By Grace for Works
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Recap: Sunday Message—Standing in Freedom
Recap: Sunday Message—Standing in Freedom
Refusing the yoke of the law…
Key Point:
JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS & JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH = MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE as APPROACHES to GOD…
BUT FAITH & WORKS = INSEPARABLE in the LIFE of the BELIEVER…
Left Off:
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Works are good...even a necessary fruit of salvation.
➡ WORKS — NOT — BASIS of OUR SALVATION
➡ WORKS — NOT — GROUNDS of OUR HOPE
➡➡ **DOESN’T MEAN THEY AREN’T IMPORTANT**
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Focus: Looking @ Relationship Between Grace & Works — Eph. 2…
READ: EPH. 2:1-10…
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Passage Reading:
Passage Reading:
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
(2:1-3) Our Plight Before Christ.
(2:4-7) God’s Grace in Christ
(2:8-10) God’s Work in Us Through Christ
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(2:1-3) Our Plight Before Christ.
(2:1-3) Our Plight Before Christ.
(V1) DEAD in TRESPASSES & SINS
(V2) -1st Problem… FOLLOWING WORLDLY PATTERNS
& 2nd… SATAN’S GUIDANCE
(V3) 3rd… LIVING ACCORDING to PASSIONS of the FLESH—SEPARATED from GOD—CHILDREN of WRATH.
Formerly: THIS is WHO ALL of US WERE!
(V3) PAUL MOVES from “YOU ALL” to “WE” — EVEN PAUL HIMSELF WAS THIS WAY!!
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Exhortation: Such Were Some of You
Exhortation: Such Were Some of You
Exhort: KEY TRUTH— THIS = the BELIEVER in CHRIST “FORMERLY” — “SUCH WERE SOME of YOU”
Relate: WE LIVE in a WORLD THAT HATES to HAVE SIN CALLED SIN—MAKES PEOPLE FEEL BAD…
CAN’T CURE a PROBLEM THAT ISN’T DIAGNOSED…
Illustration, Testimony: HEALTH PROBLEMS W.O. DIAGNOSIS—NO TREATMENT!
IF WE DON’T KNOW WE’RE SINNERS—WE WON’T KNOW OUR NEED for a SAVIOR!
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Focus: PAUL PRESENTS HUMAN PLIGHT…
DEAD in SIN
3 MAJOR FORCES AGAINST US
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Transition ➡ Good News!! DEAD in SIN = NOT the END of the STORY:
transitions… from OUR PLIGHT WITHOUT CHRIST… to GOD’S SOLUTION in CHRIST…
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(2:4-7) God’s Grace in Christ
(2:4-7) God’s Grace in Christ
BUT GOD…
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
GOD’S CONFOUNDING LOVE— TAKING SINNERS INTO HIS FAMILY!!
Testimony: PERSON READING PROPHETS—SHOCKED W/ GOD’S LOVE.
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GOD = RICH in MERCY
GOD HAS GREAT LOVE TOWARDS US
GOD MAKES US ALIVE—EVEN WHEN WE’RE SEPARATED FROM HIM…
** GOD DOESN’T SAVE the DESERVING **
-=> BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED!
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EVEN MORE: (V6)
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
WE’RE GRANTED CHRIST’S POSITION— SEATED W/ HIM in HEAVENLY PLACES…
OUR PRESENT REALITY THAT WILL BE REALIZED in the FUTURE
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(V7) GOD DID ALL THIS… SO THAT—HE COULD SHOW OFF HIS GRACE.
(V7) GOD DID ALL THIS… SO THAT—HE COULD SHOW OFF HIS GRACE.
7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
The Focus of this Passage: GOD DID ALL THIS—TO SHOW OFF HIS GRACE.
**YOU CANNOT BE SEEN as GRACIOUS WITHOUT ACTION**
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God’s Grace:
IMMEASURABLE — FAR SURPASSING
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. ὑπερβάλλω
to attain a degree that extraordinarily exceeds a point on a scale of extent, go beyond, surpass, outdo
FAR SURPASSING RICHES of HIS GRACE…
GOD SEEKS to DISPLAY HIS “OFF the CHARTS” GRACE — TOWARD US.
Exhort: THIS = ETERNAL KINDNESS! — AGES to COME !!
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Transition ➡ GOD’S GRACE in MIND— APOSTLE MAKES it CLEAR— CHRISTIAN LIFE is ALL of GRACE…
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(2:8-10) God’s Work in Us Through Christ
(2:8-10) God’s Work in Us Through Christ
EXPLAINING THIS—WE HIT OUR KEY SECTION:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
(v8) Grace is the basis for salvation.
(v8) Grace is the basis for salvation.
