Full of Grace

[Recap]

The overflow of blessing from God by not judging others and being quick to forgive - which is the practical result of being loved and shown mercy from God.

This is what we were made for! To be free to love others without condemning judgment. Giving the unsurpassable worth to every person. This is the overflow of life from God’s own life. It is God’s love overflowing in you and through you.

We join the dance of love in the Trinity.

We must remember, that in order to accomplish this, we cannot fix or change people. Our withholding love and giving shame or threats in order to get people to change is to show that our ultimate trust is in ourselves and not in God!

When we don’t simply trust God to change others, we effectively claim that our ability to shame, intimidate, and manipulate people into change is greater than God’s transforming Spirit of Grace.

The answer is God’s grace, receive the overflow of it and share it with yourself and others.

A Woman Not Condemned.

John 8:2-11 CSB

“At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them. 3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center.

4 “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.

Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. 10 When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”

Brief Exposition

They would but could not. He could but would not.

Notice, the “no condemnation” comes before the “go and sin no more.”

The gift of no condemnation is the grace of God that empowers us to a different life. It is the power of the Spirit that is working in us a transformation so that in the end we will be in the image of Christ. He condemned the sin and not the sinner (Augustine In John 33.6). But more than that, he called her to a new life. The gospel is not only the forgiveness of sins, but a new quality of life that overcomes the power of sin

God wants us to live in the Overflow of His grace with a life of no condemnation. Here is how...

Overflow of Grace

Romans 5:12-21 CSB

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned. 13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression. He is a type of the Coming One.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ overflowed to the many. 16 And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification. 17 If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

18 So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is justification leading to life for everyone. 19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Exposition

Comparison between the First Man - Adam & the Second Man / Last Adam - Jesus

The First Man

Adam was the first-formed model for humanity. A corporate representative. The one through whom sin entered.

(We cannot point the finger at Adam in self-righteous innocence, for we share in his guilt. And it is because we sinned in Adam that we die today.)

Sin is universal, we confirm the sin of Adam, acting like little Adams ourselves. (“Because all sinned”)

The Law

Death was reigning without any specific command.

Sin was still there, present and lurking within humankind, yet without a law there is no “transgression.”

The Law did not make things better in history, it actually made things worse for man. It greatly increased our guilt and responsibility with knowledge and awareness.

Paul said, “The Law has increased the trespass,” - not erased it or eased it or neutralized it. It simply intensified the seriousness of sin. It showed itself to be an act of war and rebellion against a good and wise creator God. In a sense - the Law radicalizes the human condition of depravity because of Adam’s sin.

Why would God give this to Israel? Because in truth, it is God’s law and a gift to Israel

The Law acted as a mirror, it could not help them or change them. It could only expose them and increase the guilt.

Romans 3:20 “20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.”

That is why the answer to our situation was not more knowledge of right and wrong. Sin and death were still reigning before and after the “right and wrong” came. The problem was far worse and far deeper. It took a Savior.

John 1:17 “17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

Romans 8:1–3 “1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,”

Romans 6:14 “14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

The point Paul is making - Adam’s sin and the death that came by it was reigning before the Law came.

The Second Adam, how they are different

Adam sought divinity, Jesus humbled himself to shameful execution on a cross.

Adam, by seeking a greater life, brought death, whereas Jesus by dying brought life.

Just as Adam brought sin, Jesus brings true righteousness

Jesus is superior to Adam and Paul repeatedly stresses “grace” and “free gift” 10 times in 5 verses.

In other words, the terrible power and work of sin and death that was introduced by Adam is completely and utterly overwhelmed and covered and undone by power and efficacy of Christ’s work.

We deserve the condemnation, it is just and right to be condemned - it is an equivalent ruling for our sin. But our justification - being made right with God - is infinitely greater than what we deserve.

Paul said, “where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more.”

