HANDOUT FOR SERMON: LEARNING TO BALANCE GRACE AND WORKS. May 1, 2022, Manchester, TN. 9:30 a.m.
INTRODUCTION: We are not naturally gifted in balancing things. We often lean heavily on one side of a position or argument in countering some other position. We unfortunately end up swinging to the extreme of one side or the other side.
How do you balance the teaching of God’s grace and all the wonderful things that God is doing for us? with our responsible and the works & behavior as the people He has created?
How do you balance our responsibility of being believing, trusting, worshipping, or being baptized with the concept of God’s grace and His gift of salvation?
LESSON:
1.NOT DISPUTING THESE QUESTIONS.
Is salvation God’s free gift? YES Romans 5:15, 6:23
Am I saved by His grace? YES Ephesians 2:8
Can I earn my salvation? NO
Balancing Grace and Works.
WE WILL CONSIDER AND STUDY THESE QUESTIONS:
Am I required to do anything to be saved?
Must I do anything to stay in His grace?
Isn’t this earning my salvation by works?
AM I REQUIRED TO DO ANYTHING TO BE SAVED? Do you have any respect for Jesus and what HE said? Do you have any respect for what the Apostles taught and practiced? Respect for the beginning of the New Testament Church?
Matthew 7:21 “Does the will of my father.
Matthew 7:24-27 “Hear and acts on them.
Matthew 28:18-20 “Observes all that I commanded.”
Mark 10:17-21 “what shall I do” “Go and sell…”
Acts 2:37-38 What shall we DO? “Repent and be Baptized:
Acts 16:30 What must I do to be saved? “Believe…”
Acts 22:10 What must I DO? “Get up and go..”
But what about my unworthiness and why would my actions or works matter at all? The idea that God is going to give you a gift (a gift we cannot earn & do not deserve) but I expect or demand cooperation from YOU! Just believe what God taught, what God says.
Examples of this: Grace (gifts of God) & God demands cooperation:
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread”
2 Thessalonians 3:10 Work not eat!
Acts 27:24 God granted life for 276 people (pure grace)
Acts 27:31 “Remain in the ship.” (Cooperation in order to receive the grace)
Joshua 6:2 “I will give you Jericho.”
Joshua 6:3-5 March around the city. (How many times?)
Acts 15:11 “Saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 10:35 “Fear Him and does…”
MUST WE DO ANYTHING TO STAY IN HIS GRACE?
Members of the Church struggle with this. We know what we MUST do to be saved! But once you are in God’s grace, how do I know that I have lost it. Some say you cannot ever loose it. Is a few mistakes okay. What GOD SAYS is what we want to see!
Revelation 2:10 “Be faithful unto death…”
2 Timothy 2:13 If we deny Him, He denies
Hebrews 10:26 “Go on sinning willfully…no longer a sacrifice.”
Romans 11:22 “Continue in His kindness…. otherwise, you too will be cut off.
I Corinthians 9:27 “After…I myself will not be disqualified.”
Hebrew 3:12 “An unbelieving heart that falls away from God.”
Hebrews 6:4-6 “Tasted…then have fallen away.”
2 Peter 2:20ff “Are again entangled…and overcome, better to never known the way.”
Examples:
2 Timothy 4:10 Demas deserted me! What did He do?
1 Timothy 1:18FF “Suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.”
Acts 8:12 Peter to Simon: “May your silver perish with you.”
Does this mean God’s grace isn’t big enough, strong enough? NO
Can I fall away if I have an unbelieving heart? YES
ISN’T THIS EARNING MY SALVATION BY MY WORKS? NO!!!
We still believe:
Salvation is still God’s free gift to you.
We are still saved by His Grace.
No one can earn salvation.
Well, how to you balance that with all the passages you just read about all the things I must do and observe and my cooperation with God’s will in my receiving God’s Grace?
IT SEEMS THE RELIGIOUS WORLD TRIES TO MAKE YOU CHOOSE: Are you a “grace person” or are you a “works person”!
God’s grace is not earned by our obedience.
God’s grace is ACCESSED through our faith and obedience.
Romans 5:1-2 “By faith into this grace……”
Illustration: A gift of a big, beautiful house!
James 2:26 “Faith without words is dead!” (Is not real faith!)
Inequitable (unfair/not equal) Faith and Obedience = GRACE
Do such a small thing and look what He gives you!
Give a few years of your life = spend an eternity with God in heaven.
Numbers 21:8 “When he looks = You will live!” (Did they deserve because they looked?
Hebrews 11:30 “walk around the city.” = “Victory.”
2 Kings 5:10 Naaman and 7 dips in the river/water = healed! “Be clean.”
John 9:7 Wash in the pool.
God doesn’t ask you to measure up. He just asks you to obey Him! SO, what about when God says: John 3:16 Believe = eternal life. Corinthians 7:10 Repent = Salvation. Romans 10:10 Confess =Salvation. Acts 2:38 Baptism = Forgiveness.
Grace abides through faith and penitence. 1 John 1:9 (Read 1 John 1:3-9)
what about sin? I am not perfect! You won’t be
“If we confess…He is faithful & righteous to forgive.”
Proverbs 28:18 “If you conceal your sin, you do not prosper, but if you confess it and forsake it you receive compassion.” (That’s grace!)
Acts 8:22 “Repent…and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intentions of your heart may be forgiven!” 1 John 1:3-9 “Blood of Christ cleanses you from all unrighteousness.”
You come back to Him – HE WILL SAVE YOU. Just because you turn or return to God does not mean you earned it and just realize it is always available. Access to His grace is there, you just must believer and do what pleases the King of grace.