What Grace is NOT!
A Taste of Grace - Lesson 4
 |
| The lives of these ducklings did not come without a price. What was the price? The mother's sacrifice of giving up her own life for awhile! God's gift of righteousness to me also came with a price! |
When I first started studying about grace and asking God to teach me about this subject, I had no idea what it would involve. As I studied all the various meanings of grace, I didn't realize how much or in what ways God would teach me. I guess I thought He would just call my attention to things in the Bible about grace, and I would automatically grow in knowledge. I certainly didn't realize that if I "grew in grace and knowledge" as Peter says, (2 Peter 3:18), that much of this knowledge would come from having to learn through experience how to show grace!
The more I study and pray "Lord, teach me", the more opportunities He seems to put in my path to show grace. I find myself thrust into these "opportunities to show grace" to family, to friends, to strangers, to circumstances, and surprisingly - even to myself!
This was certainly not what I expected! But I should have known --- after all, have you not heard that you should never pray for patience because as James says, "It is the testing of your faith that produces patience"! (James 1:3) The same must surely apply about praying to know grace!
This subject of grace is SO HUGE, that we are barely scratching the surface! We are truly only having a little "TASTE OF GRACE"!
So are you ready? Let's find out "What Grace is NOT"!
1. Grace is not CHEAP!
2 Corinthians 8:9 says, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich."
Remember that acrostic for the word G R A C E?
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense
It could also be said:
God's
Righteousness
At
Christ's
Expense!
Costly! It cost God the Father a price beyond measure to give His Son Jesus as a sacrifice so that we might receive and even BECOME RIGHTEOUS! And Jesus willingly offered Himself up for this. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." The holy, sinless Son of God became sin so that I could stand clothed in His righteousness... So that God could look at me, see me perfect!!! So that I could have a relationship, even a friendship with the God of the universe!
Remember that acrostic for the word G R A C E?
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense
It could also be said:
God's
Righteousness
At
Christ's
Expense!
Costly! It cost God the Father a price beyond measure to give His Son Jesus as a sacrifice so that we might receive and even BECOME RIGHTEOUS! And Jesus willingly offered Himself up for this. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." The holy, sinless Son of God became sin so that I could stand clothed in His righteousness... So that God could look at me, see me perfect!!! So that I could have a relationship, even a friendship with the God of the universe!
2. Grace is not CONDEMNATION!
Romans 8:1-2 says "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."
3. Grace is not obtained by WORKS or by PERFORMANCE!
Titus 3:4-8 says, "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
To me this says, IT'S NOT WHAT WE DO, BUT WHAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE!
Don't you imagine that's why as He gave up His life's blood for us on the cross that He said, "It is finished!"
4. Grace is not a LICENSE to sin!
Paul makes this very clear in Romans 6:1-2 where he says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!"
5. Grace does not mean that we will not have TRIALS!
Our friend Peter says in 1 Peter 5:10 that suffering and trials are experienced by all Christians, and then he says "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you."
6. Grace is not given before it is NEEDED!
1 Corinthians 10:13 in the New Living Translation says "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure."
7. Grace is not TOLERANCE of evil or ABSENCE of emotions!
Jesus Himself is a good example of this in John 2:13-22 when He expressed His anger and intolerance of the merchants who were making His "Father's house a house of merchandise". He certainly showed emotion as He made a whip of cords and drove them and their animals out of the temple area after overturning their tables where they did business!
8. Grace is not being in BONDAGE but experiencing FREEDOM!
Galatians 5:1 says "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."
9. Grace is not having God to do for you something He wants you to do for YOURSELF, by exercising SELF CONTROL and WALKING in the Spirit!
Paul talks about this a lot in the book of Galatians.
"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh," he says. Galatians 5:1
Then he goes on to say, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, SELF-CONTROL." Galatians 5:22-23
10. Grace does not mean we never FALL!
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, says in Proverbs 24:16 that although a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up again. And don't forget, if we have trusted Christ to be our Savior, WE ARE RIGHTEOUS! We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Romans 8:1-2 says "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."
3. Grace is not obtained by WORKS or by PERFORMANCE!
Titus 3:4-8 says, "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
To me this says, IT'S NOT WHAT WE DO, BUT WHAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE!
Don't you imagine that's why as He gave up His life's blood for us on the cross that He said, "It is finished!"
4. Grace is not a LICENSE to sin!
Paul makes this very clear in Romans 6:1-2 where he says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!"
5. Grace does not mean that we will not have TRIALS!
Our friend Peter says in 1 Peter 5:10 that suffering and trials are experienced by all Christians, and then he says "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you."
6. Grace is not given before it is NEEDED!
1 Corinthians 10:13 in the New Living Translation says "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure."
7. Grace is not TOLERANCE of evil or ABSENCE of emotions!
Jesus Himself is a good example of this in John 2:13-22 when He expressed His anger and intolerance of the merchants who were making His "Father's house a house of merchandise". He certainly showed emotion as He made a whip of cords and drove them and their animals out of the temple area after overturning their tables where they did business!
8. Grace is not being in BONDAGE but experiencing FREEDOM!
Galatians 5:1 says "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."
