grace
"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9 NIV
Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary defines grace as: The free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from Him, favorable influence of God; divine influence in renewing the heart and restraining from sin; the application of Christ's righteousness to the sinner; a state of reconciliation to God; mercy and pardon; eternal life; final salvation.
When man sinned God had to judge him because man had broken the righteous requirement of God's holy law. Because God is absolutely just He could not simply overlook sin. It had to be judged and just punishment had to be inflicted on the guilty. The Bible tells us that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Every man deserved death - eternal separation from God - because of his sin. However, God did not want man to suffer eternal damnation. Therefore God did the only thing that could be done to save man: He put the death penalty for sin on the only One in the universe who could take man's place - God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because Jesus died to pay the price for man's sin, anyone who believes in Him receives God's free gift of salvation. The believer will be saved by the unmerited love and favor of God through faith and not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
There was nothing in man that made him worthy of being saved. There was nothing man could do to make himself right with God. God provided the free gift of salvation because of His own character. It is God's nature to be gracious. The grace of God is freely given; it cannot be earned. There is absolutely nothing any man can do to make himself worthy of salvation. No amount of good works or effort on man's part can ever make him acceptable in God's sight. Only the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross could bring man back to God. A man who comes to God in the name of His Son Jesus Christ will be saved by the unmerited love and favor of God through faith in Jesus.
Because of this it is very important that we understand grace. If we don't we will lead very weak Christian lives trying to make ourselves acceptable to God, rather than simply receiving the acceptance we have already obtained from God through Jesus. Having our salvation resting only upon God's unmerited love and favor gives us great assurance. As Paul said, "Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and will deep conviction..." (1 Thessalonians 1:5). We have deep conviction through the gospel because our salvation is not based upon what we can do for God, but what God Himself did for us by His unmerited love and favor given in Christ Jesus. May we all enter fully into the glorious grace of God!
We are saved by unmerited love and favor of God
> The Bible says that all have _______________ and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
> Not only was man separated from God, but no one ____________ for God. Romans 3:11
> God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still _______________ Christ _________________ for us. Romans 5:8
> Jesus is full of _________________ and __________________, and from Him we have all received __________________________. John 1:14,16,17
> By _________________ we have been saved through faith, and that is not because of what we have done, it is the _____________ of God. Ephesians 2:8,9
> God has saved us and called us, not according to our works, but according to His own _____________ and _______________ which was given to us in Christ Jesus __________________. 2 Timothy 1:9
> We believe that through the _____________ of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be _______________________Acts 15:11
> We are justified ________________ by His ________________ through the redemption (re-purchase of captured goods or prisoners) that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24
We are to grow in the unmerited love and favor of God
> We are to ________________ in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18
> Grace is able to _________________ and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32
> It is good for our hearts to be ________________ by grace. Hebrews 13:9
>We are to be _____________ in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1
> We are to _______________ in the grace of God. Acts 13:43
> We are to be careful that no one __________________ of the grace of God. Hebrews 12:15
We are to continually live by the unmerited love and favor of God
> Through Jesus Christ, by faith we enter into _____________ in which we ________________ Romans 5:2
> If we receive the abundance of _____________ and the gift of righteousness we will ______________________ through Christ Jesus. Romans 5:17
> "__________________________ fully upon the grace that is to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed......" 1 Peter 1:13
> We are to come boldly to Jesus at the _______________________ to obtain mercy and ________________________ to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
> Jesus said, "My grace is _____________________ sufficient for you..."2 Corinthians 12:9
> I do not __________________ the grace of God, for if my righteousness comes through my keeping the law, then ______________________ Galatians 2:21
"Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." Hebrews 12:28
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Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary defines grace as: The free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from Him, favorable influence of God; divine influence in renewing the heart and restraining from sin; the application of Christ's righteousness to the sinner; a state of reconciliation to God; mercy and pardon; eternal life; final salvation.
When man sinned God had to judge him because man had broken the righteous requirement of God's holy law. Because God is absolutely just He could not simply overlook sin. It had to be judged and just punishment had to be inflicted on the guilty. The Bible tells us that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Every man deserved death - eternal separation from God - because of his sin. However, God did not want man to suffer eternal damnation. Therefore God did the only thing that could be done to save man: He put the death penalty for sin on the only One in the universe who could take man's place - God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because Jesus died to pay the price for man's sin, anyone who believes in Him receives God's free gift of salvation. The believer will be saved by the unmerited love and favor of God through faith and not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
There was nothing in man that made him worthy of being saved. There was nothing man could do to make himself right with God. God provided the free gift of salvation because of His own character. It is God's nature to be gracious. The grace of God is freely given; it cannot be earned. There is absolutely nothing any man can do to make himself worthy of salvation. No amount of good works or effort on man's part can ever make him acceptable in God's sight. Only the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross could bring man back to God. A man who comes to God in the name of His Son Jesus Christ will be saved by the unmerited love and favor of God through faith in Jesus.
Because of this it is very important that we understand grace. If we don't we will lead very weak Christian lives trying to make ourselves acceptable to God, rather than simply receiving the acceptance we have already obtained from God through Jesus. Having our salvation resting only upon God's unmerited love and favor gives us great assurance. As Paul said, "Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and will deep conviction..." (1 Thessalonians 1:5). We have deep conviction through the gospel because our salvation is not based upon what we can do for God, but what God Himself did for us by His unmerited love and favor given in Christ Jesus. May we all enter fully into the glorious grace of God!
We are saved by unmerited love and favor of God
> The Bible says that all have _______________ and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
> Not only was man separated from God, but no one ____________ for God. Romans 3:11
> God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still _______________ Christ _________________ for us. Romans 5:8
> Jesus is full of _________________ and __________________, and from Him we have all received __________________________. John 1:14,16,17
> By _________________ we have been saved through faith, and that is not because of what we have done, it is the _____________ of God. Ephesians 2:8,9
> God has saved us and called us, not according to our works, but according to His own _____________ and _______________ which was given to us in Christ Jesus __________________. 2 Timothy 1:9
> We believe that through the _____________ of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be _______________________Acts 15:11
> We are justified ________________ by His ________________ through the redemption (re-purchase of captured goods or prisoners) that is in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24
We are to grow in the unmerited love and favor of God
> We are to ________________ in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18
> Grace is able to _________________ and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32
> It is good for our hearts to be ________________ by grace. Hebrews 13:9
>We are to be _____________ in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1
> We are to _______________ in the grace of God. Acts 13:43
> We are to be careful that no one __________________ of the grace of God. Hebrews 12:15
We are to continually live by the unmerited love and favor of God
> Through Jesus Christ, by faith we enter into _____________ in which we ________________ Romans 5:2
> If we receive the abundance of _____________ and the gift of righteousness we will ______________________ through Christ Jesus. Romans 5:17
> "__________________________ fully upon the grace that is to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed......" 1 Peter 1:13
> We are to come boldly to Jesus at the _______________________ to obtain mercy and ________________________ to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
> Jesus said, "My grace is _____________________ sufficient for you..."2 Corinthians 12:9
> I do not __________________ the grace of God, for if my righteousness comes through my keeping the law, then ______________________ Galatians 2:21
"Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." Hebrews 12:28
Back to Foundations Class