Saved by Grace, Shaped by Discipleship (Podcast)

At the heart of our faith journey lies a profound truth that we often overlook in its simplicity: salvation is not the destination, but the starting line. This conversation unpacks the foundational reality that being born again is where everything begins. Drawing from John 3 and the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, we're reminded that spiritual rebirth isn't about physical impossibility but about divine restoration. When sin entered the garden, humanity experienced a spiritual death—a disconnect from our Creator's original design. Salvation through Christ doesn't just forgive our sins; it reconciles us back to the Father, reinstating the intimate relationship that was lost. This is the shalom Jesus promised—life to the full, with nothing missing and nothing broken. Yet here's where many of us stumble: we either camp at salvation, treating it as a one-time ticket to heaven, or we exhaust ourselves with works, trying to earn what grace has already given. The truth lives in the tension—we're saved by grace, absolutely free, but discipleship will cost us everything. And that cost? It's worth every sacrifice because it transforms us daily into the image of Christ. Salvation plants the seed; the journey of discipleship waters it into full bloom.