. May your revival shape my heart, transforming me more and more into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

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Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

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Posted in: Faith, Follow, Freedom, God, GT Weekend, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Praise, Scripture, Sola, Truth Tagged: gift, glory, Grace Alone, powerful, Set Free, surrender

Sola Day 15 My Reformation

May 29, 2020 by Kendra Kuntz Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:1-8 
Romans 10:14-15
Psalm 119:1-16

Sola, Day 15

Last fall, I began reading a biography on Martin Luther (and friends, by “read” I mean “listen to” because I’m a single mama to three little girls and … multitasking). I read about Luther proclaiming “Sola” truths, contradicting the Roman Catholic Church, and igniting a movement that would change history.

The reformation was monumental in church history, shaping even our churches today. Likewise, we each have the opportunity to undergo our own “mini-reformation” as we study Scripture and build our lives on the Solas of biblical faith.

How do we approach our “reformations”?
We ask vital questions about each Sola and see where we stand.
We examine whether we reject or accept the teachings of Scripture.

Let’s check-in with one another.
I will be honest as I answer, and I ask you to give yourself permission for complete honesty as well. No condemnation. Let’s just recognize where our hearts still need reformation.

Sola Scriptura: By Scripture Alone
The Bible is the sole infallible source of authority and the Word of God, and shall not be added to or taken from. It was written by men, but inspired by the Holy Spirit, and all truths we need for our spiritual lives are found in the Bible alone. 

Are we allowing the Bible to be our main source of wisdom and authority?
Do we seek wisdom elsewhere, first and most?
Whose words dictate what is right or wise?

Many books are written by Christians, but many who claim that title believe their own version of “God” rather than the God of the Bible, or they may twist truth just a bit so it makes us feel happier. Only by deeply knowing God’s Word are we able to discern genuine Scriptural truth.

So I ask, do we place more weight on Christian books or the Bible?
I’m in the middle of a wonderful book called “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.”
It’s phenomenal and I can’t recommend it enough!
But if I’m honest, some days, I’ve prioritized this book above the Bible.

How about you?
What’s your honest answer?

Sola Fide: By Faith Alone
We are saved through faith alone. We are neither covered by another’s faith, nor can we bargain our way to salvation. God will accept no bribe, because all we can offer are appearances of righteousness. The only acceptable offering to God is humble, honest faith, which is itself a gift from God.

If grace is God freely extending salvation by His hand, faith alone is our hand reaching out to touch His, accepting His gift.

Sola Fida enraged the Catholic church as it condemned their common practice of requiring penance and purchasing indulgences to reduce their punishment for sin.

Instead, Luther dared assert that even our very best efforts are sin-stained worthlessness before our utterly holy God. Only Jesus’ propitiatory death could pay the life-debt of our sins, and only our faith in Him connects us to the power of His resurrection to bring forgiveness for our sins.

So let’s do a little faith check-in, sisters.
Do you find yourself bargaining with God?

I’ve seen incredible growth in my faith over the last few years, but I’ve also been praying some big, hard, monumental prayers, and when it comes to these prayers? That faith waivers. I want to be sure my trust is in God alone, not in something feeble I try to offer Him as an exchange for what I want.

Have you ever attempted to manipulate God?

Sola Gratia: By Grace Alone
We are saved through God’s grace alone. There is nothing we could ever do to save ourselves.
Grace is God, who paid everything for our redemption, offering salvation to us for free. We cannot earn it. 

Sometimes, we do “good things” because we are trying to earn God’s favor. We believe by praying a certain way, or giving a certain amount, we somehow earn the smile of God.

I most often get caught in this trap with people; I equate the number of people who like me to the amount of grace God extends. It sounds silly as I type, but I said I’d be honest.

How about you?

Solus Christus: Through Christ Alone
Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. There is no one else who can save. Jesus is fully God and fully man. 

Do you believe this?

The temptation is to give some authority to our own opinion or others in the Church? What if we modify the Jesus of the Bible to make Him more appealing or more tolerant? My temptation is to make Jesus less jealous for my heart than He actually is. I will choose to turn to books, music, or mind-numbing activities before turning to Christ.

How are you tempted to water down the Jesus of the Bible?

Soli Deo Gloria: For the Glory of God Alone
The work of salvation was done by God alone, therefore He alone receives glory. Any good fruit my life bears is due entirely to Christ’s lifeblood flowing within my veins.

But is it?
Or are we focused on our own glory?

When I lead worship, write Journey studies, or prepare a meal for friends, is it for my own glory, or for Him? Sometime last year, I did a heart-check on this topic and realized just how off I was. As I shared with a friend how part of me was engaging in these activities for self-glorifying reasons, she encouraged me to keep ministering, serving, and loving while asking God to transform my heart. Let’s ask for a heart like Jesus, who was focused completely on His Father receiving all glory.

How about you?

Sisters, it’s been a challenging three weeks on this study!
Let’s be encouraged by the growth we’ve experienced, but let’s also leave here challenged to live out the truths we’ve unpacked, allowing them to continue to reform our hearts just like they did Martin Luther and the Church of old.

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sola Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sola!

Posted in: God, Grace, Holy Spirit, Humility, Scripture, Sola, Truth Tagged: Biblical Faith, build, glory, God's Word, honest, Lives, Martin Luther, questions, Reformation

Sola Day 14 But If I Don’t: Digging Deeper

May 28, 2020 by Rachel Jones Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out But If I Don’t!

