2. A bit of History 300-1500 Most of Christianity was Roman Catholic
Uneducated common people
Educated Priests
Common people were discouraged from reading the Bible
Saints and Mary to pray to
Had to pay to keep loved ones from hell
Have faith and...
Martin Luther came and said “This is not right!”

3. Key Passage
Eph 2:4 ...because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. NIV

4. Faith in Jesus gives us new life
2:4 ...because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

5. God, in his kindness lifts us up to show how special we are to Him
Eph 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

6. God gave us a gift of salvation
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
Through faith
By God's grace
It is a gift:
To receive
From one who cares about you
For your benefit

7. No good works required! 9 not by works, so that no one can boast
When you add to the gospel then you make it such that the work of Jesus is not sufficient
You don't have to “do” anything
Salvation is not given based on whether you have earned it or not
Walmart gift
Came all the way from China
A familiar giver,
sent from a long ways away

8. Misunderstandings of Grace
Some are moving away from the historical understanding of salvation by grace thru faith
Why?
It is too simple
It is too cheap (no cost involved)
It is not fair
It welcomes ANYONE!
It has no teeth
It seems to OK sin
It paints a “mamby pamby” view of God
God should require more from us
No mention of what it costs ME
Correct. It is not fair. God is not concerned about fairness as we think of it; God is concerned about being just.
Justice is not fairness. Justice is not equal treatment
True. The gospel is available to anyone. Greatest of sinner to least corrupt person that has ever lived.

9. The gospel is not an excuse to sin
1 Peter 2:16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
Church has not stood strongly against evil done to women, the powerless,
Women have gone to Pastors only to hear
I know your husband treats you badly, but he is saved and has received Jesus so I cant really confront him

10. Faith and Works
James 2 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds NIV
Works are always an outgrowth of faith

11. Misunderstandings of Grace
Some are moving away from the historical understanding of salvation by grace thru faith
Why?
It paints a “mamby pamby” view of God
God should require more from us
No mention of what it costs ME
Correct. It is not fair. God is not concerned about fairness as we think of it; God is concerned about being just.
Justice is not fairness. Justice is not equal treatment
True. The gospel is available to anyone. Greatest of sinner to least corrupt person that has ever lived.

12. What kind of God is God? God is Love God is just
God doesn't just “wink” at sin
You're OK. I like you. Come on in!
God brought about ultimate justice on the cross
God alone knows what sins you have done
God alone knows what you need forgiveness for
Vacation
Tour bus
What made you go into ministry?
Brief testimony
“I was raised...”
“My mom believed...”
“I have come to the point of believing my own way. We each have to do that?” Right?
Silence on my part.
I wanted to scream
“What about Jesus?”
If God is so mamby pamby that every person is going to make it to eternity with Him. Then why did Jesus have to die?
The Cross brings love; but it also takes your punishment

13. Gal 3:11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” NKJV
ALONE!

14. Sola Fide = By faith (thru grace) alone
“Faith is only as good as its object. This is the danger of misunderstanding Sola Fide: that we would focus on faith in and of itself, and forget about the object of faith. We would then spend all our time talking about our faith, bragging about our faith, and worrying about the strength of our faith, all the while forgetting about the One in whom we have faith: Jesus Christ.
Faith in Christ is bold only because of its object. When the One that you believe in is the crucified and risen One, Jesus Christ our Lord, the very Son of God, enthroned at the right hand of the Father, then your faith will be bold. Martin Luther writes: “Faith is a vital, deliberate trust in God’s grace, so certain that it would die a thousand times for it.” by Rev. Christopher Maronde

15. We live in a time... When most people have no clue what Jesus did
When most people do not know the message of the cross
When the well meaning church, seeking to respond to evils that have been done to people in the name of Christianity want to add to the gospel;
In order to be saved it takes Faith and...
Works
Living right
Never sinning

16. So What? Church be careful!
Or you will lose the assurance of your salvation
It is currently NOT based on what you do/merit
You will lose the power of the cross, because it will take Jesus and _____________
Jesus' death will not be sufficient
Seeker: Trust that everything has been done on the cross
You need only repent
And receive and believe