Growing in Grace, Part 2 of the Grace series 2 Peter 3:18
This is part 2 of a two part series on grace; the first part was grounded in Grace. Review of that: The dynamics of grace, (where sin abounds grace much more abounds); the Definition of Grace: God stooping and bending toward us in our frail, and fallen condition;
The Lord revealed something to me this week as I ask Him the question, why do you Grace me? Why did God deliver this grace to me? He wants us to love Him. So He courts us with grace. He woos us with this wonderful gift called grace. If you want someone to love you, do you beat then into submission, do you give them a list to conform to, or do you lavish them with your best resources in order for them to see that you care deeply for them. This is what God does this is how His love operates is in this thing we call grace.
When he called Abraham, Gen. 12: 1-9; He did not call on him empty-handed, note what He proposed to Abraham, I will, I will, I will.
When He called Paul, Acts 8&9; He called on him in the midst of all of his hate and anger, and gave Him grace. This event alone begs the question why would God grace Paul? Eph. 1:1-12; Paul describes what God offered him in Jesus Christ. ; Matter of fact all of chapters 1-3 is about the courtship of God for a people. God did all of this just so we would love Him. Have you ever looked at God’s grace in such a light? And when we refuse Him over and over again He keeps coming back and making us the offer over and over again. And then when we accept His offer and come into a relationship with Him, and we have a “spat” with Him, or we refuse to obey, what does He do? He disciplines us in Grace. Has he convinced you how bad He wants a relationship with you?
How do we grow in this marvelous Grace?
Part two is about Growing In Grace. What does this mean,’ grow in grace’?
Growing in Grace: Overall as the habit of our life, we operate more by walking in the Spirit rather than walking after our flesh. It means we are not getting our acceptance before God by performing, by keeping or doing the law. WE KNOW WE ARE ACCEPTED BEFORE GOD AND 100% FULLY FORGIVEN AND ALWAYS STANDING IN GRACE. Illustration of cafeteria and hungry man. Can you imagine him wanting to eat garbage after seeing what it his inside the cafeteria? I want to give you some words that will help you to know if you are growing in grace, or are you still living a law filled life?
1. Identity: You have learned your new creation Identity in Christ. JUST HOW IMPROTANT IS THIS? MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU HAVE EVER THOUGHT. TALK ABOUT PHYSICAL AMNESIA AND HOW ITWOULD AFFECT YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE. MUCH MORE. SCRITPUTRES ABOUT YOUR NEW ID. 2 COR. 5:17-21; from a murderer to an ambassador for Christ; a new past, a new future, a new id; 1 Cor.6: 9-11; look at all the ID changes here. Col. 3:1-11; don’t be remembering whom you use to be remember who you are now!
Growing in grace means we are walking in:
2. FREEDOM: From the yoke of slavery: It was for freedom you were set free; Gal. 5:1; under the law Christ is of no benefit to you. Why do you need Christ if you want to LIVE under the law? By the way you are obligated to keep the whole law.
a. Can you get LIFE FROM THE LAW? Read Gal. 3:21;
b. The law gives sin its power! Is this how you want to live? 1 Cor 15:56; if we are under law what are we under the power of? Ref. Romans 7:7-9; what did the law produce in Paul?
c. What did Paul think the Law would bring? What did it bring?
d. According to Romans 7:10 what arouses our sinful desires?
Freedom:
A. To experience the LIFE of Christ; Gal. 5:2-4; a.
B. There is a life of faith, you will not trust Christ you will be trusting in the law and yourself to keep it, we are to walk by faith and not by sight;
e. The life of abiding, therefore no fruit will be on our branches;
f. The life of rest, JESUS SAYS COME TO ME, MATT.11:28-30;
g. The abundant life john 10:10; Not a pie in the sky existence but a real relationship with Christ as Life flowing through you to meet the circumstances of life for you and give you peace. As long as someone is living under the law trying to get their acceptance through the law they will never experience the abundant life.
1. ACCEPTANCE: Romans 5:1-2; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:31-39; Romans 10:1-4, are you an Orthodox Jew, then you will seek to establish your own righteousness by the law; Why are you trying to get somewhere you already are?
AND WE BEGIN TO WALK IN THAT TURTH. WE ARE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT BEING DECIEVED IN THIS AREA OF ACCEPTANCE BEFORE GOD. That we are not living a law filled life.
2. DEPENDENCE: John 15 Abiding in the vine; Romans 15:5, 13; who are you depending on for perseverance and encouragement? Yourself or God? What about joy, hope and peace? God or your self or your friends or even your church? Who are you depending on in the EVIL DAY? God or yourself. Eph 6:10 and following. Growing in grace is about growing in dependence, bringing God on line all the time!!!!!! Phil.1: 7; look at what happens in our growth when we are depending on God for the growth. Are you growing in your dependence upon God then you are growing in grace.
3. SURRENDER: we are growing in grace when we are surrendered to God our rights. And then we are free to do His will. Let’s look at a few of these rights. We can trust God with all of our relationships and our circumstances no matter what they may be. We will have grown to the point to where we can trust the God of all grace to handle life’s biggest challenges. The challenge of rejection
We are growing in Grace when we are depending upon God, trusting God for life and its circumstances.
ACCEPTANCE, DEPENDENCE, SURRENDER, THREE WORDS THAT SAY A LOT ABOUT US AND GROWING IN GRACE;
We also are growing in Grace when we understand when we sin as saints we are already forgiven, and all we need to do is confess that sin, and move on in our relationship with God. We are growing in grace when we understand the difference between discipline and punishment. MORE NEXT WEEK!
