03 | Reformed
We celebrate the sovereignty of God and his grace in saving sinners, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone.
We affirm that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, not on the basis of foreseen faith but unconditionally, according to his sovereign good pleasure and will. We believe that through the work of the Holy Spirit, God will draw the elect to faith in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, graciously and effectually overcoming their stubborn resistance to the gospel so that they will most assuredly and willingly believe. We also believe that these, the elect of God whom he gave to the Son, will persevere in belief and godly behavior and be kept secure in their salvation by grace through faith. We believe that God’s sovereignty in this salvation neither diminishes the responsibility of people to believe in Christ nor marginalizes the necessity and power of prayer and evangelism, but rather reinforces and establishes them as the ordained means by which God accomplishes his ordained ends.
Read Eph 2.1-10.
Answer the 4 Questions: Who is God? What has he done? Who are we? How are we to live?
What does Paul seem to be emphasizing about salvation? Why?
What would mark a church & community that deeply believes this text?
Spend time in prayer or worship giving thanks to God for all he's done to save!
May 22, 2022 - Steve Hart