We Either Receive SALVATION as a Gift of God’s Grace, or We Don’t

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Colossians 3:1-2

SALVATION is FULL PEACE with God, and GOD DID THAT!

"For BY GRACE you have been SAVED through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is THE GIFT OF GOD; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

We either BELIEVE and RECEIVE, or we don’t.

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

The outcome of our CHOICE is everything, and it means everything.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" 1 Peter 2:9

What did Adam and Eve lack in Eden before the FALL? NOTHING?

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

They were FOR GIVEN everything. Without asking, they received life.

"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;" Colossians 3:12

They received purpose and destiny, a reason for being created.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

THEY LACKED NOTHING; they were FOR GIVEN everything by Grace.

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love." Ephesians 1:4

The CHOSEN ONES, His CHOSEN ONES, created by and chosen by HIM, for HIM, receive GIFTS of GRACE, by FAITH, working through LOVE.

"Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness," Titus 1:1

Spiritual Formation is a gift of salvation from a loving God, our Father, who created everything about us.

"For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory." 2 Timothy 2:10

Nothing we have was created without Him, and there is no one who knows our purpose more than the one who made us.

"just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love" Ephesians 1:4

What is Spiritual Formation?

• Spiritual Formation is a GIFT of God’s GRACE. Can’t earn it, not merited.
• Spiritual Formation is a FAITH GIFT. It’s a GIFT of NEW LIFE.
• Spiritual Formation is a GIFT of HOPE.
• Spiritual Formation is the MIND of CHRIST when received as a GIFT.
• Spiritual Formation is the GIFT of PURPOSE and DESTINY.
• Spiritual Formation is the GIFT of REPENTANCE.

"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." John 3:17

Spiritual Formation is PEACE with GOD, as a GIFT

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 5:1

Being CHOSEN is a GIFT. Everything from God is a GIFT.

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me." John 17:6-8

God, our Father, FORMED HIMSELF in JESUS and displayed HIMSELF as self-giving love.

“I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are." John 17:9-11

As DISCIPLES of CHRIST, as HIS CHOSEN FOLLOWERS, Jesus is our ONLY TEACHER, and Jesus is our Spiritual Formation.

"But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant." Matthew 23:8-11

We are being renewed and restored INTO HIS IMAGE and LIKENESS.

"Six days later, Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John, and *brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was TRANSFIGURED before them;" Mark 9:2

Spiritual Formation is BEING IN CHRIST, TRANSFORMED INTO HIS IMAGE.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but BE TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

Faith is Spiritual Formation. Creativity and imagination are Spiritual Formation. We are MADE BRAND NEW, redeemed, and restored. HE DID IT.

"that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Ephesians 4:22-24

BEING MADE RIGHTEOUS is a Spiritual Formation

HE DID IT. Jesus did it on our behalf, and our part is to BELIEVE and WALK IT OUT in Faith.

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE; the old things passed away; behold, new things HAVE COME." 2 Corinthians 5:17

We are CHOSEN to be HIS DISCIPLES. To be CHOSEN is a GIFT. We are given the desire, drive, and strength to follow HIM. We are given HIS LIFE, power, zeal, and passion to FOLLOW HIM.

"and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." Romans 8:30

Spiritual Formation means we TRUST GOD DID IT and receive it as a GIFT.

"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." Romans 5:9

Once RECEIVED, we FOLLOW HIM as HE TRANSFORMS US from the inside out.

"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;" Romans 8:29

Sin is a condition or status of HUMANS. Jesus did His part and defeated SIN in every way, shape, and manner. SIN HAS BEEN DEALT WITH, by Grace.

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthians 5:21

Do you BELIEVE?

"having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." Colossians 2:14

Followers of Christ on the other hand are MADE RIGHTEOUS. Sin has been dealt with.

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Spiritual Formation is TRANSFORMATION, a FREE GIFT of SALVATION.

"having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." Colossians 2:14

Our part is to BELIEVE and then SEEK, SURRENDER, EXPECT, and TRUST God’s Grace to do the work WE COULD NEVER DO.

"If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too." Romans 11:6

Grace comes through ACTION, His ACTION in us and through us.

"for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.: Romans 14:8

God’s nature never changes.

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5

God’s nature is SELF-GIVING LOVE, given through GRACE as a PROMISE through COVENANT.

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 5:1

We are made in His image. We are Sons and Daughters of God, BORN AGAIN, Born from ABOVE.

"For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His." Hebrews 4:10

Nothing can separate us from the LOVE of GOD IN CHRIST.

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

Through Spiritual Formation, HIS TRANSFORMATION, we are given the KEYS to the KINGDOM, unlocking His goodness, understanding, knowledge, discernment, wisdom, and favor.

"that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:10-11

Spiritual Formation is SEEING the FRUIT of HIS SPIRIT in us, and through us, but not us.

"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit." John 15:2

As children of God, God is our Father, and we receive HIS DISCIPLINE, and He prunes us and lifts us out of the dirt, tends to us, to grow even more fruit.

"Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." John 19:30

And,

"For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His." Hebrews 4:10

But it is ALWAYS HIS Fruit cause we are the BRANCHES.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:22-24

Our source for the FRUIT is Grace. It’s His Grace and His Fruit. We are the BRANCHES and we BEAR HIS FRUIT.

"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;" Colossians 3:12

And,

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and IN CHRIST JESUS to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

Grace is a GIFT. Everything from God is a GIFT of GRACE.

"through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake," Romans 1:5

As Chosen Children of God, Sons, and Daughters, We TAKE HIS OFFER to FOLLOW HIM.

"For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." John 1:16

By taking up HIS OFFER to BE a DISCIPLE of JESUS CHRIST, we are TRANSFORMED by the Grace of God from the INSIDE OUT, as a FREE GIFT TO BE RECEIVED.

"also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will," Ephesians 1:11

And.

"And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:18

And,

"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent." Revelation 3:19

To Repent means to change your thinking about your thinking. To repent is to admit that our thinking is off, and now we are rethinking our thinking based on God’s.

"They went out and preached that men should repent." Mark 6:12

And,

"Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38

And,

"Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;" Acts 3:19

And,

"I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality." Revelations 2:21

In TRANSFORMATION, we RECEIVE the MIND of Christ, and we all our minds to be renewed and reformed to the MIND of CHRIST, as a gift of Salvation by Grace working through LOVE.