BASIC BIBLE TEACHINGS #40

BY THE GRACE OF GOD

Introduction:
I. There’s a lot of emphasis these days on the need to preach and teach on the grace of God…
A. First, we need to understand what the term means; yet, that’s easier said than done…
1. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
2. The favor of God- unmerited, undeserved favor…
3. Perhaps it’s easier to describe God’s grace than it is to define God’s grace.
a. Justice- We get what we deserve.
b. Mercy- We do not get what we deserve.
c. Grace- We get goodness that we do not deserve.
d. Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8 God created man in God’s image, loved him and gave him
the chance to live forever in what could probably be called paradise on earth,
without sin; man sinned anyway in an effort to become gods! Man deserved
judgment, punishment, condemnation. But, God loved man anyway and made a
way for him to be reconciled to God through Christ. That is God’s grace!

Body:
I. Rom. 3:24; Rom. 6:23 Usually, studies on grace seem to primarily emphasize a very
narrow focus on our total dependence upon God’s grace for salvation (God’s gift)…
A. Rom. 4:4; Eph. 2:8-9 It’s usually stressed that salvation is totally by grace and cannot
be earned by works.
1. Phlp. 2:12 But Paul instructs to “work out your own salvation…”
B. Some might even stress that we cannot do anything to bring about our salvation.
1. Acts 2:40 What did Peter mean, then, by “Save yourselves…”?
C. Such generalized, blanket statements go too far…
1. Heb. 11:6; Jn. 8:24 They do away with such fundamentals as faith.
a. Jn. 6:29 Jesus called believing a work!
2. Acts 3:19 Such statements do away with such fundamentals as repentance.
a. Matt. 3:8 A conscious change of mind that requires action!
3. 2 Thess. 1:8; 1 Pet. 1:22 Such statements do away with the necessity of obedience.
a. Heb. 5:8-9 Central to our salvation, by Christ’s example!
D. Jn. 1:17 What God does for us by grace is not exclusive to our response to His grace…

Conclusion:
I. The truth is, all that pertains and relates to our salvation is a product of God’s grace…
A. Jas. 1:17 The magnificent wonders of creation, for our use, are a product of His grace.
B. Acts 20:32 Scripture- doctrine -was given to guide us in God’s grace…
1. 2 Jn. 9 Not just in initially coming to salvation, either!
C. Eph. 3:8-11 The church, part of God’s eternal plan for man’s salvation, is by grace.
D. These things cannot be separated from the gospel- they’re vital parts of the gospel!
1. They cannot be separated from our salvation- they’re vital to our salvation!
E. Rom. 6:1 Let’s never cheapen or disrespect God’s grace shown to us in so many ways…