THE GRACE OF GOD
The Grace of God
“I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 1:4 KJV).
WHAT IS GRACE
Grace is unmerited favor. Grace is not deserving. Grace cannot be earned. Grace is receiving. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV).
WHO IS THE SOURCE OF GRACE
God is the source of all grace. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 KJV). “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17 KJV).
IT IS A GRACE OPERATION
God is the God of Grace. He is the source of all grace. The Gospel is the GRACE of GOD. It is a Grace Operation! “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24 KJV).
UNDERSTANDING GRACE THROUGH THE GOSPEL
It is through the lens of the Gospel of Christ we can understand the GRACE of GOD. There is nobody that is good enough to get to Heaven. There is nobody that deserves to go to Heaven. Yet, God paid the penalty of sin, He paid the price of sin in full and freely gives eternal life as a gift. That is the GRACE of GOD! This is why we should not set aside the GRACE of GOD. “I do not frustrate the GRACE of GOD: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” (Galatians 2:21 KJV).
If salvation cannot be earned, that means salvation is all by the GRACE of GOD. If salvation cannot be earned, this means that salvation cannot be withheld either, it is by the GRACE of GOD. Salvation cannot be earned, nor can it be withheld. A person can trust in Christ alone up to their last fleeting breath all by the GRACE of GOD.
THE GRACE OF GOD IS NOT THE FOLLOWING
The GRACE of GOD is not the following: (1) The GRACE of GOD is not based on “how good” a person is because “being good” means that salvation would be earned (merit) and that is NOT the GRACE of GOD. Salvation is not earned. Good people do not go to Heaven. (2) The GRACE of GOD is not based on “how bad” a person is because “being bad” means that salvation would be withheld and that is NOT the GRACE of GOD. Salvation cannot be withheld. Bad people do not go to Hell.
Remember, salvation is by the GRACE of GOD and it is offered to all sinners, even the chief of sinners. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (I Timothy 1:15 KJV).
So, if it is by the GRACE of GOD: (1) Salvation is NOT just for the good; (2) Salvation is NOT just for the rich; (3) Salvation is NOT just for the religious; (4) Salvation is NOT just for the white, black, brown.
The GRACE of GOD is for everyone. That means anyone can get saved because it is by the GRACE of GOD. If everyone could NOT get saved, it would NOT be by the GRACE of GOD.
ADMISSION THEIR GOSPEL IS NOT PERFECT
Any gospel that says you can “earn your way to Heaven” or “lose going to Heaven” after being “saved” has a problem with “their gospel.” This is an admission that “their gospel” is not perfect. This is an admission that it is not a saving gospel. The gospel that does not give perfection, the gospel that does not last forever is not the gospel of the Bible.
Remember, there is only ONE GOSPEL in the BIBLE. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9 KJV).
THE GOSPEL THAT SAVES IS FREE, IS PERFECT, AND IS ETERNAL
For anything that can be perfect, has to be eternal, it has to last forever, or it is NOT PERFECT! If the Gospel of Christ does not give you perfection the very second you hear it, it does nothing for you. If the Gospel of Christ does not give you eternal life immediately (the second you believe), it does nothing for you.
If you have to be perfect to get to Heaven, you need something perfect to get to Heaven. Salvation is making a sinner perfect. Salvation is God making a sinner perfect. If it does not make him/her perfect, he/she cannot go.
Heaven is perfect. A person has to be perfect to go to Heaven. This is why confirmation, confessional, communion, and water baptism does not save. It does not make you perfect. This is why no church, no pastor, no priest, no sacraments, no traditions, or works of men will make you perfect. If there is no perfection, there is no Salvation. Either Christ can do it by Him alone or IT CAN NOT BE DONE. “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God” (Hebrews 7:19 KJV).
For 1500 years, how many things were made perfect by the law? NOTHING!
Jesus can do for you what NOBODY can do for you! “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:10-14 KJV).
Whatever Christ did, He only needed to do it ONE TIME! One sacrifice for SINS FOREVER! One offering, HE hath PERFECTED FOREVER! Nothing by what your life or the way you live affects your salvation. Your way of life has nothing to with you going to Heaven. This blows people's minds. People say you have to do something. There is nothing you can add to the GRACE of GOD.
The GRACE of GOD gives perfection. If it is not PERFECT, it is not the GRACE of GOD.
The GRACE of GOD lasts forever. If it is not FOREVER, it is not the GRACE of GOD.
The GRACE of GOD is free. If it is not FREE, it is not the GRACE of GOD.
People say, “you don’t deserve that.” YOU ARE RIGHT! It is all by the GRACE of GOD.
