Here are the notes for the Bible Study on "Grace - How to Receive It".
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Be blessed!
Chris
1. How did you get saved?
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. (NKJV)
We were saved by grace, but grace works only when we receive it in faith. God is a gentleman and He will not force His will on anyone, even though He wants all to be saved.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, (NKJV)
John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (NKJV)
Grace was given to all men. Jesus died for all the world. Now ours is to receive this grace. We got to know ONE aspect, a very important one, of Jesus’ grace. This is just the foundation. Good news is Jesus did not just save us and leave us to suffer here till we die and go to Heaven!
2. Grace is received by Faith
Every promise given to us in scriptures is God’s grace to be received by faith. Grace has been given to us – past tense. It is now up to us to receive it by faith. God willingly made all the provision needed, according to His promises.
Believe, receive. Doubt, do without.
God is both ABLE and WILLING.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 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. (NKJV)
More verses:
Acts 18:27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; (NKJV)
3. Receiving Requires Humility
Faith requires humility. Childlike faith.
James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (NKJV)
Humility is not beating yourself about your moral inadequacies. We all know that without grace, we’re damned anyway. Continuing to beat yourself over your weaknesses is pride, hoping that you can achieve on your own strength to please God.
Humility is simply acknowledging that what God has said is true, and takes precedence over what we perceive in our five senses.
If scripture says so, but it seems ridiculous, we may not receive it if we don't act by faith e.g. speaking to the mountain (your problems).
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NKJV)
God's grace is always sufficient for what we need to do in the kingdom. The weaker we realize we are and the more we throw ourselves at Him, the more His ability to work through us!
James 1: 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (NKJV)
This testing is not abouthow much you can withstand a trial – it is a testing of how much you can lean on His promises by faith (grace is sufficient) to go through the trial.
4. Received in Vain
Grace can be received in vain.
2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. (NKJV)
This context was in not receiving the righteousness of God in Christ. The same is true with every other promise.
More Verses
1 Peter 5: 5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (NKJV)
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, (NKJV)
5. Conditions to Receiving a Promise
Like receiving a flyer offering something, like free handbags, from Zellers!
1. The one giving the promise must be truthful
2. The one receiving the promise must know about the promise
3. The one receiving the promise must know the one giving it enough to trust it.
4. Easy to trust those we know have our interest at heart. This is called love.
6. Truthful Promises
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. (NKJV)
His own Word says that His promises are true, that they glorify God when we see these promises manifest in our lives.
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (NKJV)
This verse that we’ve quoted many times in this series talks about, in V4, the exceedingly great and precious promises given to us to escape the corruption in the world. All these are in the past tense.
7. Knowing the Promises
What you don’t know WILL hurt you!
- Read the Bible knowing that God loves you
- Listen to good teachings – iPod, mp3, CD, online etc.
- Come for FNBS!
8. Growing to Trust
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (NKJV)
Ultimately, faith comes from the Word of God. We have to keep hearing it. One of the best ways for us to hear it is to speak it out. Fact is, what we believe, we tend to say (Jesus said this in Matt 12:34). What we say, we reinforce. To build faith refrain from saying things that don’t build faith, but say the things that do.
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (NKJV)
We need to know God more and more for grace and peace to be multiplied in our lives.
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (NKJV)
We grow also when under trials, we choose to trust in the promises instead of what we see. The trials are not from God – Jesus said in John 16:33 that the trials will come, but He has overcome the world, so we are to stand on His promises by faith, that His grace IS sufficient for us!
9. Faith from Love
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (NKJV)
Paul was able to live by faith (walk by faith) in the flesh because he was very aware of Jesus’ love for him.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV)
Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. (NKJV)
Faith works in us when we know His love for us. The more we know His love, the more we can have faith.
More verses:
Titus 3:4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 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, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (NKJV)
We were saved by the kindness and love of God, not by anything we had done.
10. Grow, Abound in the Grace of God
2 Timothy 2: 1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (NKJV)
This seems to be of prime importance enough for Paul to emphasize to Timothy.
2 Co 8:6 So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also. (NKJV)
Titus begun in grace, and was now sent to complete this grace for the Corinthians. Grace can be grown, completed, added to. They are instructed to ABOUND in grace also - see note there.
1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (NKJV)
We are to steward the grace of God to minister our gifts!
More Verses:
Acts 13:43 Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. (NKJV)
We must grow in this Grace!
2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (NKJV)
We must be established in Grace!
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. (NKJV)
We must not fall short of
Hebrews 12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; (NKJV)
11. Grace is MUCH MORE than We need
Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. (NKJV)
There is more grace for us to depend on then any of us ever realizes. MUCH MORE the grace of God abounded to many, we see here.
Romans 5:17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) (NKJV)
MUCH MORE we who receive the ABUNDANCE of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Christ.
More verses:
Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (NKJV)
Grace abounded more where sin abounded and reigns through righteousness.
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. (NKJV)
Paul became who he was by grace, but he laboured more abundantly, and yet this was by grace of God. He did not frustrate the grace of God, but acted by faith on the grace - this was his labour.
1 Timothy 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. (NKJV)
Grace abounded, bringing faith and love in Christ!
12. Live Out the New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)
Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. (NKJV)
Remember that we are a New Creation – Spirit-Soul-Body
We are not an old creation trying to become new. We are new creations in the spirit but we have a soul and we live in the body.
What we need is understanding the finished work of Christ in our New Creation – this is God’s grace to us. We see it manifest in our soul, through the renewing of our minds.
This is done through the word of God – as we read the word, realise His goodness toward us, this will change our lives.
This is called realising the abundant grace that has been given to us.
When we read the Word, we must trust not only in God’s ability to keep His promises, but also His willingness, His eagerness, His love! He loves us and wants to bless us.
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (NKJV)
13. The Take Away
- By Grace through Faith – all grace already given!
- Be humble – accept what the Word says as truth
- Stand on the promises of God
- Know that the promises are backed by His love for you
- Abound in His grace, His goodness
- Live the New Creation Life
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