The Questions

1) What does it mean that whatever is “born of the flesh is flesh, but whatever is born of the spirit is spirit?” (verse 6)

2) How can Jesus be lifted up like Moses’s snake in the wilderness? (verse 14) 

3) How does anyone who lives by the truth come to the light? (verse 21)

John 3:1-21

There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus. 10 “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. 11 “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven —the Son of Man. 14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

Original Intent

1) What does it mean that whatever is “born of the flesh is flesh, but whatever is born of the spirit is spirit?” (verse 6)
In John 3:6, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, a Jewish leader who studied the law, and had come under the cover of nightfall to ask Jesus questions about eternity and salvation. Jesus tells him, “Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The Greek term for flesh is sárks, meaning “of human origin or empowerment”. The term is “generally negative, referring to making decisions (actions) according to self.” (Biblehub.com) The flesh here does not only refer to physical humanity, but also references the unclean nature of humanity.  As author John Gill explains, flesh refers to, ”the nature of man; not merely as weak and frail, but as unclean and corrupt, through sin.”  So, to be born of the flesh means to be born sinful. The Greek word for spirit is pneúma, which means “spirit, wind, or breath.  The Hebrew (Old Testament) counterpart rûach has the same range of meaning. To be born of the spirit is to be saved from sin.  According to author William McDonald, “A spiritual birth takes place when a person trusts in the Lord Jesus. When a person is born again through the Spirit, he receives a new nature, and is made fit for the kingdom of God.”  Jesus describes to Nicodemus a person’s need to be born again, saved out of sin and into God’s kingdom by God’s great grace and amazing love.

2) How can Jesus be lifted up like Moses’s snake in the wilderness? (verse 14)
In John 3:14-15, Jesus tells Nicodemus that “just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  Jesus is referencing an incident in the Old Testament when the Israelites sinned by complaining against and criticizing God and He sent poisonous snakes among them.  They cried out for help, and Moses, under God’s direction, made a bronze snake that he lifted up and told the people to look upon to be saved from the snake bites.  Just as Moses lifted up the snake to save the people, Jesus declares that He must be lifted up to give people eternal life.  Author David Guzik points out how the bronze serpent represents “sin judged. In the same way Jesus, who knew no sin became sin for us on the cross, and our sin was judged in Him.  A bronze serpent was a picture of sin judged and dealt with.”  Jesus was pointing to His coming crucifixion, where His body would be lifted up on the cross as He died to forgive the sins of the world. Though the term “lifted up” surely means the crucifixion of Christ, R.C. Sproul notes “the same Greek verb can refer to the exaltation of a person, and in John’s gospel, the crucifixion is tied closely to our Savior’s exaltation. For Jesus to be lifted up is for Him to die for sin, but that death cannot be separated from the resurrection . . .”  Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent to save the people of God in the Old Testament, God lifted up His Son, Jesus, on the cross to save us all from sin and shame.  He also raised Him from the dead, declaring His victory over death, Hell and the grave forever!

3) How does anyone who lives by the truth come to the light? (verse 21)
In John 3:20-21, Jesus declares, “everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.  But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”  The Greek word for truth, alétheia, means “truth of idea, reality, sincerity, truth in the moral sphere, divine truth revealed to man, straight-forwardness” The idea of truth here is the Truth of Christ.  Jesus has been telling Nicodemus in the preceding verses that people must be born again through the gift of God’s Son. If people accept the truth of God’s grace and forgiveness, they will be saved. Jesus explains that living by the truth of the Savior brings one into the light, where one’s works can be seen as being done for God with the help of God.  John Piper explains that “whoever goes on doing what is true (acting in accord with the light) will always come to the light and not run away from it. And the reason he will come, is so it will be clear that this ongoing behavior—his doing what is true—has been the work of God, not himself.”  When we live for Jesus and accept the grace and help of God, we will do works that are good and true because He is working and moving in us.  We will be glad to be in the light because we have nothing to shame or condemn us.

Everyday Application

1) What does it mean that whatever is “born of the flesh is flesh, but whatever is born of the spirit is spirit?” (verse 6)
The phrase “haters gonna’ hate” has been in our vocabulary for years now.  It is in songs, memes, speeches, tv shows…anywhere pop culture makes an appearance. It reminds me of something I heard once in a sermon.  The pastor asked why we would be surprised when sinners act like sinners?  In other words, “sinners gonna’ sin.”  That is the message Jesus is sharing with Nicodemus in John 3:6, when He says, “whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Humans are born into sin.  They are born to sinful parents and inherit a sinful nature. Because we are sinful, we sin daily. It is only God who has the power to make us clean. When we trust in Him and accept His forgiveness of sin through His sacrifice for us on the cross, we are born again of the Spirit. Author Don Stewart explains that “the new birth is the work of the Holy Spirit, who places the believer in a right relationship with God. It is a work of God, not of man.”  There is nothing we can do to save ourselves or cleanse ourselves, it is only the grace of God that can save us from sin.  When we trust in Him and let Him be in control of our lives, we are no longer slaves to sin.  We become children of God!

