GRACE

Our Great Need of Grace

Grace- the free unmerited love and favor of God

We need grace because of our great depravity.

We have seen that all of us are born in sin and are by nature spiritually dead. We have wicked and evil hearts. We have a defiled mind and conscience. Our wills are enslaved to sin and Satan. We are incapable of doing any good. We are incapable of understanding or accepting spiritual truth. Our righteous deeds are filthy. We don’t seek God, but we run from Him. We are sinners and lawbreakers. We are God haters.

We need grace because we can’t earn our salvation.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 4:4 “Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.”

Romans 11:6 “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

Characteristics of Grace

Grace is an undeserved gift.

See Titus 3:3-5...

Grace is a free gift.

Romans 3:23–24 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

Grace is an eternal gift.

2 Timothy 1:9 “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”

Grace is a sovereign gift.

Exodus 33:19 “And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”

The Undeserved Favor of God

From death to life

See Ephesians 2:4-5...

From sinners to saints

Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 1:7 “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

From enemies to dear children

Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

John 1:12 “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” (See Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:15)

From weak and helpless to fully equipped

Romans 5:6 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Matthew 9:36 “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”

From alienated to reconciled

Colossians 1:21–22 “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”

From a depraved mind to the mind of Christ

Romans 1:28 “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”

1 Corinthians 2:16 ““For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

From a desperately sick heart of stone to a brand new heart of flesh

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

See Ezekiel 36:25-27...

From rags to riches

Revelation 3:17 “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,”

Set Your Hope Fully On His Grace

We are called to trust fully in His grace.

1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

See Hebrews 12:1–2...

Grace From Beginning to End

God chooses and predestines us.

Ephesians 1:4–5 “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,”

Christ seeks us.

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””

God calls us.

2 Timothy 1:9 “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”

The Spirit convicts us.

John 16:8 “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:”

The Father draws us.

John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

God causes us to be born again.

1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

God grants us repentance.

Romans 2:4 “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

Acts 11:18 “When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.””

2 Timothy 2:25 “correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,”

God gives us faith.

See Ephesians 2:8...

Philippians 1:29 “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,”

Romans 12:3 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

Christ redeems and forgives us.

Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”

Christ justifies us.

Romans 3:24 “and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

Christ sanctifies us.

Hebrews 10:10 “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Christ intercedes for us.

Hebrews 7:25 “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

The Father, Son, and Spirit keep us.

See John 10:27-29...

Ephesians 1:13 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,”

1 Peter 1:5 “who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

God will glorify us.

See Romans 8:29–30...

We are His workmanship.

See Ephesians 2:10...

Salvation Belongs to the Lord

These truths are why Scripture repeatedly says that salvation belongs to the Lord.

Jonah 2:9 “But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!””

Psalm 3:8 “Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah”

See Psalm 37:39-40...

See Revelation 7:9-10...

See Revelation 4:9-11...