A Grace Filled Life

A Grace-filled Life

A Christian Life Is…

A Grace-filled Life

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Grace... Discussion question: What comes to your

mind when you see or hear the words the grace of God?

Above: “The grace of God” in Greek.

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The word “grace” The only Greek word translated “grace” in

the NT is (charis).

» Six times it means favor – Luke 1:30

“And the angel said unto her, ‘Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God.’”

» Five times it means thanks – 2 Corinthians 9:15

“Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.”

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the NT is (charis).

» Three times it means credit – Luke 6:32

“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.”

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the NT is (charis).

» Two times it means commendable (2) – 1 Peter 2:20

» “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer for it, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.”

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the NT is (charis).

» Two times it means gift – Romans 4:4» “Now to one who works, his wages are

not reckoned as a gift but as his due.”» It is also translated into 14 other words

once (each), including benefit, blessing, and gracious gift.

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the NT is (charis).

It’s helpful to notice how the word is translated in addition to “grace,” because this helps us understand the word.

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Definition Discussion Question: How would you define

“grace”?» Undeserved acceptance and love received from

another, especially the characteristic attitude of God in providing salvation for sinners. For Christians, the word “grace” is virtually synonymous with the gospel of God’s gift of unmerited salvation in Jesus Christ.

Holman Bible Dictionary

» A couple of key points in this definition…

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Definition How would you define “grace”?

» UndeservedUndeserved acceptance and love received from another, especially the characteristic attitude of God in providing salvation for sinners. For Christians, the word “grace” is virtually synonymous with the gospel of God’s giftGod’s gift of unmerited salvation in Jesus Christ.


If it were deserved, it wouldn’t be If it were deserved, it wouldn’t be a gift, it would be payment of a a gift, it would be payment of a

debt.debt.

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» Undeserved acceptance and love received from another, especially the characteristic attitudecharacteristic attitude of God in providing salvation for sinners. For Christians, the word “grace” is virtually synonymous with the gospel of God’s gift of unmerited salvation in Jesus Christ.


It is God’s nature that He It is God’s nature that He wantswants to to save us – 2 Peter 3:9.save us – 2 Peter 3:9.

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2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His

promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

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» Undeserved acceptance and love…God’s gift of unmerited salvation in Jesus Christ.

justice, mercy, propitiation, atonement, sanctification, and justification

» Divine grace is simply God giving us what we don’t deserve – and taking great joy in doing so.

» Related to grace – but different concepts:

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Making sense of it all In order to understand passages like

Ephesians 2:4-10…

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Ephesians 2:4-10

““But because of His great love for us, God, Who is But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”do.”

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Ephesians 2:4-10, we first need to discuss God’s mercy and justice.» Recall the suggestion that gracegrace is God giving us

what we don’t deserve.» By contrast, mercymercy is God not giving us what we

do deserve.» God’s justice demands the just penalty be paid for

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

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Ephesians 2:4-10, we first need to discuss God’s mercy and justice.» Recall the suggestion that gracegrace is God giving us

what we don’t deserve.» By contrast, mercymercy is God not giving us what we

do deserve.» God’s justice demands the just penalty be paid for

our sin – Romans 6:23.

»Yet God’s nature demands that He not extend grace without satisfying His justice!

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Eph 2:4-10, we first need to discuss God’s mercy and justice.

Discussion Question: Why not take the concept one step further – why can’t God just offer blanket amnesty?» If God offers us blanket amnesty instead of justice, it

would undermine the entire social and moral order.» How much restraint can we expect people to observe if

they are exempt from satisfying God’s requirements in any way?

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Eph 2:4-10, we first need to discuss God’s mercy and justice.

Why not take the concept one step farther – why can’t God just offer amnesty?» Just as God has bound Himself to consistency in the

laws of nature, He must also be consistent with the application of moral law.

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Ephesians 2:4-10, we first need to discuss God’s mercy and justice.

Why not take the concept one step farther – why can’t God just offer amnesty?

So… God extends both grace and mercy in ways that are consistent with His justice, as Paul writes in Romans 3:19-31.

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Romans 3:19-31 - Making sense of it all 19. Now we know that what things

soever the law says, it speaks to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:

20. because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

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Romans 3:19-31 - Making sense of it all 21. But now apart from the law a

righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22. even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction;

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Romans 3:19-31 - Making sense of it all 23. for all have sinned, and fall short of

the glory of God; 24. being justified freely by His grace

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25. Whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in His blood, to show His righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God;

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Romans 3:19-31 - Making sense of it all 26. for the showing, I say, of His

righteousness at this present season: that He might Himself be just, and the justifier of him that has faith in Jesus.

27. Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? Of works? Nay: but by a law of faith.

28. We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

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Romans 3:19-31 - Making sense of it all 29. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is

He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also:

30. if so be that God is one, and He shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.

31. Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law.

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Our need for justification What is justification, and why should we be

interested in it? In order for us to be justified, what do we

need? Mercy? Is that enough? Paul wrote that we have been “...justified

freely by His grace….” Let’s look further into Romans 3:24.

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“…justified freely…” The thought begins in verse 22:

“There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

So that’s the full thought, but let’s center in on verse 24…

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“…and are justified freelyfreely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

“…justified freely…”

Neatly sandwiched in between “justified” and “by His grace” is the adverb “freely”.

Such a simple word, yet a powerful modifier in this case.» The word literally means “gratuitously,” or

“without a cause”.

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Now that we have a better handle on mercy and justice, let’s get back to Ephesians 2:4-10 – especially verses 8-9:» “For it is by grace you have been saved, For it is by grace you have been saved,

through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”can boast.”

» Back to the word “grace” (Back to the word “grace” (charischaris) – it means ) – it means “gift.” So where do works come into the “gift.” So where do works come into the picture?picture?

Back to Ephesians 2

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The religion of “optional obedience” Ever hear the term “cheap grace”? What

does it mean? Quite the opposite of the idea of “cheap

grace,” God’s true grace is anything but cheap, and it teaches us to be obedient!

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Blessed Assurance How many times have you sung that without

really feeling it? The Word doesn’t require us to feel saved in

order to be saved…

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order to be saved, but

» we can know we’re saved (1 John 5:13)» “These things have I written unto you, that

you may know that you have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.”

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order to be saved, but» we can be confident in our salvation, even when we don’t

feel saved. (Hebrews 10:19-22)» “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the

holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which He dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having a great priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water….”

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Grace – a summary It’s God giving us something we don’t deserve –

eternal life. Mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve –

eternal damnation. God’s justice demands the penalty be paid for our

sin. We are obedient because of our love for God. We can feel confident of our salvation because it’s

based on Christ’s goodness, and not our own.

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A Grace Filled Life