Growing In Grace

Introduction

Thank you, brother, for leading us in song this evening. If you have a Bible, if you would please turn to 2 Peter chapter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3. We’re going to begin with the text there in just a few moments. Well, I hope you’ve had a good day.

I had the opportunity today, no events were scheduled during the day, and I have an aunt that lives in Lufkin, and my brother and I were able to meet her halfway, and I hadn’t seen her probably in 20 years, so it was nice to be able to see her and get to visit with her. And I appreciate the opportunity for that. Tony mentioned that Andrew Dow is with us tonight. I have a special connection to the Dows. Andrew worked with me in a preacher training program in Amarillo at Olsen Park, where I preach and came to know and to love Andrew, and just appreciate so much the opportunity to be able to see him, and I would commend him to you. He’s a fine young man.

He and his wife we came to love. They didn’t have the little kids when they were with us, but they’ve kind of expanded a little bit. When I expand, it’s usually in this direction. I think they’ve expanded with some additional young ones. We’re happy to have him here. 2 Peter chapter 3. I’d like for us to begin with the text. In verse 14, and we’ll go down to verse 18. 2 Peter chapter 3, beginning in verse 14. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by him in peace, without spot and blameless. And consider that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation. As also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him as written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the scriptures.

Continuing, you therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked. Now notice this, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To him be glory, both now and forever. Amen. This is a beautiful declaration, and many things within this passage we could spend time talking about this evening. But I call your attention to that one phrase that I kind of made emphasis towards as we were reading through, that he urges them to grow in the grace of the Lord. Have you ever thought about what that means? In what way is it that we can grow in grace? I’d like for us to think a little bit about that tonight.

And I think we need to start by recognizing the fact that as Scripture uses the term grace, there are a number of ways in which it is used. We often, when we will speak of grace, we will talk about it as the favor of God, and we often, when we will describe it in such a way, we will add to that it is the unmerited favor of God. In other words, we don’t deserve the good things that he has done for us by His grace. I don’t know about you, but most often I think, when I think of grace, I think of that grace of God that pertains to our salvation. But it is important for us to understand that Scripture will address grace in a number of ways, and this term can apply to different aspects of God’s favor towards us.

1. By Grace You Have Been Saved

Yes, most commonly, I think, when we talk about grace and salvation by grace, we are talking about that fact that God, in spite of the fact that we deserve to be condemned, we deserve to be eternally separated from him. It is by his grace through Jesus Christ, that he’s allowed us to have our sins forgiven. He’s allowed us to be able to have the way in which we can be reconciled back to him. Perhaps a passage that speaks to this like none other, is found over in Ephesians chapter 2, if you turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 2, and let’s read verses 1 through 9 that probably most of us are familiar with. Notice, Paul through the Holy Spirit begins, and you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the Spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we’re by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Now notice these next verses. After talking about our separation and alienation from God, because of our sin, he then picks up in verse 4 by saying, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. And notice here’s one of the first places we have this point emphasized. By grace you have been saved. And raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show you the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. Then once again, verse 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. When we talk about salvation and we talk about our responsibility to God, we must all acknowledge that the Bible teaches that we are saved by the grace of God. There is not anything that we can do that will cause God in heaven to of our own merit forgive us of sin. The conditions that he sets are all within his grace. The fact that he has offered us the means by which we can put on the blood of Christ is by his grace.

In the same way, that grace is that which brings justification. In the book of Titus, if you notice with me, in Titus chapter 3, verses 3 through 7, our salvation emphasizes that fact that we were lost in sin and separated from God as a result of it. We are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, in accordance with the grace of God, that we might be reconciled back to Him. But I want you to notice the wording in Titus chapter 3, beginning of verse 3, and we’ll go down to verse 7, which emphasize there’s not simply salvation, but justification, and we’ll talk a little bit about that. Notice beginning of verse 3. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

Sounds very much like the beginning of the text we looked at in Ephesians, doesn’t it? Talking about being dead in trespasses and sins. Here it’s describing that former conduct, notice verse 4. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 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, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, that having, notice this, having been justified by his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. What does it mean to be justified? Well, you know, if you are working on a computer, you’re typing a paper, they’ll sometimes use that term.

