GRACE WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK?  John 1:17 (KJV) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:  Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that sin might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:  Romans 5:21 That as sin has. reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

A principle can be defined as the way a thing operates or functions.  The old creation consisting of the unsaved world operates totally under the reigning principle of law, sin, and death.  The new creation in Christ operates only under the principle of grace.

There are, since the resurrection of Christ, two operating principles now functioning in the world. 1. Law, sin, and death principle 2. Grace, Faith principle

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. The Word clearly states that believers are not under the Law but under the principle of grace.

Hebrews 7:11-12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law to put something in place of another. 2 Cor 3:7-11 “that law had been done away” katargeō to abolish nullify or make something inoperative. Romans 7:6 “we have been discharged from the law” katargeō technical legal term that means discharged from some thing

How did God remove us from under a law principle in order to place us under a grace principle?

In the body of Christ, grace is the only principle in which God operates now. How informed are we about what grace is and how it operates?

Is trying to live under grace by law, a big problem? Either a believer understands what it is to be under grace or he doesn’t and therefore, if he doesn’t, he can not operate under grace, because he misses the whole system.

Let’s come up with a definition of GRACE:  Romans 6:14 (NASB) For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  Chester MaCalley: Grace is the unlimited and unmerited blessings from God, based on the totally adequate work of Christ.

Aspects of Grace: 1. Unmerited, uncompensated, or unearned. 2. Unlimited, unrestricted, unrestrained 3. Blessings or favor from God. 4. The cause of God being gracious is the work of Christ

“How does a life under grace work in everyday life?” Three false assumptions about grace: 1. Law is the only way to control conduct. For society the answer is yes because every human has a sin nature. Laws are the Divine method to keep men alive. Harry Ironside. Laws are the Divine method to keep men alive. Harry Ironside. The false assumption is that law is the only way to motivate conduct. 2. Freedom from the law = freedom to sin 3. Grace has no power to motivate and control conduct

How do we find out about and gain an understanding of grace? What is grace designed to accomplish? 1.To prevent sin from reigning. Romans 5:21 2.Ability to do the will of God. 3.Blessings 4.Glorify God’s character

Three principles of Grace: 1. Grace is the system under which we live. 2. Grace is comprehended in Jesus Christ via the Word 3. Grace is the way God operates.

What is liberty? 1. Liberty is freedom from every form of tyranny 2. In scripture liberty is a change of masters. 3. Submission to somebody is called freedom or liberty in scripture 1 Peter 2:13 Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 16 as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

Will the teaching of grace cause the believer to behave properly? The teachings of grace include: 1. Superhuman manner of life 2. Enabling power of the Spirit 3. Voluntary conformity to the will of God 4. Christian conduct is a free choice 5. This response is in harmony with grace 6. By faith in Christ 7. No ground for legality in any form.

Why is it that the life under grace can only be lived by faith? Faith can be summarized as follows: 1. Intelligent believing 2. Faith demands content 3. Faith is an act that is explicitly non meritorious

5. Faith is the only means of appropriation that harmonizes with grace. 6. The only act that eliminates pride. 7. Faith is that which brings the greatest of all blessings. 8. Everything else in the Christian life is the result of this grace

Can grace teach and motivate us to behave properly? Titus 2: For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us, to the intent that, having denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world;

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