Title
Only the Beginning 这只是开始
Date
05/31/2026
Description
Romans 5:1,2: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
罗 马 书 5:1-2: 我 们 既 因 信 称 义 ， 就 借 着 我 们 的 主 耶 稣 基 督 得 与 神 相 和 。我 们 又 借 着 他 ， 因 信 得 进 入 现 在 所 站 的 这 恩 典 中 ， 并 且 欢 欢 喜 喜 盼 望 神 的 荣 耀 。
Romans 5:10: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
罗 马 书 5:10: 因 为 我 们 作 仇 敌 的 时 候 ， 且 借 着 神 儿 子 的 死 ， 得 与 神 和 好 ； 既 已 和 好 ， 就 更 要 因 他 的 生 得 救 了 。
1 Thessalonians 4:3: For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.
帖 撒 罗 尼 迦 前 书 4:3: 神 的 旨 意 就 是 要 你 们 成 为 圣 洁 。
Hebrews 10:14: For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
希 伯 来 书 10:14: 因 为 他 一 次 献 祭 ， 便 叫 那 得 以 成 圣 的 人 永 远 完 全 。
Philippians 1:6: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
腓 立 比 书 1:6: 我 深 信 那 在 你 们 心 里 动 了 善 工 的 ， 必 成 全 这 工 ， 直 到 耶 稣 基 督 的 日 子 。
罗 马 书 5:1-2: 我 们 既 因 信 称 义 ， 就 借 着 我 们 的 主 耶 稣 基 督 得 与 神 相 和 。我 们 又 借 着 他 ， 因 信 得 进 入 现 在 所 站 的 这 恩 典 中 ， 并 且 欢 欢 喜 喜 盼 望 神 的 荣 耀 。
Romans 5:10: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
罗 马 书 5:10: 因 为 我 们 作 仇 敌 的 时 候 ， 且 借 着 神 儿 子 的 死 ， 得 与 神 和 好 ； 既 已 和 好 ， 就 更 要 因 他 的 生 得 救 了 。
1 Thessalonians 4:3: For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.
帖 撒 罗 尼 迦 前 书 4:3: 神 的 旨 意 就 是 要 你 们 成 为 圣 洁 。
Hebrews 10:14: For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
希 伯 来 书 10:14: 因 为 他 一 次 献 祭 ， 便 叫 那 得 以 成 圣 的 人 永 远 完 全 。
Philippians 1:6: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
腓 立 比 书 1:6: 我 深 信 那 在 你 们 心 里 动 了 善 工 的 ， 必 成 全 这 工 ， 直 到 耶 稣 基 督 的 日 子 。
Creator
Pastor: Mike Koger
Contributor
Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
Transcription
ONLY THE BEGINNING
Saved by His Life
Romans 5:10
COMMENCEMENT
When you graduate, it is only the beginning—the start.
Growth and learning continue and expand beyond who we were at “commencement.” Jim Rohn never stopped learning. Conferences, mentors, books, and conversations. He said, “The day you stop learning is the day you start declining.”
In most martial arts disciplines, a belt system indicates rank and training.
In Tae Kwon Do, a white belt is a beginner.
The Japanese word “Shoshin” means “Beginner’s Mind.”
Stay open. Drop the ego. Growth often starts when we unlearn what we think we know.
When you're green, you grow; when you're ripe, you rot.
Your youth is renewed as you stay fresh—learning and growing. God doesn't simply want us to stay as we are. He wants us to become the man or woman He created us to be.
Jesus spoke of a sheep that had fallen into a pit.
He did not say, “It is your own fault. Stay there.” He reaches down and lifts it out.
If you cannot change, you are not free.
Growing old is not a bad thing. It is a gift. What matters is what we do with the time we are given.
We are to become more and more Christ-like.
What began at salvation (justification) is to continue through sanctification.
Hebrews 10:14 — “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3 — “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”
What happened at salvation was not the finish line.
It was only the beginning.
Romans 5:10 “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”
FOREVER JUSTIFIED
Justification is a once-for-all declaration by God. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, believers are forgiven and declared righteous. It is complete and secure.
BEING SANCTIFIED
Sanctification is the ongoing process of being transformed into the character of Christ. Our position is secure, but our daily lives continue to be shaped by the Holy Spirit.
God wills our sanctification.
Sanctification and holiness both carry the idea of being set apart for God.
John Wesley said, “The perfection I teach is perfect love.”
The process of sanctification begins with justification.
We must first receive and believe that we have been redeemed.
Romans 5:1–2 reminds us that we have peace with God and stand in His grace.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
(TPT) Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us.
And this is only the beginning.
Romans 5:10 means that if God loved us enough to reconcile us while we were His enemies, He will certainly keep us now that we are His children.
Two truths emerge:
• Reconciled by His death.
• Saved by His life.
