ROM 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
JOHN 8:34, "Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin."
ROM 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
EPH 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith;..."
A QUESTION COMES UP
ROM 6:1-2, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"
UNDER THE LAW PEOPLE ARE SLAVES
GAL 3:21-26, "Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."
FREE GIFT VS WAGES
ROM 4:4, "Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due."
WORKS RESULTS IN BOASTING
EPH 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."
ROM 3:27-28, "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law."
WORKS AND LAW NULLIFY GRACE
ROM 11:6, "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."
GAL 5:4, "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace."
LAW LEADS TO SIN - GRACE FREES FROM SIN
ROM 6:1-2, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"
ROM 6:14, "For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace."
GRACE TEACHES US TO LIVE GODLY AND LOOK FOR CHRIST'S COMING
TIT 2:11-14, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."
GROW IN GRACE
2 PET 3:17-18, "You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."
GRACE MADE PAUL WHAT HE WAS
1 COR 15:10, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
GRACE IS SUFFICIENT
2 COR 12:9-10, "And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."
GRACE HELPS IN TIMES OF NEED
HEB 4:15-16, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need."
WE ARE HEIRS
GAL 3:29, "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."
ROM 8:16-17, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."
CAN WE BE LOST? ESAU LOST HIS BIRTHRIGHT
HEB 12:15-17, "See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears."
ISRAEL WAS CUT OFF
ROM 11:19-23, "You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again."
LAW BRINGS KNOWLEDGE AND CONDEMNATION
ROM 3:19-28, "Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
CALLED BY GRACE - NOT WORKS
2TIM 1:8-11, "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher."
Churches that preach the doctrine of salvation by works and judge one another by some set of laws, often fight among themselves and seldom help anyone who is not a member of their church. While churches who preach a doctrine of salvation by grace, are more apt to spend their time, talent, and money helping people in their communities and in other countries.
I emphasize - preaching grace results in people sharing that grace with others and doing good works. While preaching salvation by works and law results in judgment of others and almost a complete lack of really doing anything.
The result does not depend on what law they preach. The Bible teaches it is not possible for any law to take away sin and that Christ was the end of using law to determine righteousness. ( ROM 10:3-4)
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