THE IMPORTANCE OF

GRACE

Part 5

WE ARE NOT SAVED BY GRACE ALONE

The difficulty most people have with the doctrine of Grace is

assuming that we are saved by Grace alone!

The doctrine of "Salvation by Grace Alone” cannot be

found in the Scriptures.

Not one verse can be found in all the scriptures that teaches that one is saved solely by Grace.

If we are saved by GRACE alone: Then what

about Faith? What about Repentance?

Any time someone declares that we are saved "solely" by one thing, then they exclude all

other things.

If we are saved by Grace alone, then we do not have to have

any faith, neither do we have to repent of any sin.

Grace is only one principle of our salvation. Its presence,

alone, cannot save.

We are also saved by the PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL. Without the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, how could

anyone know what Christ has done for their salvation?

The logic of such a doctrine

fails with simple logic.

The scriptures teach that we are saved by a combination

of several principles.

Not one principle exclusively saves.

We are saved when we combine ALL of the

essential principles that are outlined in the New

Testament. Only then, can we obtain salvation.

We ARE saved by GRACE. Our principal text proves

this fact. Salvation comes through

the Gift of God, which was the sacrifice of His

Son. Through the resurrection of Christ we

now have hope.

Grace alone - Faith is involved - HOW?

a. If saved by Grace ALONE - ALL WILL BE SAVED because God

wants no one to perish. Titus 2:11-14

b) God's grace is UNLIMITED

in its outreach Hebrews 2:9; John 3:16;

17:20-21; 6:33; 1 John 2:1-2; Matthew 28:18-20; 11:28-30;

Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:45-49; John 20:23;

Acts 10:34-35,43; Revelation 22:17;

This shows that there is no such FALSE

doctrine in the bible as LIMITED ATONEMENT – that is the idea that God has decided who is

going to be saved – They say it is not up to you to choose salvation God will choose

some and reject others.

Rather the Bible teaches that God's outreach is for everyone and it is personal, dealing with the individual. 2

Corinthians 12:9; 1 Corinthians 15:10

God's grace is ACTIVE not

passive. Everything in the scheme of man's redemption is affected

by Grace. That is one of the reasons

Peter in 1 Peter 5:10 talks of "The God of all Grace"

Here are some passages that speak of the grace of God

a. CHRIST - Romans 5:15;

Ephesians 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:9-10; John 1:17;

b. The BIBLE - Acts 14:3; 20:24,32; Ephesians

3:1-11; Romans 6:14; c. The CHURCH -

Ephesians 3:1-12; d. The HOPE of Heaven -

1 Peter 1:9-10,13; 2 Thessalonians 2:16;

Paul taught that the Corinthians

were saved by the preaching of the gospel.

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached

unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in

vain.“ (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)

Paul preached the gospel.

They received, or obeyed that gospel message. They were

currently faithful to that gospel. Paul clearly says, "by which also you are saved.” Saved by what?

The gospel that they had responded to.

We are also saved by our obedience to that gospel

message. Paul's letter to the Romans begins and ends with the

idea of obedience.

From the beginning to the end of that letter obedience

is stressed.

Paul suggest that we either obey sin, which yields death, or we

obey righteousness, which yields eternal life.

Don't you realise that you can choose your own master? You can

choose sin (with death) or else obedience (with acquittal).

The one to whom you offer yourself--he will take you and be your master

and you will be his slave. “Thank God that though you once chose to be

slaves of sin, now you have obeyed with all your heart the teaching to which God has committed you”.

Romans 6:16-18 16.

(The form of doctrine was the

death, burial and resurrection of Christ, cf. vs. 3-6).

We are saved by our faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8).

We are saved by our repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). We are saved by the

combination of several principles.

The ultimate or climatic principle that saves us is

the Blood of Christ. Without the shedding of

His blood, and His resurrection from the

dead, we could not have any salvation.

It is through the shed blood of Christ that we have

redemption.

Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,

according to the riches of His grace;"

Revelation 1:5 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His

own blood."

When we are saved by Grace, it

is a gift from God. Because Grace is a gift, SOME believe that we do not earn

that gift by any action on our part.

This is true, yet we need to know what is implied by the

idea of a gift. I have a gift for you. I want you to have this gift, and it is yours

free of charge.

Yet, as long as I am in possession

of that gift, you cannot receive the benefits of that gift.

Before a gift can be of any value to anyone, that person must take

possession of the gift. Without possession, a gift does not possess any value to the one for whom it was intended.

Possession is the key.

THROUGH FAITH same idea found- John 3:16,36; 20:30-31; 8:21,24; Acts 10:43; 16:31; Romans 5:1;

a. Biblical definitions of faith are found in Hebrews 11:1-6; Romans

4:20-22;Thayer says that there are three

inherent ideas in faith.1. CONVICTION

2. TRUST3. OBEDIENCE and sums these up

like this

"A conviction full of joyful trust, that Jesus Christ is the Messiah - divinely appointed author of salvation in the

kingdom of God, conjoined with obedience to Christ"

NOTE that this passage does NOT say we are saved by FAITH ALONE

Many people believe and teach faith only "We are accounted righteous

before God ONLY for the merit of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, BY

FAITH, and not for our own works or deserving's. wherefore, that we are justified by FAITH ONLY is a most

wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort"

It may be wholesome and

full of comfort but it is FALSE-and

NOT FOUND IN THE SCRIPTURES.

