Three Words
A. WE ARE SAVED BY THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL (Rom. 1:16).
1. They must be the right words (1 Tim. 6:4; 2 Tim. 1:13; Titus 1:9).
2. Those words must be understood properly.
B. MUCH ERROR IS THE RESULT OF REDIFINING BASIC WORDS TO FIT BELIEFS.
C. WE WANT TO LOOK AT THREE OF THOSE WORDS.
A. THE TENDANCY IS TO LIMIT THIS WORD TO ITS NARROWEST MEANING ...
ACCEPTING THE GOSPEL AS TRUE.
B. IN THE SCRIPTURES THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS OF FAITH (Heb. 11:6):
1. There is a God.
a. God's testimony (Psa. 19:1; Rom. 1:20).
b. Man's smallness (Psa. 8:1-4).
c. God created man … on purpose (Gen. 1:26). With a purpose (Ecc. 12:13-14).
d. Intelligent design vs. monkeys at a typewriter. Purpose or accident?
Where did it all come from?
e. Jesus is God's Son (John 20:30-31). The gospel is true!
2. Faith includes trust, or it is incomplete (Heb. 11:6).
a. Trust and obey (Mark 16:16).
b. Trust in God in impossible circumstances (Heb. 11:17-19).
Heroes of faith.
Bro. Cassius èJump through this wall! God will make the hole.
c. Faith produces what? (Gal. 5:6).
d. Faith without works (James 2:24).
e. By faith, Abraham obeyed (Heb. 11:8; Rom. 16:25-26).
A. DEFINITION: "good-will, loving-kindness, favor" (Thayer). SAVED BY GRACE.
B. TWO INCORRECT DEFINITIONS:
1. Unconditional Favor - No passage demands that it is unconditional.
2. Unmerited Favor - We teach "unmerited" because the context of our faith demands it.
C. SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT - A PRODUCT OF GRACE. HOW DOES IT WORK.
1. Though man must be active, his salvation comes neither through his own wisdom
(1 Cor. 1:21), or his own merit (Rom. 3:9-10).
2. Titus 3:4-5. Salvation comes by way of mercy, not merit (Luke 17:10).
No room for boasting!
3. Are works necessary? In Ephesians 2, faith is a work. It is man’s part.
4. Some contend that faith is the gift, therefore God’s work in us.
( see John 6:28-29 ). Whose work is faith?
5. Conditions given (1 John 1:6-7; Mark 16:16; James 1:22; Heb. 5:8-9).
A. SOME SEE WORKS IN OPPOSITION TO FAITH AND GRACE. THEY EQUATE
WORKS WITH MERIT, AND BELITTLE LAW-KEEPING.
B. WHEN THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT WORKS, OBEDIENCE TO GOD IS MEANT.
1. Salvation is conditioned on obedience (Heb. 5:8-9; 2 Thess. 1:7-9).
2. Disobedience equated with disbelief (Heb. 3:18-19).
3. Obedience is necessary to salvation.
C. NOT ALL WORKS QUALIFY AS OBEDIENCE.
1. Not by works WHICH HE DEVISES FOR HIMSELF (Col. 2:8; Prov. 14:12).
2. Not by works OF THE OLD LAW (Gal. 2:16; Heb. 10:1-4).
3. Not by works OF MERIT (Eph. 2:8-9; Luke 17:10).
4. Not by works THAT DO NOT DEVELOP or in which he has become
COMPLACENT ( 1 Cor. 15:58; Jas. 1:22).
5. JUSTIFIED BY WORKS OF THE GOSPEL( Gal. 5:6 ). What are they?
a. Believe on his Son( John 3:16; Heb. 11:6).
b. Repent of our sins( Acts 17:30-31 ).
c. All will confess( Phil. 2:9; Rom. 10:10 ).
d. Baptism( Acts 2:38 ).
e. Rom. 6:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:14-15. Newness of Life
A. GOD’S GRACE IS FOR YOU.
B. DO YOU BELIEVE AND TRUST HIS WORD?
C. HAVE YOU OBEYED THE LORD?
