WELCOMEWELCOMETOTO

SUNNY SLOPESUNNY SLOPECHURCH OF CHRISTCHURCH OF CHRIST

A Lot Of Preaching And Teaching Is A Lot Of Preaching And Teaching Is Being Done These Days On Being Done These Days On

The Grace Of GodThe Grace Of God

““Grace”Grace” Has To Do With Has To Do With “Favor”“Favor”

To Be In God’s To Be In God’s GraceGrace Is To Be In Is To Be In His His FavorFavor

““Loving Kindness”Loving Kindness” Is Another Is Another Expression That Describes Expression That Describes

God’s GraceGod’s Grace

God’s Grace Toward Man Is…God’s Grace Toward Man Is…

Unmerited, Unearned,Unmerited, Unearned, UndeservedUndeserved

An Expression Of God’s Love An Expression Of God’s Love

Consider This Acronym:

•God’s

•Riches

•At

•Christ’s

• Expense

It May Be Easier To Describe God’s Grace Than To Define It

• Justice- we get what we deserve

• Mercy- we don’t get what we deserve

• Grace- we receive goodness we don’t deserve

John 3:16 John 3:16 “For “For God so loved the world that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten SonHe gave His only begotten Son, that , that whoever believes in Him should not perish whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”but have everlasting life.”

Romans 5:8 Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”us.”

Created In God’s Image, Created In God’s Image, Sinless, Sinless, Man Chose To SinMan Chose To Sin

Man Stood Condemned In His SinMan Stood Condemned In His Sin

Could Not Forgive HimselfCould Not Forgive Himself

Did Not Deserve ForgivenessDid Not Deserve Forgiveness

In Love, God Made A Way For Man In Love, God Made A Way For Man To Be Forgiven AnywayTo Be Forgiven Anyway

That Is God’s Grace!That Is God’s Grace!

Usually, Studies On Grace Seem To Primarily Emphasize

A Rather Narrow Focus…

• On Our Total Dependence Upon God’s Grace For

Salvation

Romans 3:24 Romans 3:24 “being “being justified freely by justified freely by His graceHis grace through the redemption that is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:23 Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is “For the wages of sin is death, but death, but the gift of God is eternal lifethe gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

It’s Usually Stressed That Salvation It’s Usually Stressed That Salvation Is Is Totally By GraceTotally By Grace AndAnd

Cannot Be EarnedCannot Be Earned

• Romans 4:4 “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 Ephesians 2:8-9 “For “For by grace you have by grace you have been saved through faithbeen saved through faith, and that not of , and that not of yourselves; yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of it is the gift of God, not of worksworks, lest anyone should boast.”, lest anyone should boast.”

But Paul Instructed…But Paul Instructed…

“…“…work out your own salvationwork out your own salvation with with fear and trembling;”fear and trembling;” (Philippians 2:12). (Philippians 2:12).

Some Even Seem To Stress That We Cannot Do Anything To Bring

About Our Own Salvation

• But, On Pentecost Peter Admonished…

• “Save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40 KJV).

Such Generalized Statements On Grace Go Too Far

• God Obviously Expects Specific Responses To His

Grace

~FAITH~~FAITH~

Hebrews 11:6 Hebrews 11:6 “But “But without faith it is without faith it is impossible to please Himimpossible to please Him, for he who , for he who comes to God must believe that He is, comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”diligently seek Him.”

John 8:24 John 8:24 “…for “…for if you do not believe if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sinsthat I am He, you will die in your sins.”.”

Jesus Called Jesus Called BelievingBelieving A A Work!Work!

John 6:29 John 6:29 “Jesus answered and “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘said to them, ‘This is the work of This is the work of God, that you believe in Him God, that you believe in Him Whom He sentWhom He sent.”.”

~REPENTANCE~~REPENTANCE~

Acts 3:19 Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and “Repent therefore and be converted, be converted, that your sins may that your sins may be blotted outbe blotted out, so that times of , so that times of refreshing my come from the refreshing my come from the presence of the Lord.”presence of the Lord.”

Repentance Is An Repentance Is An Active Active Change Of MindChange Of Mind

That Requires That Requires An Active An Active Change Of LifeChange Of Life

Matthew 3:8 Matthew 3:8 “Therefore “Therefore bear bear fruits worthy of repentancefruits worthy of repentance.”.”

~OBEDIENCE~~OBEDIENCE~

1 Peter 1:22 1 Peter 1:22 “Since “Since you have purified you have purified your souls in obeying the truthyour souls in obeying the truth through through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure love one another fervently with a pure heart.”heart.”

Paul Warns Against Not Obeying

• 2 Thessalonians 1:8 “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Example Of Christ Himself The Example Of Christ Himself Demonstrates The Absolute Demonstrates The Absolute Necessity Of Our ObedienceNecessity Of Our Obedience

Hebrews 5:8-9 Hebrews 5:8-9 “though He was a Son, “though He was a Son, yet yet He learned obedienceHe learned obedience by the things by the things which He suffered. And having been which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Himeternal salvation to all who obey Him.”.”

John 1:17 John 1:17 “For the law was given “For the law was given through Moses, but through Moses, but grace and truth came grace and truth came through Jesus Christthrough Jesus Christ.”.”

But, Grace Did Not Do Away With Law But, Grace Did Not Do Away With Law From GodFrom God

And, Because God Extends His Grace And, Because God Extends His Grace To Us Does Eliminate Our Need To To Us Does Eliminate Our Need To Respond Responsibly To His GraceRespond Responsibly To His Grace

All That Pertains And Relates To All That Pertains And Relates To Our Salvation Is A Product Of Our Salvation Is A Product Of

God’s GraceGod’s Grace

James 1:17 James 1:17 ““Every good gift and every Every good gift and every perfect gift is from aboveperfect gift is from above, and comes , and comes down from the Father of lights, with down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or shadow Whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”of turning.”

The Wonders Of Creation That God The Wonders Of Creation That God Has Set In Place For Our Well Being Has Set In Place For Our Well Being

Are Products Of His GraceAre Products Of His Grace

All Blessings Are All Blessings Are Bestowed Upon us By Bestowed Upon us By

God’s Grace!God’s Grace!

Scripture- Scripture- DoctrineDoctrine –Was Given –Was Given To Guide Us By God’s GraceTo Guide Us By God’s Grace

Acts 20:32 Acts 20:32 “So now, brethren, I “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to commend you to God and to the word the word of His grace, which is able to build you of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctifiedall those who are sanctified.”.”

Following Correct Doctrine Is Following Correct Doctrine Is Important Throughout Life, Not Important Throughout Life, Not Just In Becoming A ChristianJust In Becoming A Christian

2 John 9 2 John 9 ““Whoever transgresses and Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have Goddoes not have God. He who abides in . He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.”Father and the Son.”

The Church, A Vital Part Of God’s Eternal Plan For

Man’s Salvation

Certainly A Product Of God’s Grace!

Ephesians 3:8-11

These Blessings Are Not These Blessings Are Not Separate From The Gospel…Separate From The Gospel…

• They’re Central Features Of The Gospel!

They’re Not Separate They’re Not Separate From, Or In Addition To, From, Or In Addition To,

God’s Plan For Our God’s Plan For Our Salvation…Salvation…

• They’re Vital To Our They’re Vital To Our Salvation!Salvation!

• And Products Of God’s And Products Of God’s Grace!Grace!

We Must Never, In Any We Must Never, In Any Way, Cheapen God’s Way, Cheapen God’s GraceGrace

Romans 6:1-2 Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we “What shall we say then? Shall we continue say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? in sin that grace may abound? Certainly notCertainly not!”!”