The idea of this study on grace is to give the reader an understanding on the grace of God and its importance to the believer.
Acts 15:1-11
1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. (KJV)
In the book of Acts a problem surfaced among the earily church by the Jews saying that the Gentile converts to Christianity needed to be circumcised and keep the law. Peter told those who were assembled at Jerusalem after much disputing, that God had purified the Gentiles hearts by their faith in Jesus Christ.
Peter further argues that a yoke (speaking of both the law and of circumcision) should not be put upon the Gentile believers which neither those assembled, nor their fathers could keep, stating "that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."
It's through grace that we shall be saved. So what is grace? Grace simply put is a favor done without expectation of return. The loving-kindness of God to men, finding its only motive in the free-giving, freeheartedness of the Giver. The merciful kindness by which God turns sinful man to Christ, keeping, strengthening, and increasing him in the Christian faith, knowledge, and affection, which kindles him to the exercise of the Christian virtues.
Grace can be found in the heart of a loving father whose son left him and took his inheritance with him, only to squander it on riotous living. When the son's pockets were empty and he was cast out in the streets, came to his senses and seen the fruit of his doings, was exceedingly sorrowful and thought within himself, my father's workers have it better than this, I will go to my father and tell him that I am not worthy to be called your son and work with his workers. But when the son was about home the father seen him afar off and ran to his son, hugging and kissing him with tears. The father was overjoyed to see his son return that he freely received him despite all that he had done, because his son who once was lost in sin, turned from his ways seeing that they were not good, and humbly came to his father who received him graciously.
Lk 15:11-32
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy ommandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. (KJV)
We ourselves are not worthy to be called sons of God, because of the fact that there are none righteous, no, not one, (Rom.3:10). We are all dead in our sins, therefore we are not worthy to be called the sons of a holy God. But God, who is rich in mercy, has made us to sit with Christ in heavenly places. What have we done to earn such an honor? NOTHING! It's not our going to church on Sundays; or reading our Bibles, or all the good deeds we do for others. For it is by Gods grace(unmerited favor) and not by anything that we have done, that we obtain salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. It is this wonderful gift given to us by God that we should boast in alone.
Eph 2:4-10
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (KJV)
This same grace for which we have obtained salvation through Christ is also the very thing that teaches us and enables us to say no to outward ungodly activities and no to inward ungodly desires. Why do we now desire to live godly by the grace of the Almighty God? Because of the hope which he has given us. The hope of the second coming of Jesus, were we will meet him in the air and our mortal bodies will take on immorality (1 Cor. 15:50-57). Therefore be zealous of good works, oh bride of Christ.
Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (KJV)
We have learned that grace is the loving-kindness of God to men, by which God turns sinful man to Christ, delivering them from their sin, and gives salvation, i.e. eternal life to all who receive this gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Not only that, but grace also teaches us to deny sinful desires, perfecting His holiness in us.
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