Sermon: Favor - Part 2 ...printer-friendly

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

Welcome to Part 2 of our sermon on Grace. Our purpose here is to explore the definition of the word, “Grace” and how it is discussed in both our doctrinal statements and the Word of God.

Part 1 had twelve questions. We will add to this total today. In question ten last time, we found that there are both spiritual and physical instants of grace. Let us see what else we can find in our doctrine and scripture.

13] How are Grace and Healing from God related?
From our doctrine on Healing…

“The miracle of healing is an act of God's divine grace, which must not be taken lightly. It is therefore important that one understand the topic of healing in the context of the entire Bible. If one approaches the scriptural references to healing without the full biblical context, and out of the context of human experience, he may fix upon them a meaning not supported by logic, common sense or proper biblical exegesis. In this regard, we should consider some important scriptures.

“Among the blessings God offered to the nation of Israel was the removal of diseases from among them. Several statements made to the Israelites in the wilderness show this; perhaps the most familiar is Exodus 15:26:

“Exodus 15:26
If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in His eyes, and give heed to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord, your healer.

“Notice that the promise is conditional; it is predicated on obedience. God also says that He will refrain from putting diseases upon the nation.

“Exodus 23:25-26 adds to this:
You shall serve the Lord your God, and I will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from the midst of you. None shall cast her young or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.

“The converse of these blessings promised for obedience are the curses pronounced for disobedience. Instead of removing sickness and disease, God would allow these afflictions—along with many other curses—as the natural consequences of man's ways apart from the ways of God. Deuteronomy 28 enumerates these curses in great detail (see especially verses 21, 22, 27, 28, 35, 59-61). The promises are conditional. Blessings come only with obedience; curses automatically follow transgression. But notice that these promises are national rather than individual. Sickness would be removed from the nation to the same extent that barrenness, miscarriages and premature death were taken away. Healing as such is not really promised in these verses except as it is implied in a general way in the promise to remove sickness.” --end quote from Healing doctrine--

Quoted verses not actually quoted in the doctrine:
Deuteronomy 28:21-22, 27-28, 35, and 59-61
21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.
22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.

27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.
28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:

35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.

59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.
60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.
61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

Again we see that for grace to be given there must be obedience and this applies to both physical and spiritual grace. Three must be obedience for physical grace and there must be obedience for spiritual grace. Clearly spiritual obedience will touch on both physical and spiritual grace but as we see in the Word of God many times, there are physical admonitions, requirements and/or commandments. For example, regarding healing, if we are not seeing to proper diet, exercise, sleep and the invoking of moderation in all things, we could reap sickness and even death.

And doesn’t this bring up an interesting point? Notice the following situations for firstfruits:

1] The firstfruit who is meeting the requirement of obedience for both physical and spiritual grace.
2] The firstfruit who is meeting the requirement of obedience for physical grace but not spiritual grace.
3] The firstfruit who is meeting the requirement of obedience for spiritual grace but not physical grace.
4] The firstfruit who is not meeting the requirement of obedience for both physical and spiritual grace.

In our study of the Healing doctrine, we see it speaking to the admonition that we are not to make judgments about other firstfruits becoming ill as if they had a spiritual problem. It could be that the problem is physical or God is carrying out His will for some other reason.

At the same time, how many firstfruits over the years have questioned their spiritual obedience when it was, in fact, a lack of physical obedience?

Notice this expressed in the next question…

14] Isn’t there an instance in the Bible where Paul is praying to be healed for some unnamed infirmity?

Yes there is. Turn to 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Notice the commentary for verse 9 and the phrase, “My grace is sufficient for thee.”

My grace is sufficient for thee - A much better answer than it would have been to have removed the calamity; and one that seems to have been entirely satisfactory to Paul. The meaning of the Saviour is that he would support him; that he would not suffer him to sink exhausted under his trials; that he had nothing to fear. The infliction was not indeed removed; but there was a promise that the favor of Christ would be shown to him constantly, and that he would find his support to be ample. If Paul had this support, he might well bear the trial; and if we have this assurance, as we may have, we may welcome affliction, and rejoice that calamities are brought upon us. It is a sufficient answer to our prayers if we have the solemn promise of the Redeemer that we shall be upheld and never sink under the burden of our heavy woes. ~Barnes Notes

Very interesting point coming out of this commentary isn’t there? Though Paul was not given the full physical grace of healing of the specific ailment, he was receiving much favor within that situation. Therefore physical grace can come in many forms.

