{"id":46586,"date":"2022-01-26T07:26:59","date_gmt":"2022-01-26T04:26:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=46586"},"modified":"2025-05-21T10:56:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T07:56:26","slug":"the-fundamental-doctrine-of-gods-grace-toward-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2022\/01\/26\/the-fundamental-doctrine-of-gods-grace-toward-us\/","title":{"rendered":"THE FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINE OF GOD\u2019S GRACE TOWARD US"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Blessed <\/span>be <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>Lord <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ! <\/span>Welcome <\/span>as <\/span>we <\/span>come <\/span>together <\/span>to <\/span>study <\/span>the <\/span>Bible, <\/span>the <\/span>true <\/span>bread <\/span>of <\/span>life <\/span>for <\/span>our <\/span>souls.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Scriptures <\/span>teach <\/span>clearly <\/span>that <\/span>we <\/span>are <\/span>saved <\/span>by <\/span>grace, <\/span>not <\/span>by <\/span>works.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ephesians <\/span>2:<\/span>8-<\/span>9 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>For <\/span>by <\/span>grace <\/span>you <\/span>have <\/span>been <\/span>saved <\/span>through <\/span>faith. <\/span>And <\/span>this <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>your <\/span>own <\/span>doing; <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>gift <\/span>of <\/span>God,<\/span>
not <\/span>a <\/span>result <\/span>of <\/span>works, <\/span>so <\/span>that <\/span>no <\/span>one <\/span>may <\/span>boast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This <\/span>passage <\/span>tells <\/span>us <\/span>that <\/span>salvation <\/span>is <\/span>entirely <\/span>a <\/span>gift <\/span>from <\/span>God \u2014 <\/span>it <\/span>cannot <\/span>be <\/span>earned <\/span>by <\/span>anything <\/span>we <\/span>do. <\/span>No <\/span>matter <\/span>how <\/span>righteous <\/span>we <\/span>may <\/span>think <\/span>we <\/span>are, <\/span>we <\/span>still <\/span>fall <\/span>short <\/span>because <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>sinful <\/span>nature. <\/span>Like <\/span>a <\/span>dog <\/span>who <\/span>thinks <\/span>its <\/span>ways <\/span>are <\/span>right, <\/span>but <\/span>a <\/span>human <\/span>sees <\/span>its <\/span>many <\/span>flaws, <\/span>so <\/span>God <\/span>sees <\/span>our <\/span>flaws <\/span>even <\/span>when <\/span>we <\/span>consider <\/span>ourselves <\/span>pure. <\/span>Therefore, <\/span>we <\/span>can <\/span>never <\/span>boast <\/span>before <\/span>God <\/span>by <\/span>our <\/span>own <\/span>deeds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet <\/span>despite <\/span>our <\/span>many <\/span>shortcomings, <\/span>God <\/span>extends <\/span>to <\/span>us <\/span>the <\/span>free <\/span>gift <\/span>of <\/span>salvation. <\/span>This <\/span>unearned <\/span>gift <\/span>is <\/span>what <\/span>we <\/span>call <\/span>GRACE<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

But <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>crucial <\/span>to <\/span>understand <\/span>that <\/span>this <\/span>grace, <\/span>while <\/span>freely <\/span>given, <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>cheap <\/span>or <\/span>without <\/span>purpose. <\/span>It <\/span>comes <\/span>with <\/span>a <\/span>responsibility <\/span>and <\/span>an <\/span>expectation. <\/span>Grace <\/span>teaches <\/span>us <\/span>and <\/span>requires <\/span>a <\/span>response <\/span>from <\/span>us. <\/span>If <\/span>we <\/span>refuse <\/span>this <\/span>response, <\/span>we <\/span>effectively <\/span>reject <\/span>the <\/span>grace <\/span>itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

What <\/span>exactly <\/span>does <\/span>grace <\/span>require?<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider <\/span>this <\/span>passage:<\/span><\/p>\n

