GOD’S GRACE! PART 3.

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY AUGUST 28, 2023.

SUBJECT : GOD’S GRACE! PART 3.

Memory verse: “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4.) 

READ: Romans 6 vs 1 - 2; Galatians 5 vs 4; Titus 2 vs 11 - 13:

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

6:2: Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer it?

Galatians 5:4: You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

Titus 2:11: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

2:12: teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in the present age,

2:13: looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

INTIMATION: 

Grace teaches us that in view of the love of God for us through the cross, it is reasonable that we should naturally respond to God’s will with the totality of our lives. When we understand all that God has done for us through the cross, then our hearts respond with gratitude to God for His saving grace. 

The motivation of the Christian is based on the grace of God. Therefore, only those who have hearts of gratitude are deserving of the eternal kingdom of heaven. When one’s life is controlled by thanksgiving and gratitude, he develops skills by which he can continually dwell with others. He looks for opportunities to help others because God has helped him. He is thus, mentally prepared for heavenly dwelling. 

We are taught to live godly. Since the grace of God has been manifested to all men, then it is God’s desire that all men obediently respond to His will.. When one truly understands the grace of God, he will respond in thanksgiving for all that God has done through Christ. Our motivation to please God is not because we are trying to legally justify ourselves before God, and thus put God in debt to reward with heaven. 

We must not turn grace into lascivious living. If sin magnifies the righteousness of God to act through grace, then some erroneously assumed that sin would result in more grace. Some were assuming that grace would cover their willful violation of law. Others possibly thought that they could be slack in their Christian duties, believing that God’s grace would save them in their laziness. 

The freedom we have in grace is not a license to sin. Christians have been set free from law and sin by God’s grace, but they have not been set free to sin against the law. On the contrary, law is established by our thankful response to grace. Those who died to sin were those who were seeking a solution for sin. The solution they found was the grace of God. It is not reasonable, therefore, that they should go back into that from which they were delivered.

Grace establishes law. Law is established in the life of the one who walks in gratitude for the grace of God. Law is established because the obedient son cries out “Abba Father” in his realization that he cannot direct his own paths. He thus cries out for the guidance of the Father. The Father responds with direction, and thus, law is brought into the life of the one who responds by faith in the grace of God. 

We can fall from grace. if one returns to a system of justification by perfect law-keeping and meritorious deeds, then he is alienated from Christ. He is cut off from the grace of God. By perfect performance of law no one can be justified before God. All who would seek to supplement the grace of God through works of law or meritorious deeds are fallen from the grace of God. 

We don’t need to live any longer under sin’s power. The penalty of sin and its power over us  were miraculously destroyed on the cross. Through faith in Christ we stand acquitted or not guilty, before God. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots—we will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we became Christians, we were dead in sin and were slaves to our sinful nature. But now we are alive with Christ.

Prayer: Abba Father, Abba Father, thank You Everlasting and Merciful Lord for Your unmerited favor bestowed upon me through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for my salvation. My utmost heart desire is to serve You acceptably all the days of my life, and I trust that only You can empower me to do so by Your grace, imake all grace abound toward me, that I will always have all sufficiency in all things, and have an abundance for every good work in doing Your will, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!