If you make it where all of the lines will be flush on both sides. Now that’s not the full extent of justification. Sometimes when you’re thinking about a construction, you know, there’ll be ways in which certain things need to be in just the right positioning so they are justified with one another. Now, how does that relate to what we’re talking about as it concerns sin? When you and I sin, we are not right with God. We talked about that. We stand separated from Him. We’ve talked about that alienates us from a relationship with Him. Well, how can that ever be made right? It is interesting because throughout Scripture, we’ll often see that words that are of the same root background in the original language will either be translated righteousness or justify or justification or being righteous.

I find that interesting. To justify is to make something right. When you and I are not what we ought to be, how can it ever be that we can be right before God? Only if God in his grace seeks to justify. You know, I think one way to think of that is, you know, in a court of law, if someone has been charged with a crime, and they go before a court and that all of the evidence is weighed, and if the judge weighing that evidence acquits them of that crime, he in essence says, yes, you were charged with this, but I find you to be innocent of that wrong. That’s what happens in justification. We were sinners, and yet God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, brings about our justification.

Now, that doesn’t mean, as some would imagine, that somehow some deeds of righteousness are infused into us. Somehow the righteousness of Jesus Christ and all of the good things that he did become infused into us. No, it’s simply the fact that his sacrifice washes the slate clean. And so, by grace, we receive justification. And this comes, as we’ve noticed in both of the texts we’ve looked at so far, it comes because of the mercy of God. Look with me over in Hebrews chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4, verses 15 and 16. Hebrews 4, verses 15 and 16. Speaking of Christ as our high priest, it says, for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace. Notice that. We’ll come back to it in a moment. That we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Now there may be a number of ways in which this aspect of coming before him as our high priest, of finding grace to help in time of need might come into play. But for our purposes right now, I want you to notice this idea of coming to the throne of grace that we might obtain mercy. We talked yesterday in one of our lessons about the fact that Scripture teaches that one day all of us are going to stand before God in judgment. I ask you the question. When that day comes, do you hope to receive from Almighty God justice or mercy?

I’ll tell you, I hope we receive mercy. Because if I receive justice, then those times that I have sinned against God would justly lead me to be condemned to an eternity of separation from God and hell. You see, the great thing about the grace of God that’s demonstrated in Christ Jesus is even though you and I deserve that because of our sin. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that lamb without spot and blemish, that God accepted that horrible sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross as a payment for the sin that you and I have committed, if we put on Christ, then that can allow us to receive the mercy of God that will allow him to look at our sin and to say, I forgive you for that sin.

Not because of you, not because you’re such a great person, not because you’ve done enough good things, but I forgive you of that sin because of who my son is, Jesus Christ. You have put on Christ. You are abiding in Christ. And because of that, you will receive mercy. And that certainly, I think, is how we most often think about the idea of God’s grace. This grace of God that brings salvation. But as we think about this idea of that we noticed in the text that we started with in 2 Peter, let’s think further, though, about this idea of growing in grace. And I want us to think about is this idea, the idea of the grace that brings mercy and justification and forgiveness of sins, is that what Peter’s talking about?

2. Not Continuing in Sin That Grace May Abound

When he says that we are to grow in grace. There have been those that have suggested that’s exactly what it’s talking about, and that somehow the idea that, well, you know, if I acknowledge my sinfulness, and in fact, if I continue to sin, that really makes God’s grace more necessary in my life. So I’m growing in his grace in the sense that I continue to sin and I need his grace more and more and more. Is that the sense in which Peter’s talking about growing in grace? I don’t believe so. Look over to Romans chapter 6 with me. Romans chapter 6. Paul will refute this very notion. And maybe you haven’t heard people put it quite in those terms. But if you have heard people that will say, Well, I’m just a sinner, there’s nothing I can do.

It doesn’t really matter what I do in my life to him. I acknowledge that he is above me. I acknowledge that it’s only by his grace that I can be saved. So I don’t really have to strive to be obedient. Well, let’s look at what Paul says about that kind of mindset in Romans 6, verse 1. Paul says, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Notice that’s the very argument, isn’t it? Because it’s in essence saying, all right, if I need God’s grace when I sin, then the more I sin, that really makes God’s grace abound. Is that what Peter’s talking about when he says, grow in the grace of God? Well, Paul says here, what shall we say then?