2) How can Jesus be lifted up like Moses’s snake in the wilderness? (verse 14)
Sometimes I wonder if my neighbors know me by the same kind of kooky names I use to refer to them; monikers that describe what I know about them since I don’t know their names. Before I met the woman up the street, my kids referred to her as the “crazy dog lady” because of the doting way she would care for her little schnauzer.  Or there is a woman on my block we call the American Ninja Warrior because of her intense exercise routine.  My name around the neighborhood is probably “Bed Head” since I just roll out of bed to walk the dogs!  But I want my neighbors to know me for more than my untamed hair.  I want them to know me by my love and kindness.  I want them to see Jesus when they see me.  In John 3:14-15, Jesus declares that “just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,  so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”  Moses lifted up a bronze snake so that those poisoned by snakes could be healed, and in the same way Jesus was lifted up on the cross to save people from the poison of sin in their lives.  I want to share that truth about Jesus’ sacrifice with my family and my neighbors.  Charles Spurgeon recommends, “We should imitate Moses, whose business it was to set the brazen serpent upon a pole.  It is your business and mine to lift up the gospel of Christ Jesus, so that all may see it.”  I purpose to lift Jesus high in my neighborhood and to all those I have connection with.  I may become the “crazy church lady” to some, but I hope all will see the love of God when they see me.

3) How does anyone who lives by the truth come to the light? (verse 21)
How cute are the videos of little kids caught in the act of some misdeed, like stealing cookies, where they lie to their parents with the sweetest, most innocent faces covered in chocolate evidence?  Or they have written their names in permanent ink on the wall, marker still in hand, but they have no idea whose graffiti that is over their bed.  It is so stinkin’ cute, but it reminds me of what is going on in John 3:20-21, when Jesus says, “everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.  But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”  When we do wrong, we want to hide it from the light, much like those kiddos in the videos I mentioned. We don’t want our cheating, lying, betraying, or other sin to be exposed.  When we know Jesus, though, we come to live by the truth, and then we do not need to fear the light of exposure because the Holy Spirit is working in us, making us more like Jesus. Since God is working in us and through us, we come to the light willingly and humbly, knowing that anything good we have or do is because of Him.  In fact, we want to share our story of God’s grace and mercy in our lives with others so they can know freedom in God and the joy of living in the light.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
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Catch up with But If I Don’t!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Posted in: Cross, Digging Deeper, God, Grace, Jesus, Kingdom, Life, Sacrifice, Salvation, Sola, Truth Tagged: Amazing Love, eternal life, forgiveness, If I Don't, Lifted Up, light

Sola Day 13 But If I Don’t

May 27, 2020 by Merry Ohler Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 2:1-10
Psalm 103:15-22
John 3:1-21
John 5:19-23

Sola, Day 13

Five solas. Five convictions. Five foundational markers of our faith, each one mutually dependent upon the others and rooted in the nature of our triune God and the authority of Scripture.

But why do these five solas matter to the church today? Let’s break it down and work through this together.

Sola Scriptura: by Scripture alone.
The Word of God is His message to mankind. The Bible was transcribed by human authors, and inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is without error, serves as the final authority for believers, and is useful for all doctrine, correction, teaching, training and rebuking.

Sola Fide: by faith alone.
The faith of another person will not suffice for one’s individual faith. To put this more plainly, imagine there were two sisters who received the gospel. One sister accepted it, gave her life to God and found salvation through Jesus Christ in faith. The other sister rejected it and did not believe in God. If both sisters were to die on the same day and find themselves faced with Heaven or hell, the believing sister’s faith would not cover the sister who did not place her faith in Jesus and accept the gift of salvation. We are saved by faith alone, not by works, not by good standing in our local church, or by the generosity reflected in our bank statements. Faith alone; and we each must make this choice for ourselves.

Sola Gratia: by grace alone.
Sinners are saved only through the grace of God. It is solely, completely, only, the work of God. A claim that the grace of God requires any action beyond choice to place our faith in Christ Jesus to save us distorts the truth and delivers a false gospel. When we elevate the position and ability of mankind, we are taking the glory away from God.

Solus Christus: through Christ alone.
Salvation is obtained through Christ Jesus alone. There is no other name under Heaven by which we may be saved. Jesus said it best when He told his disciples He alone was the way, the truth and the life.

Soli Deo Gloria: for the glory of God alone.
We are saved not by any action or work of our own; all glory belongs to God. Paul’s words to the Ephesians are clear.

“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
The life we live in the body, we live for Christ, for God’s glory. It’s His work, His Spirit moving and breathing, all glory is His, and His alone. (Galatians 2:20)

So, what’s the bottom line?
Each of the five solas are completely, inextricably interwoven with the other four. If we were to add to, or take anything away from them, we would find ourselves walking in the dark and preaching a false gospel. A self gospel, rather than a saving gospel.

Friends, lean in.
We have to get this right, because this is the very foundation of what we believe. 

We are absolutely incapable of cleansing ourselves of sin. We are incapable of making the sacrifice required as payment for sin. We cannot “find our own truth” or create our own path to salvation, because we have all sinned and fallen short of His glory.

It is only possible to enter right standing with God through a faith relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. And we can take absolutely no credit for the transformative work of salvation; all glory belongs to God alone because salvation is a gift He extends to all who will receive it.

Throughout the Bible, we see countless examples of what transpired when mankind chose to add to God’s word with his own devices and intent.

David’s adultery and ensuing murder of an innocent man, fueled by his lust and desire to protect his own name and glory.

The Jewish people’s additions to the law and their religious spirits convinced them they could earn their way to right standing with God, but in fact, they missed the very Messiah God sent to save them.

Have you ever found yourself compromising when it comes to God’s Word? Can you recall a time when you found yourself softening Scriptural truth to an unbeliever . . . or a fellow believer? Or maybe even . . . yourself?

The truth is offensive.

