Scripture Reminds Us Of God’s Grace and Love For Us
- Ephesians 2:4-7
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. - Romans 5:6-8
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
The Doctrine of: God’s Redemptive Work
The Bible uses the term “redemption” to capture an important spiritual truth. The word is borrowed from commerce, meaning to buy something or someone back. This is exactly what God does for those who believe in His Son for salvation.
With the precious blood of His own Son, God purchases sinners from the slave market of sin. The overcoming power of God means no one is beyond redemption when they turn to Christ. The truth about redemption makes salvation possible, but it also gives hope when circumstances in life appear hopeless.
God can accomplish His eternal purposes through the most desperate situations. He can redeem the wreckage of sinful choices to humble and help us and to bring good. He can overturn what the enemy means for evil and use it for our good.
When we believe that no sinner is beyond God’s grace and no circumstances are beyond God’s redemption, we can have hope. God redeems, restores, reconciles, rebuilds and reclaims.
What impossible relationship or situation are you asking God to redeem, to His glory alone?
God can be trusted, even if we have to wait a long time, perhaps even a very long time, to see the glory in the story.
From the Bible Study Fellowship Genesis Notes
Word Study: Redemption
What words come to mind when you think of God’s Redemption?
Homework Discussion:
- Q 5: If culture tells us a person can do anything/be anything she wants to do or be, how can this worldview hinder our understanding of God’s plan?
- Q 9a: What difference does the order – salvation by grace and then works – make in your journey of following Jesus?
- Q 9b: How do you see people walking in the way of Jesus in their everyday lives?
- Q 9c: What good works do you see not just our church, but The Church doing today?
The Doctrine of: Works
We cannot earn God’s favor by our own works. Ephesians 2:8-9 says this clearly: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” God’s favor did not rest on Abraham, Isaac or Jacob because of their own merit. In fact, their imperfections only highlight God’s undeserved grace
If human goodness or works cannot save me, are they important at all? Ephesians 2:10 completes this thought and answers this question beautifully. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The Holy Spirit within the believer creates appetites, attitudes and actions that glorify God.
True saving faith produces good works, providing evidence of the spiritual life within. A saved life is a changed life.
Our only boast is Christ; there is no room for human pride.
Because Jesus perfectly pleases God, God sees you as whole, not broken.
Because the Holy Spirit stimulates God-pleasing thoughts and actions within you, the good works God has prepared for you can be accomplished.
But they are accomplished in His power alone. At the end of the day, the high points and low points rest in the finished work of Christ. He has already paid the price for your failures. God gets the glory for what you did right, because He did it.
From the Bible Study Fellowship Genesis Notes
Closing Prayer
1. Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise:
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
2. Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home:
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand’ring from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
3. O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.