GRACE OFFERS FAITH ACCEPTS

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GRACE OFFERSFAITH ACCEPTS

• A detailed study of Grace
• Wednesday PM

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Illustration

• An old friend calls who is passing through town
• He asks that you meet him
• At McDonalds
• At 2 pm
• He tells you that he has just returned from a
  trip to Israel and he has a gift for you

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Illustration

• You quickly change your clothes, hurry to
  McDonalds to meet him
• He greets you and hands you a cashiers check for
  1 million
• THAT IS GRACE!

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Illustration

• Now some questions to consider
• Did you earn the million dollars?
• What if you decided that meeting him was too
  demanding and not worth the effort to rearrange
  your schedule?
• What if you went to Arbys because the food is
  better?
• What if you went to McDonalds at 430 because if
  was more convenient?

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Introduction to Grace

• There is much discussion, abuse and
  misunderstanding about grace.
• Some think grace is NOT involved in our salvation
  at all. We must work, do, obey, keep every point
  of the law. Failure at any point means we cant
  be saved.
• Others teach salvation is by GRACE ONLY. Most
  denominations teach a salvation by grace, without
  any obedience.

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Introduction to Grace

• Some have taken the extreme view
• Even in the church are some who believe that how
  you live does not matter. Morals dont matter.
  Church attendance, lies, fornication, cursing
  all these sins are covered by Gods grace.
• We need to study this subject to know what Grace
  is, what Grace does, and what Grace does not do.

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Defining Grace

• What is Grace?
• The usual definition unmerited favor
• What does that mean?
• We must study grace
• Avoid the extremes
• Grace is involved in our salvation
• Grace is not a license to sin
• Grace does not keep us clean when we sin

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Defining Grace

• Greek word charis 156 times in NT

Grace 130 Thanks 6 Favor 6
Thank 4 Pleasure 2 Acceptable 1
Benefit 1 Gift 1 Gracious 1
Joy 1 Liberality 1 Thanked 1
Thankworthy 1
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Defining Grace

• How is this word used?
• Of form or person She is a gracious lady
• Favor, kindness You have graced us with your
  presence
• Gods forgiving mercy We are saved by grace
• The gospel as distinguished from the law

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Defining Grace

• Romans 614-15 - 14For sin shall not have
  dominion over you, for you are not under law but
  under grace. 15What then? Shall we sin because we
  are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!
  
• John 117 - For the law was given through Moses,
  but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

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Defining Grace

• Galatians 54 - You have become estranged from
  Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law
  you have fallen from grace.
• Galatians 221 - I do not set aside the grace of
  God for if righteousness comes through the law,
  then Christ died in vain.

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Defining Grace

• The word is used
• Of gifts freely given
• Christian virtues 2 Peter 15-7
• Dictionary GRACE, n. L. gratia, which is
  formed on the Celtic Eng. Agree, congruous, and
  ready. The primary sense of gratus, is free,
  ready, quick, willing, prompt, from advancing.

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Defining Grace

• The word is used 19 ways
• Favor She has such grace
• Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor
  of God
• Favorable influence of God divine influence or
  the influence of the spirit, in renewing the
  heart and restraining from sin
• The application of Christs righteousness to the
  sinner

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Defining Grace

• The word is used 19 ways
• A state of reconciliation
• Virtuous or religious affection or disposition
• Spiritual instruction
• Apostleship
• Eternal life, final salvation
• Favor, mercy, pardon
• Favor conferred

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Defining Grace

• The word is used 19 ways
• Privilege
• That in manner, deportment or language which
  renders it agreeable
• Natural or acquired excellence
• Beauty, whatever adorns
• Physical virtue
• Title
• Short prayer before a meal
• In music, turns, trills as embellishment

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What Grace Does

• Titus 211 - 11For the grace of God that brings
  salvation has appeared to all men,

• Grace brings salvation
• Grace is a gift offered to us by God
• Grace appears to all men
• The offer is not limited