GRACE is the CAUSE/BASIS—FAITH is the MEANS BY WHICH WE RECEIVE IT…
➡➡ THIS DOES NOT MAKE FAITH MERITORIOUS… FAITH & WORKS are CONSISTENTLY CONTRASTED in PAUL.
BY GRACE WE HAVE BEEN SAVED— PERFECT TENSE (PAST TENSE W/ ONGOING RELEVANCE…)
Grammar: EVEN MORE— PASSIVE VERB—NOT SOMETHING WE DO!
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Understanding Salvation: Past, Present, Future
Understanding Salvation: Past, Present, Future
Exhort: A MOMENT in TIME—WHERE YOUR ETERNITY CHANGED…
FROM DOMAIN of DARKNESS ➡ KINGDOM of GOD’S BELOVED SON…
**WE YET AWAIT the FINAL VERDICT** — BUT the VERDICT is SECURE
**REF. “HOPE of RIGHTEOUSNESS” from SUNDAY… GAL. 5:5
5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
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THIS GRACE-BY-FAITH SALVATION = NOT OF OURSELVES — IT IS a FREE GIFT of GOD!!
(v9) NOT of WORKS!
Why? So no one may boast.
Result: I CAN ONLY BOAST in the GIVER…
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WHY CAN I NOT BOAST of MY WORKS?
2 REASONS…
#1 THEY DON’T GIVE ME CREDIT TOWARDS HEAVEN
#2 BECAUSE I AM HIS WORK
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
I AM MADE a NEW CREATION in CHRIST JESUS — BY GOD.
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CREATED FOR PURPOSE— GOOD WORKS…
WORKS— GOD PRE-PREPARED!!
Exhort: GOD HAD PLANS FOR ALL of US:
BEFORE WE WERE SAVED
BEFORE WE WERE CREATED
CHRISTIAN LIFE = JOURNEY of DISCOVERY— WHAT DOES GOD HAVE in MY PATH???
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(D.Q.) CAN ANYONE THINK of BIBLICAL EXAMPLES—GOD’S APPOINTMENT BEFORE BIRTH?
Biblical Examples:
Biblical Examples:
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,
David:
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
GOD HAD APPOINTED DAVID as KING—BEFORE HE EVER TOOK CARE of SHEEP—GOD KNEW.
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**GOD’S PRE-DESIGNED PLAN = TRUE for ALL IN CHRIST…
CHRISTIAN LIFE = JOURNEY of DISCOVERING WHAT GOD HAS US HERE FOR…
Encourage: YOUR LIFE MATTERS—YOU ARE HERE for a REASON—
reason: TO WALK IN GOD’S PRE-PREPARED GOOD WORKS for YOUR LIFE.
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(D.Q.): What makes a work “good?” — DONE for GOD’S GLORY
Encourage: IF GOD’S IN IT—HE’LL BRING it TO COMPLETION.
Testimony: Writing— Magazine: “GOD is ABLE”
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Takeaway: while we are not saved by works… we are saved for good works.
GRACE ISN’T a LICENSE for LAZINESS
IT MERELY ATTRIBUTES the GLORY to the GIVER,, NOT the RECEIVER…
… TO the CREATOR,, NOT the CREATED…
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Closing Encouragement: AS LONG as WE’RE HERE— SOMETHING for US to DO…
Testimony: Paul’s accident & Reagan’s accident—an apparent miracle.
Quote, Whitfield: We are immortal until our work on earth is done.
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Discussion:
Discussion:
What are some good works God has put before you?
**Encourage: Sometimes in an EFFORT to BE HUMBLE… WE ACTUALLY DOWNPLAY the WORK of GOD in OUR LIVES…
BUT OUR GOOD WORKS SHOULD BE SHARED — GLORIFY GOD…
Helpful reference: Look at Matthew 5 versus Matthew 6… and notice the difference: motive.
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Focus: RIGHTEOUS DEEDS AREN’T the PROBLEM...
THE MOTIVE of the HEART IS.
TO BE SEEN BY PEOPLE??? — NO REWARD.
RATHER—SEE GOOD WORKS — GIVE GLORY to FATHER in HEAVEN…
What are some good works God has put before you?
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Familiar Story: Regarding the Parable of the Sower (Turn to Matt. 13...)—WHAT DO YOU SEE — CONNECTION BETWEEN SOIL & FRUITFULNESS?? ALL BEAR GOOD FRUIT.
interesting note: SOME BEAR 100-FOLD,, SOME 60,, SOME 30… ALL BEAR GOOD FRUIT.
**NOT ALL BEAR 100-FOLD** — BUT ALL GENUINE BELIEVERS PRODUCE FRUIT.
SEED NEVER in QUESTION
GOOD SOIL RESPONDS APPROPRIATELY to GOOD SEED…
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Closing Questions/Thoughts??
!! Close in Prayer !!
