Sermon:  Favor - Part 1
by Chris Cumming       Part 1     Part 2     Part 3           printer-friendly:  Part 1     Part 2     Part 3        MP3:   Part 1     Part 2     Part 3

1] Are the subjects of “law and grace” complex?  If so, what does this mean regarding our study of doctrine?

From the introduction of our doctrine…

“Owing to the obvious interdependence of biblical doctrines, not everything to be said on any particular subject can often be presented in the same place or even in the same paper.  The reader is requested to keep this in mind before making hasty evaluations or jumping to quick conclusions.  For example, the complex discussion of ‘law and grace’ must be woven through many of the doctrinal statements.  This has been an especially confusing subject for those who have erroneously claimed that the Intercontinental Church of God teaches that salvation can be earned through obedience to the law.  In order for the reader to grasp the full and proper biblical understanding of the many-faceted interrelationships between law and grace, several of the following doctrinal statements, overviews and expositions need to be read in parallel (beginning with Law of God and Salvation. Then including:

--Biblical Covenants
--Sabbath,
--Ten Commandments,
--‘Law or Grace’ in Traditional Christian Doctrines,
--and finally also involving particularly relevant aspects of other papers, such as the historical comparison between the Intercontinental Church of God and the early New Testament Church in the Church of God).” (end quote from the doctrine)

Note: Add to the above list of doctrines where “grace” is mentioned, the following:
--Jesus Christ  --Holy Spirit  --Mankind  --Prophecy  --Tithing & Giving
--Sin  --The Christian Relationship with God --Healing and --The Church of God.

2]  When was grace conceived?

From our doctrine on Jesus:

“The death of Christ—the Creator of everything—was designed ‘from the foundation of the world’ (Revelation 13:8) and was able to pay the penalty for the sins of humanity because His life was worth far more than the sum total of all the lives of all human beings who have ever lived or ever will live.  Upon repentance and baptism, we have the opportunity to take advantage of Christ's sacrifice to pay the penalty for our own personal sins, and through God's grace to receive the gift of eternal life—which Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection made possible.”  (end quote)

Quoted verse:
Revelation 13:8
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

3] Must one have the Holy Spirit to experience grace?

From our doctrine on the Holy Spirit.

Once a person receives the precious gift of the Holy Spirit, he must use it in order to grow in the knowledge and grace of God.  God's Spirit gives Christians the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) to enable them to view life from a godly perspective instead of from a selfish one.  It is this power that gives us the capacity to obey God.  The deep mystery of the plan of God for mankind. cannot be completely and totally understood without the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:7-10). (end quote)

Quoted verses:
1 Corinthians 2:16
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:7-10
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

4] Is it in or through grace that our sins and wrong choices are forgiven?

From our doctrine on Mankind

“Although the negative or evil side of man must be dealt with, the Church of God chooses to focus on the positive and awesome potential of mankind.  This is the heart and core of the message Jesus brought to man.  Through God's grace and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ man can be forgiven of his wrong choices and sins.  God in His infinite love and wisdom has provided a plan by which man can, as a free moral agent, gain the experience and character necessary to receive eternal life.” (end quote)

5] Is Salvation freely given to us by God?  If so, how?

From the overview statement on our doctrine on Salvation:

“Salvation is the means by which God, through Christ, saves man from the penalty of sin and gives him eternal life.  This process includes one's calling, repentance, baptism, justification, receiving of the Holy Spirit, a life of faith and obedience and final birth into God's kingdom as a spirit being.  Salvation is a freely given gift from God through grace, with our ultimate reward being according to our works.” (end quote)

6] A multiple-part question here…

     a) can Salvation be earned? 
     b) does Salvation totally depend upon God’s grace? 
     c) must we live by and grow in faith? 
     d) must we have faith God will perform all biblical promises? 
     e) must we have faith the death of Christ pays the penalty for ones sins and reconciles him to God? 
     f) must we have faith that the resurrection of Jesus Christ enables us to have eternal life? 
     g) must we keep the commandments?
     h) is obedience and good  works necessary for salvation? 
     i) does good want everyone to have eternal life? 
     j) has God apportioned us a certain amount of time for this thing called grace? 
     k) is salvation by grace and not by obedience? 
     l) is reward based on obedience and works? 

