12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. 13 She who is in Babylon, elect/precious together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love (agape; holy kiss 5x). Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1Pt 1:2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied (7 praise honor glory) 10 grace that would come to you 13 hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you 2:19 this is commendable/grace, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief 20 But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable/grace before God.3:7 heirs together of the grace of life 4:10 minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 5:5 "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 5:10 God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Truth= that which best explains all the facts, found at the convergence of (authenticated) Revelation, (logically consistent) Reason, and (workable)) Reality
I. Views of Grace
Static one dimensional vs multifunctional dynamic Jn 1:14 full of grace and truth. 17 grace and truth came through Jesus
A. Sacramental Grace- mystically externally obtained thru priestly mediated ritual Col 2:23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
B. Irresistible Grace-violates and over-rides “free” will of depraved man, who has no choice in the matter, becoming a soulless robot
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect to you,...you have fallen from grace. 2Cor 6:beg that you receive not the grace of God in vain.
C. God's Riches At Christ's Expense; Unmerited Favor; All under grace/mercy – partly/conditionally true, but not explaining all the facts/data
Jude 1:4...turning the grace of our God into lust, denying the only Lord God & Lord Jesus Rom 6:1 continue in sin that grace may abound?
D. Grace is power. the coin of the realm of heaven; it is necessary to transact business in the spiritual realm. Without it we're broke.
Grace is something we can't get ourselves, but which must be given to us. Faith is the channel along which the grace flows.
2Cor12:9 My grace is sufficient for my strength is made perfect in weakness...rather glory in infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me
Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will (develop desire) and to do (provide power) for His good pleasure.
II. Justifying Grace
Ro 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ:
Rom 4:2-6 Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works, 7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption thru His blood, the forgiveness of sins, acc to the riches of His grace Ti 3:7 justified by grace become heirs
III. Sanctifying Grace
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness spring up...many be defiled
Ac 20:32 brethren, I commend you to God & to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up & give you an inheritance among sanctified
A. Standing 1Ro 5:2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
2Tim 2:1 be strong in the grace that is in Christ 2 commit to faithful men... Ac 13:43...persuaded them to continue in the grace of God
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
2Pt 1:2 Grace & peace be multiplied knowledge of God 3:17 seeing you know...beware...fall from your steadfastness18 grow in grace & knowledge
B. Serving 2Co 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound that you, always having all sufficiency in all, may abound to every good work
1Cor 15:10 by the grace of God I am... His grace upon me was not in vain; but I labored more yet not I, but grace of God which was with me
Rom 12:3 through the grace given to me, I say...6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us...
Rom 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith..Ro 15:15 grace that is given to me from God
1Cor 3:10 Acc to the grace of God which is given to me, I have laid the foundation...let every man take heed how he builds upon it.
2Cor 8:7 as you abound in every thing faith, utterance, knowledge, all diligence, your love to us, see that you abound in this grace also
Eph 3:8 grace given, that I should preach 4:7 But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Eph 4:29 no unprofitable communication…but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers
Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
Heb 12:28 Since we are receiving a kingdom...let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
1Pt 4:10 As every man has received bestowment of grace, minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Js 4:6 But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
IV. Glorification
1Pt 1:10 Of this salvation...prophesied of the grace that should come to you 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pt 5:5 submit yourselves... all of you be subject one to another...humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.
Eph 2:7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ 2Co 1:15 second grace
2Th 1:2 Grace to you & peace 11Therefore pray God would count you worthy of this calling, by His power fulfill every good purpose of yours & every act prompted by your faith 12 that the name of our Lord may be glorified in you, & you glorified in Him, acc to the grace of our God
Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response: - Are you an abstainer, abuser or user of grace? Do you view grace as something for your benefit or the benefit of others?
- How can someone resist, fail or fall from grace? How does that affect their forgiveness or being born again?
- Does "increasing" our grace or faith "increase" our salvation? Why do NT letters almost always include a prayer for grace for believers?
- How do relationships among believers, characterized by grace look? What's the relationship between grace and discipline?
- How can you draw upon God's grace to deny yourself, subdue sin, serve others, and glorify God and yourself?
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