GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT

The objective for this lesson is to get you to think about and then talk about some very practical ways that we, as Christ Followers, can use GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT, as opposed to LEGALISM or LICENSE, to grow stronger in our walk with the Lord.

What does a strong walk with the Lord Jesus Christ look like to you?

What is the theme of Galatians?

JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH ALONE, NOT BY WORKS What is the theme of Galatians?

What does it mean, according to the Bible, to be JUSTIFIED?

THE DEBT OF SIN THAT I COULD NEVER PAY WAS PAID BY JESUS ON THE CROSS AND NOW GOD SEES ME AS COVERED BY THE CLEAN SLATE OF JESUS WHENEVER HE LOOKS AT ME. What does it mean, according to the Bible, to be JUSTIFIED?

JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH ALONE, NOT BY WORKS. Why did we add the phrase NOT BY WORKS?

JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH ALONE, NOT BY WORKS  Ephesians 2:8-9  Romans 4:5  Romans 5:1  Romans 5:18  Romans 8:1  Titus 3:5  II Timothy 1:9  Galatians 2:20

II Peter 1:15 – For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

James 2:18 – But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Philippians 2: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

~ JOHN MACARTHUR Godly character is not the result of good intentions, wishful thinking, some mystical “zap,” or even sheer Bible knowledge. It’s developed through the self-disciplined application of God’s Word at a very basic level, enabled and empowered by God’s Spirit.

The objective for this lesson is to get you to think about and then talk about some very practical ways that we, as Christ Followers, can use GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT, as opposed to LEGALISM or LICENSE, to grow stronger in our walk with the Lord.

~ JOHN MACARTHUR Godly character is not the result of good intentions, wishful thinking, some mystical “zap,” or even sheer Bible knowledge. It’s developed through the self-disciplined application of God’s Word at a very basic level, enabled and empowered by God’s Spirit.

~ JOHN MACARTHUR Godly character is not the result of good intentions, wishful thinking, some mystical “zap,” or even sheer Bible knowledge. It’s developed through the self-disciplined application of God’s Word at a very basic level, enabled and empowered by God’s Spirit.

~ D.A. CARSON, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, VOLUME 2, (WHEATON CROSSWAY, 1999) JANUARY 23 ENTRY People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from GRACE-DRIVEN EFFORT, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER 1. Comes from a new life II Cor. 5:17 calls us a ‘new creation’ Eph. 4:24 call it the ‘new self’ created in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Jn. 3:3 Jesus calls it being ‘born again’ In the Gospels Jesus says we have ‘eyes to see’ now Ez. 36:26 says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER 2. Uses the weapons of grace. The blood of Christ – Eph. 1:7 “In Him we have redemption, through His blood...” The word of God – II Tim. 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” The promise of the New Covenant – Ez. 36:27 “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

II CORINTHIANS 3:16-18 “But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed (our eyes are opened) Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER “The immature run away from Him and try to clean themselves up. They use their own vows and resolutions, their own might, effort, lists, and the law to conform themselves. Don’t be arrogant enough to think you can pull it off. This is the great rebellion – some people try to find freedom by breaking all the rules and some by keeping all the rules but both are screaming “ I don’t need you, God”

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER Grace driven effort uses the cleansing blood of Christ, the powerful word of God, and the Holy Spirit provided through the New Covenant to fight the residual effects of sin.

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER 3. Attacks the roots not just the branches. “Idolatry lies at the heart of every besetting sin we struggle with” “Idolatry is putting our hope and trust in something, someone, anything, other than God.” –Elyse Fitzpatrick

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER 4. Fights for a reason that goes way past the conscience. It recognizes that my sin smears the Holy name of God and grieves the Holy Spirit.

THE OBEDIENCE OPTION: DAVID HEGG The more I know of His great love and work of redemption the more convinced I will be that obedience is the best and only option that will please Him, and bring glory to His name.

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER 5. Comes from being dead to sin, not just forsaking it. “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” - Romans 6:11 “His divine nature has granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.”- II Pet. 1:3

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER 6. Is rage filled and violent toward the residual sin in us. It wants it dead, not just to starve and control it. “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” - I Peter 5:8

GRACE DRIVEN EFFORT: BY MATT CHANDLER  Comes from a new life, and a new heart  Uses the weapons of grace: The blood, the word and the promises  Attacks the root and not the branches – the idols of the heart  Fights for a reason that goes way past the conscience – fights for the Name of a Holy God.  Comes from being dead to sin, not just forsaking it.  And, is rage filled and violent toward sin, it wants to kill it.

~DEYOUNG, KEVIN, THE GOSPEL COALITION BLOT, JUNE 7, 2011, G/2011/06/07/MAKE-EVERY-EFFORT/ G/2011/06/07/MAKE-EVERY-EFFORT/ “Christians work–they work to kill sin and they work to live in the Spirit. They have rest in the gospel, but never rest in their battle against the flesh and the devil. As J.C. Ryle put it, the child of God has two great marks about him: he is known for his inner warfare and his inner peace.”

What does this “inner warfare” looks like? Use scripture to support your answer whenever possible.

What can or has “inner peace” looked like in your life?

~DEYOUNG, KEVIN, THE GOSPEL COALITION BLOT, JUNE 7, 2011, G/2011/06/07/MAKE-EVERY-EFFORT/ G/2011/06/07/MAKE-EVERY-EFFORT/ “Let us not misunderstand what it means to be gospel-centered. As gospel Christians, we are not afraid of striving, fighting, and working. These are good Bible words. The gospel that frees us from self-justification also frees us for obedience. When it comes to growth in godliness, trusting does not put an end to trying.”