From our doctrine on Salvation:

“This whole salvation process is by ‘grace’ (Greek ‘favor’—Ephesians 2:8)—It is unmerited and freely given by God and cannot in any way be earned.  The Christian totally depends upon God's grace, initially for the forgiveness of sins he may commit subsequent to baptism.  Nevertheless, the individual must meet certain criteria in order to be given this free gift.

“First, the person must live by and grow in faith—a total and real conviction.  One must have faith that God exists; faith that He will perform all of His biblical promises including that of granting him salvation (Romans 4); faith that the death of Jesus Christ will pay the penalty for one's sins and reconcile him to God; and faith that the resurrection of the living Jesus Christ will enable him to attain eternal life.

“Furthermore, a Christian must not be disobedient, since continual sin that is not repented of disqualifies one from God's kingdom. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).  Salvation is surely not earned by obedience, because salvation can in no way be earned (compare Romans 4:4).  Nevertheless, Christ's response to one who asked Him what must be done in order to be saved was that the commandments must be kept (Matthew 19:17).  Furthermore, Christ told His disciples that at the resurrection He shall “reward every man according to his works" (Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12).

“The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 also illustrates why obedience and good works are necessary.  Although salvation itself is a totally freely given gift (and hence is 'by grace'), our individual responsibilities within God's family and kingdom shall vary according to the way we have lived our lives since baptism.  The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 shows plainly that we will receive responsibilities in direct proportion to the way we have conducted our lives.

“Today, God is calling a relative few, but now is not the only day of salvation.  Every human being who has ever lived shall have an opportunity for the greatest free gift that could ever be imagined.  God wants all mankind to receive the opportunity for salvation (1 Timothy 2:4) and is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).  To this end God is infinitely patient and has apportioned a time for all human beings from all times to be called to Him and to the ultimate gift of eternal life in the family of God.

“In summary, salvation is by grace, through faith, not earned by obedience but dependent upon obedience, with the degree of our ultimate reward being according to our works.  This salvation process is thus one which entails our continuance in God's way and necessitates our endurance to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:13).  Only when that process is complete and we have been born as spirit beings into the family of God shall salvation have been completely and totally achieved.” (end quote)

Let me give you those answers to those 12 questions:

     a) can Salvation be earned?  No.
     b) does Salvation totally depend upon God’s grace?  Yes.
     c) must we live by and grow in faith?  Yes.
     d) must we have faith God will perform all biblical promises?  Yes.
     e) must we have faith the death of Christ pays the penalty for ones sins and reconciles him to God?  Yes.
     f) must we have faith that the resurrection of Jesus Christ enables us to have eternal life?  Yes.
     g) must we keep the commandments?  Yes.
     h) is obedience and good  works necessary for salvation?  Yes
     i) does God want everyone to have eternal life?  Yes.
     j) has God apportioned us a certain amount of time for this thing called grace?  Yes.
     k) is salvation by grace and not by obedience?   Yes.
     l) is reward based on obedience and works?  Yes.

7] What does our doctrine say specifically about the subjects of Law and Grace?

Notice this from our doctrine on the Law of God:

Under the sub-heading: Law and Grace

“Much of the misunderstanding regarding whether a Christian must keep the biblical law (i.e. the Ten Commandments) revolves around the term ‘grace.’ Those who do not think a Christian ‘must’ obey the law conclude that since we are under ‘grace’ (Romans 6:15), we no longer ‘must’ keep the law.  Those who follow this line of reasoning point to various scriptures—especially those in the book of Galatians (some of which have already been mentioned)—to support their case.  They maintain that Christ came to free us from ‘the curse of the law,’ or that ‘Christ is the end of the law’ (Romans 7:4).  But Jude describes this line of reasoning as "turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (lawlessness)" (Jude 4).

