Lesson 57
November 21
Review:
Summary 4:6
1. This verse is a promise to those believers who honor God by not being
a friend of the cosmos.
2. Those believers who are advancing spiritually and are obedient to the
doctrinal principles that they know are candidates for this "greater
grace".
3. The believers who refuses to compromise or to violate BD for his/her
own benefit (temporal - personal gain), who do
not take short cuts, who will not abandon their MPR for any reason and
waits on God for the provision comes under the "greater grace".
4. "Greater Grace" is God providing for and blessing the
believer who will not take the easy opportunistic way out of his/her
circumstances.
- All bel's regardless of their spiritual
status are recipients of grace (pos in LJC - Et life -
logistical if still alive)
5. God will provide special grace for those who wait on Him rather than
succumbing to the tests or temptations they will be faced with. (internal or
external).
6. Examples:
Abraham
had to learn patience - to rely on God instead of self, had to learn that human
ability could not solve his problems, and against all odds received greater
grace - the promised heir.
Paul
who suffered more than any was repeatedly provided for and delivered. Many times he could have compromised BD to
gain an advantage (momentary)
but he doggedly adhered to the truth he knew,
the principles of BD.
7. There are many areas we can all improve on in our lives to ensure
that we are the recipients of greater grace down the road.
8. When we follow the pattern of the kosmos - no consideration of God or
His will - we deny ourselves this greater grace.
9. Rem: God is able and willing to provide blessings beyond your ability
to do so. (even beyond your wildest imaginations - not
related to fulfilling your h`donh) 1 Cor 2:9
10. Your sin nature will deceive you into thinking that you know what is
best for you.
11. The quotation from Prov
12. The proud are those who place themselves above the teachings and
commands of scripture.
13. Anyone who sets themselves up as the authority and abandons the
clear teachings of scripture exhibits pride and arrogance and
self-centeredness.
14. Know that those who are maladjusted to scripture and become a law
unto themselves God stands against them.
15. The problems and CHP's faced are to awaken
us to our spiritual status and get us moving in the right track if we fall into
the categories James covered here.
16. But to those who live out the humility that is associated with
living out the truth,
they are given sufficient grace to see them through the tests of
life.
- along the way will enjoy the blessing God has for the G/O
believer who perseveres.
17. The proud/arrogant all will face at some time in their life their
own "private waterloo".
The Doctrine of Grace
1. Definition:
a. In its most general meaning
refers to everything that God is free to do for mankind on the basis of the
cross.
b. Grace then is God's freedom and
consistency to express His love towards mankind with out compromising in any
way, any part of His essence.
c. Therefore Grace is a plan, a
policy, a function of the divine modus operendi in
His relationship with mankind.
2.
Concept of Grace:
a. Grace is always totally
dependent upon the essence or character of God. Therefore on who and what God
is never on who and what we are.
b. Grace then is what God can do
for us and be consistent with His own character.
c. Grace really is a manifestation
of the genius of God.
3. The Characteristics of Grace
a. Grace stresses God’s character and man’s sinfulness
while mercy stresses God’s strength and man’s helplessness.
Grace finds its necessity in (1) the fact of God’s
holiness and in the sinfulness of man, and
(2) in the nature of God as the
Creator and man as the creature.
b. Grace is opposed
to and excludes any idea of works for merit, works done as a means of blessing
or as payment for what is done.
Grace means you never deserve it nor can you earn it even
by the old fashion method of working for it.
Romans 4:1-5;
Romans 11:6