With this we see the importance of both immersion into the Word of God and meditation coupled with prayers for clarity in these given matters. We want to recognize in our own lives what God is doing in favor and grace for us as we are so clearly seeing it in the life of Paul here.

Notice there in your red-letter Bible, if you happen to be reading from one right now. The words of Jesus are in red, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” The end of the verse 9 says that the power of Christ was resting on Paul. That is the favor we see explained in the commentary.

I now want to go directly into the Word of God on this subject. To do this, we are first going to look at a number of scriptures referred to in Part 1 of the sermon, which was mostly a survey of our doctrinal statements on the subject of Grace. We will also look at other scriptures on the subject.

15] What does the scripture mean, “The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world?”

In Question 2, “When was grace conceived.” we are given the reference to Revelation 13:8 which is scripture speaking to the worship of Satan and the Beast. Let us read beginning in verse 7.

Revelation 13:7:8
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
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.

The key phrase here is, “of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” showing clearly when Grace was conceived. Christ died so that we might have grace.

Notice this from Barnes Notes:
“The meaning here is, not that he was actually put to death ‘from the foundation of the world,’ but that the intention to give him for a sacrifice was formed then, and that it was so certain that it might be spoken of as actually then occurring.” ~Barnes Notes

The commentary then references Romans 4:17 to make this phrase more clear.

Romans 4:17
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

The key phrase here is, “and calleth those things which be not [not currently present] as though they were.

Remember my sermon on Faith, “Tell It To the Mountain”? In it I talk about how, when we ask God for something and that it be His will for us to have it that we are to have the faith as if we already had it. I talked about having a warrant from God which is a proof or promise that you have the item even before it is actually in your hands. In Barnes Notes for Romans 4:17 and this last phrase, it states:

“That is, those things which he foretells and promises are so certain, that he may speak of them as already in existence.” ~Barnes Notes

See, the admonition I gave you in that sermon to have faith as if you already had it, is exactly how God operates. This is especially true when He is speaking of the things He has in place for us and decisions He has made for the future.

You do not have to turn there but in Genesis 17:5 where God is talking to Abraham about being the father of many nations, He does not say that he will sometime in the future be the father of many nations; He says, “a father of many nations have I made thee.” –present tense.

All this, by the way, is speaking to Grace. Our having and exercising faith, the promises given to Abraham and our believing that we have something even before it is in our hands is all part of Graces. All these elements are done in and through and because of Grace.

16] Does God forgive our sins?
In Question 4 we found that through grace our sins and wrong choices are forgiven. We read from our doctrine on Mankind. Let us look at the definitive verse which is Ephesians 1:7 but I will read the first nine verses as they speak to elements already discussed here.

Ephesians 1:1-9
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

Again, the key verse is verse 7. We have forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace. Notice the following from the passage:

Verse 2: Paul is asking that God grant us grace…continual grace.
Verse 3: God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings.
Verse 4: He chose us before the Earth was made.
Verse 5: He is doing all this according to His will, desire, purpose.
Verse 6: Through Grace we are accepted—justified.
Verse 8: God has given us wisdom and prudence.

Note: “prudence means understanding and thinking. The commentary says that God had evinced [shown clearly; made evident or manifest, proved] great “intelligence” in the plan of Salvation.” ~Barnes Notes

Verse 9: God makes known to us the mystery of His will. This means that if we can know and understand His will, we can fashion the “counsel of our will” to be like His and make the same kinds of decisions He does and have the same purpose in us that He has.

All of this possible because of Grace. See the favors God is granting us?

17] Are we going to receive Salvation [given eternal life]?
In Question 5 we talk about salvation given to us by God freely.

1 Timothy 2:4
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

So God does not want man to die. Let us look at a passage that explores this in more detail.

Ezekiel 18:20-28, 32
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Bottom-line: …all verses from Ezekiel 18 unless otherwise noted
a] God does not wish for any to die the second death.
b] With obedience to God and His Law, he shall not die [the second death]--verse 21
c] What we do in the Salvation Process ends in eternal life--verse 22
d] If one leaves the Salvation Process, even after decades of righteousness and returns to sin, he shall die.--verse 24-26
e] If man turns from sin and obeys, he shall save his life.---verses 27-28
f] He wants all men to be saved and to know truth. --1 Timothy 2:4
g] He is not willing that any should perish. --2 Peter 3:9

This is why He granted us Grace.

18] What is the difference between Grace and Works? Is there a contradiction in Ephesians 2 regarding Works as they relate to the Salvation Process?

Question 6, as you recall, is our multiple-part question coming out of our reading of our doctrine on Salvation. The key verse to that doctrine and to our discussion on Grace is Ephesians 2 and verse 8. I will read to verse 10.

Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Did I just read a contradiction here? Verse 9 seems to be saying that Grace is not of any Works. Then verse 10 clearly states that we were created in Jesus Christ unto good works which God ordained we should do; "walk in them" He says.

Notice what is being said. In verse 9 when it says, "Not of works" what is it referring to? It is referring to the pardon of God for sins making possible entrance into the Salvation Process. We did nothing in the way of works to move God to pardon us or give us entrance into or opportunity in the Salvation Process.

Once this fact is established in verses 8 and 9, God changes the subject slightly to speak of what we do in the Salvation Process. We are God's workmanship. This clearly denotes that God is doing something with us. He is surely transforming us from physical to spiritual and building in us the character of His Son, Jesus Christ.

He then says that we were created unto "good works." What is a good work here? A good work is something that God does through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. The "good work" is something created in us or what we refer to as Christ in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. The good work is the product of God. All of the fruits of the Spirit are good works. We do a good work when we invoke the power of the Holy Spirit in the form of these fruits.

The latter part of verse 10 is speaking to something that God has ordained that we should walk in them. Interesting turn of phrase. I am walking in something. God is not stating that I am creating them but I am walking in them. These are good works. God created good works that we walk in these good works. "Walking in them" denotes the fact that we are invoking something outside ourselves that God previously created. We are allowing His good works to stream through us.

The works of verse 9 refer to works of our creation. The "good works" of verse 10 are speaking to works God created and ordained for us.

Notice Romans 6 and beginning in verse 1…

Romans 6:1-4
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Notice the commentaries…

Raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father - From this we learn, that as it required the glory of the Father, that is, his glorious energy, to raise up from the grave the dead body of Christ, so it requires the same glorious energy to quicken the dead soul of a sinner, and enable him to walk in newness of life. ~Adam Clarke

The John Gill says...

That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in newness of life - as baptism is designed to represent the resurrection of Christ, which is done by raising the person out of the water, so likewise to represent our resurrection from the death of sin, to a life of grace: whence it must be greatly incumbent on baptized believers, who are raised from the graves of sin by the power of Christ, to "walk in newness of life"; for since they are become new creatures, and have new hearts and new spirits given them, new principles of light, life, grace, and holiness implanted in them, and have entered into a new profession of religion, of which baptism is the badge and symbol, they ought to live a new life and conversation. ~John Gill

We see from the meaning of Romans 6 and verse 4 here that it is by way of Godly energy [the Holy Spirit] that we are enabled to walk in newness of life or doing the “good works.”

Notice how the John Gill gives the meaning of “in newness of life” to mean to a “life of grace.” It goes on to call it a new profession of religion. Our religion is what we do in the Salvation Process which is under grace.

Staying in Romans 6, notice a few more scriptures.

Romans 6:13-16
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Now verses 22 and 23...

Romans 6:22-23
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Verse 13: The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual elements are now instruments of righteousness unto God. Godly power is flowing through us.

Verse 14: This verse speaks to sin having no power over us and the fact that we are now under Grace rather than the Law which is for sinners. That is, in grace or the Salvation Process afforded by Grace [favor], we are above the Law and doing the elements the Law points to or fruits of the Spirit. The Law is not done away for we need it each time we slip and sin. The Law points us back to the elements of grace which are in the Salvation Process.

Verse 16: Being under Grace and in the Salvation Process we are in obedience to all aspects and elements of Righteousness.

Verse 22: In the Salvation Process our fruit is unto holiness…those “good works” of Ephesians 2:10.

Verse 23: The gift of God is eternal life. But how? Through Jesus Christ. He, through His sacrifice –death and resurrection–make possible grace.

The Matthew Henry commentary says:

“It is Christ that purchase it, prepared it, prepares us for it, preserves us to it; he is the Alpha and Omega, All in all in our salvation.” ~Matthew Henry

Let us close out Part 2 of this sermon with the words of God given through Peter in 1 Peter 1. These words summarize what we have discussed here today.

1 Peter 1:3-10
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

Notice the commentary for this last phrase of verse 10:

Who prophesied of the grace; that should come unto you - Jews, and also the Gentiles. They prophesied both of Christ, who is the unspeakable gift of God's free grace, who is full of grace, and by whom it comes; and also of the several blessings of grace through Christ, as of redeeming grace from sin, Satan, death, and the grave; of justifying grace, through his righteousness, he being the Lord our righteousness. ~John Gill

This ends Part 2 of this sermon on Grace.

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