The Truth About Grace
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Why would His labor be in vain if there was no possibility of Satan tempting Christians, causing them to fall and be lost? Surely Paul understood the grace of God and its limitations to those who refuse to obey the gospel, for he used the word 110 of the 156 times the Greek: charis (NT:5485) (grace) is found in the New Testament.
It is true that grace cannot be withheld from man because of demerit, lessened by demerit, or be mixed with the law of works; but this does not prove that there are no conditions men must meet in order to get the benefits of grace. Not one scripture teaches unconditional grace, or that God gives grace to men who disobey the gospel. If so, then God is under obligation to save all, even sinners who disobey if He saves even one (Romans 2:11). God is under obligation to saints only when they walk in the light and remain true to the gospel (1 John 1:7). He is not under obligation to sinners until they come to full obedience of the gospel. Grace teaches men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly here and now (Titus 2:11-12). If people do not obey its teaching, grace can go no further. Anyone may:
- Receive grace in vain (2 Cor. 6:1).
- Frustrate it in his life (Galatians 2:21).
- Fall from it (Galatians 1:6-8; Galatians 5:4).
- Fail of the grace of God (Hebrews 12:15).
- Turn it into lasciviousness (Jude 1:4).
- Sin in spite of it (Romans 6:1).
- Continue or discontinue in it (Acts 13:43).
- Minister it to others (1 Peter 4:10).
- Grow or not grow in it (2 Peter 3:18).
- Receive or reject it (John 3:16; Rev. 22:17; Hebrews 12:15; James 4:6).
Thirty Things that Grace Can Do:
- Grace can save the world (Genesis 6:8; Ephes. 2:8-9).
- Grace can give one all good things (Psalm 84:11).
- Grace can bring men to repentance (Zech.12:10).
- Grace can impart great blessings (Acts 4:33).
- Grace can bring salvation (Titus 2:11-12; Ephes. 2).
- Grace can impart faith (Acts 18:27).
- Grace can justify (Romans 3:24-25; Titus 3:7).
- Grace can overcome sin (Romans 5:20).
- Grace can reign in life if permitted (Romans 5:21).
- Grace can make one God’s elect (Romans 11:5-6).
- Grace can give boldness (Romans 15:15).
- Grace can make partaker of Christ (1 Cor. 10:30).
- Grace can give power (1 Cor. 15:10).
- Grace can inspire liberality (2 Cor. 8:1-2,6-9; 2 Cor. 9:8).
- Grace can give endurance (2 Cor. 12:9).
- Grace can call people to the ministry (Galatians 1:15).
- Grace can impart riches (Ephes. 2:7).
- Grace can inspire singing (Col. 3:16).
- Grace can give seasoning to speech (Col. 4:6).
- Grace can give strength (2 Tim. 2:1).
- Grace can teach (Titus 2:11-12).
- Grace can give aid in suffering (Hebrews 2:9).
- Grace can help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
- Grace can give stability (Hebrews 13:9).
- Grace can give life (1 Peter 3:7).
- Grace can help render true service (Hebrews 12:28).
- Grace can become abundant (1 Tim. 1:14).
- Grace can bring hope (2 Thes. 2:16).
- Grace can give the ability to preach (Ephes. 3:8).
- Grace can change lives (1 Cor. 15:10).
