Anchored in New Life, Advancing in Transformation

Introduction

911- Bobby Nash illustration

“Justifcation by works” as an engrained aspect of culture (ie- dessert vs healthy food exercise, laziness vs being productive)

Doctrine 8: “We believe that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.”

The theological concept presented in Doctrine 8 is really counter-cultural if we think about it. We live in a world that “keeps score”.

Point 1 — Justified by Grace Through Faith

Atonement gives us new life

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

A. We needed more than improvement—we needed reconciliation

Paul doesn't say that Christ came to make bad people better people.

He says:

“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.” — 2 Corinthians 5:19

That's atonement.

The gospel isn't primarily:

Try harder.

Be nicer.

Clean yourself up.

Become a better version of yourself.

The gospel is:

God has acted in Christ to deal with our sin and reconcile us to Himself.

Christianity isn't moral renovation before reconciliation; it's reconciliation that produces renovation.

That's a really important Salvation Army/Wesleyan distinction.

B. The cross deals with our guilt

Justification is God's gracious declaration that the sinner who trusts in Christ is forgiven and accepted because of Christ—not because of their own merit.

Faith doesn't mean we somehow earn salvation by believing hard enough.

Faith is the open hand that receives grace.

We aren't saved because our faith is impressive. We're saved because the Christ in whom we place our faith is sufficient.

And this is where the atonement matters.

2 Corinthians 5:21

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

There is an extraordinary exchange happening:

Our sin → Christ Christ's righteousness → us

Not because we've earned it.

Grace.

C. Grace doesn't merely forgive the old life—it creates a new life

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Paul doesn't say:

“If anyone is in Christ, they have received a second chance.”

He says:

“New creation.”

That's stronger.

The gospel isn't simply God wiping the slate clean so we can try again.

God gives us a new identity in Christ.

Anchored in New Life

So where does this leave us?

Our anchor is not our performance. It is not how well we have lived this week, how consistently we have prayed, or how successfully we have resisted temptation. Our standing before God does not rest on our ability to make ourselves worthy of Him.

We are justified by grace through faith.

Our confidence is rooted in what God has already done for us in Christ. Through the atoning work of Jesus, our sins are forgiven, we are reconciled to God, and we are given new life—not because we have earned it, but because God has graciously given it.

And that is where the Christian life begins: not with what we do for God, but with what God has done for us.

But new life is never meant to remain merely a declaration about our status before God. Grace doesn't just change where we stand; it begins to change who we are.

If we have truly been made new in Christ, then that new life should begin to bear witness within us.

And that brings us to the second part of our journey:

We are anchored in new life—but we are advancing in transformation.

Point 2 — “He Who Believes Has the Witness in Himself”

New life produces transformation

Here I would deliberately move from what God has done for us to what God is doing in us.

This phrase from our doctrines is rooted in 1 John 5:10:

“Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.”

The “witness” is the inward testimony of God's Spirit concerning Christ.

A. New life has an inward witness

There is a difference between:

knowing about Christianity and knowing Christ.

We don't simply believe a set of propositions about Jesus.

The Holy Spirit bears witness within us that we belong to God.

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” — Romans 8:16

So the Christian has an internal testimony:

I belong to Christ.

BUT The witness isn't merely emotional reassurance.

The Spirit who assures us that we belong to Christ is the same Spirit who begins transforming us into Christlikeness.

B. Transformation is the evidence of new life

2 Corinthians 5:17:

“The old has gone, the new is here!”

Paul isn't describing a theological status that has no practical implications.

If we have become a new creation, something should actually become new.

In our holiness tradition we use these two terms a lot: justification and sanctification. We are going to unpack sanctification in a few weeks- but Doctrine 8 is where we are first subtly introduced to it.

Our justification changes our standing. Forgiven. Saved. Atoned. This is our salvation.

Our sanctification changes our character. Molded. Shaped. Transfored. This is our holiness.

Justification: God changes my status. Sanctification: God changes my life.

Or:

Justification asks: How can I be made right with God? Sanctification asks: What does a life made right with God look like?

