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

Grace and Law Please open your Bible & follow along! God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Outline: Grace and Law – Man and Law – The Challenge of Law – The Change in Law – The Law That Applies Today – The Relationship Between Grace and Law God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Man and Law (Romans 1-3) – Godless and immoral people are condemned (Rom. 1:18-32) – The religiously arrogant are condemned (Rom. 2:1-16) – Even the Jews are condemned (Rom. 2:17-29) – There is none righteous…all have sinned (Rom. 3:23; Gal. 3:22) – Sin is violation of God’s law, lawlessness (1 John 3:4) – God is just in condemning all sinners (Rom. 2:2-3; 3:1-8) – The condition of man: condemned for violating God’s law! – Let’s look at the challenge of law and why law cannot save us from our sins… God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

The Challenge of Law – It must be kept perfectly, or else you are guilty of all (Jms. 2:10) Law highlights our guilt, points the finger, condemns the violator – Law does not provide forgiveness (Heb. 10:4) Once a lawbreaker, you are forever condemned as such – The ultimate penalty of God’s law is spiritual death (Rom. 6:23) 1 Cor. 15:56 “The sting of death is sin, the power of sin is the law” 2 Thess. 1:9 “these shall pay the penalty of eternal destruction” – Law is not the remedy for the condition of man (Gal. 2:21) Not the Law of Moses Not moral law/law of conscience (Rom. 2:14-15) Not the pre-Mosaic patriarchal system of law – Fortunately for us, the law changed! God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

The Change in Law – Jesus did away with the Law of Moses so that Jews and Gentiles could be united in salvation by grace/faith (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14) – “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law” (Gal. 3:13) The curse of law is its demand for perfect obedience (Gal. 3:10) – Priesthood changed…law changed (Heb. 7:11-12) – Christ’s law has higher standards than the Law of Moses Notice differences in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) Even more difficult for one to achieve sinless perfection Makes us even more dependent on His grace…requires more faith – Let’s take a look at the law that applies today… God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

The Law That Applies Today (Jms. 4:12; Heb. 9:15) – Words of Christ (John 12:48) – “law of faith” (Rom. 3:27) – “law of God” (Rom. 7:22,25; 8:7) – “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:2) – “not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ” (1 Cor. 9:21) – “fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2) – “the perfect law, the law of liberty” (Jms. 1:25; 2:12) – “the royal law” (Jms. 2:8) – “love is the fulfillment of law” (Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14) – God’s laws written on the mind, heart (Heb. 8:10; 10:16) – Instructions of grace (Titus 2:11-12) God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

The Relationship Between Grace and Law – Law points us to our need for the grace of Jesus (Gal. 3:24) – Grace does not exclude law (Rom. 3:31); rather: Grace instructs us for lawful living (Titus 2:11-12) Law is not evil, but good for us (Rom. 7:7-12,16; 1 Tim. 1:8-9) Law gives knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:2-5 5:20; 1 John 3:4) – Without law, there is no sin…no need for grace (Rom. 4:15; 5:13) Law therefore proves our need for grace (Rom. 5:20-21) When you are justified by grace, you are set free from the law’s penalty and curse (Rom. 6:15-23; 8:1-4) – Grace and law work together to save us and keep us saved! Law condemns us, and grace justifies us – What a blessing that we have instructions on how to walk in God’s ways and the grace to bring us back when we wander! God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Summary – The condition of man: condemned! – It is hopeless to seek salvation by the Law of Moses or any system of law because none of us keep it perfectly and there is no avenue for true forgiveness. – The Law of Moses was done away and replaced with Christ’s law, a higher standard. – Grace provides an avenue to forgive our transgressions under Christ’s law. – In Christ, grace and law work together for our benefit. – The condition of the man in Christ: Romans 8:1-2 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) God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

Trust not in yourself, but be saved by Jesus’ grace today! Escape from condemnation! Believe 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 Christ to save you. Be baptized into Jesus for forgiveness of your sins…this marks the moment when grace saves the sinner. Continue in the blessed relationship of His favor by remaining faithful in godliness, seeking His grace for forgiveness when you sin. God’s Abundan t Grace Acts 4:33

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