“This approach also illustrates a basic lack of understanding of the word ‘grace.’ ‘Grace,’ in its biblical meaning and intent, means ‘the favor, forgiveness, beneficence, generosity, mercy, kindness and compassion of God.’  Therefore, to be ‘under grace’ means to live within this whole sphere of God's favor and compassion. The two greatest acts of grace are: 1) forgiveness of past sins, which God grants upon true repentance, faith and baptism; and, 2) the unmerited freely-given gift of eternal life, which God grants upon the condition of faith.  Hence, to be ‘under grace’ means that one's sins have been forgiven, that he is in a favored position with God, and that he is an heir of salvation.

“But the Bible nowhere equates ‘grace’ with freedom to disobey God.  On the contrary, the exact opposite is stated: "Do we then make void the law through faith? [i.e. do we negate the necessity of keeping the law because we are under grace as a result of faith?] God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Romans 3:31).  We, as Christians, ‘establish the law’ because when we accept God's grace through baptism we are acknowledging the existence of law against which we have sinned.

“The true relationship between law and grace may be simply stated.  Law defines sin because sin is the transgression of the law (1 John. 3:4).  God's forgiveness of our sins is an act of grace.  But this act of grace—this act of unmerited pardon and favor in God’s eyes, along with the eventual entrance into God's Kingdom which shall follow if we are faithful—in no way grants us a license or permission to continue to sin. In like manner, a convicted criminal who has been pardoned or has had his sentence commuted by a judge is shown an act of grace, but is not permitted to go out and repeat his crime.  Again, far from doing away with the law, grace establishes the law, because one who accepts grace acknowledges that the law has been broken.  Without Law there can be no grace therefore grace can never do away with law. [emphasis mine]

“The purposes of the law is not to provide a means of earning forgiveness and salvation.  Salvation cannot be earned.  It comes by God's free gift—salvation is by grace alone (Romans 3:21-24; 5:15-16).  Faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the only requirement for this gift of grace.  Keeping the law even in the most spiritual manner cannot and does not earn salvation.  The central message of the New Testament is that salvation is a gift of God through faith in Jesus Christ.” (end quote)

In the doctrine text it says, “But this act of grace—this act of unmerited pardon and favor in God’s eyes, along with the eventual entrance into God's Kingdom which shall follow if we are faithful.”

First, the phrase, “eventual entrance into God’s Kingdom”: this denotes time and is clearly speaking to the time we have in the Salvation Process.

Second, the phrase, “which shall follow if we are faithful.”: this again denotes time; the word “follow.”  It then says, “if we are faithful” and being faithful is something we are and something we do throughout the Salvation Process.

In the second paragraph from the doctrinal text above under the sub-heading, “Law and Grace” it says: “The two greatest acts of grace are:

1) forgiveness of past sins, which God grants upon true repentance, faith and baptism; and,
2) the unmerited freely-given gift of eternal life, which God grants upon the condition of faith.

The Salvation Process and your time in it is what happens between items one and two.  God grants you favor or pardon with His forgiveness of sins.  This affords you the opportunity and the calling into the lifelong Salvation Process.  If you remain in this process to death and/or the return of Christ, you experience item 2, eternal life in the Kingdom of God. “Grace” therefore, is the whole concept of God giving mankind the opportunity at eternal life and freedom from sin through the Salvation Process.

8] What does “grace” have to do with the New Covenant?

