SALVATION BY GOD'S GRACE AND MERCY

Most professing Christians -- and many teachings of what is called Traditional Christianity -- say there are no conditions, nothing that we must do to receive Gods glorious grace. They deny that God requires obedience to His law! They twist the truth around by saying that would be earning ones salvation! They do claim it of God, while they still rebel against His law and refuse to keep it! Think where that would lead! Understand this, Eternal life is, indeed, Gods free gift, you cant earn it! But it is not your right; you can not demand it of God as your right, while you defy God, rebel against His government, refuse to let Him rule your life His way! Therefore God has imposed CONDITIONS! Those conditions do not earn you a thing! But God gives His Holy Spirit to those who obey Him, Acts 5:32. He does not pay it but the passage speaks of the Holy Spirit which God hath given to them who OBEY Him. It is still a free GIFT! A rich man might have seven men standing before him and say, I will give as my free gift, $1000 to any or all of you who will step forward and receive it. There stepping forward does not receive it. It is merely the CONDITION required to receive the free GIFT! The word grace means unmerited, undeserved, pardon! God pardons those who repent! And repent means to turn from rebellion, hostility, disobedience, your ways. Repent means to turn to obedience to Gods government. The fact that God chooses not to give this wonderful gift the gift of immortality, which carries with it divine power to those who would miss use it for harm and evil. The fact that He chooses to give it only to those who would rightly use it does not mean it comes by works instead of grace. If there are no conditions, then everyone could demand it and it would be received as a right by birth, instead of grace. The very fact of grace makes necessary Gods required qualifications. But it still is an undeserved gift! Obedience does not earn anything that is only what we owe God. A birthright requires no qualification. It is right by birth, grace is gifted with condition.

WHAT IS GRACE? Ephesians 1:7, 8: Grace is Gods voluntary and loving favor given to those He saves. We can't earn salvation, nor do we deserve it. No religious, intellectual or moral effort can gain it because it comes only from God's mercy and love. Without God's grace, no person can be saved. To receive it, we must acknowledge that we can't save ourselves, that only God can and that our only way to receive this loving favor is through faith in Christ. Romans 10:9, 10 NO LIMIT TO GOD'S GRACE Nehemiah 9:28-31: Israel was devastated by times of intense rebellion and sin. Yet when the people 'repented' and 'returned' to God, He delivered them. God puts no limit on the number of times we can come to Him to obtain mercy, but we must come in order to obtain it, recognizing our need and asking Him for help. This miracle of Grace should inspire us to say, You are a gracious and merciful God". if there is a recurring problem or difficulty in your life, continue to ask God for help, and be willing and ready to make changes in your attitude and behavior that will correct that situation. SAVED BY GRACE Ephesians 2:8: for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; It is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast. GOD'S GRACE IS FOR EVERYONE Luke 17:16: Not only was this man a leper, he was also a Samaritan - a race despised by the Jews as idolatrous half-breeds. Once again Luke is pointing out that God's grace is for everybody. GRACE OF GOD IN GRANTING SALVATION Matthew 20:15: This parable is not about rewards but about salvation. It is a strong teaching about grace, God's generosity. We shouldnt begrudge those

who turn to God (In the name of Jesus) in the last moments of life, because, in reality, no one deserves salvation. Many people we don't expect to see in the kingdom will be there. The criminal who repented on the cross as he was dying (Luke 23:40-43) will be there along with people who have believed and served God for many years. Do you resent God's gracious acceptance of the despised, the outcast, and the sinners who have turned to Him for forgiveness? Are you ever jealous of what God has given to another person? Instead, focus on God's gracious benefits to you, and be thankful for what you do have. GRACE OF GOD IN GRANTING SALVATION Galatians 3:24, 25: "The supervision of the law" is like the supervision given by a tutor to a young child. We no longer need that kind of supervision. The law teaches us the need for salvation (The law of the Old Testament); God's grace gives us that salvation. The Old Testament still applies today. In it, God reveals His nature, His will for humanity, His moral laws, and His guidelines for living. But we can not be saved by keeping that law; we must trust in Christ. WHY WE MUST DEPEND ON GOD'S GRACE Romans 2:1: when Paul's letter was read in the Roman church, no doubt many heads nodded as he condemned idol worshippers, homosexual practices, and violent people. But what surprise his listeners must have felt when he turned on them and said in effect, "You have no excuse. You are just as bad" Paul was emphatically stressing that nobody is good enough to save him or herself. If we want to avoid punishment and live eternally with Christ, all of us, whether we have been murderers or molesters or whether we have been honest, hard working solid citizens we must depend on Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life. We all have sinned repeatedly and there is no way apart from Christ to be saved from sins consequence. See also Colossians 1:21, 22. SCRIPTURES IN GODS GRACE Genesis 6:8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Psalm 84:11: For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. John 1:17: For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came

through Jesus Christ. Romans 11:6: And if by grace, then it is no longer works; Otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. Galatians 5:4: you have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Ephesians 1:7: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any one should boast. Ephesians 4:7: But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. James 4:6: But He gives more grace. Therefore He say's, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 2 Peter 3:18: But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. GOD'S MERCY IS WHAT FORGIVES US Ephesians 4:32: This is Christ's law of forgiveness as taught in the Gospels (Matthew 6:14, 15; 18:35). We also see it in the Lords prayer - "Forgive us our debts, as we forgiven our debtors. God does not forgive us because we forgive others, but solely because of His great mercy. As we come to understand His mercy, however, we will want to be like Him. Having received forgiveness, we will pass it on to others. Those who are unwilling to forgive have not become one (Complete) with Christ, who is willing to forgive even those who crucified Him, Luke 23:34. HOW WE RECEIVE IT Zechariah 3:2-4: Zechariah's vision graphically portrays how we can receive God's mercy. We do nothing ourselves. God removes our filthy clothes (Sins), then provides us with new, clean, rich garments (The righteousness and Holiness of God - 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 4:24). All we need to do is repent and ask God to forgive us each time we fall on the journey of repentance. Each time Satan reminds you of your filthy cloths and past remind him of Christ's cloths of righteousness and his future. GOD ALWAYS REACHING OUT IN HIS MERCY

Deuteronomy 30:1-6: Moses told the Hebrews that when they were ready to return to God, He would be ready to receive them. God's mercy is unbelievable. It goes far beyond what we can imagine. Even if the Jews deliberately walked away from Him and ruined their lives, God would still take them back. God would give them inward spiritual renewal (circumcise their hearts). God wants to forgive us and take us back to Himself too. Some people wont learn this until their world has crashed in around them. MERCY COMES FROM DENOUNCING PRIDE Luke 18:11-14: The Pharisee did not go to the temple to pray to God but to announce to all within earshot how good he was. The tax collector went recognizing his sin and begging for mercy. Self-righteousness is dangerous. It leads to pride, causes a person to despise others, and prevents him or her from learning anything from God. The tax collectors prayer should be our prayer because we all need God's mercy every day. Dont let prides in your achievements cut you off from God. SCRIPTURE IN MERCY Exodus 20:6: But showing mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep My commandments. 1 Chronicles 16:34: Oh give thanks to the lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 100:5 says 'to all generations). Proverbs 3:3: Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Luke 1:50: And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. Romans 11:32: For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on them. Ephesians 2:4: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loves us. 1 Timothy 1:13: Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent (violent/arrogant) man; But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 4:16: Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.