Acceptance by Grace

[Chad]

Acceptance by Grace

By Dr. Charles Stanley

Introduction: In almost every aspect of life, others evaluate us by our performance. Are we successful in our careers, fit, and attractive? How much wealth do we possess? It's easy to believe God judges us in a similar way–based on our behavior. Although Christians recognize that salvation is by grace, many nonetheless strive for God's acceptance, never sure they have His love.

Personal assessment: For the next two questions, honestly describe your first reaction rather than what you know is the correct answer.

• Do you ever think God must be displeased, impatient, or disappointed with you? Explain.
• What would you have to do to be sure of His acceptance?

A. The Bible teaches that as believers in Jesus, we are completely accepted. If we belong to Christ, we share in His holiness. How can that be? Scripture teaches that through Adam's rebellion against God, all of humanity was corrupted, inheriting the disease of sin. But when the Savior died on the cross, He made a way for everyone who believes in Him to become holy:
"Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous" (Rom. 5:18-19 NLT).

• As believers, how do we obtain righteousness (Rom. 3:21-24)?
• Dictionary.com defines justify as "to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit." On what basis do we have peace with God (Rom. 5:1-2)?
• You are innocent and guiltless in the Lord's sight. Describe how that makes you feel.
• Why is it possible to be confident that God's love isn't conditional upon our behavior (Rom. 5:4-8)?

B. God accepts us by grace, not based on performance.
In the first century, some Jewish Christians believed that good works were necessary to earn salvation and make us Christ-like. However, Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that salvation is by faith alone—good works cannot save us (Eph. 2:10; James 2:26) but rather, they should result from our trust in the Savior. We become godly over time by surrendering to the Holy Spirit—not because we follow the Law of Moses or any other set of rules.

Read Galatians 3:1-14.

• How did the Galatians first receive the Spirit (v. 1-4)?
• What was required for them to experience His power (v. 2-5)?
• How did Abraham obtain righteousness (v. 6)?
• The Jews are physical descendants (sons) of Abraham. Who are his spiritual descendants (v.7-9)?
• Why is trying to earn righteousness or justification by observing the law a futile endeavor (v. 10)?
• For what purpose did Christ free believers (Gal. 5:1-2)?

One practice under Jewish law was circumcision. This ordinance was an outward sign of inward devotion to God. For the first-century Jew, being uncircumcised was nearly synonymous with unrighteousness. As the mostly Jewish early church received more and more Gentile converts, some false apostles taught that newcomers must be physically circumcised to gain God's acceptance.

• What was the implication of requiring Gentile Christians to be circumcised (Gal. 5:3)?
• What really matters, according to Paul (Gal. 5: 5-6)?

We typically use the term "falling from grace" to mean losing favor with God because of sin.

• Read Galatians 5:4. In context, what do you think Paul meant by "falling from grace"?

In his Notes on the New Testament, Albert Barnes writes, "Christ will be ‘a whole Savior,' or none. This passage, therefore, cannot be [used] to prove that any true Christian has in fact fallen away from grace, unless it proves also that man may be justified by the deeds of the law, contrary to the repeated declarations of Paul himself."
C. Believers live in confidence and freedom because of grace.
The controversy over circumcision is no longer at the forefront of Christian debate. However, legalism—the idea that believers are justified by what they do––still cripples much of today's church. Some people fear losing their salvation over each sin they commit. More common is the idea that we must meet the Father's standards in order to receive His love and affection. Sometimes legalistic believers have the impression that God feels disgusted when they fall short.

• Do you strive to measure up to rigid standards or follow particular rules of Christian living? If so, how do you feel when you fail?
• Read Romans 8:1-2 and describe why you are free.
• How would your life change if you were to take this study's concepts to heart?

Closing: Since the time of Abraham, God has purposed that salvation be only by faith, not works. If you are in Christ, rest assured that He accepts you. When sin interrupts fellowship with the Father, He wants to restore His disobedient follower but never ceases to accept the believer as His beloved child.

