Grace of God & Works of Man - Part 1

-Introduction

-Lance Cordel @ preachers/elders meeting in Joplin - topic of balance.

            -Balance is a very, very challenging topic (for many topics/scenarios).

            -work vs family time; various activities vs church work/activities; etc, etc.

-Recent lesson: 

            -Eph 3:10-11 - church = God’s eternal purpose

            -Eph. 3:12 - boldness and confident access

-We have access to God through the avenue of prayer and we have access to all spiritual

 blessings in Christ.  We can truly have confidence because we trust God.  With such

 confidence and trust, we should have boldness in our faith.

-Balance Between Faith and Good Works

-We can and should stand up and speak up for our faith.  We need to be active in our

 faith - Eph. 2:8-10.  Here, we find a balance between grace and good works.

            -vs 8 - grace; vs 10 - good works

            -The offer of God’s grace does not negate the requirement for good works.  Nor

             does the requirement of good works belittle God’s grace.  There is a balance.

-Unfortunately, many in the religious world simply do not understand the balance

 between God’s grace and mankind’s works.

-Titus 2:11-14

            -vs 11 - grace; vs 14 - good works

-The fact is, God has offered His grace to all people.  Yet, mankind must respond to

 God’s offer by submitting to His will.  God calls us by way of the Gospel of Christ

 (2 Thess. 2:14).  We answer that call with obedience (Heb. 5:9).

-Notice Romans 6:

            -vs 23 - “...but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”

            -vs 1-4 - initial obedience; vs 15-18 - continued obedience

            -Paul places God’s grace and mankind’s obedience side by side - balanced.

-Paul and God’s Grace

-If there was ever a person who understood the grace of God, it was Paul.

            -1 Tim. 1:12-17

-Paul, when known as Saul, had tried to destroy the church for which Jesus died.

            -Acts 22:3-5; 26:4-11

            -Gal. 1:13-16 - Did Paul have to answer the call? Yes - Acts 22:16.

            -So, by being baptized into Christ, did Paul negate the grace of God?  Absolutely

             not.  That’s how he entered into the grace of God.

-Yet, there are many in the religious world that claim that we negate the grace of God

 by teaching the essential nature of baptism.

            -Titus 3:3-8

            -“washing of regeneration” - baptism - part of man’s response to God’s offer

                        -A person would have to go to great lengths to try to take baptism out of this

                    passage.

            -“not because of works done by us in righteousness” - We haven’t earned our

             forgiveness.  Nor, have we removed our sins by baptism.  God forgives us of our

             sins - removing them thanks to the blood of Jesus. 

                        -Therefore, we are “justified by his grace” (vs 7).

            -Baptism does not negate the grace of God.  Rather, it is connected with it.

-Paul and Works

-If there was ever a person who understood the grace of God, it was Paul.

-It is truly amazing to think about the labors of the apostle Paul.  Think about the miles he

 traveled, how much he labored, how much he suffered.

-2 Corinthians 11:23b-28

-1 Corinthians 15:1-10

            -Notice vs 10 - grace of God, worked harder

            -Once again, there is a harmonious relationship, a balance, between the grace of

             God and the works of man.

-Summary and Invitation

-Unfortunately, far too many in the religious world have tried to focus on the grace of

 God while trying to explain away mankind’s responsibilities of good works.

-There is a balance between the two and we need to understand that balance.

-God has offered His grace to all of mankind.  To receive that grace, one must respond in

 obedience and continue in a life of obedience to the word.

            -We are not saved by our good works.  We simply cannot earn our salvation. 

             However, we are not saved without good works “for God prepared beforehand, that

             we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

-So, have you responded to the word of God?  If not, believe (John 3:16, 8:24), confess

 (Matt. 10:32, Rom. 10:9-10), repent (Luke 13:3,5, Acts 17:30), be baptized (Mark 16:16, 

 Acts 2:38).

-If you have obeyed the Gospel, have you been walking in good works?  If not, renew your

commitment to God.  If you have allowed sin back into your life, acknowledge your