House to House Church Ministry - Home Church Movement in America
  Christian Home Church
  • Home
  • Free Bible Studies
  • Free Sermons Online
  • Resources
    • Short Stories
    • Giving
  • About
  • Contact

Sinners Saved By Grace Alone?

10/26/2011

8 Comments

 
Picture
Grace, like many other words we use, gets tossed around to the point of abuse in my humble opinion. Some have elevated God's grace above God's Word and righteousness. They believe that God will ultimately overlook all of man's sinful ways in the end. "We're all God's children." They say. But is that true? Is that what the Bible says?

How have you heard grace defined? For me, grace was summarized as “unmerited favor” from God toward man. We're “sinners saved by grace” was another popular phrase I'd heard, and then there's a song entitled “Grace Alone.” But songs and catchy phrases aren't the same as scripture.

Grace was a topic of conversation with some friends recently, and I realized I needed to do some digging into the Bible for myself. I don't want to believe and teach something, no matter how "popular," it is if it's not scriptural. Are we sinners saved by grace? Are we saved by grace alone? Is that what Jesus commanded his disciples to preach? The more I see grace in the context of the scriptures the more I sense that grace, as it pertains to salvation, has been wildly mischaracterized.

An online dictionary defines grace as: favor or goodwill. Synonymous with: kindness, kindliness, love, benignity; condescension. Now, let's go to the scriptures...

The first time we read about grace, we meet a man called Noah in Genesis 6...

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:7-8)

If Noah was saved by grace alone, then this would be about the end of the chapter. We'd rejoice with Noah for his salvation. But this is far from the end of the story. Let's see if there's anything more to this grace that Noah found in the eyes of the Lord...

Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. (Genesis 6:14-16)

Now, wait a minute. If Noah found grace, and grace is all we need, then what's all this talk about building an ark? Wasn't grace enough? Apparently not. Rather, because Noah found grace, God warned him of the coming destruction, and told him to build an ark. Noah believe the word and acted accordingly. Without grace, Noah would not have received the word. Without faith, Noah would not have obeyed and built the ark.

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Hebrews 11:7)

Grace isn't the end of our salvation; it's the beginning. God showed us his grace by giving his word. Like Noah, we show our faith by obeying that word.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)


Faith is how we properly respond to God's grace. But Some will take that verse and say, “We don't have to do anything. It's not about works, therefore by grace alone are we saved.” It's true that our works won't save us. But if the Word of God tells to do something, then it's not our works.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. (Matthew 7:24)

When we obey the scriptures, we are demonstrating faith.

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:18)

Building an ark wasn't Noah's idea. Like many people today, Noah could have ignored God's word. Instead of building an ark like God commanded, he could have given away all his goods to the poor, volunteered at a animal shelter and tried to be a good person. And he would have been lost just like everyone else because he didn't do what God commanded him to do.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:11-14)


Read how the apostles preached The Gospel on the Free Bible Studies page!
8 Comments
Albert Hallado link
10/28/2011 06:04:18 am

Hi Pat,

Awesome post man! thank you so much...

Take care Bro.

Albert

Reply
Patrick Sipperly link
10/29/2011 05:13:32 am

Thank you, Albert! Have a blessed weekend.

Reply
Jeff Logan
10/29/2011 08:37:15 am

Nice word, Pat. An important subject. Here's some food for thought.

Who is desirous of becoming truly repentant? What must he do?—He must come to Jesus, just as he is, without delay. He must believe that the word of Christ is true, and, believing the promise, ask, that he may receive. When sincere desire prompts men to pray, they will not pray in vain. The Lord will fulfill His word, and will give the Holy Spirit to lead to repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. He will pray and watch, and put away his sins, making manifest his sincerity by the vigor of his endeavor to obey the commandments of God. With prayer he will mingle faith, and not only believe in but obey the precepts of the law. He will announce himself as on Christ’s side of the question. He will renounce all habits and associations that tend to draw the heart from God.

Yet, all our best works, desires, and intentions are not enough. Add it all up we still come up short. Enter Christ.

When it is in the heart to obey God and effort is put forth to that end; then Jesus accepts that disposition and effort as our best service and makes up for our deficiency with His divine merit.

Reply
Patrick Sipperly link
10/30/2011 12:29:02 am

Thanks for reading and commenting, Jeff, both here and on HouseChurch.org.

My desire with this post is encourage us back in to the scriptures about our beliefs and doctrines. You ask the question in the beginning about repentance, "what must he do?" Similar questions were asked by in the Book of Acts. Peter, Philip and Paul gave the same answer: Repentance from sin, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and receiving the Holy Ghost. Grace is how and why we receive the words whereby we must be saved.

