Frustrating The Grace Of God

Frustrating the Grace of God

Galatians 2:21

I read recently about a kindergarten teacher who was helping one of her students put on his boots to go home following his nap. She pushed and pulled and finally got his boots on with great effort, then the little boy said “These are not my boots.” She then worked very hard and got the boots back off. “Where are your boots”she asked. “These are my brother’s boots but my mom made me wear them” he replied. Again she went about the task of fighting the boots and getting them back on his feet. “Now, where are your gloves?” she asked. “I stuffed them in the toes of my boots” he said. Her jury trial begins on Monday.

Frustration – we have all experienced it. A word that goes along with it is exasperation. Something frustrating will happen and we will get exasperated, bewildered, or discouraged about what we are experiencing.

Paul is writing to the church at Galatia about what is happening to their faith.

Explain the Judaizers.

He makes this statement – “I do not FRUSTRATE the grace of God.”

We have looked at God’s grace previously and seen it’s many aspects and how that God has grace for the situations we face in life. We are going to see this morning from God’s Word how we may frustrate the grace of God in our lives.

I. FRUSTRATING THE GRACE OF GOD IN SALVATION

A. BY PERVERTING THE GOSPEL 1:6-7

1. DENYING THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH – ROM. 11:6;

2. ADDING WORKS TO SALVATION –

a. THE DEEDS OF THE LAW

b. BAPTISM

c. CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

B. PREACHING A PERVERTED GOSPEL –

1. BECAUSE IT’S ONLY PURPOSE IS TO DECEIVE

2. BECAUSE PAUL DECLARED THERE TO BE ONLY ONE GOSPEL –

II. FRUSTRATING THE GRACE OF GOD IN SERVICE –

PAUL DEALT WITH CHRISTIANS IN THE CHURCHES HE PASTORED AND WROTE TO ABOUT THINGS THAT FRUSTRATED THE GRACE OF GOD –

A. APATHY & INDIFFERENCE

1. THE CORINTHIANS WERE APATHETIC:

a. ABOUT FAITHFULNESS IN STEWARDSHIP –

b. ABOUT FAITHFULNESS IN EXERCISING THEIR SPIRITUAL GIFTS –

c. ABOUT FAITHFULNESS IN DEALING WITH SIN IN THEIR LIVES –

d. ABOUT SPREADING THE GOSPEL – I COR. 15:34

B. THE LORD JESUS MADE THESE OBESERVATIONS ABOUT THE CHURHES OF ASIA MINOR THAT CAN APPLY TO CHURCHES TODAY -

A. EPHESUS – THEY HAD LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE

B. PERGAMOS – DOCTRINAL ERROR

C. THYATIRA – SPIRITUAL ADULTERY

D. LAODICEA – SELF SATISFIED AND LUKEWARM

THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYS THROUGH THE PEN OF THE APOSTLE PETER:

1Pe 4:17 For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God?

LET’S MAKE THE APPLICATION: YOU ARE SAVED BY GOD’S GRACE OR YOU FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD BY TRYING TO BE SAVED SOME OTHER WAY

YOU LIVE A VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD OR YOU FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD BY ALLOWING THESE SINS TO RULE YOUR LIFE.