Thirty Things that Grace Cannot Do:
- Set aside forever all condemnation for future sins (John 5:14; John 8:34; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 5:21; 2 Cor. 5:10)
- Set aside failure of saved men to meet the many conditions of salvation (1 John 1:7; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-13; James 5:19-20; Galatians 5:19-21; Col. 1:23; Col. 2:6-7)
- Cancel free moral agency (Col. 1:23; 1 John 1:7; Romans 6:16-23; Rev. 22:17)
- Keep men saved when they sin (Romans 8:12-13; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; Galatians 6:7-8; James 5:19-20; Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 10:26-29; 2 Peter 2:20-21)
- Cancel the death penalty when saved men break the law (Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; Hebrews 10:26-29; James 5:19-20; Ezekiel 18:4,20-24; Ezekiel 33:12-13,18)
- Make God a liar who said every man that sins must die (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 5:19-21; Galatians 6:7-8; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rev. 21:8)
- Cancel the law of confession of sins before they are forgiven (1 John 1:7,9; Rev. 2:5,16; Rev. 3:19; Luke 13:1-5; Acts 2:38)
- Forgive future sins, for transgression and confession are necessary before forgiveness (1 John 1:9; Rev. 2:5,16,22; Rev. 3:19; Luke 13:1-5; Acts 2:38; Mark 6:12; Romans 2:4-6; 2 Cor. 7:10)
- Cancel responsibility of saved men concerning sin (Romans 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10; Galatians 5:19-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Romans 14:12)
- Be responsible should saved men backslide (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Rev. 2:5; Rev. 3:2; James 5:19-20; Galatians 5:19-21)
- Free saved men from condemnation for future sins unless confessed (1 John 1:7,9; Rev. 2:5,22; Rev. 3:2; James 5:19-20)
- Permit God to forgive unconfessed sin (2 Chron. 7:14; 2 Cor. 7:9-10; 1 John 1:9; 2 Tim. 2:25; Rev. 2:5; Rev. 3:2)
- Bind men so that they cannot sin if they choose to do so (Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:1-13; 1 John 1:7; Hebrews 6:4-9; Hebrews 10:26-29)
- Guarantee any man eternal life if he refuses to obey (James 5:19-20; 2 Cor. 3:16-17> Ezekiel 33:12-20)
- Force obedience (Rev. 22:17; John 3:16-20; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:1-13; Galatians 1:6-8; Galatians 5:4; Galatians 6:7-8; 1 John 1:7)
- Make any man a child of God in the sense Jesus was (John 1:14,18; John 3:16)
- Force God to continue blessing any man who sins (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:1-13; Galatians 5:19-21; James 5:19-20)
- Make the sins of the saved different from the sins of the unsaved (Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; 2 Cor. 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; Col. 1:5-10; 2 Peter 2:20-22)
- Condemn sinners and excuse saints who commit the same sins (Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; Romans 14:10-12; Galatians 5:19-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ezekiel 18:4,24-28; Ezekiel 33:12-16; Rev. 2:5,16,22; Rev. 3:2)
- Operate in the life of a free moral agent without his consent (John 3:16-20; John 7:17; John 8:34; 2 Peter 3:9; Rev. 22:17)
- Impart eternal life to men who serve sin and Satan (Matthew 6:24; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:1-13; Galatians 5:19-21; Galatians 6:7-8; 1 John 3:8)
- Keep man from moral falls if they wilfully sin (Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:1-13; Hebrews 6:4-9; Hebrews 10:26-29; Ezekiel 33:12-20)
- Force God to go contrary to His own program of grace (Romans 1:16; 1 John 1:7; Hebrews 3:6,12-14; Hebrews 10:26-29)
- Cancel the law of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7-8; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; Ezekiel 18:4,24-28; Ezekiel 33:12-16; Rev. 2:5-22)
- Guarantee unconditional favor to anyone (2 Cor. 6:1; Galatians 1:6-8; Galatians 2:21; Galatians 5:4; Hebrews 12:15; James 5:19-20)
- Guarantee unforfeitable life without conditions being met (Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 5:19-21; Galatians 6:7-8; James 5:19-20; Hebrews 10:26-29; note, John 6:27)
- Guarantee sinlessness to men unless conditions are met (1 Cor. 3:16-17; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 5:16-26; Galatians 6:7-8; Hebrews 6:1-9; Hebrews 10:26-29; Hebrews 12:14-15)
- Encourage anarchy in God’s government (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; Galatians 6:7-8)
- Force God to be lenient with rebels (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 6:7-8)
- Give any man a pardon that guarantees him salvation and eternal life regardless of how he lives in sin and rebellion (Exodus 32:32-33; Ezekiel 18:4; Ezekiel 33:10-20; Romans 6:16-23; Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 5:19-21; Galatians 6:7-8)
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FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
938 7th St. Wasco, CA. 93280
(661) 758-5906 – wascofwb.org
Schedule of services:
Sunday…..10am, 11 am, & 6pm
Wednesday…..7pm