Acceptance by Grace

 

[RJ]

Love Dr. Stanley!
It is all about grace, "How Sweet The Sound"! Grace is God's free gift that defeats Satin for all eternity; nothing else is sufficient.

 

[B-A-C]

Of course the obvious response to this is....

Does that mean Christians are unable to sin even if they want to?
I'm a Christian now so, rape, stealing, lying, child-molesting, adultery, fornication, drunkenness, and homosexuality don't matter.
There's only grace, grace is everything and apparently unbelief is the only sin I can commit.
after all... Grace covers everything.

There is a difference between the spirit of the law and the letter of the law.
The law says the speed limit is 60mph.
So I set the speed control on my car to 60mph. However I noticed when going up steep hills, I sometimes drop to 58 or 59mph.
Sometimes when going down steep hills, I speed up to 61 or 62 mph. Technically I am breaking the letter of the law.
However I am trying to keep the spirit of the law. Now if I was going 85 or 90 mph. It would be a lot harder to convince a judge I was trying to keep the spirit of the law.
I have an old pickup in my garage. One time the tabs on the license plates were 2 weeks past due, I was pulled over and only given a warning.
The transmission went out on that pickup and I didn't have the time and money to fix it for a couple of years. One day I fixed it. So I took it for a test drive,
wouldn't you know it, I wasn't speeding but I got pulled over. Why? because my license plates tabs were 2 years past due.
No there is no doubt that Jesus has more grace than the policeman or the judge. However he knows your heart, he knows when you are trying to keep
the spirit of the law or not.

Grace only covers sins we confess and repent of. Grace isn't a free license to live however we want and say my sin doesn't matter.
Unfortunately many have fallen into the lie of the trap that grace covers everything. Even some moderators here on TJ.

 

[RJ]

Of course the obvious response to this is....

Does that mean Christians are unable to sin even if they want to?
I'm a Christian now so, rape, stealing, lying, child-molesting, adultery, fornication, drunkenness, and homosexuality don't matter.
There's only grace, grace is everything and apparently unbelief is the only sin I can commit.
after all... Grace covers everything.

There is a difference between the spirit of the law and the letter of the law.
The law says the speed limit is 60mph.
So I set the speed control on my car to 60mph. However I noticed when going up steep hills, I sometimes drop to 58 or 59mph.
Sometimes when going down steep hills, I speed up to 61 or 62 mph. Technically I am breaking the letter of the law.
However I am trying to keep the spirit of the law. Now if I was going 85 or 90 mph. It would be a lot harder to convince a judge I was trying to keep the spirit of the law.
I have an old pickup in my garage. One time the tabs on the license plates were 2 weeks past due, I was pulled over and only given a warning.
The transmission went out on that pickup and I didn't have the time and money to fix it for a couple of years. One day I fixed it. So I took it for a test drive,
wouldn't you know it, I wasn't speeding but I got pulled over. Why? because my license plates tabs were 2 years past due.
No there is no doubt that Jesus has more grace than the policeman or the judge. However he knows your heart, he knows when you are trying to keep
the spirit of the law or not.

Grace only covers sins we confess and repent of. Grace isn't a free license to live however we want and say my sin doesn't matter.
Unfortunately many have fallen into the lie of the trap that grace covers everything. Even some moderators here on TJ.

I respectively say brother that you are on the wrong side of this issue. The moderator and certainly I have never said that sin is of no consequence and that because of grace we can do it indescriminately. Rape, stealing, lying, child-molesting, adultery, fornication, drunkenness, and homosexuality don't matter? How dare you insinuate that these don't matter to us. Your insult to another brother in Christ is astonishing. You just don't get it and you are the one who is living in the bondage of untruth! If God ever knocks the scales off of your eyes and you honestly want to know the truth about God and his "Amazing Grace" I am here to help but, for now I am respectively declining to reply to any of your future threads or posts. God Bless