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Notice he gives an answer, certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we should walk, notice, in newness of life. You see, if we have an attitude that says, Well, if I sin, that makes more grace abound in my life, and so I shouldn’t worry about whether I sin or not. That’s not walking in innocent life, is it? That’s not recognizing that when we come to Christ, we are saying, I am dead to sin.

Now, that doesn’t mean that once we are obedient to the gospel, we’ll never struggle with sin. Read 1 John chapter 1, and you’ll see that there John addresses through the Holy Spirit the very fact that we will struggle with sin. That’s why we need, as 1 John chapter 2 at the beginning talks about, an advocate with the Father, Christ who is our propitiation. But 1 John chapter 1 addresses that when sin comes into our life, what are we to do? We’re to confess that. We harmonize that with what Simon the sorcerer was told when he sinned. He was told to repent and to pray that his sin might be forgiven. So I can’t say within my heart, all right, I’m just continuing sin. No, I have to recognize that I’m striving to avoid sin when I realize it’s come into my life.

3. Grace Also Refers to What God Teaches

I repent of it, I confess it to the Lord through Jesus as my advocate. But there is no sense in which I can say, well, I’m growing in the grace of God because I need his grace more and more because I’m continuing in sin. We certainly must grow in our appreciation for God’s grace. You know, the older that I that I grow in my life, and the more I realize how far I fall short of what God would have me to be, the more I recognize my continual need for God’s grace. But that’s a much different thing than saying, well, I’m growing in grace because I’m continuing in sin. Well, how could we understand this then? Well, grace also refers to what God teaches. And I think this is something in which many of our friends in the religious world have not acknowledged this use of the term grace in Scripture.

Look with me over in Titus chapter 2, and I’d like us to notice that this uses the term grace in a wonderful way that really cuts through a lot of the error and falsehood that we see in so much of the religious world if people would simply acknowledge this. In Titus chapter 2, Paul is going to talk about grace. In fact, as kind of a memory device, I would urge you to kind of plug into your mind, whenever you’re thinking about grace, think of a couple of twos. Think of Ephesians chapter 2, and then think of Titus chapter 2, because they both teach us some powerful things about God’s grace. Notice.

It is appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age. Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now think about that. Here it expresses the idea that we have learned the grace of God. Now, how is it that we’ve learned the grace of God? Well, Paul in Romans chapter 1 would talk about that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Is that the same thing that Paul is saying here, where he talks about that the grace of God that brings salvation is appeared to all men? I think so. Notice it goes on there in verse 14 to say, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people, zealous for good works.

Isn’t that interesting? Ephesians 2 talked about that it’s not our works that save us, but notice we are people that are created in him, a special people who should be what? Notice there, verse 14, zealous for good works. If we are receiving the grace of God as we ought to, and we are learning what the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches, notice at the beginning of our reading, it has appeared teaching us to do some things. We deny godliness, we deny worldly lusts. We live soberly, righteously, and godly as we look for that time in which the Lord returns. You know, this is not the only place that we see this idea taught. Or in Acts chapter 20 and in verse 24, I want you to notice the very same idea is expressed, slightly different wording, but in Acts chapter 20 and in verse 24.

Notice there, as the Apostle Paul talks to the elders from the church in Ephesus, he says this as he’s talking about various things. He says, But none of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus Christ to testify, listen to this, to the gospel of the grace of God. Is the gospel one thing and grace another? No. No, the grace teaches us, the gospel teaches us. Here it is the gospel, the good news of the grace of God. In the same chapter, look at verse 32. Chapter 20 and verse 32. And notice the way it is worded here in verse 32. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to, listen to this, the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

How is it that we can build one another up? What can I offer to you this evening that can in any way help you to be a better Christian? Help you in your service to the Lord. Now I could get up and I could tell you stories and I might amuse you, but that’s not going to build you up. That’s not going to help you grow in the grace of God. If I share with you what the word of God says, though, you are in that way growing and being built up by the grace of God, by the word of his grace, by the gospel of his grace. Is this the idea that Peter is talking about? Where he urges them to grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord?