Sin - epleonasen (increase) | grace - hypereperisseusen [hoo-per-eh-per-iss-yoo-sen] (to abound beyond - abounding more than abundantly) Overflowed Beyond Measure.

At the cross of Jesus, we see the worst that sin can do in crucifying the Creator. We also see that the most sin can do - cannot thwart God’s salvation. At the cross, grace overwhelms sin and life triumphs over death.

The Second Adam, how they are the same

They both brought something, resulting in something, and making us something.

Sin brought condemnation, but the gift brought justification

The result of one trespass was condemnation, but the result of one act of righteousness was justification

Through the disobedience of the one man, the man were made sinners; but through the obedience of the one man, the many will be made righteous.

Jesus, as our representative, did not only pay the penalty of Adam’s sin, the penalty of sins we ourselves committed individually, but also merited for us righteousness unto eternal life.

He took the punishment (no more punishment left) and Grace is such that - we are rewarded for His perfect obedience to God’s Law.

You will now and forever always get the very best of God because Jesus earned it for you.

Further:

Christ’s act of obedience reverses and more than cancels the effect of Adam’s disobedience… We are better off than Adam was in the Garden. Adam lived with the possibility and potential of becoming unrighteous, for us that potential is no more. Judgment has passed - conditioned on continuing to trust God.

Am I good with God, right now? How good with God am I?

The problem with measuring ourselves, is:

Our measurement is never correct.

It always deals with a less or more barometer.

The answer usually fails by ending up in one extreme or another.

Truth:

The gospel tells us: Apart from Christ, you are more sinful than you ever dared believe

The gospel tells us: In Christ you are more accepted, forgiven, and righteous than you ever dared hope.

Our boast is in Christ.

To forget these two sides of tension is to live in liberalism of doing and living whatever way you want - no need to change. Or live in legalism where your relationship is a roller coaster of performance.

It is not our lavish good deeds that procure our relationship with God. It’s His love, you can relax with God.

“Surely, if the angels are so astonished at God’s mercy to you, and do even shout with joy and admiration at the sight of God’s grace to you, you yourself, on whom this grace is bestowed, have much more reason to shout.”

- Jonathan Edwards.

Practically Speaking -

“Why should we be unwilling to do for others what has been done for us by God, of whose blessings we are far less worthy than anyone can be of our help? Since God has been friendly and kindly disposed toward us in bestowing upon us his loving kindness, let us conduct ourselves similarly toward our neighbors, even if they are undeserving, for we too are undeserving.” - Martin Luther

So, we can forgive ourselves...

Self-condemnation can become a spiritual trap that actually distances you from God’s grace.

Refusing to forgive yourself will also create a barrier to extend forgiveness to others.

The core issue (regarding not forgiving yourself) is whether you’ve truly internalized that God’s forgiveness is free, unmerited, and unconditional—and your rejection of that self-forgiveness contradicts Christ’s work on the cross.

The disappointment you feel towards yourself is not from God—how could God be disappointed when he knows you completely and forgives you anyway?

Even Peter and Paul, Apostles of Jesus, had to learn to forgive themselves. Once you grasp the extent of God’s overflow of grace towards you - his unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor, you lose the right to withold it from anyone, including yourself.

Christian Psychological research actually shows that though some may abuse this idea of self-forgiveness, genuine self-forgiveness leads to deeper God-seeking behavior.

And we can extend grace to difficult people...

How?

It begins by recognizing that others behavior reflects their own struggles, not your worth. You can choose to not take it personally.

Maintain genuine care about them and their relationship with God, remembering that though you cannot change them - God can.

Grace always moves beyond being passive, it is active compassion. Jesus modeled it by humbly serving rather than acting superior. We pray for them, respond with patience and kindness. Praying the Spirit would transform our own hearts and remembering that you need the same grace they do.

Send encouraging notes, speak well of them to others (especially when they are not around), instead of avoidance, be warm to them. Keep boundaries where necessary yet don’t quit on them, help with their struggles if possible.

Romans 5:17 “If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.