PROFESSOR'S PETS AND PEEVES

GRACE- PART ONE- A

THOUGHT: The two greatest issues confronting the Body of Christ is the same today as it was in the Body of Christ before the close of the first century AD. Those two issues are: 1) The Gospel of Grace in the 2) Dispensation of God’s Grace: (Pauline Apostleship to and for the Body of Christ/ Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth. Today, we begin with the Gospel of Grace.

1. CAPTURING GRACE:

 Grace works from out of God’s Sovereignty! God not only wills or initiates (free to do without outside influences or foreseen knowledge), He is also active in the work of redemption for the Elect on the basis of the work of Jesus Christ. Chafer states in his book entitled Grace the following:

“It is a resource that can be never earned or deserved, but can only be received as a gift. It is God’s work on behalf of mankind. Therefore, it functions apart from all human works, cooperation or merit. Grace is universally free and is designed to impart happiness and joy on its recipients. Thus, grace depends entirely upon God’s essence, character and attributes.”

Romans 1:5-“By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:”

Romans 5:1-“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Romans 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 it is no more grace: otherwise work

 is no more work.”

11. CASUALTIES OF GRACE:

F-AILURE - My sins are greater than God’s Grace and His ability to save. Note: The “Unpardonable Sin” cannot be committed today. While Christ was on the earth could this be done. Today there are no “Unpardonable Sins”. The Sin of Unbelief is pardonable! The ones who die in the Sin of Unbelief, i.e., those who die in the State of Unbelief (without believing in Christ as their Savior) will eternally be punished for the Sin of Unbelief.

Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”

2 Thessalonians 2:10-14 -“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had  pleasure in  righteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:8-10, 15-20 -“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.  But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.  And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.  For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

A-DVERSITY - My sufferings are greater than God’s Grace and His ability to see me through it making me more than a conquer and an overcomer.

1Corinthians 10:13-“There hath no temptation (trial or testing) taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for (Christ) my strength is made perfect in (Paul/my) weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”.                                                                              

C -  REDIT -   My systems of religion, rituals, rites, and righteousness better than God’s offer of Grace and I can and will earn my way to heaven.

Galatians 2:21- “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Romans 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.”

E - XPERIENTIAL - My senses are greater than God’s Grace and His Word); I rely on my feelings and experiences rather than the facts!

2 Corinthians 6:11-12-“By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;  As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;  As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.”

Other translations: 2 Corinthians 6:11

(ALT) - “You* are not restricted by us, but you* are restricted by your* [own] bowels [fig., affections].”

(BBE) - “It is not our feelings to you which are narrow, but yours to us”

(GW) -  “We haven't cut you off. Your own emotions have cut you off from us.”

(HCSB) - “You are not limited by us, but you are limited by your own affections.”

(ISV)-  “We have not cut you off, but you have cut off your own feelings toward us.”

(WNT) - “There is no narrowness in our love to you: the narrowness is in your own feelings.”

111. CHARACTERISTICS OF GRACE

   A. GRACE CANNOT BE WITHHELD; (Rom. 4:5-8). Salvation is by grace alone. It is not a sin question, but a Son question.  All questions and issues relating to one’s acceptance in the Beloved have been banished in Christ. (Eph. 1:6).

Romans 4:5-8 - “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
⁶ Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
⁷ Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

Ephesians 1:6: -“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved”

   B. GRACE CANNOT BE LESSENED: God’s does not withdraw His Grace from one where sins abound, moreover where sin abounds grace does much more abound! Much sinfulness calls for much grace (Rom. 5:20-21). The sin question has been set aside.

Romans 5:20-21-“20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

   C. GRACE CANNOT INCUR AN OBLICATION. Whether in Salvation or in Sanctification, an act is not of grace if it requires a payment or wages including any past, present or future repayment. Salvation is a gift and cannot be paid for before, during or afterwards (Rom. 6:23). Chafer says it this way:

“No service is to be given, on the part of the believer, with the thought of repayment. Any such attitude would only cause distress to the giver. These attempts only frustrate His grace (Gal. 2:21). How faithfully we should serve Him, as an expression of love, but never as a repayment.”

Romans 6:23- “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Galatians 2:21- “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

   D. GRACE IS NOT A PAYMENT: (Rom. 4:4, 11:6). Grace could never be the payment of a debt on one’s part for Paul says “the wages of sin is death (acts originating from self) but the gift of God (acts originating from God).  The unsaved are already condemned "under sin" (Rom. 3:9, Gal. 3:22), and is "guilty" (Rom. 3:19), because they are “under law”. The unsaved are completely at the “Grace and Mercy” of God and from the unsaved his part has been disposed of absolutely and forever (Eph. 2:8-9, Tit. 3:5-7).

Romans 3:24-“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”

Romans 4:4-“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”

Romans 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.”

Romans 3:9-“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;”

Galatians 3:22-“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”

Romans 3:19-“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

Ephesians 2:8-9-“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Titus 3:5-7-“Not 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;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

   E. GRACE IS FREE GRACE - God’s Grace is UNcondtional! Grace is has nothing to do with what one deserves. It does not allow for a person to be treated as one deserves or better than one deserves, rather, Grace allows God to respond without any consideration as to what one deserves.

1V. COMPLETION OF GRACE: (SALVATION) What God DOES FOR the Elect. God is the giver of the “grace things”

1 Corinthians 1:4- I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

   A. Election;

Romans 11:5-“Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

Galatians 1:6-“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel”

Galatians 1:15-“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,”

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,”

   B. Justification;

 Romans 3:24-“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

 Galatians 2:21-“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

 Titus 3:7-“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

   C. Forgiveness of sins;

Ephesians 1:7-“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

   D. Faith;

Acts 18:27-“And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:”

   E. Salvation;

Acts 15:11-“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they”

Ephesians 2:5-“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”

Ephesians 2:8-“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (“it” grammatically could refer either to “saved” or “faith” regardless neither of which we “earn” or “do”)

2 Thessalonians 2:16-“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace”

Titus 2:11- “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,”

   F. Hope;

2 Thessalonians 2:16- “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace”

   G. Spiritual gifts;

Romans 12:6-“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith”

Ephesians 4:7-“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (TO BE CONTINUED)