Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.10
How are we born
again as children of God?
00:00:03.10\00:00:06.67
What was the cost of grace?
00:00:06.67\00:00:09.27
Please join us today
as we see what the Bible
00:00:09.27\00:00:13.11
has to say in
answer to these questions.
00:00:13.11\00:00:15.44
Hello. Welcome to
"The Grace pipeline."
00:00:36.46\00:00:39.50
This is a series
that follows a Bible study
00:00:39.50\00:00:42.40
that I was privileged to share
00:00:42.40\00:00:44.11
by writing a book also
titled "The Grace pipeline."
00:00:44.11\00:00:47.88
Today we will look
at what the Bible says
00:00:47.88\00:00:50.95
is the process of being
born again as a child of God
00:00:50.95\00:00:55.12
and we'll also consider
the extreme cost of grace.
00:00:55.12\00:00:59.89
If you were following in
the series companion book
00:00:59.89\00:01:02.79
we are beginning on
page 26 of chapter 2.
00:01:02.79\00:01:06.46
Now during our last program
00:01:06.46\00:01:08.63
we defined
grace as the unearned,
00:01:08.63\00:01:12.10
undeserved gifts bestowed
by a God of infinite love
00:01:12.10\00:01:16.87
which provide
his divine assistance
00:01:16.87\00:01:19.57
and supernatural
power unto salvation.
00:01:19.57\00:01:22.71
And do you remember
00:01:22.71\00:01:24.11
what we identified
or who we identified
00:01:24.11\00:01:26.08
as the three
most important gifts?
00:01:26.08\00:01:28.52
Jesus Christ is God's
greatest gift of grace
00:01:28.52\00:01:32.79
and we considered also the Bible
00:01:32.79\00:01:35.16
and the Holy
Spirit as gifts of grace.
00:01:35.16\00:01:38.23
We also talked about Paul
and Silas as they ministered
00:01:38.23\00:01:40.93
to the Philippine
jailers household,
00:01:40.93\00:01:43.00
and Peter to the household
of Cornelius telling them
00:01:43.00\00:01:46.40
to believe in Christ
and they would be saved.
00:01:46.40\00:01:50.07
How does
believing bring salvation?
00:01:50.07\00:01:54.21
Christ said he came to earth
to seek and to save the lost.
00:01:54.21\00:01:58.98
And according to 1 John 3:8,
00:01:58.98\00:02:01.48
His mission was to
destroy the works of the Devil
00:02:01.48\00:02:05.55
by redeeming
mankind and giving us
00:02:05.55\00:02:08.79
victory over Satan's influence.
00:02:08.79\00:02:11.53
He accomplishes
this through His grace
00:02:11.53\00:02:14.73
which He tells us
in 2 Corinthians 12:9,
00:02:14.73\00:02:17.80
He says, "My grace
is sufficient for you,"
00:02:17.80\00:02:21.10
sufficient for the task of
transforming the human heart.
00:02:21.10\00:02:24.71
And in fact, Christ promises
00:02:24.71\00:02:27.34
to perfect His
power in our weakness.
00:02:27.34\00:02:30.91
When Paul and Silas
and Peter ministered
00:02:30.91\00:02:34.98
the message to believe
they were essentially saying,
00:02:34.98\00:02:38.45
"Have faith and
place your confidence
00:02:38.45\00:02:40.89
in Christ and His ability.
00:02:40.89\00:02:43.16
Commit your life to Him,
trusting Him and relying on Him
00:02:43.16\00:02:47.50
for salvation and
deliverance from sin."
00:02:47.50\00:02:51.53
Here is what
Jesus said in John 5:24.
00:02:51.53\00:02:55.87
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:02:55.87\00:02:58.81
he who hears My
word and believes in Him
00:02:58.81\00:03:02.41
who has sent Me
has everlasting life,
00:03:02.41\00:03:05.58
and shall not
come into judgment,
00:03:05.58\00:03:08.65
but has passed
from death into life."
00:03:08.65\00:03:14.29
There you have
it, on the authority
00:03:14.29\00:03:16.06
of the word of Christ Himself.
00:03:16.06\00:03:18.26
Believing brings salvation.
00:03:18.26\00:03:21.53
But believing in Jesus as
Savior is to be living in Jesus
00:03:21.53\00:03:28.64
and the power of His grace.
