GRACE
INTENTION:
Grace is God’s
provision for our everyday lives (hence why He gave us the ministry name: Provisions
of Grace).
Too often, I found
myself working for God, or working to live this Christian life. However, God’s Grace
has eliminated the need for me to abide by the Law. And likewise, is gifting me
the ability to live an Abundant Life. You and God are a team; and He will never
abandon you to be “on your own” to live this life. Moreso, you are His literal
child, and sibling to Jesus Christ. That’s how much He wants to care for you
and help meet your every need.
To quote Arthur
Meintjies: Christ did all the work, we get all the reward, God gets all the
Glory.
We need to see how
this applies to our life here and now, and what God has provisioned us to
succeed.
I.
TOPIC:
We want to look at God’s Grace. When you go through the
following scripture reading, focus on understanding what this Grace is from God
and Jesus Christ. The reading is a continuation of the scripture from Bible
Study Lesson 005 (starting at the end of Romans
5).
Of note about the scripture reading of Romans is that Paul
is writing to non-Jews who have an understanding of Mosaic Law (as having lived
with and amongst Jews; also living under strict Roman laws). Many Christians
have this same concept, either the laws of the land or an understanding of
Jewish Laws. However, unless you were a Jew before coming to Christ, the Mosaic
Law is not something we should know. We as ‘Greeks’ (non-Jews) have never been
under the Laws of Moses—NEVER! Moses gave them at a specific time-period for a
specific group of people; it never applied to the world as a whole. Moreso, the
Law ended at the Cross; thus no one since the Cross has been under the Law.
This is something I feel (directed at me too) that we must free ourselves from
thinking the Law was ever applied to us (me).
Yet, we can take Paul’s writing to the church in Rome in
context to the Law in these verses, but not let the Law become the focus—the
focus should be always on the accomplishment of God’s Grace and Christ’s Faith.
i.e., don’t focus on where it talks about ‘sin’ but focus on how sin has been
destroyed and reduced to naught, having been (and always being) overcome by
God’s Grace. Sin and the Law are not the topic of Romans, Grace and
Righteousness is—and our lives lived in this Grace and Righteousness!
Furthermore, His Grace (provision) is overabundantly given to us for our need
and the needs of others to go towards fulfilling His Will.
II.
READING:
Romans
5:18-21 (JUB)
Therefore, in the same manner that by the iniquity of one
guilt came upon all men unto condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one,
grace came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners,
so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law
entered that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much
more abound,
21 so that in the same manner as sin has reigned unto death,
even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus, the
Christ, our Lord.
Romans
6:1-23 (JUB)
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace
may abound?
2 No, in no wise. How shall we that are dead to sin live any
longer therein?
3 Know ye not that all of us that are baptized into Jesus
the Christ are baptized into his death?
4 For we are buried with him by baptism into death, that
just as the Christ was raised up from the dead to the glory of the Father,
likewise we also walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in him in the
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection,
6 knowing this: that our old man is crucified with him that
the body of sin might be destroyed that we should not serve sin any longer.
7 For he that is dead is justified from sin.
8 Now if we die with the Christ, we believe that we shall
also live with him,
9 knowing that the Christ, having been raised from the dead,
dies no more; death has no more dominion over him.
10 For he that is dead died unto sin once, and he that
lives, lives unto God.
11 Likewise also reckon yourselves to be truly dead unto
sin, but alive unto God in Christ, Jesus, our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that
ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither present your members as instruments of
unrighteousness unto sin, but present yourselves unto God as those that are
alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 So that sin shall have no dominion over you; for ye are
not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin because we are not under the law,
but under grace? No, in no wise.
16 Or know ye not that to whom ye present yourselves slaves
to obey, his slaves ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of the
obedience unto righteousness?
17 Thank God that, although ye were the slaves of sin, ye
have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine unto which ye are delivered;
18 and freed from sin, ye are become the slaves of
righteousness.
19 I speak a human thing because of the weakness of our
flesh: that as ye presented your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity unto
iniquity, likewise now present your members to serve righteousness unto
holiness.
20 For being previously the slaves of sin, now ye have been
made the slaves of righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are
now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now freed from
sin and made slaves to God, ye have as your fruit sanctification and as the
end, everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the grace of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
III.
RELATED VERSES AND QUESTIONS:
A. 2
Corinthians 9:6-15 (JUB)
But this I say, He who
sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he who sows in blessings shall
also reap blessings.