We don’t like to believe we are sinners. We don’t like to hear we aren’t here to serve ourselves. It can feel uncomfortable to share those truths, even in love.

We’d each be lying if we said we’ve never fallen prey to the temptation to add to or “soften” the gospel message in our deep desire to avoid rejection. Do you remember that awful, sick feeling deep in your stomach?

Me, too. The feeling rushes back with nauseating clarity even as I type the words. Do you recall the result? I do. My witness was tarnished. In my need to be accepted, I traded big “T” Truth for the comforting lies of culture . . . and failed both my friend and my Savior.

Dear one, the ache of that grief hurts just as much today as it did when it was fresh. I am forgiven, but I pray I never forget the gravity of my mistake.

This is painfully uncomfortable, isn’t it? I’m with you. Same. This is a hard topic, but we must go here and hash it out. Because as a body of believers, if we don’t work through this here in our quiet places, we will venture into shaky ground out in the open, friend.

We must never allow ourselves to compromise what is true for the sake of cultural acceptance or the approval of man.

We serve an audience of One. We are called to share the reason for our hope here, in this day and age. And if we don’t have a firm grasp on what we believe and why we believe it, how can we expect to share the actual gospel message with anyone else, or even accept it for ourselves?

Father, I love and praise you. Thank You for being here with us as we wrestle through truth and recognize areas where You call us to repentance. I confess I have fallen short of delivering the truth about the gospel. Forgive me, and renew my mind and heart as You change me to be more like You. I believe the Bible is Your message to mankind, and to me, personally. I know I am a sinner, incapable of cleansing myself. I am saved through faith alone, by Your grace alone, through the saving sacrifice of Your son Jesus Christ alone, declared by Your Word alone, and for Your glory alone. My life belongs to you. Fill me with a desire to share the good news with those You send me. Everything I have is Yours alone.

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Posted in: Faith, God, Gospel, Grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Relationship, Sacrifice, Salvation, Scripture, Sola Tagged: Authority, Convictions, Five, Glory to God, If I Don't, Messiah, The Way, Truth, Yours Alone

Sola Day 12 Soli Deo Gloria: Digging Deeper

May 26, 2020 by Melodye Reeves Leave a Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Soli Deo Gloria!

The Questions

1) How does verse 31 relate to the phrase “Soli Deo Gloria”?

2) Based on the context, what will be a by-product of doing “everything for the glory of God”?

3) What will be the end result of living a life that glorifies God and seeks the benefit of others?

1 Corinthians 10:31-32

“31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.”

Original Intent

1) How does verse 31 relate to the phrase “Soli Deo Gloria”?
A movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe gave rise to what is now called the “Protestant Reformation”. The phrase Soli Deo Gloria was one of the important doctrines emphasized among the Reformers, along with the other four solas. The “Five Solas” are five Latin phrases (or mottos) that arose during this time to summarize the Reformers’ convictions about the fundamentals and essential priorities of Christianity. Through these statements, they emphasized the subtle, but not so subtle, discrepancies between themselves and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church at the time. Breaking down this one specific phrase, we relate it to what Paul was saying here in 1 Corinthians. 1) The Latin word soli is translated into the English word “alone” or “only”, (it is the root of our English word solitary); 2) the phrase Deo Gloria means “the glory of God.” Putting this phrase together into English translates as: “to the glory of God alone.” In the Greek, the end of the verse (τι ποιεῖτε, πάντα εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ ποιεῖτε.) translates into “all things to the glory of God do.” Within the context of this passage, Paul was telling the Corinthian church the purpose of their lives was not to satisfy or glorify themselves, but to be satisfied in and to glorify God. 

2) Based on the context, what will be a by-product of doing “everything for the glory of God”?
In verse 32, Paul says in doing everything we do as unto God and for His glory (instead of ourselves), we will be aware of what is offensive to our brothers and sisters in Christ. He is not talking about offending the legalism in others. Meaning, we are intended to use our freedom in Christ to lovingly serve each other, not puff ourselves up. We know this because of what he says is other passages (Galatians 5:11-15 ). If our motive and goal is the glory of God in our lives, we will walk in the way Jesus did. Everything He said and did was for God’s glory. (John 12:27-28, John 17:1-5 ) Nothing Jesus said or did was with a hidden agenda or motive. As the Son, Christ’s oneness with God the Father was evident in His sincere devotion to bring the Father the glory He deserved. In Philippians 2 Paul tells us Jesus always brought glory to the Father and for us to have this same attitude! “Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus …” This is a by-product of living a life to the glory of God.

3) What will be the end result of living a life that glorifies God and seeks the benefit of others?
If we took the first part of verse 33 out of context, we might tend to accuse Paul of being a “man pleaser”. That is why it is so important for us to dig into the scriptures – verses within chapters within books. An overall look at Paul’s writing tells us he lived and preached with a single-minded passion and devotion to Christ alone. And that passion drove his mission. He tried to put into practice what he taught about Christ’s sacrificial life and death by putting the wellbeing of others first. Paul did not want any of his own attitudes or actions, even those which would be considered morally indifferent, to create barriers between himself and those he desired to see receive the gracious message of the gospel. Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to be delivered from anything that kept them from walking fully in their salvation or from growing spiritually. (Colossians 1:24-27) In the following chapter, Paul went on to say that as long as he imitated Christ, they could use his life as an example of how to live. (11:1) Their spiritual salvation and growth was of utmost importance. That is why Paul lived fully and solely for God’s glory. (Romans 1:5)