John Wesley saw Romans 5:10 as a progression of grace.
If God reconciled us through Christ’s death while we were enemies, we can be confident that His living power continues to save, sanctify, and ultimately glorify us.
So what does Romans 5:10 mean for us today?
It means that God is not finished with us.
If He loved us enough to reconcile us while we were still His enemies, He certainly will not abandon us now that we are His children.
What began at salvation is meant to continue through sanctification.
God is still teaching us.
Still shaping us.
Still transforming us into the likeness of Christ.
So stay teachable.
Stay humble.
Stay green.
Because when you're green, you grow.
Christ’s life is at work within you.
Phil 2:13: God will continually revitalize you, implanting within you the passion to do what pleases him.
The good news of the Gospel is not simply that we were saved by His death.
The good news is that we are being saved by His life.
And that means your story is not finished.
God is still at work.
What happened at salvation was not the finish line.
It was only the beginning.
PRAYER OF COMMITTAL
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for reconciling us to Yourself through Jesus Christ.
Thank You that Your work in us did not end at salvation.
Continue to shape us, teach us, and transform us by Your Spirit.
Keep our hearts humble and teachable.
Help us to become more like Christ with each passing day.
And Lord, as we leave this place today, help us to remember that You are not finished with us yet.
We place ourselves in Your hands and trust You to complete the good work You have begun in us.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Saved by His Life
Romans 5:10
COMMENCEMENT
When you graduate, it is only the beginning—the start.
Growth and learning continue and expand beyond who we were at “commencement.” Jim Rohn never stopped learning. Conferences, mentors, books, and conversations. He said, “The day you stop learning is the day you start declining.”
In most martial arts disciplines, a belt system indicates rank and training.
In Tae Kwon Do, a white belt is a beginner.
The Japanese word “Shoshin” means “Beginner’s Mind.”
Stay open. Drop the ego. Growth often starts when we unlearn what we think we know.
When you're green, you grow; when you're ripe, you rot.
Your youth is renewed as you stay fresh—learning and growing. God doesn't simply want us to stay as we are. He wants us to become the man or woman He created us to be.
Jesus spoke of a sheep that had fallen into a pit.
He did not say, “It is your own fault. Stay there.” He reaches down and lifts it out.
If you cannot change, you are not free.
Growing old is not a bad thing. It is a gift. What matters is what we do with the time we are given.
We are to become more and more Christ-like.
What began at salvation (justification) is to continue through sanctification.
Hebrews 10:14 — “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3 — “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”
What happened at salvation was not the finish line.
It was only the beginning.
Romans 5:10 “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”
FOREVER JUSTIFIED
Justification is a once-for-all declaration by God. Through the sacrifice of Jesus, believers are forgiven and declared righteous. It is complete and secure.
BEING SANCTIFIED
Sanctification is the ongoing process of being transformed into the character of Christ. Our position is secure, but our daily lives continue to be shaped by the Holy Spirit.
God wills our sanctification.
Sanctification and holiness both carry the idea of being set apart for God.
John Wesley said, “The perfection I teach is perfect love.”
The process of sanctification begins with justification.
We must first receive and believe that we have been redeemed.
Romans 5:1–2 reminds us that we have peace with God and stand in His grace.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.
(TPT) Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us.
And this is only the beginning.
Romans 5:10 means that if God loved us enough to reconcile us while we were His enemies, He will certainly keep us now that we are His children.
Two truths emerge:
• Reconciled by His death.
• Saved by His life.
John Wesley saw Romans 5:10 as a progression of grace.
If God reconciled us through Christ’s death while we were enemies, we can be confident that His living power continues to save, sanctify, and ultimately glorify us.
So what does Romans 5:10 mean for us today?
It means that God is not finished with us.
If He loved us enough to reconcile us while we were still His enemies, He certainly will not abandon us now that we are His children.
What began at salvation is meant to continue through sanctification.
God is still teaching us.
Still shaping us.
Still transforming us into the likeness of Christ.
So stay teachable.
Stay humble.
Stay green.
Because when you're green, you grow.
Christ’s life is at work within you.
Phil 2:13: God will continually revitalize you, implanting within you the passion to do what pleases him.
The good news of the Gospel is not simply that we were saved by His death.
The good news is that we are being saved by His life.
And that means your story is not finished.
God is still at work.
What happened at salvation was not the finish line.
It was only the beginning.
PRAYER OF COMMITTAL
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for reconciling us to Yourself through Jesus Christ.
Thank You that Your work in us did not end at salvation.
Continue to shape us, teach us, and transform us by Your Spirit.
Keep our hearts humble and teachable.
Help us to become more like Christ with each passing day.
And Lord, as we leave this place today, help us to remember that You are not finished with us yet.
We place ourselves in Your hands and trust You to complete the good work You have begun in us.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.