Peter said in Acts 10, "Acts 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

Reply
Ben Monteith
11/6/2011 02:22:16 am

You are wrong. You have wrongly parsed Ephesians 2:8-9. Look at the grammatical mechanics. 'That' does not link to the 'grace', rather, 'that' links back to 'faith.Clearly, faith is the gift of GOD in Ephesians 2:8-9.
Romans 1:17, "from faith, to faith. . ." Salvation is from my faith, to the faith that comes into me to save me when I believe. Saving faith is the ". . .the measure of faith" Paul wrote about in Romans 12:3
Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Clearly, Paul did not live his Christian life by his own faith in Jesus Christ. Paul lived his life as an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the saving faith of Christ.
Galatians 3:22, "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." Clearly ". . .from faith to faith." The promise (salvation) only happens by the saving faith of (not in) Christ.
Continuing, in the same chapter, with verses 23 through 26.
23 "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed." Your own human faith never came, because you were born with it.
24 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." You cannot come to Christ on your own behalf, only GOD's law can bring you. Salvation cannot happen with out becoming guilty of violating GOD's law. See Romans 3:19. ". . .may. . ."
25 "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." The saving faith of Christ comes after GOD's law stops the mouth. Non law, No salvation. "I plead guilty",silence.
26 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." We only become children of God by the faith of Christ, not faith in Christ.
Jesus Christ descended into the depths of hell, with our sins upon himself. He perfectly believed that GOD would not leave his soul in hell.
Psalm 16:10 "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." David didn't descend to the depths of hell; Jesus did. GOD raised him from the depths of hell, and from the grave. Jesus conquered sin and death for us. Read Ephesians 4:7-10. The gift in verse 7 is the measure of faith that Paul wrote of in Romans 12, faith of Christ.
read also, Psalm 22; and 116:7-14.
There are many other Psalms that testify to the faith of Christ, but I will let you discover them for yourself.
Remember Paul's exhortation to Timothy ". . .rightly dividing the word of truth."
Remember to ask yourself: who is it written by, and who is it written to?
GOD bless you brother.

Reply
Ben Monteith
11/6/2011 02:31:38 am

To access perfect saving grace, perfect faith is requisite. Our human faith is laced with sin, and it is weak and wavering. Only the perfect faith of Christ is capable of accessing GOD's perfect saving grace.

Reply
Patrick Sipperly link
11/6/2011 03:53:25 am

Thanks for writing Ben.

As you look at the post you'll see that my focus here was to address whether we're saved by grace alone. My conclusion according to the scriptures is that we are not save by grace alone. Rather we are saved by exercising faith in the word of God. What word has been preached today? The Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I'm glad you appreciate the rightly dividing the word of truth, as well as keeping things in context. So let's do that now...

The apostles preached the gospel to the lost in only 1 book: the Book of Acts. What did they preach? Repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost. The epistles following were to those who had already believed and obeyed that death, burial and resurrection message.

Grace alone doesn't save, rather hearing and doing the Word does:

Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Reply
steve finnell link
8/29/2013 10:28:35 am

BIBLICAL SALVATION?

If you were to look at the Biblical accounts and teaching about salvation what would be your conclusion? If you were to look at teaching about salvation, of the hundreds, of denominations would it be different from the Scriptures?

WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES MEAN TO YOU?

After Jesus was resurrected from the dead He said this. Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Mark 16:15-16 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

What does that mean to you? I am not asking what you have been taught to believe.

The church of Christ began on the Day of Pentecost and was recorded in the book of Acts along with the conversions of the early church.

The firsts conversions.
Acts 2:37-41 Now when they heard this they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit......41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

How would you interpret these Scriptures? I am not asking how Bible commentators have explained these Scriptures.

Acts 8:5-12.....12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.

What do you believe this means? I am not asking what your church catechism teaches.

Acts 8: 26-40 .....35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" 37[And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said , "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."] 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.......

What do you think just happened with Philip and the eunuch? I am not asking you what your church leaders have taught you.

Acts 10:34-47.....43 Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness from sins.".........48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ......

What is your understanding of theses verses of Scripture? I am not asking you how your church creed book explains them.

Acts 16:14-15 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household had been baptized......

What do you believed happened? I am not asking you what your church statement of faith said just occurred.

Acts 16:22-33.....29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.

What is your view of what happened here? I am not asking about views that are found in books written about the Bible.

Acts 8:8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.

What is your understanding of theses events. I am not asking how these events are explained in extra-Biblical writings.

Acts 19:3-5 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said "Into John's baptism." 4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is Jesus." 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

What do you believed happened here? I am not asking what your Bible study group decided occurred.

Acts 22:12-16.....16 Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name!

What do you think took place with Saul? I am not asking what T.V. preachers think.

Can you see any correlation between what Jesus said in Matthew 28:29, Mark 16:15,16 and the Christian conversions in the book of Acts?

Are the conversions in the book of Acts a true representation of what is found in church catechisms, books about the Bible, church statements of faith, T.V. preacher's sermons, church creed books, what your church leaders teach, what you always thought to be true, or what the early church fathers believed.

What do you think the book of Acts te

Reply



Leave a Reply.


    Share|
    Patrick Sipperly

    Patrick Sipperly

    Video producer, author, 
    and minister of the 
    Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    Visit his other sites:
    AZVideoCompany.com
    DurangoVideo.com
    PatrickSipperly.com

    Picture

    The easiest way to create a website for your church. Create your website at Weebly.com!


    Archives

    November 2017
    October 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    September 2012
    July 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010


    Categories

    All
    Audio
    Bible
    Business
    Christian Fiction
    Church
    Church Fellowship
    Daily Devotion
    Encouragement
    Evangelism
    Faith
    Forgiveness
    Grace
    Holy Ghost
    Home Church
    House Church
    How To Pray For America
    Kjv
    Last Days
    Marriage
    Ministry
    Mormon Commercials
    Parting Ways
    Pornography
    Preaching The Word
    Purpose Of The Church
    Questions About Church
    Revelation
    Salvation
    The Church
    Videos
    What To Do About Guilt
    Women

    RSS Feed





© 2011 | Powered By The ArizonaVideoCompany.com