Everyday Application

1) How does verse 31 relate to the phrase “Soli Deo Gloria”?
Pastor David Platt said, “God should be God-centered. Who else should He center around? There is nothing greater than Him, nothing more delightful than Him, nothing more glorious than Him, nothing more worthy of exaltation than Him. He is God! If He were to exalt anything or anyone else above Himself, He would not be the God worthy of all exaltation.” Soli Deo Gloria is the single reason for every one of the other solas. (Five Solas – TGC Course ) Only by the grace of God do we put our in faith in the Christ who is revealed in the Scriptures and Who is our only hope of eternal salvation. So, whatever we say or think or do, in all of life, we filter it through the glory of God. As our words and thoughts and actions are set in light of His glory, we are able to proceed in freedom. Then we give Him even more glory for the grace we have received to desire to live that way. (Titus 2:11-14 )

2) Based on the context, what will be a by-product of doing “everything for the glory of God”?
Using himself as an example, Paul refers to the characteristics and teachings that were known to the Corinthians. They knew of Paul’s life and the gospel he preached. (Acts 18:8) His lifelong pursuit was to glorify Christ in all things. Paul was not afraid to proclaim the exclusivity of Christ by which we must be saved, and for that he suffered greatly. (Acts 26:19-23) But here, he was cautious not to alarm the prejudices of the Corinthians who were hearing his message. With the sole purpose of bringing glory to God, Paul saw no reason to needlessly provoke those who might oppose his message. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23) We should all practice such living, to the glory and fame of God.  As followers of Jesus, we appeal to those around us, without pretense or self-promotion, by our own example of faithful living. By living consistently for the glory of God, we long for others to be moved toward the gospel because of our lives of self-denial and holiness, by the way we walk and talk, and by our genuine love for them.

3) What will be the end result of living a life that glorifies God and seeks the benefit of others?
Soli Deo Gloria has everything to do with our salvation in Christ. When the Reformers boldly proclaimed that our salvation was “to the glory of God alone,” they highlighted the grace of God. When we share the gospel of grace, that our salvation is not based on our works (Ephesians 2:4-9), we are declaring the glory of the Lord “so that no one can boast”.  Living a life that glorifies God preaches the gospel with actions as we confess it with words. When we point to God alone as worthy of worship, we will denounce all human pride and boasting and will live our lives for the sake of others’ salvation.
“God has saved us for His glory among the nations, so let us live for God’s glory among the nations. The spread of God’s global glory is not just for missionaries, and it’s not just another program in the church. Global mission is the purpose of your life. Everything you have been given in your life – your breath, your salvation, your family, your gifts, your resources, your position – everything you have, you’ve been given for this reason: the spread of God’s global glory.” (Pastor David Platt)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Posted in: Digging Deeper, God, Gospel, Grace, Jesus, Love, Purpose, Sacrifice, Sola, Worship Tagged: devotion, Genuine Love, glory, God Alone, oneness, passion, worthy

Sola Day 11 Soli Deo Gloria

May 25, 2020 by Sara Cissell Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 115:1-3
1 Corinthians 10:31-32
Ephesians 3:1-21
1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Sola, Day 11

I can only imagine the atmosphere in the room as George Frideric Handel finished his masterpiece, “Messiah.” Did the last note resonate in the room, slowly reverberating into silence? Was there a hushed reverence filling the space?

Whatever the moment was like, something caused Handel to pick up his writing utensil and inscribe S.D.G. on the page in front of him.

Soli Deo Gloria.

These three Latin words translated into English mean “to God alone the glory.” Handel wrote the music for “Messiah” in 1741. Literal centuries later, people still flock to venues to hear his work played in person.

Not only has his work endured through the years, but it was also written with remarkable speed. Handel wrote the music in 24 days. My last month has been quite busy, but I don’t anticipate any of my activities will be recognized by the masses hundreds of years later.

What astounds and humbles me about Handel and the details of writing the “Messiah” masterpiece is that Handel intentionally chose to give the Lord the glory. While odds were incredibly high Handel had no idea how his artistry would impact the world, in the completion of his work, he focused his eyes upward rather than inward.

To God alone the glory. Soli Deo Gloria.

I may never accomplish anything even remotely rivaling the work of Handel, but I would be amiss in thinking my own renown is ever the purpose for my actions. My glory, or the perceived impact of my actions, is not to be my focus.

Martin Luther also sought to challenge the mindset of striving for personal glory by arguing the cross of Christ is of the utmost importance.

1 Corinthians 2:2 sums up the mindset we are called to in Christ.
“For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.” (Amplified Bible)

Luther argued embracing the cross of Christ, rather than attempting to appropriate some of Christ’s glory for ourselves, is key to living a life truly pointing to Jesus. When we lose sight of the cross and the crucifixion of Christ, we lose sight of the reality of our Christian walk.

Christ crucified is the forgiveness of our sins,
the demonstration of His sacrificial love,
the invitation to surrender to His Lordship,
and the challenge to become more like Him.

To Him be all the glory.

If I live with the mindset of riding on the coattails of His glory in my life, I miss out on truly knowing Him, and we, as a church, lose that which makes us salt and light in today’s world.

So what does this look like in our day-to-day life?

I encourage you to consider how your own endeavors, be they monumental or mundane, can communicate the forgiveness, the sacrificial love, and the surrender and transformation made possible through the cross of Christ.

How can your own endeavors, be they monumental or mundane, be carried out to the glory of God alone?

And what does it look like in my life?