Titus <\/span>2:<\/span>11-<\/span>13 (<\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>For <\/span>the <\/span>grace <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>has <\/span>appeared, <\/span>bringing <\/span>salvation <\/span>for <\/span>all <\/span>people,<\/span>
training <\/span>us <\/span>to <\/span>renounce <\/span>ungodliness <\/span>and <\/span>worldly <\/span>passions, <\/span>and <\/span>to <\/span>live <\/span>self-<\/span>controlled, <\/span>upright, <\/span>and <\/span>godly <\/span>lives <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>present <\/span>age,<\/span>
while <\/span>we <\/span>wait <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>blessed <\/span>hope\u2014<\/span>the <\/span>appearing <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>glory <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>great <\/span>God <\/span>and <\/span>Savior, <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Notice <\/span>verse <\/span>12: <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>grace <\/span>teaches<\/span><\/strong> us <\/span>to <\/span>deny <\/span>ungodliness <\/span>and <\/span>worldly <\/span>desires<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>key <\/span>demand <\/span>grace <\/span>places <\/span>on <\/span>us. <\/span>It <\/span>calls <\/span>us <\/span>to <\/span>reject <\/span>the <\/span>sinful <\/span>patterns <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>world <\/span>and <\/span>to <\/span>live <\/span>lives <\/span>marked <\/span>by <\/span>self-<\/span>control, <\/span>righteousness, <\/span>and <\/span>godliness.<\/span><\/p>\n

If <\/span>we <\/span>embrace <\/span>this <\/span>teaching <\/span>and <\/span>live <\/span>accordingly, <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>grace <\/span>will <\/span>remain <\/span>with <\/span>us <\/span>and <\/span>cover <\/span>over <\/span>our <\/span>smaller <\/span>faults. <\/span>Just <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>dog <\/span>who <\/span>accepts <\/span>his <\/span>master\u2019s <\/span>training <\/span>is <\/span>loved <\/span>and <\/span>his <\/span>minor <\/span>faults <\/span>overlooked, <\/span>so <\/span>too <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>grace <\/span>overlooks <\/span>small <\/span>imperfections <\/span>when <\/span>we <\/span>submit <\/span>to <\/span>His <\/span>discipline. <\/span>But <\/span>those <\/span>who <\/span>reject <\/span>this <\/span>teaching <\/span>and <\/span>continue <\/span>to <\/span>live <\/span>as <\/span>they <\/span>please\u2014<\/span>wandering <\/span>freely <\/span>in <\/span>sin\u2014<\/span>will <\/span>not <\/span>experience <\/span>the <\/span>favor <\/span>of <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>grace.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many <\/span>today <\/span>misunderstand <\/span>grace <\/span>to <\/span>mean <\/span>license <\/span>to <\/span>live <\/span>however <\/span>they <\/span>want. <\/span>They <\/span>say, \u201c<\/span>We <\/span>are <\/span>saved <\/span>by <\/span>grace, <\/span>not <\/span>works,\u201d <\/span>without <\/span>understanding <\/span>that <\/span>grace <\/span>itself <\/span>calls <\/span>for <\/span>a <\/span>transformed <\/span>life\u2014<\/span>a <\/span>life <\/span>that <\/span>denies <\/span>the <\/span>world<\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

If <\/span>you <\/span>desire <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>grace <\/span>to <\/span>abide <\/span>in <\/span>you, <\/span>you <\/span>must <\/span>deny <\/span>the <\/span>fashions <\/span>and <\/span>pleasures <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>world. <\/span>You <\/span>must <\/span>reject <\/span>worldly <\/span>indulgences <\/span>such <\/span>as <\/span>immodest <\/span>clothing, <\/span>tattoos, <\/span>jewelry, <\/span>drunkenness, <\/span>sinful <\/span>entertainment, <\/span>sexual <\/span>immorality, <\/span>dishonesty, <\/span>and <\/span>all <\/span>other <\/span>forms <\/span>of <\/span>worldly <\/span>sin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do <\/span>not <\/span>be <\/span>deceived\u2014<\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>grace <\/span>and <\/span>worldly <\/span>living <\/span>are <\/span>fundamentally <\/span>incompatible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have <\/span>you <\/span>truly <\/span>denied <\/span>sin? <\/span>Have <\/span>you <\/span>rejected <\/span>the <\/span>world?<\/span><\/p>\n

If <\/span>not, <\/span>then <\/span>today <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>day <\/span>to <\/span>repent, <\/span>to <\/span>receive <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ <\/span>as <\/span>your <\/span>Lord <\/span>and <\/span>Savior, <\/span>and <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>baptized <\/span>in <\/span>water <\/span>in <\/span>His <\/span>name. <\/span>The <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit <\/span>will <\/span>guide <\/span>you <\/span>into <\/span>all <\/span>truth <\/span>and <\/span>help <\/span>you <\/span>obey <\/span>the <\/span>commands <\/span>of <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>grace.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maranatha!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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