People say, “that’s too easy.” YOU ARE RIGHT? Salvation is easy. Christ did all the work: His death for your debt of sin. It is all by the GRACE of GOD.
People say, “that means a murderer can go to Heaven.” YOU ARE RIGHT? For God to save the best, He has to be able to save the worst. It is all by the GRACE of GOD. For God to save the worst, He has to be able to save the best. It is all by the GRACE of GOD. For God to be able to save you, He has to be able to save your neighbor. It is all by the GRACE of GOD. For God to be able to save your neighbor, He has to be able to save you. It is all by the GRACE of GOD.
People say, “doesn’t sound right.” Doesn’t matter what you think or feel. His ways are not our ways. It is all by the GRACE of GOD.
Remember: (1) The GRACE of GOD gives perfection. If it is not PERFECT, it is not the GRACE of GOD; (2) The GRACE of GOD lasts forever. If it is not FOREVER, it is not the GRACE of GOD; (3) The GRACE of GOD is free. If it is not FREE, it is not the GRACE of GOD.
SAVED BY GRACE
All of us are sinners. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12 KJV).
Who likes to hear they are a sinner. Who likes to hear they deserve Hell. The fact is that it does not matter how we feel. Remember, never let your feelings get in the way of facts.
The fact is, we all deserve to go to Hell. The fact is every person has missed the mark of perfection.
Are you perfect? No, you are not. I am not perfect. I deserve Hell. Why is that important?
Heaven is a perfect place. Only perfection is allowed into Heaven. Let us talk a second about perfection.
All mankind is a sinner and only perfection is allowed in Heaven. Now what? For this reason and this reason alone is why Christ was revealed in the flesh. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 KJV).
Christ became SIN for all of us. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6 KJV).
Christ died for all of my sin all by the GRACE of GOD. Christ died for all your sin all by the GRACE of GOD. “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:13-14 KJV).
He imputed my sin to His account, and He imputes His righteousness to my account when I believe all by the GRACE of GOD. “And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:21-25 KJV). “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness” (Romans 4:7-9 KJV).
His death for my debt of sin all by the GRACE of GOD. The wage of sin is death, somebody has to die for sin. Again, this is why nothing that man creates makes a payment for sin. There is no church, pastor, priest, ritual, sacrament, tradition, or work of men that pays for sin. Sin requires a death payment. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21 KJV).
A person can go to Hell and pay for all their sin for all eternity because they can never make a perfect sacrifice. Or, you can believe Christ shed His precious Blood for you. “forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:18-19 KJV).
When a person trusts in Christ alone apart from works, Christ’s death payment for sin, burial, and resurrection has been imputed to their account. When a person trusts in Christ alone, they actually received the righteousness that is required to get to Heaven all by the GRACE of GOD! “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9 KJV).
The payment for sin is paid in full all by the GRACE of GOD! God is a God of Grace. Christ paid your debt of sin in full.
An infinite Holy God can make an infinite payment for sin in a finite moment of time. It is FINISHED!
People try to purchase eternal life by obeying the Ten Commandments, living a good life, going to church, or doing some other religious work. But God will not make Himself a debtor to any man! He does not “owe” eternal life to anyone. Christ paid for all your sins and He freely offers ETERNAL LIFE as a gift! “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 KJV).
If you are lost, you need a Savior and His name is Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. If you have not trusted in Christ alone as your only hope of going to Heaven, and your only hope of not going to Hell. What is stopping you right now from doing that?
God knows your heart. In your mind, right now, you can talk to the LORD. Say something, LORD, I know I don’t know everything, however, I know I am a sinner. I now know that perfection is only allowed in Heaven. I know that the payment for sin is death. I know that Christ died for my sins and was resurrected for me. I know that if I believe that (the Gospel), I receive eternal life. I know that I do not want to go to Hell when I die. I know that I want to go to Heaven forever. I believe that Christ died on the Cross for all my sins, buried for me, and resurrected for me. I believe Christ did that for me.
If you have just done that, you can thank the LORD that you are forever going to Heaven. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (I John 5:13 KJV). “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who FIRST TRUSTED IN CHRIST. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that YE BELIEVED, ye were SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:12-14 KJV). “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:28-30 KJV).
Every saved person can absolutely know without a doubt they are going to Heaven when they die. Why? Christ paid for my sin which is all by the GRACE of GOD!
You and I do not deserve to go to Heaven, all by the GRACE of GOD! Getting to go to Heaven is all by the GRACE of GOD! Not going to Hell is mercy, not getting something we do deserve. All by the Grace of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV).
LIVE BY GRACE
After I am saved (which is a one-time event in my life), I now grow in grace. I am forever a child of God. The question now becomes do I stay a “babe” in Christ, like the Corinthians, until I am called to glory. “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ” (I Corinthians 3:1 KJV).