00:03:28.64\00:03:30.91
The heavenly promise is
that His presence in your life
00:03:30.91\00:03:35.11
will mold your character
into conformity of His likeness.
00:03:35.11\00:03:40.15
But it takes
faith and confidence
00:03:40.15\00:03:43.15
that God is willing and able
to perform this work in you.
00:03:43.15\00:03:47.42
Jesus asks a question
00:03:47.42\00:03:49.22
and made an incredible
response in Mathew 9:28 and 29.
00:03:49.22\00:03:55.66
He said, "Do you believe
that I am able to do this?
00:03:55.66\00:03:59.90
According to your
faith let it be to you."
00:03:59.90\00:04:05.14
This was in
response to the cries
00:04:05.14\00:04:07.64
of two believing blind men.
00:04:07.64\00:04:10.25
And these words spoken by
Jesus restored their sight
00:04:10.25\00:04:13.95
by grace through
the power of faith.
00:04:13.95\00:04:16.58
The Bible accounts
that we previously reviewed
00:04:16.58\00:04:19.79
of the woman at the
well and her fellow citizens,
00:04:19.79\00:04:22.86
the jailor and his
family, and Cornelius household
00:04:22.86\00:04:26.86
proved the same faith principle
applies to Spiritual blindness.
00:04:26.86\00:04:32.17
So how did all of those people
00:04:32.17\00:04:35.14
obtain faith to
overcome Spiritual blindness?
00:04:35.14\00:04:38.87
Paul tells us in Romans 10:17
that faith comes by hearing
00:04:38.87\00:04:43.81
and hearing by the word of God.
00:04:43.81\00:04:46.45
As the gift of his word
was implanted in their hearts
00:04:46.45\00:04:51.02
it brought faith and power
00:04:51.02\00:04:53.09
which was able
to save their souls.
00:04:53.09\00:04:55.66
The moment their conversion came
00:04:55.66\00:04:57.89
when they believed in
and received Jesus as savior.
00:04:57.89\00:05:02.53
Through faith their hearts
were changed and converted,
00:05:02.53\00:05:07.07
turned away from the power
of sin to the power of God.
00:05:07.07\00:05:11.81
Listen to Christ's
commission to Paul,
00:05:11.81\00:05:14.58
his messenger of grace,
whom he sent out to lost
00:05:14.58\00:05:17.78
and suffering souls so
that they might be converted.
00:05:17.78\00:05:20.98
This is one of my
favorite scriptures
00:05:20.98\00:05:23.05
found in Acts 26:17 and 18.
00:05:23.05\00:05:26.86
And he says to Paul, "I now
send you to open their eyes,
00:05:26.86\00:05:31.66
in order to turn them
from darkness to light,
00:05:31.66\00:05:34.93
and from the
power of Satan to God,
00:05:34.93\00:05:37.30
that they may
receive forgiveness of sins
00:05:37.30\00:05:40.50
and an inheritance among those
00:05:40.50\00:05:43.94
who are
sanctified by faith in Me."
00:05:43.94\00:05:50.15
The word "converted" triggers
memories of the two weeks
00:05:50.15\00:05:54.28
my precious mother spent
in the intensive care unit.
00:05:54.28\00:05:57.52
It was as the result
of a complete cardiac
00:05:57.52\00:06:00.62
and respiratory arrest
from which she was revived.
00:06:00.62\00:06:03.69
And the hospital staff
allowed me to stay with her
00:06:03.69\00:06:06.49
around the clock
except for the occasions
00:06:06.49\00:06:09.26
that her heart went
dangerously out of rhythm.
00:06:09.26\00:06:12.37
And the code blue team would
send me scurrying from her room.
00:06:12.37\00:06:17.07
After applying
the cardiac paddles
00:06:17.07\00:06:19.54
in to deliver an
electric shock to her heart,
00:06:19.54\00:06:22.51
the doctor would come to
the waiting area and tell me,
00:06:22.51\00:06:25.71
"Well, we've
successfully converted her."
00:06:25.71\00:06:28.58
In other words,
they had restored
00:06:28.58\00:06:30.89
a normal heart
rhythm and she should live.
00:06:30.89\00:06:34.39
With the entrance of
sin in the Garden of Eden,
00:06:34.39\00:06:38.39
the heart of
humanity got out of rhythm.
