Scripture Reading: Romans 3:21-26

The Relation of Grace to Sin, Truth, and Forgiveness

Intro.

1. Grace is a used and often abused Bible word (1 Pet. 5:12).

2. Grace: Undeserved favor, kindness (“that which affords joy, pleasure, delight”).

a. Revealed by the gospel of Christ; word of God (Acts 20:24, 32).

b. Teaches us how to live (Titus 2:11-12).

c. Saved by it (Eph. 2:5, 8).

d. Stand in grace (Rom. 5:2).

e. Can fall from grace (Gal. 5:4).

f. Can be received in vain (2 Cor. 6:1; 1 Cor. 15:10).

g. Grace is conditional – Eph. 2:8; cf. Psalm 84:11.

3. Relevance: Error is defended and sinners are comforted by false views of grace: Faith only; grace only; impossibility of apostasy, mdr…

I. RELATION OF GRACE AND SIN (it overcomes sin) – Rom. 5:20-21; 3:20-26.

A. Grace Accomplishes What Law Cannot – Acts 15:11 (13:38-39).

1. Law cannot save – it condemns men as sinners – Gal. 3:10 (Rom. 3:20; 4:15).

2. Justification by faith (not by law) is due to God’s grace – Rom. 3:21-24; Gal. 3:11-14.

B. God’s Grace is Superior to Man’s Sin: Rom. 5:20-21.

1. 5:20 – Law exposed man’s sin and God’s wrath against it (3:19-20; 4:15) – but – Grace is greater than sin.

2. 5:21 – Sin’s domain is death – but – grace’s domain is righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ!

C. Gospel of Grace Teaches Us to Give Up Sin as Our Way of Life – 6:2.

-(“Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound?”) – Rom. 6:1, 15.

1. Deny sin…live soberly, righteously and godly – Titus 2:11-12.

2. Sin no longer to have dominion over Christian – Rom. 6:14:

a. No longer live in it – 6:2.

b. No longer slaves to it – 6:6-7.

c. Dead to sin – 6:11.

d. Sin does not reign (rule) in body…do not obey its lusts – 6:12.

e. Do not yield your body to unrighteousness – 6:13.

3. Willful sin insults the Spirit of grace – Heb. 10:26, 29.

II. RELATION OF GRACE AND TRUTH (they are companions).

A. Jesus is the Fullness of Grace and Truth – John 1:14, 16-17.

1. Cannot be saved by grace and reject Christ’s truth – Acts 20:24.

2. Cannot stand in truth with false concepts of grace.

B. Standing in Grace Means Walking in Truth – Rom. 5:2; Gal. 1:6-7.

1. Gal. 5:4 – Fall from grace when we live in error.

2. Gal. 5:5-7 – Our hope is by faith…working thru love…obeying.

3. 1 John 1:5-7 – Practice truth…walk in light…cleansing from sin.

III. RELATION OF GRACE and FORGIVENESS.

A. Receiving Grace is Conditional –Titus 2:11-12; 3:4-7; Gal. 5:5-7.

B. Grace Does not Save Christians Despite Sin – Rom. 6:16, 23.

-(This is “once saved, always saved” thinking, 6:1, 15).

C. Grace Does Not Provide Automatic Forgiveness of Sin (“continual cleansing” – even as we sin).

1. Christians continue to be cleansed when they continue to walk in the light – 1 John 1:9. (We have to walk in the light to receive c.c.)

2. Classic argument:

a. Man sees a woman, lusts after her and is hit by car: Will God forgive him although he didn’t have chance to repent?

b. cf. Man on his way to be baptized, killed in accident: Will God save him although he didn’t have a chance to be baptized?

c. Answer:

1) Hypothetical is constructed with a bias (how do you know he lusted?)! Do you have the confidence to go stand in the street, lust after a woman, and let a car run you over?

2) Motive is to justify clear error without repenting of it!

3) Christian who is walking in the light avoids lust.

4) God will judge righteously – that we are certain.

* 3. If standing in grace means automatic forgiveness (“continual cleansing”) for Christians, then…

a. How can Christians ever sin? 1 John 1:8

b. Why are Christians told to do anything when they sin? 1 John 1:9; Acts 8:22 (confess sin, repent and pray)

c. Why is fellowship with God conditional? 1 John 1:7

d. How is it possible for Christians to fall from grace? Gal. 5:4

e. How is it possible for Christian to “fall short” of grace of God? Heb. 12:15

f. Why deny worldly lusts? Titus 2:11-12

g. Why obey God? John 14:15

h. Why are Christians urged to continue in the grace of God? Acts 13:43

Conclusion

1. Things grace does not do:

a. Save from unrepented sin – Acts 17:30

b. Make sin righteous – Rom. 6:1-2 (Jude 4)

c. Minimize or overwhelm truth – John 1:17 (Acts 20:32)

d. Make doctrine secondary – Gal. 1:6-10

e. Eliminate the necessity of obedience – Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 17:10

2. Grace saves us and teaches us to live under rule of truth and righteousness, not sin – Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 5:6-7. Obey Jesus now and always (James 4:6-10).