Or, do I grow in grace in the knowledge of Christ and nourish on His Word (the bread, the water, the milk, the meat of the Words of Life). “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” (II Peter 3:18 KJV).
How can a person ever grow in grace if they could “lose their salvation?” They could never grow in grace. A person cannot “lose” their salvation. A person can fall out of fellowship with their Father; however, they never fall out of the relationship with their Father: they are forever a child of God.
Once a person is born again, born from above, born of a new nature -they are FOREVER a child of GOD! All by the GRACE of GOD! I deserve none of this. I am what I am, all by the GRACE of GOD! “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (I Corinthians 15:10 KJV).
I am born again, all by the GRACE of GOD! I am forever a child of God, all by the GRACE of GOD! I receive a sinless nature, a spirit nature that is born from above, a new nature, a nature that is born from God, all by the GRACE of GOD. I received the free gift of eternal life, all by the GRACE of GOD. Now as a child of God, my Father gives me rewards in Heaven, all by the GRACE of GOD. To live by grace is to follow the footsteps of Christ because He is the example in everything all by the GRACE of GOD! “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (I Peter 2:21 KJV). “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15 KJV).
THE GRACE GOSPEL CHURCH
The Grace Gospel Church is the first building on the right when you turn into Taconite. Join us in worship at 9:30 AM at The Grace Gospel Church in Taconite. Please look for our live feed on Facebook at 10:00 AM if you cannot join us in person. If you miss our live feed, please check us out on YouTube at The Good News Voice / Lance Edminster (look for our logo); I have added the link to our YouTube channel. If you have not subscribed to our channel, please subscribe to our channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC1T01FFZFU1mc97dvzaENw
THE PLAN OF SALVATION - THE GOSPEL
The Gospel is Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins (past, present, and future), He was buried, and He resurrected the third day to show us the payment for sin is paid in full.
I Corinthians 15:1-4: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
God loves you. Lord Savior Jesus Christ revealed Himself in the flesh for one reason: to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ does not come to condemn individuals. Jesus Christ comes to save us because we are all Hell doomed sinners without the Blood of Jesus Christ.
John 3:16-18: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
All individuals are sinners. The payment for sin is death.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ died for your sin and resurrected for you.
II Corinthians 5:21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
I Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
If you believe in Christ alone, you receive eternal life.
John 6:47: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
I John 5:13: These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
If you could be "saved" by being water baptized, doing good works, being a good person, or following the Ten Commandments? Why did (the God from Eternity Past, the God from Eternity Future) the Ever Presence Jesus Christ reveal Himself in the flesh and die on the Cross and resurrect the third day? No church can reconcile. No sacrament can save. No work or tradition of men can redeem. Only Jesus Christ can save a person from a Hell they deserve to a Heaven they do not deserve -all by grace!
Galatians 2:21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If you could earn salvation by doing those things, then Jesus Christ died in vain. However, Jesus Christ did not die in vain. Jesus Christ made a perfect sacrifice for sin. He is the Lamb of God, and only the Lamb of God can make a perfect sacrifice for sin. There is only one way to Heaven, and it is the belief in the Finished Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Philippians 3:9: And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
The resurrection is proof God the Father accepted Jesus Christ's death payment for sin -death payment of past, present, and future sin: ALL SIN!
People DO NOT go to Hell because they are "bad." People go to Hell because they believe NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People trust NOT in Jesus Christ as their Savior. People believe NOT Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, burial, and resurrection. People do NOT trust alone in the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
II Thessalonians 1:8-9: In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
Know that God is gracious to you. He has already died for all your sins (past, present, and future), He was buried for you showing all the world He died for your sins, and He was resurrected for you, showing all the world that Jesus Christ fulfilled what the Father asked Him to do: IT IS FINISHED! Your sins are paid in full. I pray you to believe in Jesus Christ right now for salvation -believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sin, burial, and resurrection. Trust alone in Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you know someone who is "not saved," share the Gospel message with them or forward this message to them.
The Good News Voice is affiliated with The Grace Gospel Church. If you are looking for a Bible preaching, Gospel sharing, Body loving congregation, look no further. Join us in Taconite on Sundays at 9:30 AM. The Grace Gospel Church is the first building on the right when you turn into Taconite. We are live on Facebook at 10:00 AM if you are unable to join us in person. God bless, love Lance & Karla.
Pastor Lance Edminster
The Grace Gospel Church
The Good News Voice
Email: thegoodnewsvoice@gmail.com
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Once Saved, Always Saved: "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one" (John 10:28-30 KJV).
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