00:06:38.39\00:06:41.36
We were out of
rhythm with heaven
00:06:41.36\00:06:43.26
and sin severed mans
spiritual life from God
00:06:43.26\00:06:47.10
resulting in spiritual death.
00:06:47.10\00:06:50.47
The great physician of love
00:06:50.47\00:06:52.57
reaches down from
heaven to restore life to us.
00:06:52.57\00:06:56.01
He places His loving hands,
like spiritual cardiac paddles,
00:06:56.01\00:07:01.15
on our heart and
delivers the power stream
00:07:01.15\00:07:04.25
that causes it to beat
00:07:04.25\00:07:06.35
in a recreated
rhythm as one with His.
00:07:06.35\00:07:10.69
of the Old Testament,
00:07:10.69\00:07:15.86
pictures this more
like a heart transplant.
00:07:15.86\00:07:19.30
God promise us
to put a new heart
00:07:19.30\00:07:21.64
and a new spirit
within His people
00:07:21.64\00:07:23.91
and 'cause His people to
be what he calls them to be.
00:07:23.91\00:07:28.78
Now in the New
Testament in Hebrews 8:8-13.
00:07:28.78\00:07:32.71
He proclaims the new covenant,
00:07:32.71\00:07:35.12
heart conversion process,
happens as a result of Him
00:07:35.12\00:07:39.75
putting His laws in our minds
and writing them on our hearts.
00:07:39.75\00:07:44.36
We must be
regenerated, reborn spiritually
00:07:44.36\00:07:48.83
to restore our relationship
with God as our father.
00:07:48.83\00:07:52.40
And the good
news is this happens
00:07:52.40\00:07:55.34
as a function of His grace.
00:07:55.34\00:07:58.14
Now in the
natural realm, let me ask,
00:07:58.14\00:08:01.01
what role does any child
perform in his conception? None.
00:08:01.01\00:08:05.98
The donor, seed
or sperm brings life
00:08:05.98\00:08:09.08
and the child is conceived
receiving the gift of life.
00:08:09.08\00:08:13.62
The same principle
applies in the spiritual realm.
00:08:13.62\00:08:16.96
Luke 8:11,
portrays the written word
00:08:16.96\00:08:21.06
as the seed of God
with a small lowercase 's'.
00:08:21.06\00:08:26.13
And in Galatians
3:16, Paul identifies Christ
00:08:26.13\00:08:30.14
as the living word of God,
as the covenant seed of Abraham
00:08:30.14\00:08:34.48
and he uses an
uppercase 'S' for seed.
00:08:34.48\00:08:38.31
You see, we are
born again spiritually
00:08:38.31\00:08:41.15
as we receive the
seed of His written word.
00:08:41.15\00:08:45.42
And Jesus, the covenant seed,
00:08:45.42\00:08:47.76
enters our hearts through faith
00:08:47.76\00:08:49.82
to infuse us with
new spiritual DNA.
00:08:49.82\00:08:54.46
Now I use that as an acronym
for Divine Nature Acquired.
00:08:54.46\00:08:59.80
And what happens
is working in concert
00:08:59.80\00:09:03.51
the Holy Spirit indwells us
00:09:03.51\00:09:05.87
and we are born of
the spirit and of God.
00:09:05.87\00:09:09.51
Like a child of
natural birth our only part
00:09:09.51\00:09:12.98
in the spiritual birth is
to receive the gift of life.
00:09:12.98\00:09:17.25
God communicates new life to us
00:09:17.25\00:09:20.49
through the agencies of
His grace through His son,
00:09:20.49\00:09:24.56
the Holy Spirit, and the word
00:09:24.56\00:09:26.06
and we are born from
above and given a new beginning.
00:09:26.06\00:09:30.23
You know, God believes and
gives all who believe in Christ
00:09:30.23\00:09:34.50
and receive Him as Savior
the right to become His children
00:09:34.50\00:09:39.24
and share communion with Him.
00:09:39.24\00:09:42.98
This rebirth or regeneration
00:09:42.98\00:09:45.65
causes us to have
a family resemblance
00:09:45.65\00:09:48.75
to the father of our
spirits, our father of grace.
00:09:48.75\00:09:52.59
Let's review the
scriptural evidence
00:09:52.59\00:09:55.22
of our new birth process.
