#14~ GRACE~ BIBLE DOCTRINE 10-13-12
Today we'll continue with our study of Bible Doctrine, and the subject today will be "The Grace of God."
It will be a happy day for some folks when they understand what the grace of God is. It's not the grace of man, it's the grace of God, Grace is all of God, it covers all that God has done to bring fallen and sinful man into a just, perfect, and eternal relationship with Himself, without compromising His divine attributes and it's totally apart from what man does, man is completely left out of his or her salvation, it's all God's doing, we've all heard the old saying, that "grace is the unmerited favor of God."
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>> 2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,--
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The idea of falling from grace has no biblical bases any where in the scriptures. Falling from grace is a man made doctrine, not bible doctrine.
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"Falling from Grace" is an indirect denial of the whole Christian Faith, and implies a false doctrine of salvation by works; it's not only the denial of one faith, but the statement of another.
For a person to believe that their conduct, their works, is what keeps them saved is an insult too Jesus Christ and His finished works on the cross, if we could have been saved and kept saved any other way then Jesus died in vain.
>> 1 Peter 1:4-5 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
* Gods keeping power is certainly because of His grace, we're not kept by doing good works.
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>> Titus 3:4-8 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
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* We are not saved because we have stop drinking and gambling and hanging out in the hog pens of the world, but are saved according to his mercy and grace brought about by our faith in Jesus Christ.
Salvation comes not by trusting our works of righteousness, but His work of redemption on the cross, Jesus Christ died for us and paid the penalty for our sins. --- God wants all that are saved to maintain good works, not to keep us saved, but because it will be a witness and testimony to others-- These things are good and profitable unto men.
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And it will certainly be profitable to all that are saved if they maintain good works when it comes time to receive rewards at the judgment seat of Christ for the redeemed. -- Romans 14:10
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* Grace completely excludes human merit and works as the basis of access to divine blessing.
>>Rom.11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
* If we could be saved by what we do, God's gift of grace would not really be a gift, then it would be something we've done.
>> Rom.4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
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* All the benefits of being a Christian come because of our faith in Him. Rom.5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, --
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>> Gal. 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
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>>Eph. 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
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The law, the O.T. law has nothing at all to do with our salvation, remember that the law speaks of works, do this, don't do that and so on.
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>>Rom.3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
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What this verse tells us is, by doing deeds [works] no flesh is justified, [made complete] and then it tells us plainly what breaking the law reveals.
>>for by the law is the knowledge of sin<<
When the people that we're under the law, [Israel of the O.T.] broke a law that would show them that they had sinned.
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>>Rom.3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
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The law was never given to save anyone; it was a means of revealing sin. The dispensation of the law is over; we're now living in the dispensation of grace.
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>>John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
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people that think they must do something in order to be saved are trying to remain in the law given by Moses, thank God that is over with, this is the grace dispensation, we do nothing to be saved, nor do we do anything to remain saved, and the reason is, Jesus has done all the doing, there's nothing else that remains to be done to be saved. He didn't save us on the installment plan; He didn't make the down payment and leave it up to us to make the payments on salvation.
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* Jesus said as He was dying in our stead on the cross;
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
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Listen; He is now seated at the right hand of God on high; do you know why He is seated? - Because there's nothing left to be done.
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>>Colossians 2:8 -10 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, {after denominational doctrine} after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10And ye are complete in him,--
And since we're complete in Him there's nothing else too be added.
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>>Romans 8:1-4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: {why) 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
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Notice; - no condemnation- means no condemnation, past, present or future.
Also we're told in verses one and two that this freedom from condemnation is by being in Christ Jesus.
Notice; the Spirit of life has made us free from the law of sin and death.
* Do you think that this verse is untrue?
If therefore we are indeed free from the law of sin and death, then it certainly can not mean that we are obligated to walk according to it or to perish.
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But regardless of all the bible verses and facts that we find in the scriptures there will always be those who will not except what the bible says about it, it has been drilled into their head so long by these deceived preachers and teachers that they'll not admit they've been deceived, after all, grandpa and grandma believed like this.
It is foolish, to think that the flesh could start, or finish such a supernatural transaction as life out of death.
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* Paul had people such as this in the church of the Galatians.
>>Galatians 3:1-3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
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* if people were saved by doing good works, and had to continue to do good works in order to remain saved, then Paul would have to say; --
"By grace are you saved through your faith and through certain works ordained of God, and you shall one day be his glorified workmanship in Christ Jesus if you walk in them,"
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As confused and profane as this imaginary interpretation sounds, it is in essence exactly the interpretation that all who teach "falling from grace" must and do put upon this scripture.
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* Listen, Jesus said in;
>>John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, --- and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
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* Do you believe the words of Jesus or not?
This verse tells us, that first of all, people must hear the Word, and then believe on God the Father that sent Jesus, and if we do we have everlasting life, {not some time yonder in the future, but HATH, (PRESENT TENSE) -- and then it plainly tells us that we shall not come into condemnation, {never} and then the verse says, that all who believe IS PASSED, not going to be passed but IS passed from death unto life. -- We don't read anything about applying our two cents worth of added WORKS.
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It is not left up to us to hold on to God, if that was the case, the biggest part of us if not all, would surely be lost when it was all said and done, but that's not the case at all, God is the One that's holding on to us.
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>>Psalms 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and HE delighteth in his way. 24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
* Do you believe these verses?
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>>Romans 10: 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
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* Do you believe what the bible says?
>>Romans 10:9 & 13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ---- 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
* When it comes too salvation, man is left completely out of the saving process.
>> Jonah 2: -- salvation is of the Lord.
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>>John 7: 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
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For these folks that want to add works to their being saved is to dishonor the Savior.