Notice this from our doctrine, Biblical Covenants:

“In the New Testament, another covenant is proposed by God to replace this old covenant that had been made with the nation of Israel.  This New Covenant had already been prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and is discussed in detail in Hebrews 8:6-13.  This New Covenant is to be a "better covenant" than the Old Covenant since it will be established upon "better promises" (Hebrews 8:6).  These ‘better promises’ are spiritual in nature and far transcend the physical promises given to ancient Israel.  These promises include: grace (unmerited favor in God's sight demonstrated in numerous ways), forgiveness of sins, eternal life as sons in God's family, God's putting His laws into our minds and writing them in our hearts, the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, and other spiritual blessings of various kinds and of inestimable value.” (end quote from the doctrine-emphasis mine)

As you can see, grace is central to the New Covenant.

9] Who is being offered grace today, in this time before the return of Christ?

Again from our doctrine on Biblical Covenants:

“The offer of the New Covenant to the world as a whole is a yet future event.  Thus, its full effect will not occur until the return of Christ and His thousand-year reign.  But God today is calling a few elect individuals to His Church and the accompanying New Covenant relationship.  Upon repentance and baptism these individuals can receive God's Holy Spirit and enter into this New Covenant (Matthew 26:26-27, Hebrews 10:9-10); and those who indeed will abide by its terms (acceptance of Christ's sacrifice and God's grace, obedience, faith, etc.) shall receive its incredible promises.

“God is not a God who leaves our relationship with Him to chance or doubt.  He has rather formulated covenants through which He makes plain our responsibilities as Christians toward Him and His responsibility toward us.  If we fulfill our responsibilities toward God, we will surely receive the abundant physical and spiritual blessings He promises.” (end quote and emphasis mine)

10] Does God offer us more than one kind of grace?  Is there a physical kind of grace within the spiritual grace we have been talking about?

The quick answer to this question is, "Yes, there is physical graces given to us while we are under spiritual grace.  Let us see how this works.  Notice this from our doctrine, The Christian Relationship with God:

"In order to pray, we must realize that Jesus Christ is our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), our Intercessor (Romans 8:34) and our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17-18).  He sympathizes with our weaknesses and understands our problems, because He was "in all points"—."in every respect," (RSV)—"tempted as we are” (Hebrews 4:14).  It is only through Jesus Christ and His sacrifice that we can approach God the Father in prayer.  This is a remarkable reality, truly an awesome opportunity to literally come into the presence of God and have His full attention, interest and concern.  This is why the veil into the Holy of Holies (where God symbolically dwelled) was ripped apart when Jesus died, as direct access to the Father was suddenly made available for all mankind for the first time (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 9, especially v. 8).  But even more than this, our direct contact with God the Father can be bold and with confidence.  Through Jesus Christ our high priest, we can "come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16). 

Let us read these two verses from Hebrews 4...

Hebrews 4:15-16
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Notice the commentary on verse 16:

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace - “The throne of grace!” What a beautiful expression. A throne is the seat of a sovereign; a throne of grace is designed to represent a sovereign seated to dispense mercy and pardon. The illustration or comparison here may have been derived from the temple service. In that service God is represented as seated in the most holy place on the mercy seat. The high priest approaches that seat or throne of the divine majesty with the blood of the atonement to make intercession for the people, and to plead for pardon; see the notes on Hebrews 9:7-8. That scene was emblematic of heaven. God is seated on a throne of mercy. The great High Priest of the Christian calling, having shed his own blood to make expiation, is represented as approaching, God and pleading for the pardon of people. To a God willing to show mercy he comes with the merits of a sacrifice sufficient for all, and pleads for their salvation. We may, therefore, come with boldness and look for pardon. We come not depending on our own merits, but we come where a sufficient sacrifice has been offered for human guilt; and where we are assured that God is merciful. We may, therefore, come without hesitancy, or trembling, and ask for all the mercy that we need.

That we may obtain mercy - This is what we want first. We need pardon - as the first thing when we come to God. We are guilty and self-condemned - and our first cry should be for “mercy” - “mercy.” A man who comes to God not feeling his need of mercy must fail of obtaining the divine favor; and he will be best prepared to obtain that favor who has the deepest sense of his need of forgiveness.