7 Each one according as
they purpose in their heart, so let them give, not grudgingly or of necessity;
for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make
all grace abound in you that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may abound to every good work:
9 As it is written, He has
dispersed abroad; he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains for ever.
10 Now he that supplies
seed to the sower shall also supply bread for food and shall multiply your seed
sown and shall increase the growing of the fruits of your righteousness,
11 so that being enriched
in everything to all generosity, which works out through us thanksgiving unto
God.
12 For the administration
of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also abounds in
much thanksgiving unto God; 13 that by the experience of this ministration,
they glorify God for the obedience of your consent unto the gospel of the
Christ and in your liberal distribution unto them and unto everyone,
14 and in their prayer for
you, for they love you because of the eminent grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be unto God for
his indescribable gift.
Question: Has there been a time in your life you
found you had more than enough for yourselves and others?
B. Jesus
as God’s personal child to take care of:
Luke
2:40 (JUB) {PoG}
And the Child {Jesus} grew and was comforted of the Spirit,
filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.
John
1:14-18 (JUB)
And the Word was made
flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
15 John bore witness of
him and cried, saying, This is he of whom I spoke, He that comes after me is
preferred before me, for he was before me.
16 And of his fullness we
have all received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given
through Moses, but the grace and the truth of God came through Jesus, the
Christ.
18 No man has seen God at
any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he has
declared him.
Question: God the Father provided the means
and provision for His own child Jesus. Do you feel He will do the same for you
as also being His Child? Do you ever doubt that God’s Grace will ever be
enough?
C. 2
Corinthians 12:7-10 (JUB) {PoG}
And lest the greatness of
the revelations should exalt me above measure, there is given to me a thorn in
the flesh, a messenger of Satan {a literal person—most likely “Alexander the
coppersmith” (2
Timothy 4:14)} to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I
besought the Lord three times that it might be taken from me.
9 And he said unto me, My
grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most
gladly, therefore, I will rather glory in my weaknesses that the power of
Christ may dwell in me.
10 Therefore I am content
in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses
for Christ’s sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Question: Have you ever felt weak?
D. God’s
Grace and Christ’s Faith:
Galatians
2:20-21 (JUB)
I am crucified with
Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life
which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me.
21 I do not reject the
grace of God, for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in
vain.
Ephesians
2:4-10 (JUB) {PoG}
But God, who is rich in
mercy, for his great charity with which he loved us,
5 even as we were dead in
sins, he has made us alive together with the Christ (by whose grace ye are
saved)
6 and has raised us up
together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 That in the ages to come
he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us in
Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace {God’s
Grace} are ye saved through faith {through the Faith of Christ} 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 for good works, which God has prepared
that we should walk in them.
Question: Have you ever tried to earn God’s
favour, or make a deal with Him?
E. Colossians
3:12-17 (JUB)
Clothed, therefore, (as
the elect of God, holy and beloved) with bowels of mercies, with kindness, with
humility, with meekness, with tolerance,
13 forbearing one another
and forgiving one another if anyone has a quarrel against another: even as
Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these
things put on charity, which is the bond of perfection.
15 And let the peace of
God rule in your hearts, into which likewise ye are called into one body, and
be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of the
Christ dwell in you in abundance in all wisdom, teaching you and exhorting you
one to another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with grace singing in
your hearts unto the Lord.
17 And whatever ye do
whether in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
the God and Father by him.
Question: Do you sing to the Lord—either in a
group, with a song playing, or making up your own song? Did you know you can
even sing in Tongues (“Spiritual Songs”)?
IV.
FURTHER THOUGHT:
A. Hebrews
4:14-16 (JUB)
Having, therefore, a great
high priest who penetrated the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast
this profession of our hope.
15 For we do not have a
high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us, therefore, come
boldly unto the throne of his grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to
help in time of need.
Thoughts: Approaching God’s throne is not doing
so in the distant future, but in the now! Take time to spiritually visualize
this in your imagination. We can approach Him without fear of judgement or
condemnation, because it is a Throne of GRACE. So we can bring ourselves to Him
in any fashion we are in; we don’t have to first make ourselves “perfect” or
“clean” to come to Him; Christ made us perfect and clean, and we can be bold in
approaching Him to ask for anything—or just to get a smile and a hug from our
“Dad”, sitting on His lap. So, come to Him without rejecting yourself or your
circumstances, for His Grace Provision will provide for us always.
V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & SUPPORT:
A thank you to Kelly and Joshua who are inspirational in this life-journey. And to all the family, friends, sponsors, and donors who have fed into this ministry and outreach.
If you would like to support this ministry and outreach, you may do so via our website or at:
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