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What Grace Does

• Titus 212 - 12teaching us that, denying
  ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
  soberly, righteously, and godly in the present
  age,

• Grace teaches us
• Deny ungodliness
• Reject worldly lusts
• Live soberly
• Live righteously
• As long as we are in this present age (Christian
  Age)

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What Grace Does

• Titus 213 - 13looking for the blessed hope and
  glorious appearing of our great God and Savior
  Jesus Christ,

• Grace anticipates
• Christians look for, hope for the second coming
  of Jesus

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What Grace Does

• Titus 214 - 14who gave Himself for us, that He
  might redeem us from every lawless deed and
  purify for Himself His own special people,
  zealous for good works.

• Grace remembers
• Jesus gave his life for us
• He redeemed us
• He removed the curse of the law
• He made us His own special people

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What Grace Does

• Titus 215 -
• 15Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all
  authority. Let no one despise you.

• Grace prepares
• Speak about these things
• Exhort encourage
• Rebuke make corrections
• Authority By the authority of the gospel
• Scorn will not stop us

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Positions on Grace

• Catholic View

• No grace
• All works / deeds
• Salvation is totally up to us
• Sacraments, Prayers, Candles, Rosary, Confession,
  etc.

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Positions on Grace

• Catholic View
• Protestant View

• All grace
• No works
• Man cannot do anything to accomplish his
  salvation.
• Salvation is only by Gods grace.

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Positions on Grace

• Catholic View
• Protestant View
• Biblical View

• Combination of Grace and Obedience
• God has a part in our salvation
• Man must respond, believe, accept the terms of
  the offer

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Abuses of Grace

• Encourage Sin

• Jude 4 - For certain men have crept in unnoticed,
  who long ago were marked out for this
  condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of
  our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God
  and our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Abuses of Grace

• Encourage Sin

• Romans 61-2 -1What shall we say then? Shall we
  continue in sin that grace may abound? 2Certainly
  not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer
  in it?

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Abuses of Grace

• Encourage Sin

• Instead of teaching the responsibility of man
  we think that grace allows us to keep on sinning.

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Abuses of Grace

• Encourage Sin
• Salvation by grace ONLY

• Most denominations teach a salvation by grace
  ONLY
• I there any part that man must do (obey, respond,
  accept) to receive Gods grace?

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Abuses of Grace

• Encourage Sin
• Salvation by grace ONLY
• Grace Excludes Obedience

• Some see Grace and Works as mutually exclusive
• The Bible teaches BOTH
• Grace is the offer of a gift
• Faith is mans acceptance

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Abuses of Grace

• Encourage Sin
• Salvation by grace ONLY
• Grace Excludes Obedience
• Grace Foregoes Righteousness

• Romans 521b - even so grace might reign through
  righteousness to eternal life through Jesus
  Christ our Lord.
• Grace reigns through righteous-ness

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Automatic Grace

• 1 John 15-6 - 5This is the message which we have
  heard from Him and declare to you, that God is
  light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6If we
  say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in
  darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

• V 5 There is no darkness in God
• V 6 False claims will not help

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Automatic Grace

• 1 John 17 - 7But if we walk in the light as He
  is in the light, we have fellowship with one
  another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
  cleanses us from all sin.

• V 7 Conditional promises
• Walk (keep on walking) in the light
• Fellowship (continue in fellowship) with Christ
• Blood cleanses (continues to cleanse) from sin

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Automatic Grace

• 1 John 18-9 - 8If we say that we have no sin, we
  deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
  9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
  to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
  unrighteousness.

• V 8 We are sinners
• To claim otherwise makes us a liar
• V 9 If we confess our sins
• Here is the catch to the continued cleansing of
  v. 7

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Automatic Grace

• 1 John 110 - 10If we say that we have not
  sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not
  in us.

