Desert Church of Christ Pahrump, NV We welcome you to our assembly! Our assemblies: Sunday morning Bible study: 10:00 AM Sunday morning worship: 11:00 AM Sunday evening Bible study: 5:00 PM Wednesday Bible Study: 6:00 PM Evangelist: David F. Sims

God’s Abundant Grace “abundant grace was upon them all” Acts 4:33

Abusing God’s Grace Don’t Take It For Granted! Please open your Bible & follow along in Matthew 7:13-14! God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Some Christians worry about their security… Others don’t worry enough about their own role! To walk in grace is to walk the strait and narrow way. But what happens when a Christian steps off the path? There are some misconceptions about the role of grace in keeping a Christian in a saved condition. Our study today: understanding the abuses of grace that can jeopardize one’s salvation God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Definitions for “Abusing God’s Grace” – Abuse: “to use wrongly or improperly; misuse” – Grace: God’s favor toward a person, including both favorable actions God does and the relationship that exists between God and the favored individual – To abuse grace is to wrongly or improperly use (misuse) God’s favorable actions and the favorable relationship. – The one who abuses God’s grace is in danger of losing it! – This lesson focuses on common abuses of God’s abundant grace for the saint. God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Outline: Four Ways Christians Abuse God’s Grace – Treating grace as a license to sin – Assuming grace ignores the intent of the heart – Assuming grace automatically forgives sin – Assuming grace prevents sin or falling away God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Four Ways Christians Abuse God’s Grace 1. Treating grace as a license to sin Some NT Christians mistakenly thought there was no law at all since the Law of Moses was taken away, and that they were free to sin as much as they wanted, to make grace increase. – “If I sin more, God can be even more gracious!” This is an abuse of Rom. 5:20-21 “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” But Paul corrected this in Romans 6 “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be!” Grace does NOT give us permission to sin. Grace DOES have law: Rom. 2:4-16; law of God: Rom.7:25; 8:7 Jesus was not kidding about walking the strait & narrow way! God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Four Ways Christians Abuse God’s Grace 2. Assuming grace ignores the intent of the heart Some think, “It is easier to ask forgiveness than permission” Or say in their heart, “Just this once I deserve a little sinful pleasure…God will understand and forgive me” But sins of the heart are still sins: lust, hate, jealousy, pride, etc. Matt. 15:8 “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.” Acts 5:3-4 – Ananias conceived sin in his heart 1 Cor. 4:5 – Jesus will “disclose the motives of men’s hearts” The heart determines intent, will, and action. Fakers and frauds will be identified in judgment…make your heart right! God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Four Ways Christians Abuse God’s Grace 3. Assuming it automatically forgives our sins 1 John 1: 7-9 “if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The words “continually” and “automatically” are not there! Sin happens when we step outside the Light…no need for “continual cleansing” of those who are walking in the Light. Simon was directed to repent and pray for forgiveness (Acts 8:22) 1 John 1:9 says sin must be confessed in order to be forgiven. Cleansing, therefore is only as continual as our confession of sin. God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Four Ways Christians Abuse God’s Grace 4. Assuming it prevents falling away Calvinism teaches that the saved can never sin or fall, and if a believer sins, he was never really saved in the first place. – Some believers come short of grace (Heb. 12:15) – Some believers receive grace in vain (2 Cor. 6:1) – Some believers nullify grace (Gal. 2:21) – Some believers fall from grace (Gal. 5:4) – Some lose faith and fall away from God (Heb. 3:8-12) Grace prevents Satan from snatching you out of God’s hand (John 10:28-29), but it does not prevent you from leaving it. Grace does not prevent us from sinning or falling. We can still choose to abandon grace. 1 John 1:8,10! God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

There have always been people who would abuse God’s kindness, even believers who rebel and live in sin. Deut. 32:5-6 “They have acted corruptly toward Him, they are not His children, because of their defect; but are a perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus repay the L ORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is not He your Father who has bought you? He has made you and established you.” Titus 1:16 “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.” God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Summary – Grace is not a license to sin…we must obey God’s law. – Grace does not ignore the intent of the heart…we must be sincere in our service. – Grace does not automatically forgive sin – we must confess our sins, repent, and pray for forgiveness. – Grace does not prevent sin or falling away…we retain freewill and can fall from grace if we resist it. – We have a role in keeping ourselves saved: “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness” (2 Tim. 2:19) – Phil. 2:12 “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age… (Titus 2:11-12) Worried about your salvation? Next week we will examine our blessed assurance! God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Would you like to receive God’s grace today? Obey the Gospel! Believe His Word…that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for our sins and was raised up. Repent of your sins…commit yourself to holiness. Confess your faith in God to save you. Be baptized into Jesus for forgiveness of your sins. Continue in the blessed relationship of His favor by remaining faithful in godly conduct. God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

God’s Abundant Grace “abundant grace was upon them all” Acts 4:33