Wrestling with the Grace of God

1. Read: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

2. About the Text:

1) Some read the verses in Ephesians 2:8-10 and stop.

2) The Bible’s teaching on grace is extensive.

3) Men feeling an elephant illustration.

4) We must consider the fuller picture if we want to understand God’s grace.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. It Cost the Father His Son

1) John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Salvation originated with the Father.

2) Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

2. It Cost the Son His Riches and His Life

1) 2 Corinthians 8:9 – “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”

2) Philippians 2:8 – “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” He came to serve (Philippians 2:5-11) and to bring salvation through His death (Hebrews 9:11-15).

3. If we receive it, God wants our heart.

1) “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” (Matthew 22:37).

2) “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2:29).

4. Key line: Grace is not cheap, but it is free.

1. It Is the Gift of God, Not of Works

1) Nothing we can do can earn or salvation so that God owes it to us.

a. Isaiah 64:6 – “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.”

b. Jeremiah 10:23 – “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

c. Luke 17:10 – “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

2) Christianity is the only religion in the world where salvation is by grace through faith.

a. Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

b. All other world religions have a system of salvation by merit by which man may glory.

c. 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 – “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.””

2. It Is Given Abundantly Through Jesus Christ

1) “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16). Jesus is grace personified.

2) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

3. It’s End is Eternal Life.

1) “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom.5:20-21).

2) Titus 3:7 – “that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7).

4. Key line: Grace is gracious because God gives even when He knows we can’t give back.

1. It is made available for all, but not all will be saved. Why?

1) “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.” (Titus 2:11-12).

a. Why aren’t all men saved if God’s grace has been given freely to all?

b. Men may accept or reject it based on his response to the gospel.

2) “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1).

2. Salvation through Grace Is Received Through Obedient Faith

1) “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

2) “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

3) “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).

4) Baptism is not a work of merit: it is passive (Acts 2:38) and God does the work (Colossians 2:11-13—faith in the working of God).

5) God’s grace does not exclude obedience.

3. It Can Be Lost – A Christian Can Fall from Grace

1) “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4).

2) “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb.12:15).

3) “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” (Hebrews 10:26, See also 2 Peter 2:20-21.)

4) “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). Grace is not a pretext to sin.

5) “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).

6) Key line: These works do not earn our salvation, but they are necessary to salvation.

1. We wrestle with God’s grace because…

1) Grace is Costly

2) Grace is Complimentary

3) Grace is Conditional

2. Invitation

Tags: Wrestling with God Wrestling with the Grace of God