The Teaching of Grace

Text: Titus 2

 

I.         When you talk to people in the denominations, much is made about the Grace of God

            A.        Emphasis is place on God’s grace - Ephesians 2:8-9

            B.        To the point that if any mention is made of men needing to accept the offered gift, then strong objections are made. No work done by man is accepted as affecting a man’s salvation.

                        1.         Yet, the Bible is clear that it is the obedient who are saved - Hebrews 5:9

II.        Even Ephesians 2:8 states that grace comes through faith

            A.        But where does faith come from?

                        1.         Most in the denominations claim that faith is something imposed on an individual.

                        2.         A person cannot believe unless God makes them believe.

                        3.         But Paul stated that faith come by the word of God- Romans 10:17

            B.        What does Jesus demand of us? - Matthew 7:21-23

            C.        How do we express love? - John 14:23-24

            D.        God created us to do His works - Ephesians 2:10

                        1.         Faith is one of those works - John 6:28-29

III.       God’s grace brings salvation - Titus 2:11-12

            A.        How many sources of salvation are there?

            B.        The way of salvation is narrow - Matthew 7:13-14

            C.        Ephesians 4:4-6 - There is only one faith; that is, one system of belief

            D.        Salvation comes through the word of God - Romans 1:16

IV.      God’s grace teaches us

            A.        It tells us how to live; it lays requirements on us; it restrains us

            B.        Is that done directly? Does that mean a person with God’s grace does not need the New Testament?

            C.        When Paul and Barnabas persuaded men to continue in the grace of God (Acts 13:43), how was that done? Why look at the next verse! - Acts 13:44

            D.        They taught as Jesus had - John 8:31

V.        God’s grace puts us under law

            A.        There aren’t two sources of teaching, a limited one known to only a few and a general one known by all.

            B.        There aren’t two sources of salvation, a limited one given to only a few and a general one given to all.

            C.        There aren’t two faiths

            D.        Since Jesus redeemed us from every lawless deed - Titus 2:14, it comes back to being under law

            E.        The law of Christ - Galatians 6:2

                        1.         By which we are judged - James 2:12

VI.      Grace is a gift extended to those who do not deserve it

            A.        God offered mankind love and salvation, when He didn’t have to - Romans 5:8-10

            B.        He taught us how to be saved and live pleasing in His sight, when He didn’t have to - II Timothy 3:16-17

            C.        God’s grace is

                        1.         Christ dying for us

                        2.         Christ’s law for us

                        3.         Eternal life - Romans 6:23

                        4.         Righteousness - Romans 5:17

            D.        If we don’t obey, we have rejected God’s gift and are lost - II Thessalonians 1:8

            E.        Jesus offers the water of life, but they still must be drunk - John 4:14

VII.     Therefore, grow in grace - II Peter 3:17-18