• V 10 Claiming that we have no sin to confess -
  -
• Makes God a liar
• His word is not in us
• We will not be saved if we refuse to confess our
  sins

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Grace and Faith

• Is Grace the only thing that concerns our
  salvation?
• If Yes all will be saved Titus 211
• But what about faith? Does it have any impact on
  our salvation? Mark 1616
• Romans 52 - through whom also we have access by
  faith into this grace in which we stand, and
  rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

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Grace and Faith

• Food will satisfy hunger If we eat
• Water will quench thirst If we drink
• Grace will save If we accept in faith
• Here are some passages that teach the connection
  of grace and obedience
• Romans 15 - Through Him we have received grace
  and apostleship for obedience to the faith among
  all nations for His name,

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Grace and Faith

• Romans 26-10 - 6who will render to each one
  according to his deeds 7eternal life to those
  who by patient continuance in doing good seek for
  glory, honor, and immortality 8but to those who
  are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but
  obey unrighteousnessindignation and wrath,
  9tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man
  who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the
  Greek 10but glory, honor, and peace to everyone
  who works what is good, to the Jew first and also
  to the Greek.

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Grace and Faith

• 1 Timothy 416 - Take heed to yourself and to the
  doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you
  will save both yourself and those who hear you.
• Titus 116 - They profess to know God, but in
  works they deny Him, being abominable,
  disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

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Grace and Faith

• Titus 211-12 - 11For the grace of God that
  brings salvation has appeared to all men,
  12teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
  worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
  righteously, and godly in the present age,
• Titus 38a - This is a faithful saying, and these
  things I want you to affirm constantly, that
  those who have believed in God should be careful
  to maintain good works.

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Grace and Faith

• Hebrews 59 - And having been perfected, He
  became the author of eternal salvation to all who
  obey Him,
• Hebrews 1024 - And let us consider one another
  in order to stir up love and good works,
• Hebrews 1215 - looking carefully lest anyone
  fall short of the grace of God lest any root of
  bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by
  this many become defiled

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Grace and Faith

• Hebrews 1316 - But do not forget to do good and
  to share, for with such sacrifices God is well
  pleased.
• James 121-22 - 21Therefore lay aside all
  filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and
  receive with meekness the implanted word, which
  is able to save your souls. 22But be doers of the
  word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

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Grace and Faith

• James 214 - What does it profit, my brethren, if
  someone says he has faith but does not have
  works? Can faith save him?
• James 220 - But do you want to know, O foolish
  man, that faith without works is dead?
• James 222 - Do you see that faith was working
  together with his works, and by works faith was
  made perfect?

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Grace and Faith

• James 226 - For as the body without the spirit
  is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
• 1 Peter 117 - And if you call on the Father, who
  without partiality judges according to each ones
  work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of
  your stay here in fear

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Grace and Faith

• 1 Peter 122 - Since you have purified your souls
  in obeying the truth through the Spirit in
  sincere love of the brethren, love one another
  fervently with a pure heart,
• All of these passages say we must be obedient.
• We are still accountable for our actions in this
  life.

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Grace Claims

• Oh well. Grace will cover that.
• Ephesians 17 has grace and forgiveness in the
  same sentence
• It is discussing the blood of Jesus
• NO VERSE TEACHES GRACE WILL COVER MY SINS.
• We must confess, repent, and change

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Grace Questions

• What about a person who sins right before they
  die?
• Will they be lost because they did not have time
  to repent?
• Wont grace cover that?
• Answer What God does with that sin will be up to
  Him. We are not to able to judge the intent of
  anothers heart. God knows if that person would
  repent if given the opportunity.

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Grace Questions

• This issue is like the old dodge for baptism. A
  person on the way to be baptized and a tree falls
  on him.
• Will he be saved? I dont know But God knows
  the intent of his heart.

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Grace Claims

• Grace will take care of my shortcomings.
• Grace is Gods generous offer of eternal life,
  forgiveness, salvation
• There are things required to accept that gift
• Grace is NOT automatic cleansing