Every Step You Take, He’ll Be Saving You
Titus 3:3-7
As we have alluded to throughout the year, salvation in Christ is thoroughly the work of God's grace. God is the one who initiates and completes what he began in us. This week's sermon will specify this more by focusing on some of the Holy Spirit's role in salvation. In particular, I will explain what theologians call regeneration, conversion, and adoption. I will also elaborate on the practical implications of these three aspects of salvation, with specific attention to what some of us are presently experiencing.
Regeneration is the awakening of our dead spirit. Apart from the work of God, all of us are spiritually dead. Even worse, we are foolish, disobedient, and slaves to various passions (Titus 3.3). In other words, we were absolutely offensive before God. Yet, it is out of God's loving kindness that he regenerates us through the Spirit (Titus 3.4-5). Part of the gospel is that there is no inherent good in us, but God nonetheless reaches out to us through the Spirit to awaken our dead spirits. This continues to provide tremendous encouragement for us today. Many of us might still feel like we are struggling with disobedience or living a life that is offensive before God. Regeneration reminds us that if God reached out to us while we were dead and absolutely offensive before him, then he will certainly continue to extend his grace to those who are now in Christ--even if we are experiencing a season where we feel distant from God.
Conversion is an implication of being awakened. We recognize that our ways are sinful and wrong, which leads us to repentance. Additionally, we recognize that our hope and our trust are not in ourselves, but are in what Christ has done for us. This mentality of repentance and trust is something that the Spirit cultivates in our lives. Even now, the Spirit is challenging us not to be so influenced by ourselves or our circumstances. Instead, the Spirit is reminding us and giving us the power to look to Christ for our joy and peace.
Adoption in the context of Titus 3 means that we are heirs of God, which is a result of the Spirit being poured out upon us (Titus 3.6-7). The Greek words emphasize that we gain an opulent inheritance. In this way, we--who were former slaves--are now co-heirs with Christ! We have been adopted into God's family! The inheritance means that we have been united with Christ, so we have been gifted with the mind of Christ, the work ethic of Christ, the ability to love and be patient--even to our enemies--like Christ. It also means that we will be glorified with Christ: we will receive imperishable bodies, judge the angels, and experience an eternal and perfect relationship with God!
There are other aspects of salvation beyond regeneration, conversion, and adoption that I will cover in subsequent sermons. But for now, there is plenty to absorb with these three. And they all reinforce the idea that salvation is completely a gracious work of God--thanks to the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the intimate work of the Holy Spirit in our lives!
Question:
1. Share with one another what you were like before submitting to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
2. Pick one of the three aspects of salvation: regeneration, conversion, or adoption. Share what your personal experience was like in one of these aspects.
3. Which of these three aspects of salvation resonates with you the most during your present circumstances?
4. Reflect upon the idea that salvation is thoroughly a work of the grace of God—from beginning to end. Spend 5 minutes writing a prayer of thanksgiving to God for his opulent gift of salvation. Optional: share with one another what you wrote (even if you only share a paraphrase or a summary).
