May 2019 – What is Grace?

Definitions

Restore –   To return to a former state or position; to put or bring back into existence or use; to redeem; to bring back or put back into a former or an original state; return to its rightful owner.

Grace –      “Unmerited favor.”  A gift to someone who does nothing to deserve it, and can do nothing to repay it.

Redeem – To recover (property) by discharging an obligation; to ransom, free, or rescue by paying a price; to free from the bondage of sin; to relieve the obligation of by payment.

The Church in Rome as Described by the Apostle Paul

1. Romans 1:18-32 – The Godless Ingrate

The hedonistic, evil, malicious, angry, hateful, self-sufficient, self-worshiping people who think the more they sin, the more the Grace of God (if there is a God) shall be magnified in saving them.  “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means!”  (Rom. 6:1-15).

2. Romans 2:1-11 – The Fiery Fault-Finder

The fiery bigots who judge others as undeserving, and would exclude all from heaven but themselves.

“The Lord will judge his people.”  (Heb. 10:30).

3. Romans 2:17-3:20 – The Weary Worker

There is a third group of spiritual minded people who are so religious, and so pious, and so careful, and they work so hard to be safe and secure, that they forget the Shepherd is the One giving the guidance and protection.

4. Romans 3:21-25 – The Restored Receivers

They are the ones who know the Shepherd’s voice.  They recognize their sinful natures and realize that without the blood of Christ Jesus there can be no salvation (Heb. 9:11-14).  They respond to God’s gift by offering themselves as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2).

Points to Remember

  1. Rome was a city predominantly Gentile, as was the church. Paul said that even though they were not under the law of Moses, they were without excuse.  (Rom. 1:20).
  2. Jews criticized the Gentiles for not keeping the law of Moses, which was a law of works. Paul told the Galatians that if they tried to be justified by the law of Moses, they had fallen away from grace.  (Gal. 5:4).
  3. When we study the letter to the Romans, let’s not confuse the law of Moses with the law of Christ, which is a law of faith.
  4. There are none who are righteous, no, not one. (Rom. 3:10-12).
  5. We will never be good enough to merit God’s grace.
  6. The gift of grace does not absolve us from responsibility to obey. (Rom. 1:5).
  7. Grace is a calling that summons a response from the receiver. (Rom. 1:6).

Favor Because Of God’s Love

In the Old Testament – Gen. 6:8 (Noah); Ex. 34:6 (Moses); Deut. 7:7,8 (Israelites); Job 10:12 (Job)

Only a candle compared to the brightness of GRACE that appeared at the coming of Christ.  (John 1:14-17; Rom. 5:1, 8-11; 15-19; Titus 2:11-14; 3:3-7.

Blessings Conferred By Grace

  • Salvation – Eph. 1:7,8; 2:4-9 (Not by works so that no one can boast); Rom. 4:1-7, 16; 11:5, 6; 2 Tim. 1:9, 10.
  • Adoption – Eph. 1:5, 6.
  • Justification – Rom. 3:21-24; 6:14, 15.

Examples In The Old Testament

  • The Israelites couldn’t get themselves out of Egyptian bondage, so the Lord redeemed them.
  • (Ex. 6:5-7).
  • Ruth, with her property, was redeemed by Boaz. (Ruth 4:1-10).
  • Redemption in the Psalms. (Ps. 34:22; 44:25, 26; 49:7, 8, 15; 71:23; 103:2-4; 107:1-3; 130:7, 8).

Christ, Our Redeemer Was God in the Flesh

When we were born, sinless and pure, we belonged to God.  When we reached the point where we exercised our free will to sin, we sold our souls to Satan.  There was nothing we could do to redeem ourselves.  Like the Israelites in bondage, only the Lord can redeem us.  He bought us back to present us holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation.  (Col. 1:18-22).

God was Hanging on that Old Rugged Cross in the form of Christ

The beautiful fragrance of Christ’s self-sacrifice and offering for our sin becomes more meaningful as we see in the Old Testament, (our pattern of things to come), the way of sacrificial atonement.  A personal response is necessary.  We will offer ourselves as spiritual sacrifices to show our love for God and one another.  (Rom. 3:25; 1 Cor. 5:7; Eph. 1:7; 5:2; Phil. 4:18; Heb. 7:2; 10:12, 14; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

  • He gave his life a ransom for many. 20:28).
  • He purchased the church with his blood. (Acts 20:28).
  • We are justified by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 3:24).
  • We are bought with a price. We belong to God (1 Cor. 6:20).
  • We are bought with a price. We cannot be the servants of men.  (1 Cor. 7:23).
  • He gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this evil world. (Gal. 1:4).
  • He also redeemed those under the Law of Moses. (Gal. 4:3-5).
  • We have redemption through his blood. (Eph. 1:7).
  • Christ loved us and gave himself as a sacrifice to God. (Eph. 5:2).
  • In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:13, 14).
  • He gave himself a ransom for all. (1 Tim. 2:6).
  • He redeemed us from all iniquity. (Titus 2:14).
  • By his own blood he entered into the Most Holy Place to obtain eternal redemption for us and those under the first testament. (Heb. 9:12).
  • We were not redeemed with corruptible things like gold and silver. (1 Pet. 1:18, 19).
  • He redeemed us to God by his blood. (Rev. 5:9).

In View Of God’s Grace, What Manner Of People Ought We To Be? – Matt. 5:7; Luke 1:50; Rom. 12:1-8; Col. 3:12; James 2:13.

 “You were bought at a price, therefore honor God with your body.”  (1 Cor. 6:20).

Exhibited In Character and Conduct – 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 1:12.

 Sufficiency of Grace – 2 Cor. 12:7-9; Eph. 4:7.

Growth in Grace – 1 Pet. 2:1-2; 2 Pet. 3:18.

  1. Put away the works of darkness – Eph. 5:3-21
  2. Love not the world – 1 John 2:15; be not conformed to it – Rom. 12:2
  3. Love God and one another – 1 John 4:11, 12, 19-21
  4. Keep His commandments – 1 John 2:3

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:  ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers; neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Rom. 8:35-39).