Doctrine 8 is where we are first introduced to the deep connection between our salvation and our holiness. We are going to talk a lot about holiness in the coming weeks. But this doctrine introduces us to the idea that our living, our holy living, is driven by our salvation. We are justified by grace through faith, and THEREFORE we must bear witness to the world.

And so in our faith tradition we would suggest that holiness is the fruits of our transformation story. But its important to make a key distinction.

C. Transformation is not self-improvement

This is an important safeguard.

Otherwise people hear “transformation” and think:

“Okay, now I need to work really hard to become a better Christian.”

But that's not the gospel either.

The same grace that saves us is the grace that transforms us.

The Holy Spirit doesn't simply give us assurance that we're saved.

He makes us holy.

Holiness isn't:

looking religious

following a bunch of rules

appearing morally superior

trying to impress God

Holiness is Christ formed in us.

A moment and a movement.

God genuinely makes us new.

And then He continues making us holy.

There is a decisive work of grace, but there is also an ongoing journey of becoming increasingly like Christ.

D. Transformation becomes visible

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 “18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

Notice what happens after Paul says:

“The new creation has come.”

He immediately talks about ministry and mission.

“God... gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

And:

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors.”

That's significant.

New life doesn't terminate in us.

God reconciles us so that we become agents of reconciliation.

Our salvation isn’t the end of the story. Its not the final destination we are chasing. ITs actually the beginning! We anchor ourselves in that moment of justifying grace and then advance into our transformation into Christlikeness. And that journey is an ongoing journey. Everyday we strive to be more like Christ than we were yesterday. It can be daunting yes, but its also beautiful if you think about it!

We are anchored in what Christ has done, so that we can advance into what Christ is doing.

Transformation therefore isn't merely:

“I am becoming a nicer person.”

It becomes:

How do I love my neighbour?

How do I forgive?

How do I serve?

How do I respond to conflict?

How do I treat people who can't do anything for me?

How do I use my resources?

How do I speak?

How do I respond to injustice?

How do I welcome the outsider?

How do I represent Jesus in my community?

The transformed life becomes a witness to the transforming Christ.

Conclusion/Response

Today we have witnessed 5 instances of this doctrine lived out. 5 people who have anchored themselves in their moment of salvation, and from that have allowed themselves to be lead by the Spirit into continued transformation, continued holy living, by living out their Adherentship or Soldiers Covenant.

We celebrate these 5 people today yes, but I also think this is an important moment of reflection for me, for us.

Today is an opportunity for all of us, to once again anchor ourselves in the truth that we are justified by grace through faith. To celebrate and acknowledge our salvation. Maybe this is a moment to express gratitude. Maybe this is a moment to confess sin.

Today is also an opportunity to commit to taking further steps on our journey of transformation. We are all still being transformed by the power of the holy spirit. We are all still being formed in the image of Christ. Maybe today is an opportunity to recommit ourselves to that work.

So today we are going to observe a day of Renewal of Soldiers Covenants. On the mercy seat, there are cards for you. I want to invite our soldiers of Simcoe Corps to come, pray, spend some time with the Lord in reflection on your own covenant. And today recommit yourself, not the The Salvation Army- because it needs to be more than that!- but rather to the Spirits work of transformation, as lived out in your Covenant.

For those who aren’t soldiers, you aren’t off the hook either. Because you don’t need one of these fancy outfits to be saved and to participate in the transforming work of God! There are ______________ coloured recommitment cards on the mercy seat for those who are not soldiers to be able to participate in this process as well.

This morning we take time for intentional recommitment. This is important, because in these moments we are reminded of what Christ has done for us, of the new life we have been given, and we come to acknowledge the presence of the living Christ in our lives. We surrender to the work of the Spirit.

And while this work may seem private in nature, we do this in this public sense to recognize that our transformation story is not lived out in isolation. We have the privilege of doing this life thing together, with other people experiencing their own story of transformation in Christ. This morning is about making sure we aren’t just co-existing in the Kingdom, but rather that we are taking the journey together, partnering with one another, doing this church thing as family.

So, this morning we come back to Christ. Maybe you never left, maybe you are here making this decision for this first time. But this morning I want to encourage you to come. Live in his grace, experience His transformation.