The Conditions of God’s Grace
2003026
Topic # 279 (grace)
Introduction:
A.
Salvation is a gift
from God. Rom. 6:23b; Eph. 2:8
1.
It = a gift
available to all men – Titus 2:11-12.
2.
But…salvation is
conditional because not all will be saved.
B.
There are those
who feel if grace has any conditions – then grace is no longer grace.
1.
This line of
thinking does not square w/biblical teaching.
2.
Yes…we’re aware
of Eph. 2:8. This = true
statement; God said it so it is so.
C.
Eph. 2:4-10
1.
2:6 – “us”
here is both Jew & Gentile. Jew/Gentile are now together in Jesus Christ.
2.
2:6 – God’s
rich mercy extended through Jesus Christ.
3.
2:7-10
I. Grace
begins with God.
A.
God is a God of
mercy and a God of justice.
1.
These attributes
are not contradictory.
2.
Justice of God
demands payment for sin.
a)
Rom. 3:9, 23
– all have sinned
b)
2 Tim. 1:9-10
– God planned to give us redemption through Christ.
B.
“Grace” must be
understood in its proper context.
1.
Grace is the mercy of God extended to fallen man.
a)
We’ve fallen not
because Adam sinned; but because we’ve individually sinned.
b)
We stand
condemned on the basis of our own sins.
c)
B/c of this, God
planned to make redemption possible.
2.
Jesus came to die
& redeem us; to “buy us back.”
3.
The means of
redemption is a gift of God.
4.
But yet, some
believe Grace must be w/o any conditions whatsoever. Is grace w/o condition? Certainly not. Here’s why:
II. Faith is a condition.
A.
What is
faith? Are we saved by faith only?
1.
Faith involves a
fact; witness to the fact; the witness testifying to the fact – then
there can be belief.
a)
the fact is
something we have not seen, but we believe it based on testimony:
b)
heaven –
prove it – faith
c)
miracles –
prove it – faith
d)
resurrection
– prove it – faith
e)
we believe it
because it has been confirmed – Heb. 2:3-4
2.
Faith is
something man does. Faith is a
response on our part!
B.
Faith can express
itself in a number of ways.
1.
Salvation is by
faith. God has a perfect right to
tell us “where” in our faith our sins are forgiven.
2.
Remember these
important things:
a)
MEANS of
salvation is in Christ
b)
OPERATION of salvation
is forgiveness
c)
CONDITION of
receiving that blessing is faith.
3.
Paul says we are justified by faith. Rom. 5:1
a)
it is a response
of man to the word – Rom. 10:17
b)
10:13 – one
who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
c)
10:14 –
faith is expressed in our actions.
1)
We can hear &
believe and call on the name of the Lord to be saved.
C.
Does God promise
remission of sin when a man first agrees that he is in need of salvation
– then believes Jesus is the remedy?
1.
No.
2.
But there are a
number of passages that suggest that remission of sin comes at the point of
baptism.
3.
Does this mean
baptism “merits’ or earns salvation? No. Salvation by grace.
4.
Remember, gift of
Jesus is God’s MEANS of redemption.
III. A look at Jericho.
A.
Salvation comes
at the point where God says it comes.
B.
There are
examples in Scriptures of God doing something for those who have faith.
1.
Heb. 11:30
2.
How did faith
express itself w/Joshua & the Israelites?
3.
Was there
something that could only happen by God’s power? If so, at what point in their submission to God did it come?
C.
Josh 6:1-2
1.
City was a ‘gift”
from God.
2.
But at the end of
6:2 do they “have “the city yet?
a)
Are the walls
still standing? Yes
b)
Are the gates
still closed? Yes
c)
Are the
Israelites still outside the city? Yes
3.
But yet…God said I have given the city into your hands.
a)
What does I have given mean?
b)
God had made
“this available” to them.
c)
6:3-5 – he
tells them HOW they could have it.
4.
All of this is
included in the gift of God’s grace.
5.
Is the method in
6:3-5 a conventional means of taking a city? You cannot make a wall fall this way – w/o God!
D.
God made the
walls fall.
1.
Just the act of
walking around those walls did not cause them to fall.
2.
Neither does
“just” the act of baptism cause our sins to be forgiven.
3.
The act per se is
not the means….but the act must be based on faith.
4.
God made the wall
fall – Josh 6:12-16
a)
Joshua a
believer; a man of great faith.
b)
Seen here in his
leadership in inspiring them to follow God’s instructions.
c)
6:20 – God
gave them the city & they “took it.”
d)
Free will here
– gift offered – they CHOSE to take advantage of it.
