A family was enjoying a meal at a restaurant one evening, and they looked up and saw some friends in the corner of the restaurant and waved hi to each other. On their way out they came by and shook hands and greeted one another as they left. The family waited a while for their check so they asked the waitress if they could have it. She told them that it had been paid for by the people that they were talking to. We'll let me leave you a tip and she said he did that as well and that their bill was paid in full.
It was absolutely free, and they had done nothing to receive it, nor did they ask for it. I want to talk about Grace this morning. Grace is defined as unmerited, unearned and undeserved favor no one has the right to salvation as a result of their own righteousness or works.
Romans 3:10-NIV
10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.
God’s grace that was extended to all was and is through His Son Jesus Christ!
Christ made the atonement for the sins of the world in place of sinners that deserved death. He gave His body as a propitiation (an appeasement, an atonement, as a sacrifice) for the sins of the world. If anyone could appreciate the Grace of God, it had to be Paul. Paul says in:
Galatians 2:21-NKJV
21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
Paul said in Acts 22:4-NIV
4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,
And in Galatians 1:13-16-NKJV
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
Paul said he called me through His Grace, and he began to work to which he was called. Paul appreciated the Grace of God and I appreciate God’s Grace. Paul went on to say after his conversion: 1 Corinthians 15:10-11-NKJV-10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. (By the grace of God, I am what I am)
There is a lot of discussion in the brotherhood about being saved by the Grace of God. I want us to think for a moment and realize that the word Grace is a multi-usage word, and it must be defined within the context in which it is used. Grace must be studied holistically (a study of the whole subject), and it must be defined within the context in which it is being used.
I want to look at 3 kinds of Grace that are mentioned in God’s word this morning so we can better understand more clearly the teaching of Grace.
Redemptive Grace- When it comes to Redemptive Grace this is when someone can say saved by Grace alone. However Redemptive Grace comes ONLY from God, man had nothing to do with it.
John 3:16-NKJV
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
God sent Jesus into the world to die for the sins of all mankind and that is Redemptive Grace, and that is Grace alone. I am not afraid to say Grace alone because I understand that no one helped God in this, and it was God’s choice alone to save mankind. Now someone might say Well Brother Robert is saying we are saved by Grace alone and I would say this is where people and the world get confused about God’s Grace.
I’m not saying that at all, and what I want you to know is that when we are dealing with Grace, we ought to say what kind of Grace are we talking about and study enough to know what we are discussing.
Grace alone was extended by God alone, everyone is blessed by God’s Grace alone, and it is available for everyone. The world loves this and some hold to it for their salvation John 3:16! But can you be saved by Grace alone ABSOULETLY NOT!
Ephesians 2:8-9-NKJV
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Do I believe we are saved by Grace, absolutely, do I believe we are saved by faith YES! But are we saved by Grace alone or faith alone absolutely not. Look at this verse! The Ephesians salvation was not of their own devising, it was not their plan. This salvation, this Grace was a gift from God, and it was not given because they had earned it or worked for it or even deserved it, it was a gift. There are many in this world that say God’s grace alone is sufficient for salvation and they go to 1 John 2:2-NKJV
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
It has been said that no one has to do anything to go to Heaven because of God’s redemptive Grace. This is false doctrine; this is a watered-down version of TV evangelism and watch out!
Matthew 7:15-19-NKJV
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Follow God’s word to the second Grace, I want you to see! Accessioned Grace
Romans 5:1-2-NKJV
5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
God’s Redemptive Grace will not save you……… until you have accessed it through faith.
How do I Access God’s saving Grace? Grace= God’s part ………. Faith= our part!
God has done his part and now we must do ours. Some say wait Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord, and yes, he did before the flood, but he would not have been saved from the flood had he not followed just as God commanded him to do.
Hebrews 11:7-NKJV
7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
The point is that you have to do something! Wait a minute your’ talking about works! In Baptism it’s not you who is working it is God.
Acts 2:38-NKJV
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 3:19-NKJV
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Repent is Active (change of mind) ………. Be Baptized Passive (acted upon). Let’s go back to:
Ephesians 2:8-9-NKJV
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
not of yourselves (not earned) ……… it is the gift of God (unmerited favor)
Grace on the part of God and faith on the part of man.
The 3rd Grace I want to talk about is Possessive Grace. The Grace you possess from God, but it is not all tied to the cross.
2 Corinthians 8:1-9-NKJV
8 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6 So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.
Inasmuch as they possessed all other graces, Paul urges them to abound in the grace of liberality. The Bible also tells us to grow in this grace. (Often called The Christian Graces)
2 Peter 3:18-NKJV
18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
2 Peter 1:1-9-NKJV- 1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
When we talk about God’s Grace it’s very important that we know what we are talking about and how it relates to our salvation and how it relates to our continual growth. Look back at:
Galatians 2:21-NKJV
21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
In other words, if you can be saved through the Law of Moses Christ died in vain. Do we believe Christ died in vain?
Romans 3:23-26-NKJV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
God’s Redemptive Grace is there for us, but we must access it by His blood, through faith! We must be baptized, and for someone to miss point is just plain ignorance of scripture.
Romans 6:3-8-NKJV
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
Did Christ Die in Vain? No as we Hear God’s word proclaimed, it helps us produce Faith to believe it, repent of our sins and turn to God, confessing him to be our Lord and Master. Being Baptized into his death for remission of sins. Then living and growing being faithful unto death.
Does it matter what you Believe, yes!
