Lesson 61 December 5
Review:
3. Warring according to
the flesh or using human weapons to combat our spiritual enemies (2 Cor.
10:3-5)
4. Leaning on the staff
of a sharp reed that pierces the hand (Isa. 36:6)
5. Walking by our own man
made fire brands to light our path (Isa.
50:10-11)
b. Note some of the consequences the hazards lead
to:
Galatians
5:1f very clearly shows us that when we turn to our own solutions (leaning on
the arm of the flesh), we immediately exclude faith in God’s provision,
nullify the power of God in our lives, dishonor God, quench the Spirit, produce
the works of the flesh, and experience general misery rather than God’s peace
in our life.
Romans 4:4; Romans 11:6; Galatians 3:1-5;
7. Axioms of Grace
a. God is
perfect therefore His plan for us is perfect.
b. A
perfect plan can only originate from and
function by the direction of a Perfect God.
c. If man
can do anything meritorious in His plan it is no longer perfect.
d. Any plan
is no stronger than its weakest link, for this reason, grace excludes all human
merit and all human ability. Point is
grace also excludes all human good, self-righteousness and arrogance.
e. Legalism and
human good are the enemies of grace, always.
f. Therefore human works of righteousness
have no place in the plan of God either for salvation or in living the
Christian life after salvation.
g. All human
good is ultimately associated with the most destructive mental attitude sins which is pride.
Final conclusions:
Isn’t teaching grace risky?
Won’t this lead to the abuse of grace in license?
Grace is God’s provision to liberate us from both
the penalty and the power of sin.
Jesus Christ is the preeminent manifestation of
God’s grace. Since salvation is through Christ, salvation is by grace and every
aspect of Christianity is governed by grace.
In Paul’s teaching, eternal life is not something
we will one day obtain, but a new life with eternal ramifications given here in
this life the moment you believe in Christ.
So indeed, rather than license, the proper response
to grace, as it is developed in Romans 6-8, is emancipated living—lives that
are transformed by God’s gracious enablement through intimate fellowship with
Him by the Spirit of grace.
After
the apostle had reviewed his ministry in
Communion
Need to
know the difference between the statement "Christ dying for us" and the statement "our dying with Him."
What do
we know?
The first
statement becomes effective when we believe the good news of the gospel
message. Faith à
work of Christ!
The
second statement becomes effective when we believe and apply Rom. 6:11; Gal. 2:20
Quote
from H. Farraday:
Many who
are most enthusiastic about the Gospel which proclaims the Savior's being
offered for us, are most resentful when the Gospel message is pressed on the issue
of the need for the inward working of the Cross, setting aside all that is of
Adam and not of Christ.
(How??
knowledge of the Word applied)
They love
the hymns and Gospel message concerning the Savior's bearing the judgment of
our sins, but are not prepared to accept the need for that judgment to be
applied to the fleshly Adam (sin nature) within.
In the
death of Christ and our being identified with Him in His death our sin nature
was crucified. It is not annihilated,
but it has lost its throne, its ruling power in our life.
That
deals with the positional or judicial aspects of our salvation. But what about the reality of living each day and facing all the
tests of life? How do we maintain
that status of the sin nature not ruling in our life.
This loss
of its governing ability is maintained by our faith in the Word lived out. It is through
the power of the Word illuminated by the Holy Spirit that negates the potential
rule of the sin nature and ensures that the living with grace reigning in our
life, that is His life.
When
you think about it, it is actually a greater testimony to the power and
provision of the Father to let that sin nature remain and to give us dominion
over it, than to just remove it at salvation.
We
honor the Father and His Son our Savior and the awesome provision made for us
as we come to the Lord's table.