E.
What about
“earning” our salvation? Is this
what we’re implying?
1.
No. Faith; repentance; confession; baptism
DO NOT MERIT salvation.
2.
These are God’s conditions
– established by God at which point He gives us salvation from sin.
3.
In this case
– a gift from God is conditional.
F.
Isn’t this what
happened at Jericho?
1.
By power of God
walls of Jericho fell.
2.
But they fell
when the people did what God told them to do.
3.
Heb. 11:30
– it was done by faith.
IV. A look at Naaman.
A.
2 Kings 5:1-5
– had leprosy. Goes to
Israel to be cured.
1.
5:8 –
Elisha through a servant – tells him to dip 7 times in Jordan.
2.
5:9-11 –
went away mad
3.
5:13 –
reaction of servants
4.
5:14 – dips
himself 7 times & flesh restored.
B.
Something in the
water that cured him of leprosy? Yes! Naaman!
1.
No curative power
in silt or water.
2.
Naaman had to get
into water; follow God’s instructions. THEN God removed his leprosy.
C.
Action was a gift
from God – but that gift of God was available to Him only when Naaman met
conditions God placed upon the matter.
1.
Naaman met these
conditions by faith.
2.
At what point in
the faith was his leprosy removed?
3.
When he did what
God told him to do.
4.
He was healed by
grace – but grace had its conditions.
V., Something important to consider:
A. The means of salvation is of God.
1.
Too often we fail
to appreciate the fact that salvation is a gift of God.
2.
Salvation
something God provides – God is the giver.
3.
He gave Jesus to
die on the cross for our sins.
B.
This is the basic
fact.
1.
We sometimes need
to stress more the fact we are sinners & there is nothing we could do in
and of ourselves that could merit or earn our salvation.
2.
We’re not negating
obedience to God.
3.
Just that we need
to put things in proper perspective.
4.
The means is of
God – the conditions are something man must measure up to.
a) We meet the conditions, but do not
provide the means.
5.
Salvation only
possible because of the love of God expressed through the death of Jesus on the
cross.
VI. The Nature of the conditions:
A.
God wants us to trust
Him completely.
1.
He wants us to
trust His way, not our own.
2.
1 Cor. 1:21-24
– He wants us to accept the foolishness of the message.
B.
Rom. 1:16 –
power of God to save is the gospel.
1.
Obeying gospel
involves trust in God.
2.
we must believe
in Him w/all our heart
a)
Then faith must
express itself – this is where the condition of faith comes in.
b)
There must be an
absolute trust in God before faith can be valid.
C.
God-given
conditions must absolutely be met.
1.
Jericho –
if children of Israel stopped marching – or had they refused to shout
– they would not have received the city.
2.
Took city only
when they met all the conditions EXACTLY as God had given them.
3.
This is how
important true faith is – we lack faith in God when we are unwilling to
trust His word about the conditions He has set.
D.
Must understand
that grace & love are expressed in the way God sees fit.
1.
Who am I to argue
w/God?
2.
Who am I to
question His wisdom?
3.
Who am I to say
“I don’t like your way God…”
4.
Hab. 2:20
5.
We must let God
say what He wants to say – and do what He says.
Conclusion:
A.
Means of
salvation is Christ
B.
OPERATION of
salvation is forgiveness.
C.
CONDITION of
receiving that blessing is faith.
D.
2 Tim. 1:9-10
– gift of Christ is grace!
E.
We are called to
believe in Him so fully & so completely that we will submit to Him.
1.
Each has a free
will – accept or reject…
2.
He wants us to
give ourselves to Him.
a)
to give up self
b)
To become wholly
enamored w/Jesus Christ.
c)
To be ready to
serve Him.
3.
When we are
humbled & penitent then we are ready to be saved by grace.
F.
When we repent;
confess; and are baptized for remission of sin then we will be saved because
the Lord said one is saved that way.
G.
Mk. 16:16
1.
Salvation or
Damnation?
2.
Easier to be
damned than saved. Lost? Just disbelieve.
3.
Saved? Must listen to what God says.
4.
Says: March
around city?
5.
Says: dip 7 times
in Jordan?
6.
Says: repent
& be baptized….do exactly that!
H.
Remission of sin
is promised to those who meet God’s conditions. Have you?
I.
I N V I T A T I O
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