Transforming Grace Lesson Two
LESSON TWO
INTRODUCTION: A study of the grace of God is a study in contrast, a contrast between the desperate plight of mankind and the abundant and gracious remedy God has provided for us through Christ Jesus.
Central Idea: In His infinite grace, God does not treat us as we deserve, but rather offers us forgiveness through faith in Christ. Christ removes our guilt and puts in its place His righteousness. The blessings we receive come to us through faith in Jesus Christ, not because of anything we have done!
I Examining Grace
Imagine that the next time you pray, you have to come into God’s presence based on your own merit. What would you be able to say that you accomplished? How does coming into God’s presence based on your own merits make you feel?
A The Measure of God’s Grace. (Eph 2:1-13)
By God’s grace, we are declared righteous before Him.
1 Our plight
We are all guilty before God – Condemned, vile, and helpless. God could, with total justice, have pronounced us all guilty, and condemned us to eternal damnation. He owed us nothing; we owed Him everything.
2 God’s provision
If you have trusted Christ as Savior, then all the expressions of God’s forgiveness given to us throughout scripture are true for you:
Ps 103:12 - Removed our sin as far as the East from the West.
Is 38:17 - He put them behind His back
Micah 7:19 - He hurled them into the depths of the sea.
Is 43:25 - He blotted them out of His record book.
Col 1:21-22 - He made us free from any accusation.
EPHESIANS 2: 1-13
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Our spiritual condition before Grace |
What God has provided by Grace |
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Dead |
Made alive (1, 5) |
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Bondage |
Made free through mercy (4) |
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Object of wrath |
Mercy (4) |
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Without Christ |
In Christ (14) |
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Aliens and strangers |
Made Nigh (13) |
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Hopeless |
Peace (14) |
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Without God in the world |
Access unto the Father (18) |
3 Grace’s plan (v 7-10)
a Display His kindness - Sanctification
b Delineate His Greatness - Salvation
c Demonstrate His graciousness - Service
B. The Misconceptions of God’s Grace.
Are you willing to believe this wonderful truth? Are you willing to lie by it today and throughout your life? You see, God saves us by grace and deals with us in this life by that same grace! Why, then, do we seem to live in spiritual poverty and not experience John 10:10.
1 Our misperception of God.
- Scrouge Syndrome. He has it all, demands every ounce of work, and then pays poorly!
2 Our misconception of our own goodness.
- Sinatra Syndrome. “I did it my way!” Now that I am saved, I have to pay my own way, and earn God’s daily blessing.
II Exploring Grace
A. What is Justification. Romans 3:23-26 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
1 God removes our guilt and places it on Christ
2 God takes Christ’s righteousness and gives it to us
What practical difference should that make in the way that we approach God?
Why do we not live in light of forgiveness?
-faulty emotion - We feel like we must suffer or pay!
-fragile volition - If I keep my guilt then I don’t have to change!
-failing cognition - We don’t know God well enough!
-fragmented relation - We don’t commune with God in regular conversation.
B What is ATONEMENT?
1 The Problem John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
2 The Provision 1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3 The Past Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
4 The Present Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
CONCLUSION: Perhaps the most difficult task for us to perform is to rely on God’s grace and God’s grace alone for our salvation. It is difficult for our pride to rest on grace. Grace is for other people – for beggars. We don’t want to live by a heavenly welfare system. We want to earn our own way and atone for our own sins. We like to think that we will go to heaven because we deserve to be there! - R.C. Sproul
This is true of salvation past, and is even more true of salvation present!!