I think that is a big part of it. Because the idea is that we must put on the things of Christ as we set our minds on things above, as we set our minds on spiritual things. It is that idea in which the more that we come to know what God would have us to do, we are growing in his grace. Now, that’s not just the idea that, well, if I have book knowledge and I know and have memorized so many passages of Scripture, then I’ve grown in the grace of God. Well, you know, it’s one thing to know something, it’s another thing to make it a part of who you are. And to put it within your heart and to apply it to your life.

I think at least a part of what is being described here is that idea of allowing that word of God that teaches us God’s will to work in us in an effective way. We absolutely should grow in the knowledge of God’s word and the knowledge of God’s grace. But also, you remember, we notice there in Titus that the grace of God teaches us how we ought to live. And so the grace of God and growing in grace means that we are growing in obedience to God’s grace. Turn over to 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 1. 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 1. Paul says to Timothy, you therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Now think about that. And I want you to consider with me something about that.

There are some that would try to argue that, well, you know, once you’re in Christ, sometimes you’ll hear the expression, once in grace, always in grace. And sometimes it will be treated as if it is sort of an automatic kind of thing. There have been debates and discussions among our own brethren about whether grace is something that brings about a continual cleansing, whether you confess, whether you repent or not. I want you to notice here, we see this terminology that says, grow in grace. Here, Paul tells Timothy to be strong in grace. You don’t command something that’s going to just automatically happen anyway. You know, what would you think of me if I came up to you and I said, now, be sure and keep your feet on the ground, don’t start floating up in the air.

You know, gravity makes it such. You don’t have a choice in that matter. If grace was the kind of thing, once in grace, always in grace, it’s automatic. It’s not something we must consciously think about and grow in and apply to our lives, then it’d be like saying, keep your feet on the ground. It’s going to happen regardless. But that’s not the way it is. I can live in such a way that I step outside of the grace of God. I can live in such a way that I am not growing in the knowledge and grace of the Lord. I can live in such a way that I am not accepting the favor of God through what he has taught me in his word. So that absolutely is something we need to think about as it relates to this idea of growing in grace.

4. Grace Can Refer to All the Blessings God Grants

That grace can also simply refer to all of the blessings that God grants to us in general. Go over to Luke chapter 2 with me for a moment. Look chapter 2. And I want you to notice something that is said about Jesus. We recognize that the Hebrew writer will tell us that he was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Jesus Christ, from the moment that he set foot upon this earth until the moment that he was ascended back into heaven, Scripture tells us never sinned. Now that being the case, how do we understand this statement that describes something about his childhood? Notice. And the child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Think about that. Is this the grace of God that brings salvation in the sense that, well, you know, he needed to be forgiven of sins. No. He wasn’t all points tempted as we are yet without sin. He didn’t need God’s mercy that justified him, that brought him back to a right condition. He was right with God throughout his entire life. Instead, is this the idea that we just talked about that it can be that which teaches? Well, you know, there’s a lot that we are told and a lot that we’re not told about Jesus. He was God in the flesh from the moment that he came into this earth. But we also understand that he went through a period of growth and maturity. Was there a time in which he, by his parents was taught God’s word?

I suspect so. But then in his adulthood, we notice how many times there were that he had divine knowledge and that he knew all things, and that all that the Father knew, he knew, with the exception of when the second coming would be. So I don’t necessarily think that’s the idea that’s being described here. But we must understand that often the word grace can be used as simply those blessings that God gives in general. It’s interesting because in Greek, we’ll see quite often, as it’s even brought into our language, Scripture will talk about grace be with you. And it’s almost as if it’s kind of wishing one well, saying that they hope things will go well in their life. Let’s look at a few passages here.

Let’s read together Ephesians 4, 7 through 8. Ephesians 4, 7 through 8. Paul says, but to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. I want you to notice in this passage, the last word, at least in the New King James translation, is the word gift. And often, the word that is translated grace is the Greek word cardis. Often a word that will be translated gift is the word kadis ma, a gift of grace. There is a very real sense in which we in Christ must recognize whether we’re talking about abilities, whether we’re talking about material blessings, whether we’re talking about circumstances that play out in a providential way in which we are blessed. That is a demonstration of the grace of God poured out upon our life.

