Lesson 21

#3. What we shall be; The display of Grace! 2:7

This introduces God's revealed purpose in dealing with us as He has!

"in order that in the ages to come He might show"

 

 

Through out the ages God is offering proof, (mid. voice) for His own glory; of the surpassing overabundant riches of His grace in kindness towards us who believed and are therefore in Christ!

 

 

*** If the raising of Christ from the dead and placing Him at the Father's right hand is the supreme demonstration of power, then the raising of those once dead in their sins and seating them in heaven is the supreme demonstration of God's grace.

 

** Paul has used 4 words in this passage [2:4-7] that summarizes our relationship with God:

1. God's mercy, e;leoj; compassion and empathy with respect to our situation put in shoe leather. [2:4]

2. God's love, avga,ph; manifested in the cross work of Christ;

He paid our penalty; [2:4]

3. God's grace, ca,rij; that characteristic of God that extends salvation to man irrespective of our merit or demerit; totally unmerited action; He gets all the glory. [2:7]

4. God's kindness crhsto,thj; [only used by Paul] carries the idea of generosity and benevolent action. [2:7]

 

#4. How we are made new; A New Creation by means of Grace. 2:8-10

In 2:8 the means of salvation is emphasized; the whole salvation by grace package is in view; that's the subject!

For by grace you have been saved through faith;

 

 

What can we say about Grace?

 

 

To be saved is to be justified before God.

- Notice the parallels in Rom 3:24; Gal 2:16;

 

 

Note on dia. pi,stewj: like many prep. dia is used with more than one case, with a different meaning with each; true of many prepositions.

- with the gen. case = through, by means of

- with the acc. case = because of, or on account of;

 

- Paul is emphatically saying that the means of salvation by Grace is through the agency of faith; and therefore all of the merit is in the object of the faith, Jesus Christ and His cross work!

 

2 words that we need to focus on closely; "faith" and "that"

 

 

 

 

 

- "and that salvation is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God."

 

 

 

 

 

- So the Salvation we have and enjoy, our new position in Christ is "not of yourselves" and its "not as a result of works, so that (purpose) no one may boast."

 

 

** What are we to boast in as believers?? Where is our focus to be??

1 Cor 1:29-31; Jer 9:23-24; Rom 3:27

 

EPH 2:10 "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works"

 

 

The fruit of the transformed life is said to be;

"which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."