9. Grace is not having God to do for you something He wants you to do for YOURSELF, by exercising SELF CONTROL and WALKING in the Spirit!
Paul talks about this a lot in the book of Galatians.
"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh," he says. Galatians 5:1
Then he goes on to say, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, SELF-CONTROL." Galatians 5:22-23
10. Grace does not mean we never FALL!
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, says in Proverbs 24:16 that although a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up again. And don't forget, if we have trusted Christ to be our Savior, WE ARE RIGHTEOUS! We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Well, I think that's enough to chew on for this time!
Below you will find the fill in the blanks for this lesson.
Please feel free to copy them off for a Bible Study on your own,
....or with a group.
And don't forget to check out my Names of God on Rocks!
Click HERE to do that!
*******************************************************************************
1. Grace is not _______________________!
2 Corinthians 8:9 says, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich."
Remember that acrostic for the word G R A C E?
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense
It could also be said:
God's
Righteousness
At
Christ's
Expense!
Costly! It cost God the Father a price beyond measure to give His Son Jesus as a sacrifice so that we might receive and even BECOME RIGHTEOUS! And Jesus willingly offered Himself up for this. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Remember that acrostic for the word G R A C E?
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense
It could also be said:
God's
Righteousness
At
Christ's
Expense!
Costly! It cost God the Father a price beyond measure to give His Son Jesus as a sacrifice so that we might receive and even BECOME RIGHTEOUS! And Jesus willingly offered Himself up for this. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
2. Grace is not____________________________!
Romans 8:1-2 says "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."
3. Grace is not obtained by _________________ or by_____________________________!
Titus 3:4-8 says, "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
To me this says, IT'S NOT WHAT WE DO, BUT WHAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE!
4. Grace is not a ______________________ to sin!
Paul makes this very clear in Romans 6:1-2 where he says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!"
5. Grace does not mean that we will not have ________________!
Our friend Peter says in 1 Peter 5:10 says that suffering and trials are experienced by all Christians, and says "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you."
6. Grace is not given before it is _______________________!
1 Corinthians 10:13 in the New Living Translation says "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure."
7. Grace is not ________________________ of evil or ____________________________ of emotions!
Jesus Himself is a good example of this in John 2:13-22 when He expressed His anger and intolerance of the merchants who were making His "Father's house a house of merchandise". He certainly showed emotion as He made a whip of cords and drove them and their animals out of the temple area after overturning their tables where they did business!
8. Grace is not being in _______________________ but experiencing _____________________________!
Galatians 5:1 says "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."
9. Grace is not having God do for you something He wants you to do for _____________________,
by exercising ___________________________
and _________________________________________ in the Spirit!
Paul talks about this a lot in the book of Galatians.
"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh," he says. Galatians 5:1
Then he goes on to say, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, SELF-CONTROL." Galatians 5:22-23
10. Grace does not mean we never ______________________!
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, says in Proverbs 24:16 that although a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up again. And don't forget, if we have trusted Christ to be our Savior, WE ARE RIGHTEOUS!
Romans 8:1-2 says "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."
3. Grace is not obtained by _________________ or by_____________________________!
Titus 3:4-8 says, "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
To me this says, IT'S NOT WHAT WE DO, BUT WHAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE!
4. Grace is not a ______________________ to sin!
Paul makes this very clear in Romans 6:1-2 where he says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!"
5. Grace does not mean that we will not have ________________!
Our friend Peter says in 1 Peter 5:10 says that suffering and trials are experienced by all Christians, and says "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you."
6. Grace is not given before it is _______________________!
1 Corinthians 10:13 in the New Living Translation says "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure."
7. Grace is not ________________________ of evil or ____________________________ of emotions!
Jesus Himself is a good example of this in John 2:13-22 when He expressed His anger and intolerance of the merchants who were making His "Father's house a house of merchandise". He certainly showed emotion as He made a whip of cords and drove them and their animals out of the temple area after overturning their tables where they did business!
8. Grace is not being in _______________________ but experiencing _____________________________!
Galatians 5:1 says "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."
9. Grace is not having God do for you something He wants you to do for _____________________,
by exercising ___________________________
and _________________________________________ in the Spirit!
Paul talks about this a lot in the book of Galatians.
"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh," he says. Galatians 5:1
Then he goes on to say, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, SELF-CONTROL." Galatians 5:22-23
10. Grace does not mean we never ______________________!
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, says in Proverbs 24:16 that although a righteous person falls seven times, he will get up again. And don't forget, if we have trusted Christ to be our Savior, WE ARE RIGHTEOUS!
7 comments:
Well written
I agree with Margaret, nicely done...
"The more I study and pray "Lord, teach me", the more opportunities He seems to put in my path to show grace."
Yes. I've discovered that too. :)
The one from your list that I'm learning the most is that grace is not given before it is needed. But we can trust that it will be there when the time is right! Thanks for sharing what you're learning.
Great post and beautiful photo!
Happy Easter to you,
Happy Weekend,
artmusedog and carol
The solution can be a foster mom!
Beautifully written Esther Joy and always a pleasure to stop by and read your study. Have a beautiful weekend and a blessed Easter SONday!
Really enjoyed your post on grace and loved the acrostics. Happy Easter!
Post a Comment