As we think about the text back to Luke chapter 2 and verse 4, the grace of God was upon him. Jesus received blessing as he grew and was healthy and had all of those things in accordance with the blessings of God, certainly. Over in Romans chapter 12, let’s notice in Romans chapter 12, a powerful example of this idea. In Romans chapter 12, let’s read verses 6 through 8. Similar to the wording we just noticed in Ephesians 4. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. Now I want you to think in the list that we’re going to read here in just a moment, we’re going to see some things that are miraculous in nature. And I would argue, based on 1 Corinthians 13 and some other passages, Zachariah 13 even, that there was a miraculous age.

There was a time in which miraculous gifts were given for a specific purpose, the revelation and completion of revelation of God’s word. But some of these are not just that type of gift. And I want you to look out for those as we read through here. Notice. Let each of us use them. If prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. Or ministry, let us use it in our ministry. He who teaches in teaching, he who exhorts in exhortation, he who gives with liberality, he who leads with diligence, he who shows mercy with cheerfulness. Now notice there are some miraculous things that are mentioned there, but there are an awful lot, that are just blessings, abilities. Paul would even on one occasion describe the fact that he was able to refrain from marriage.

1 Corinthians chapter 7. He described that as a gift from God. A demonstration of God’s grace. Now, how does that figure into this if we think about all this? Well, receiving blessings is a way in which we grow in God’s grace. Go over to 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4. I wonder if we think about it this way. I wonder if we have considered very often that sense that, you know, the more that God has blessed me, the more I grow in the favor that He has shown to me. Whether we are talking about the knowledge of God’s word in the gospel. Or we are talking about those ways that He has blessed us in our life through forgiveness, through material blessings, through abilities that we have, through opportunities that we are given.

Do we often see that just too much as, well, look what I’ve done. I’ve pulled myself up by my own bootstraps. Do we see it as if, well, this is just chance and opportunity? Now, I realize Ecclesiastes will talk about time and chance happening to them all. But there is also a very clear sense in which the blessings of God, if it is true, as James will declare, that every good and perfect gift come from the Father above. And when we receive those things, we may think of it as growing in grace. 1 Peter 4, read with me, verse 10. As each has received a gift, minister it to one another as stewards of, notice the way it’s worded here, the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.

5. Growing in All Aspects of God's Favor

If anyone ministers, let him do it with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Grow in the grace of God. And what do we see, and how can we kind of tie all of these things together? Well, I think we can say that growing in grace is growing in all aspects of God’s favor. We should live in such a way that we can accept his grace. We don’t live in a way that denies his grace, a way that treats it as a pitiful thing or something that’s worthless. We strive to the very best of our ability to obey his will. You know, when we talk about, well, is this thing scriptural?

Do we have authority for that thing? Sometimes I think we misunderstand and imagine that, well, if I’m doing those things that we have authority for, I’m somehow meriting my standing before God. No. It is a way in which we show our love for God. It is a way in which we abide in his grace. We recognize that we’re unworthy of his grace, but we love him enough we want to do everything he says. You know, think about it this way. You know, you men here that are blessed to either have a girlfriend or to have a wife? Think about in the early days when you first began to court her. You would do anything, wouldn’t you, to try to please her? Whether it was a matter of eating foods that you might not might not be your favorite, you’d take her places that might not be your favorite.

You tried to do everything you possibly could to court her favor, wouldn’t you? And when we think about a relationship with God, it’s absolutely true that, you know, if we do everything within the authority of God, we haven’t earned or merited a thing. But should we do that because we love him? Should we do that because we want to court his favor in the sense of showing our appreciation for him? In the sense of abiding in his grace. You know, only when we do what we can find in his word do we know that we are doing that which is acceptable to him. There’s no merit to it. It’s just the way we show him that we love him. Secondly, I think we need to see that we should, we should learn and obey the lessons that his grace teaches us.

We should appreciate his gifts of grace. Don’t ever allow it to be that we just go on day by day without a thought for the fact that, boy, the Lord has blessed me today in a way that I didn’t deserve. Every day we get up and we have another breath of life. You know, as Americans, every day that we get up and we enjoy the freedoms that we do, we should thank God for the grace that He has shown us. Every day that we are given the opportunity to share our faith and to share the gospel with someone around us, we must grow in our appreciation for the grace of God that He has bestowed upon us. It may it never be the case that we take that for granted.