If we were saved by FAITH ONLY we would be

saved before a. Becoming children of God John 1:11-12;

Galatians 3:26-27;b. Before calling on the Lord Romans 10:13-17;

Acts 22:16; c. Without confessing Christ John 12:42;

d. In direct conflict with the teaching of the bible James 2:24-26;

e. Before coming to God Hebrews 11:6;f. When we are no better than demons James 2:19;

The Bible teaches that the FAITH THAT SAVES is a FAITH THAT OBEYS.

a. Hebrews 11:4,7,8,19-20; Galatians 5:6;

Romans 1:5; 16:26;

As everything on the divine side of

redemption was accomplished through GRACE so everything on

the human side of redemption must be done by and based on our Faith

Hebrews 11:6;Faith must lead to

a. Repentance Acts 17:3; Luke 13:3;b. Confessing Christ Romans 10:9-

10; c. Being baptised into Christ Acts

10:48; Romans 6:1-6;

Obedience in each of these is still salvation by

faith, because faith is the reason for doing each of these Things.

Grace results in the Coming of Christ. the Bible, the Church, and Hope of heaven None

of these can be eliminated from the divine plan of salvation.

So with the response of Faith. Repentance, confession and baptism, and living a faithful live cannot be eliminated from man's side of salvation. God's stipulations must be met.

‘ILLS’ a Father wanted his son to go to college in America but

the son would not go so the father told him he had opened a bank account with 10,000 in His name the only stipulation

was that the cheques must be made out to some university.God has made out an account with our name on it in heaven,

but His rules need to be applied

e) And that NOT of

OURSELVES.a. In the sense that Man did not originate, plan, prepare or perfect it.

b. Nor in the sense that man can earn or work for

it.

f) It is the GIFT of God

a.The giver -God b.The Gift- Salvation through the death and Resurrection of

Jesus c.The getters - man - all those

who claim that which is offered.

a. Just because salvation is a gift does not mean that it is an

UNCONDITIONAL one.

1. Coal is a gift from God but we

still need to dig for it.2. The food we eat is a gift from

God but we still need to plant it and nurture it and harvest it.

Matthew 6:11;3. Joshua 6:2; Jericho was a gift from God - but they still had to

meet the conditions - march around the wall for 7 days - seven times on the seventh and blow the trumpet

and shout

g) NOT OF WORKS Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9;

The bible mentions several kinds of works 1. a. Works of God John 6:28-29; Acts 2:11;

b. Works of darkness Romans 13:12; Ephesians 5:11;

c. Works of the law Galatians 2:16; d. Works of the flesh Galatians 5:19-21;

e. Works of wickedness Colossians 1:21; f. Dead works Hebrews 6:1,9,14;

g. Works that perfect faith James 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 1:3;

h. Works of merit Ephesians 2:9; Revelation 14:13; 22:12;

2. When Paul says that

salvation is not of works - He does not mean that all

works are excluded Becausea. Faith is said to be a work

John 6:28-29;b. Repentance is said to be a work Matthew 12:41; Jonah

3:10;

In actual fact it would be more logical to say that faith and repentance should be

excluded under a works concept because they are something the individual does, whereas baptism is something that gets

done to you (you are passive not active) -You do your own believing, and repenting

but you cannot do your own baptising.

3. When Paul says Not of Works he is referring to the idea of works of

merit, He has said already that salvation is NOT of yourselves, you cannot earn it, there is nothing that you can do that will put God under

obligation or debt to you. Luke 17:10;

a. This is obviously not referring to acts of obedience.. but an idea of being able to work your way to

heaven.

Like those who were building the tower of Babel if they had been able build that high they

could have said that they worked there way to heaven by their own ingenuity and skill.

This would have been works of merit. and that is what is

referred to here in Ephesians 2:8-10

b. In James 2:22; James talks about Works that

perfect faith he is talking about our

obedience to God's will.Not because we have to

but because we want to.

c. Not all Works and Grace are

antagonistic for in 1 Corinthians 15:10; Grace and works of labour are found in the same passage

So what is our conclusion what can we learn from this statement salvation by Grace through Faith.

1.The passage was written to the Ephesians. Paul says That they are saved by Grace through faith.

HOW?a. Ephesians 1:3; They heard.

b. Ephesians 1:13; They believed.c. Acts 19; They repented.

d. Acts 19: They were baptised.e. Paul now encourages them to continue faithful

unto death.

2. The principle seen in the Old Testament.

a. Hebrews 11:7; Noah saved by Grace through Faith but after he obeyed by building

and ark. b. Hebrews 11:29; Israel was saved from

bondage by grace through faith. But after they had obeyed by crossing the red sea.

c. Hebrews 11:30; Jericho Fell by Grace through Faith - after they had obeyed by

marching round the walls.

3. Most of the passages we have looked at so far have dealt with the alien sinner. but God's grace is also found to be continuing in the life

of the saints - Christians.a. Paul said 2 Corinthians 12:9; NOTE

the following 1. My Grace - it is divine.

2. IS - it is positive.3. Sufficient - It is adequate.4. For you - It is personal.