And find grace - Favor - strength, help, counsel, direction, support, for the various duties and trials of life. This is what we next need - we all need - we always need. Even when pardoned, we need grace to keep us from sin, to aid us in duty, to preserve us in the day of temptation. And feeling our need of this, we may come and ask of God “all” that we want for this purpose. Such is the assurance given us; and to this bold approach to the throne of grace all are freely invited. In view of it, let us,

(1) Rejoice that there “is” a throne of grace. What a world would this be if God sat on a throne of “justice” only, and if no mercy were ever to be shown to people! Who is there who would not be overwhelmed with despair? But it is not so. He is on a throne of grace. By day and by night; from year to year; from generation to generation; he is on such a throne. In every land he may be approached, and in as many different languages as people speak, may they plead for mercy. In all times of our trial and temptation we may be assured that he is seated on that throne, and wherever we are, we may approach him with acceptance.

(2) we “need” the privilege of coming before such a throne. We are sinful - and need mercy; we are feeble, and need grace to help us. There is not a day of our lives in which we do not need pardon; not an hour in which we do not need grace.

(3) how obvious are the propriety and necessity of prayer! Every man is a sinner - and should pray for pardon; every man is weak, feeble, dependent, and should pray for grace. Not until a man can prove that he has never done any sin, should he maintain that he has no need of pardon; not until he can show that he is able alone to meet the storms and temptations of life, should he feel that he has no need to ask for grace. Yet who can feel this? And how strange it is that all people do not pray!

(4) it is easy to be forgiven. All that needs to be done is to plead the merits of our Great High Priest, and God is ready to pardon. Who would not be glad to be able to pay a debt in a manner so easy? Yet how few there are who are willing to pay the debt to justice thus!

(5) it is easy to obtain all the grace that we need. We have only to “ask for it” - and it is done. How easy then to meet temptation if we would! How strange that any should rely on their own strength, when they may lean on the arm of God!

(6) if people are not pardoned, and if they fall into sin and ruin, they alone are to blame. There is a throne of grace. It is always accessible. There is A God. He is always ready to pardon. There is A Redeemer. He is the Great High Priest of people. He is always interceding. His merits may always be pleaded as the ground of our salvation. Why then, O why, should any remain unforgiven and perish? On them alone the blame must lie. In their own bosoms is the reason why they are not saved. ~Barnes Notes

Notice how the commentary laments man's lack of repentance.  It is understandable seeing that man has not been called to repentance as yet and currently has no understanding of this thing we call grace.

There is another verse in the Bible which speaks to this second kind of grace [physical grace].  Turn to 2 Corinthians 9.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ...this verse and its meaning is discussed in our doctrine on Tithing and Giving
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Notice the commentary on verse 8:

All grace - All kinds of favor. He is able to impart to you those things which are needful for your welfare.

That ye always ... - The sense is, “If you give liberally you are to expect that God will furnish you with the means, so that you will be able to abound more and more in it.” You are to expect that he will abundantly qualify you for doing good in every way, and that he will furnish you with all that is needful for this. The man who gives, therefore, should have faith in God. He should expect that God will bless him in it; and the experience of the Christian world may be appealed to in proof that people are not made poor by liberality. ~Barnes Notes

11] How many times is the word “grace” used in the Old and New Testaments [King James Bible]?

In the Old Testament: 39 times in 37 verses in 13 different books including Genesis, Exodus, Ruth, Esther, Psalms and Proverbs.

In the New Testament: 131 times in 122 verses in all but 4 of the 27 books.

12] In the New Testament, what is the most often repeated use of the word, “grace”?

In no less than 33 instances we find the phrase that generally reads: “Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  See the table which follows:

This ends Part 1 of this sermon on grace.

As we read in Hebrews 13:25, “Grace be with you all. Amen.”
 

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