As I sit here with my laptop nestled on my lap, my coffee cup sitting on the table nearby, and raindrops tapping on the window behind me, I think it looks like thanking Him for His goodness and faithfulness in allowing me the opportunity to write.

It is praying before my fingers touch the keyboard, asking for His wisdom and direction in crafting the message. It is in writing the words and releasing them to Him for His use, however He desires.

It looks like delighting in the little ways the Lord has shown His presence in my day-to-day life: a hot cup of coffee and a refreshing spring rain. It is serving my family with a sacrificial love and modeling a life of looking to Him. It is finding my value and identity in who the Lord says I am and being obedient to His leading in my life.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly what Handel felt as those last notes filled the air. An awareness He was made for such a time as this, and regardless of who would hear his music in the future, the One for whom it was truly written had already heard the melody dance through the vaults of heaven.

To God alone the glory. 

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sola Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sola!

Posted in: Christ, God, Jealous, Love, Sacrifice, Sola, Song Tagged: cross, forgiveness, glory, God Alone, Lord, Messiah, surrender

The GT Weekend! ~ Sola Week 2

May 23, 2020 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Sometimes, it takes a simple question to make us stop and wrestle with what we actually think. Wrestling with truth is rarely enjoyable, almost always making us uncomfortable, but it’s extremely necessary for maturity. What do you actually believe about how someone is saved? Or maybe it’s asking, “what do you believe happens after death?”. Or perhaps, “can you lose your salvation?”. If we are comfortable with our answer, we must ask ourselves the follow up, “how do you know that’s true?”.  These questions should make us squirm in our chairs until we can do the hard work of study and understanding the why behind what we believe. Will our belief system hold up? Keep in mind that truth remains true, regardless of whether we assent to it or not. When it comes to salvation and life after death, what do you know to be true? Explore it out until you find good answers!

2) How does it make you feel to know Scripture teaches we can be saved through faith alone? Nothing we can do can earn extra favor with God. We can’t manipulate the “smile of God” on our lives. Further, Scripture says even the ability to have that faith is itself a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) Knowing there is nothing we can do to win God’s glance or blessing, does this evoke feelings of being incredibly loved, or do you feel angry frustration at being faced with inability? If you feel offended, that’s okay, and natural, as humans we are offended when we are told our work isn’t good enough. What would it look like for you to explore a love so vast it would encompass you if you simply surrendered to it? Where do you need a love like that in your life? Where are you pushing against it?

3) Have you ever wondered if there are many roads to God? Suppose Jesus was just a good man? What if Joseph Smith is equally valid as Jesus when it comes to prophecy? What if Jesus is close to God, but not quite as powerful as God? If the apostle Paul, who saw the resurrected Jesus with his own eyes, were sitting with us today, he would expound with excited animation, “If Christ has not been raised, our faith is worthless and we are still in our sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:17) He would further say, “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!” (Galatians 1:9) He said these things because there simply is no other gospel! Only a perfect being who was fully human, lived the human life absolutely perfectly could be offered as a sacrifice. The only way to live that perfect life was if the Being was fully divine. Only God Himself could atone for the debt of payment owed because of sin. There is only one who fits this description, Jesus Christ. What do you believe about Jesus? Get a sheet of paper and set a timer for 90 seconds then write as many beliefs about Jesus as you can get out before the timer goes off. Commit to studying the Bible more in depth to better know this human man who was God Himself!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 2 Timothy 3:16-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Prayer Journal
Lord God, I admit that I get tossed around in my thinking when it comes to lining up what I say I believe, with what I actually believe. It’s easy to say You are good all the time, but when difficulty hits, do I still live like I fully believe You are good? Lord, how deeply I need the anchor of truth in my everyday life so I will not be swayed by other’s powerfully stated opinions, or even by own feelings. Teach me Your Word, Lord. Tune my ear to listen to Your voice. Teach my hands and lips and life choices to reflect the truth You’ve made clear through Your Word. As I learn more, Lord, make me more bold to speak truth and live it out in everyday life!

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

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Posted in: Faith, God, Gospel, Grace, GT Weekend, Jesus, Salvation, Sola, Truth Tagged: anchor, believe, questions, sacrifice, surrender, Unswayed, wrestle

Sola Day 10 Solus Christus

May 22, 2020 by Jami Stroud Leave a Comment

Sola Day 10 Solus Christus

Jami Stroud

May 22, 2020

God,Gospel,Jesus,Sacrifice,Salvation,Scripture,Sola,Transformation

Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 3
Hebrews 9
John 1:1-5
Hebrews 4:15-5:10
Ephesians 2:1-9

“There is no one righteous, not even one.”

I cringe every time I read these words from Scripture, first laid out for us in the Psalms (Psalm 14:1-3), and then connected to our everyday life after Jesus’ death and resurrection in Romans. (Romans 3:10-26) It’s easy for me to see the evil happening around me and the devastation sin has left in its wake, but the pain truly comes when I realize I, too, have contributed to the devastation. 

There is no one righteous. 

Before Jesus walked this earth, people had been working to atone for their sins through the ritual of sacrifice laid out for them by God. An animal without defect could be offered as a sacrifice in the place of a human life. 

Think about what a gift this was! Humans, who cause evil devastation and deserve the punishment and wrath of God, could offer an animal as payment for their sins! Already, God was working to save His people and show them He desired their salvation! 

But the animal offerings could not last forever. They were required over and over again, with a high priest interceding on their behalf to God. Even this high priest, also being human, must cleanse himself with the blood of an animal sacrifice before pleading to God on behalf of the people. 