But we must also recognize that growing in the grace of God means that we continue in his grace. Go over to Acts chapter 13 with me. Acts chapter 13. And let’s look at verse 43. We mentioned the idea that’s often taught in the world that, well, once you’re in grace, you’re always in grace. One of the big problems with that is that it courts that idea or it promotes that idea that, well, it doesn’t really matter if you’re faithful or not. You don’t really need to study God’s word. If you do, you’re not really appreciating God’s grace. I think that’s not the right way to look at it. Acts chapter 13 and verse 43 says, now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who speaking, who speaking to them persuaded them, listen to this, to continue in the grace of God.

Think about that. If once I’m in grace, I’m always in grace. If it is impossible for me to ever fall from a condition in which I am in a saved relationship with God, why in the world would Paul urge them to continue in the grace of God? That’s kind of like the illustration I gave a moment ago about telling you to keep your feet on the ground, kind of like if I said, you know, keep breathing so you’ll stay alive. You know, you’ve got to do that. But here he instructs them to do something they’re not automatically going to do. They need to continue in the grace of God. And brethren, we need to continue in the grace of God. I want us to notice one final point.

6. We Must Not Receive the Grace of God in Vain

And that is that we must not receive the grace of God in vain. Go with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 6, and this will be the last passage we’ll look at tonight. 2 Corinthians chapter 6, and let’s read together verses 1 and 2. The next time that you have a friend that says, Well, you know, you church of Christ people just think you’re trying to earn your way to heaven. I believe in grace, and I’m just going to depend upon grace, and once in grace, always in grace, ask them what 2 Corinthians 6, verse 1 and 2 means. Notice what it says. We then as workers together with Him also plead with you, listen to this, not to receive the grace of God in vain.

We read this in our lessons yesterday, for he says, in an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. How can it be that one receives the grace of God in vain? If we recognize that God’s mercy and his gifts in general are a demonstration of his grace, it might be that I’m receiving the grace of God in vain. If I appreciate and I take advantage of all the blessings that he’s given me in life and all the opportunities that he’s given me in life, but I never act upon them to be obedient to the gospel of Jesus Christ. You know, he’s given each of us that opportunity.

Most likely that the Lord’s been patient with you. He’s given you blessings, he’s shown his love for you in numerous ways, and yet you’ve resisted. You’ve heard of the grace of God, but you haven’t accepted it. You’re receiving the grace of God in vain. But if we remember that the grace of God is also that which teaches us, you know, have you ever seen someone that will learn something but not apply it to their life? If we learn about the gospel of God’s grace, we learn about the mercy that he has shown us in Jesus Christ, and either we accept it and then don’t abide in it, or we hear it and don’t ever follow it. Are we receiving the grace of God in vain? Absolutely.

But as we think about this idea that we began with, that the grace of God that brings salvation. What about if I am obedient to the gospel of Jesus Christ? And I want the salvation that is to be found in Jesus. I put my faith in Jesus as the Son of God. I have confessed that faith before men. I’ve repented of sin and I’ve been baptized into Christ, putting on Christ in the waters of baptism, so my sin can be washed away. In so doing, I put on Christ. In so doing, I accept the grace of God. But then I walk away from the water grave of baptism and I continue to live just as worldly as I ever did. Or I put on a front where I’m faithful to the Lord on Sundays and Wednesdays, but I go out into the world and I live in sin just as much as I want to.

Conclusion

Am I receiving the grace of God in vain in such a circumstance? Because we noticed in Romans chapter 6, I can’t say, well, let me sin so grace may abound. He’s been gracious to me. He’s been merciful to me, but I am rebellious to him when I accept that grace and don’t continue in it. If you’re here tonight and you have never put on Jesus in baptism, I urge you to let the grace of God that brings salvation teach you the means by which God will show his mercy to you, justify you before his throne that you might have your sins forgiven. Don’t remain outside of fellowship with him another moment. If as a child of God, you’ve accepted the grace of God, but you are not growing in the grace of God.

You are not continuing in the grace of God. Think of this. God in his patience towards you is continuing to extend to you the opportunity. He’s continuing to be gracious to you. Every moment he allows you the opportunity for repentance. Don’t receive that grace in vain. Won’t you come? Always stand instead.