THE IMPORTANCE OF GRACE Part 1

So the importance of Acts chapter 2:38 We need to understand Peter’s response to this question WHAT MUST WE DO?

Because if what he said for them to do saved people from their sins then! The same response by us will save us today!

WHAT MUST WE DO Acts 2:38; The answer to THIS QUESTION is IMPORTANT because it is HERE at the very beginning of the new family of God

INSTEAD of finding UNITY among God’s people we find DISAGREEMENT! PEOPLE CANNOT AGREE on HOW to be SAVED

Instead of reading and listening to the WORD OF GOD. Men look to traditions of men and the teaching of men and ignore the message of Peter at Pentecost

SAVED BY GRACE ALONE Many people today preach and teach this. Salvation is ALL of God and there is NOTHING man can do to gain HIS salvation

SAVED BY GRACE ALONE The problem arises with a miss understanding of GRACE. So let us examine what GRACE is and is not.

The GRACE of God is one of the most vital and fundamental and challenging themes for discussion. Without it man would be doomed to eternal hell forever.

But the bible speaks plainly that our God is a gracious God and a God of amazing Grace Exodus 22:27; 34:6; Numbers 6:24-26; Psalm 86:15; 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; 116:5; 145:8; Isaiah 33:2; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; 1 Corinthians 1:3-4; Colossians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:12; 1Peters 2:3-5,10;

The actual virtue of Grace is ascribed to every one of the Godhead 1) God Titus 2:11; 2) Christ 2 Corinthians 13:14; 3) Holy Spirit Hebrews 10:29;

Most of us feel that we may understand the subject of Grace. Yet, when we have to explain what it is, we might have some difficulty explaining Grace.

GRACE: ITS MEANING IN THE SCRIPTURES One problem of misunderstanding the doctrine of Grace is assuming that the word "Grace” possesses only one meaning. Often, we will learn one definition for a word, then we will assume that this definition applies wherever that word appears. This often leads to religious error

The word for Grace in the Greek is CHARIS. Thayer, and other Lexicographers usually will present six primary meanings for the word "charis"

The word “grace” The only Greek word translated “grace” in the New Testament is (charis). favour (6) e.g. Luke 1:30 thanks (5) e.g. 2 Corinthians 9:15 credit (3) e.g. Luke 6:32 commendable (2) e.g.1 Peter 2:20 Gift (2) e.g. Romans 4:4 Translated by 14 other words once, including benefit, blessing, and gracious gift.

So The word “grace”! It’s helpful to notice how the word is translated in addition to “grace”, because it helps us understand the word.

Depending upon the context, we can learn the meaning the writer had in mind for the word charis. A brief examination of SOME of these different meanings will be helpful in our understanding the doctrine of "Grace."

Proper Meaning All words have a proper meaning, or what we know as the common meaning. This is the way that the word was commonly understood during its time of usage. Thayer says that this is "that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness” (Thayer, p. 665).

A good example of the proper meaning comes from a comment made about the way Jesus spoke. "And all bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?“ (Luke 4:22).

Jesus' words had a sweet, refreshing quality about them. This was unusual for someone who was just a carpenter's son. People delighted in the way Jesus spoke, and the words that He used.