No one could ever be permanently rid of their sin.
We cannot do the work ourselves.
Our striving and reaching will never attain the glory for which we search.

 This system was never meant to last.
God had a better plan to do away with sin and death once and for all.

The son of God himself, fully God. 
Born of a virgin, fully human. 

Leaving His throne in Heaven, Jesus came to walk the earth with sinners so He could be our final intercessor, our One True High Priest. 

To be the perfect High Priest, and the perfect sacrificial lamb, it was essential for Christ to be completely blameless and entirely without sin. His responses to sinners and His lessons and parables all show us how to live as believers while His suffering allows Him to empathize with our weaknesses. 

But all else culminates in His precious, innocent, blameless life making Him the perfect final sacrifice for our sins. 

No one was righteous, not even one. 

Until Jesus. 
Only Jesus. 

Just as the blood of the animals was required for the atonement of human sin, so was the blood of Jesus. Only the blood of Jesus could be the ultimate payment for the sin of the world, once and for all. One perfect human life in exchange for all depraved human lives, for all time, so we can live at peace with God. (Hebrews 10:12)

What makes this sacrifice final was evidenced three days later. 

Three days after the blood of Jesus was shed, out of a borrowed tomb, Jesus rose in victory over the punishment we deserved for our sin, death itself. (Matthew 28:1-7) Because of His resurrection, death no longer has power over life. Not only is our sin washed away, but death, the punishment for sin, has been abolished in the name of Jesus! (1Corinthians 15:54-57)

Those who trust in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus alone now have an eternal perspective on earth. We walk the same earth, with the same power that raised Jesus from the grave living within us, as witnesses to what only Jesus can do.

Martin Luther desperately wanted people to know this “Jesus only” salvation. Living under the shadow of a corrupt, politically-charged catholic church, he saw people being led to believe their salvation was their responsibility. 

In the early 1500s, when masses were illiterate and uneducated, and when Scripture wasn’t available in the local language, many were led astray by church leaders who taught their salvation was dependent on them. If they said the right prayer, or attended mass enough times, or used their hard-earned wages to buy their way, they could get to heaven. 

As Luther began diving deeper into Scripture, he realized all of the legalistic burdens the Catholic church heaped on their followers were getting in the way of the finished work done by, through, and in one man, Jesus. 

Instead of gaining their salvation, all of their striving was diluting the work of the Gospel.
If we can just repeat the right words, why do we need Jesus?
If we only needed to go to church and be a good person, why do we need Jesus?
If our money can buy our salvation, why do we need Jesus? 

Because, of course, empty repetition of the “right” words does not produce or indicate a transformed heart.
Because we can’t be good people.
Because all the money in the world cannot buy forgiveness.

At the end of the day, when our deeds fail us, and our money runs out, we need Jesus. Only Jesus!
(John 14:6)

Jesus is…
the only High Priest interceding on our behalf,
the only payment for our debt,
the only sacrifice for our sins, 
the only atonement for our transgressions.

Just Jesus. Only Jesus.

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As believers today, we do not rely on the sacrifice of an imperfect, sinful human high priest to go before God on our behalf through the sacrifice of an innocent animal. Jesus has already paid the price in full. When He died on the cross, He tore the curtain separating the sinful people from the Holy of Holies. What a powerful sign that Christ’s work is finished.
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Posted in: God, Gospel, Jesus, Sacrifice, Salvation, Scripture, Sola, Transformation Tagged: Better Plan, Christus, eternal, need, perfect, righteous, Washed Away

Sola Day 9 Sola Fide: Digging Deeper

May 21, 2020 by Rachel Jones 1 Comment

Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Sola Fide!

The Questions

1) What part do I play in my salvation?

2) How can I be raised up and seated with Christ in Heaven?

3) How can I be alive in Christ and dead in trespasses?

Ephesians 2:1-10

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Original Intent

1) What part do I play in my salvation?
Paul states in Ephesians 2:8-9 that we “are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast.” The word grace is “from the Latin gratia meaning favor, charm or thanks. Gratia, in turn, is derived from gratus meaning free, ready, quick, willing, prompt” (Preceptaustin.org.)  Author Kenneth Wuest tells us the pagan Greeks used the term grace to refer to “a favor done by one Greek to another out of the pure generosity of his heart, and with no hope of reward.”  God saves us by His grace, which is His free favor, unmerited by us. He uses our faith, but as author David Guzik explains, we can think of faith as a water hose and grace as the water: “The water is the important part, but it is communicated through the hose. The hose does not quench your thirst; the water does. But the hose brings water to the place you can benefit from it.”  We can do nothing to save ourselves; salvation is a free gift from God we didn’t earn and couldn’t deserve because of our sin. All we have to do is reach out in faith to accept God’s salvation by repenting of our sins and believing in Jesus (Mark 1:15) Through His grace, God built a bridge to bring us out of sin and into relationship with Him, and all we have to do is accept and believe, even this act of faith is a gift God gives to us. There is truly nothing no action we can take that is about us and our own strength. We must each choose to use the gift of faith appropriately trusting the Savior, and receive His gift of grace.

