GRACE (Salvation) The 6 G’s – Part 1 Pastor Chuck Bernal 08-24-14 UNDERSTANDING CHURCH – UNIVERSAL & LO CAL I will build my church; and all the powers of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18 – LB) I have the constant worry of how the churches are getting along. (2 Corinthians 11:28 – LB)
The Bible speaks often of the importance of church membership. In the New Testament, believers clearly identified themselves with a specific local body and were challenged to become devoted participants. At LifePointe, we have summarized the components of church membership using what we call THE 6 G’S – GRACE – GROW TH – GROUP – GIFTS – GIVING – GOING
GOD IS A GOD OF GRACE Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be His through our union with Christ . . . because of His love, God already decided that through Jesus Christ He would make us His children – this was God’s pleasure and purpose. (Ephesians 1:4-5)
WHY WE NEED GRACE ISSUE: W e think that salvation is som ething we can achieve on our own PRO BLEM 1: _______________________________________ to get to heaven For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5 – NLT) Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard. (Romans 3:23- NCV) Anyone who tries to keep all of the Law but fails at one point is guilty of failing to keep all of it. (James 2:10 – CEB)
PRO BLEM 2: _______________________________________ to get to heaven We're all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. (Isaiah 64:6 – Msg) All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. (Isaiah 64:6 – GNB God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this . . . Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9 – NLT)
GOD’S GRACE IS REVEALED THROUGH CHRIST’S DEATH But your wrongs have separated you from your God, and your sins have made him hide his face so that he doesn’t hear you. (Isaiah 59:2 – GWT) That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God. (1 Peter 3:18 – Msg) But God is so rich in mercy; he loved us so much that even though we were spiritually dead and doomed by our sins, he gave us back our lives again - only by his grace have we ever been saved . . . all because of what Christ Jesus did. (Ephesians 2:4-8 – LB) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 – LB)
Our sin ________________________ us from God, but when Christ died on the cross, he ____________________________ us back to God When Jesus died on the cross, he ________________ how much God loves us
RESPONDING TO GRACE – WHAT DOES IT MEAN? ________________________________ vs. ________________________________ He saved us because of his mercy, not because of any good things we did. (Titus 3:5 – ERV) ________________________________ vs. ________________________________
He gave the right and the power to become children of God to those who received Him. (John 1:12 – NLV) ________________________________ vs. ________________________________ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in. (Revelation 3:20 – NCV) UNDERSTANDING CHURCH – UNIVERSAL & LO CAL I will build my church; and all the powers of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18 – LB) I have the constant worry of how the churches are getting along. (2 Corinthians 11:28 – LB)
The Bible speaks often of the importance of church membership. In the New Testament, believers clearly identified themselves with a specific local body and were challenged to become devoted participants. At LifePointe, we have summarized the components of church membership using what we call THE 6 G’S – GRACE – GROW TH – GROUP – GIFTS – GIVING – GOING
GOD IS A GOD OF GRACE Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be His through our union with Christ . . . because of His love, God already decided that through Jesus Christ He would make us His children – this was God’s pleasure and purpose. (Ephesians 1:4-5)
WHY WE NEED GRACE ISSUE: W e think that salvation is som ething we can achieve on our own PRO BLEM 1: I can be good enough to get to heaven For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. (Psalm 51:5 – NLT) Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard. (Romans 3:23- NCV) Anyone who tries to keep all of the Law but fails at one point is guilty of failing to keep all of it. (James 2:10 – CEB)
PRO BLEM 2: I can work hard enough to get to heaven
We're all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. (Isaiah 64:6 – Msg) All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. (Isaiah 64:6 – GNB God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this . . . Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9 – NLT)
GOD’S GRACE IS REVEALED THROUGH CHRIST’S DEATH But your wrongs have separated you from your God, and your sins have made him hide his face so that he doesn’t hear you. (Isaiah 59:2 – GWT) That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God. (1 Peter 3:18 – Msg) But God is so rich in mercy; he loved us so much that even though we were spiritually dead and doomed by our sins, he gave us back our lives again - only by his grace have we ever been saved . . . all because of what Christ Jesus did. (Ephesians 2:4-8 – LB) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 – LB)
Our sin separates us from God, but when Christ died on the cross, he brought us back to God When Jesus died on the cross, he proves how much God loves us
RESPONDING TO GRACE – WHAT DOES IT MEAN? DO vs. DO NE He saved us because of his mercy, not because of any good things we did. (Titus 3:5 – ERV) ACHIEVED vs. RECEIVED He gave the right and the power to become children of God to those who received Him. (John 1:12 – NLV) RELIGIO N vs. RELATIO NSHIP
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in. (Revelation 3:20 – NCV)