2) How can I be raised up and seated with Christ in Heaven?
Ephesians 2:6 tells us Christ “also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus.” The Greek word for “raised up with” is sungeiro, which literally means “raised up together” (Preceptaustin.org)  The suggestion here is that Christians experience a “spiritual resurrection that follows our crucifixion with Christ and our entombment with Christ” (Preceptaustin.org.)  Author Albert Barnes explains by saying, “We become dead to the world in virtue of His death; we become alive unto God in virtue of His resurrection. On earth, we are exalted to honor, peace, and hope, in virtue of his resurrection; in heaven we shall share His, glory and partake of His triumphs.”  When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become united to Him (I Corinthians 6:17), by which, our flesh dies in His death and our new life begins with His resurrection.  As one with Him, we are seated with Him in Christ in heavenly places.  Author Mark Dunagan suggests, “to live in the ‘heavenly places’, is to have your mind set on the spiritual realm (Colossians 3:1), and to live like an eternal reality exists.”  To be raised up and seated with Him in Christ, then, is to become united with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection because of the free gift of salvation He offers to everyone.

3) How can I be alive in Christ and dead in trespasses?
Paul writes in Ephesians 2:4-5, “God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that He had for us made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!” The word for trespasses comes from the Greek word Paraptoma, which basically means falling so as to lose one’s footing. It conveys the idea of a false step and often is translated a transgression, [from Latin trans– across + gradi = to step] which means we have crossed a line, challenging God’s boundaries” (Preceptaustin.org) The Greek word for “made us alive,” suzoopoieo, means “to cause to live with Christ or to give life with Christ. . . To an extent this verb could be seen as somewhat synonymous with ‘saved’, but it can also have the meaning of keeping alive or preserving life” (Preceptaustin.org) What Paul declares here is that even when we were spiritually dead in our sins, God loved us. He didn’t clean us up first or wait for us to change.  He loved us when we were dead in our trespasses.  Charles Spurgeon explains that God’s love “does not depend upon what we are; it flows from His own heart. It is not love of something good in us; it is love of us because of everything good in Him.”  We are richly blessed by God’s great mercy and love that we do not deserve and cannot earn.

Everyday Application

1) What part do I play in my salvation?
I gave my heart to Jesus as a little girl over 40 years ago.  At the time, I understood Jesus loved me and died on a cross to forgive me of my sins.  I didn’t confront the concept of God’s grace until I got older and needed God’s rescue from situation after situation.  I was never in big trouble, but I constantly found myself making mistakes, falling short, and feeling unworthy.  I finally figured out that God’s grace was there precisely because I couldn’t be perfect on my own.  J.I. Packer writes, “The grace of God is love freely shown towards guilty sinners, contrary to their merit and indeed in defiance of their demerit. It is God showing goodness to persons who deserve only severity and who had no reason to expect anything but severity.”  When I realized I couldn’t be good enough on my own, I clearly saw my need for the interjection of God’s grace. I am unable to please Him on my own, but in His grace, He offered a sacrifice to cover all of my “not enoughs”, and then gave me His Holy Spirit to powerfully live inside me, equipping me to love and follow Him. What was impossible before, was now possible because of God, His grace, and His Spirit! I could stop trying to follow Him in my own strength and instead rely on His Holy Spirit to power my everyday interactions. It is a lesson I am still learning, but one that makes my life less about my abilities, and more about His purposes.

2) How can I be raised up and seated with Christ in Heaven?
When I buy a new gadget or download a new app, I am just interested in the main function of the thing.  I want it to do what I bought it to do, and I don’t care much about the other aspects.  My husband or my kids might look it over and tell me about all the nifty extras, but I don’t pay much attention.  I just want the basics, plain and simple.  Sometimes I have this attitude about my salvation, strangely enough. I know God saved me and I am going to Heaven, which is amazing!  But I don’t think about everything this free gift of salvation entails.  It really is the gift that keeps on giving! Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:6-7 that Christ “also raised us up with Him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”  Paul is telling us we share in the death and resurrection of Jesus and all the benefits that represents.  Author, Heather Holleman, describes her realization of the fullness available to us through salvation and in being seated with Christ.  She writes that “no matter where I am or what I’m doing, I have full access to God’s love, power, peace, hope, and provision. . . Rather than search for a different seat or one that we think is better, when we’re walking with Christ, we can instead relax and enjoy the life we’re living.”  Life with Christ means we have constant access to the grace, power, love and provision of God! God graciously saves us and then lavishes His love on us by giving us the rights and privileges of children and heirs of the King.

3) How can I be alive in Christ and dead in trespasses?
Ephesians 2:4-5 tells us “God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!” What does it mean to be dead in my trespasses? John Piper suggests, “we are not dead in the sense that we can’t sin. We are dead in the sense that we cannot see or feel the glory of Christ. We are spiritually dead. We are unresponsive to God and Christ and this word.”  It amazes me that God loved me in this state! It is so unlike the love I have for others, even my closest family. When my husband or kids are unresponsive to me, I don’t feel love for them, and I usually don’t choose to act in a loving way towards them.  But God, in His extreme mercy and unfathomable grace, chose to love me while I was still a sinner. He made me alive with Christ before I ever loved Him. David Guzik points out that God “did not wait until we were lovable. He loved us even when we were dead in trespasses, providing nothing lovable to Him.” God took our sins on Himself and became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) before we ever loved Him or even showed a sign of turning to Him.  We have life in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22) through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  We are made alive, though dead in our sins, through His merciful love. We are saved by His amazing grace!

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1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
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3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

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Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Posted in: Christ, Digging Deeper, Faith, God, Grace, Jesus, Love, Mercy, Salvation, Sola Tagged: Alive in Christ, favor, Fide, forgive, Heaven, honor, peace, Seated
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