00:09:55.22\00:09:57.53
And we are going to
began with James 1:18.
00:09:57.53\00:10:03.10
Let me find that right here.
00:10:03.10\00:10:04.97
And in James
1:18, the Bible says
00:10:04.97\00:10:07.07
we were born again by
God's will and His word.
00:10:07.07\00:10:09.70
Listen, "And it was
of His own free will
00:10:09.70\00:10:13.44
that He gave us birth as
sons by His word of Truth."
00:10:13.44\00:10:18.18
And 1 Peter 1:23 says
we were born at the word.
00:10:18.18\00:10:22.02
"Having been born
again, not of corruptible seed
00:10:22.02\00:10:25.99
but incorruptible,
through the word of God."
00:10:25.99\00:10:29.62
Ephesians 2:4-5 says,
"God, who is rich in mercy,
00:10:29.62\00:10:35.00
because of His great
love with which He loved us,
00:10:35.00\00:10:38.17
even when we were
dead in trespasses,
00:10:38.17\00:10:40.57
made us alive
together with Christ
00:10:40.57\00:10:43.67
by grace you have been saved.
00:10:43.67\00:10:46.88
Ephesians 2:10 says, we
are recreated in Christ.
00:10:46.88\00:10:50.71
I am reading this from
the amplified and it says,
00:10:50.71\00:10:53.05
"For we are God's (own)
handiwork (His workmanship),
00:10:53.05\00:10:57.59
recreated in
Christ Jesus, (born anew)
00:10:57.59\00:11:01.96
that we may do those good works
00:11:01.96\00:11:03.86
which God predestined
(planned beforehand) for us."
00:11:03.86\00:11:08.06
And then we must
consider John 3:6,
00:11:08.06\00:11:11.20
where Jesus says we
were born of the Spirit.
00:11:11.20\00:11:13.70
He says, "That which is
born of the flesh is flesh,
00:11:13.70\00:11:17.01
and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit."
00:11:17.01\00:11:20.54
And finally Titus 3:4-6
says we were regenerated
00:11:20.54\00:11:25.05
and renewed by the Holy Spirit.
00:11:25.05\00:11:27.72
And he writes,
"When the kindness
00:11:27.72\00:11:30.42
and the love of God our
Savior toward man appeared,
00:11:30.42\00:11:33.79
not by works of righteousness
which we have done,
00:11:33.79\00:11:37.09
but according to
His mercy He saved us,
00:11:37.09\00:11:40.76
through the
washing of regeneration
00:11:40.76\00:11:43.40
and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
00:11:43.40\00:11:46.30
whom He poured
out on us abundantly
00:11:46.30\00:11:49.24
through Jesus
Christ our Savior."
00:11:49.24\00:11:52.94
What great promises.
00:11:52.94\00:11:54.78
That's why Paul could
say in 2 Corinthians 5:17,
00:11:54.78\00:11:57.91
"Therefore if
any one is in Christ,
00:11:57.91\00:12:00.75
he is a new creation.
00:12:00.75\00:12:02.35
Old things have passed away
00:12:02.35\00:12:04.09
and behold all
things have become new."
00:12:04.09\00:12:07.96
Through the gift of
Christ's overflowing life
00:12:07.96\00:12:11.63
and the transforming power
of the Holy Spirit and the word,
00:12:11.63\00:12:15.43
God recreates us in His image.
00:12:15.43\00:12:19.43
And now we have the hope
00:12:19.43\00:12:21.67
of attaining the
character of Christ
00:12:21.67\00:12:24.41
as we grow in grace and mature
in our Christian experience.
00:12:24.41\00:12:29.78
Paul pointed out
in Colossians 1:27,
00:12:29.78\00:12:33.48
he said that it is Christ
in you, the hope of glory.
00:12:33.48\00:12:38.65
Our personal experience
of allowing Christ to dwell
00:12:38.65\00:12:42.12
within our hearts by faith
is our only hope of salvation.
00:12:42.12\00:12:45.96
And as born
again children of God,
00:12:45.96\00:12:48.16
we have a vital spiritual
connection with our Lord.
00:12:48.16\00:12:51.90
Through faith we abide in Him
00:12:51.90\00:12:54.90
and He abides or
continually dwells in us.
00:12:54.90\00:12:58.94
The promise to all
who will believe in Him
00:12:58.94\00:13:01.94
is that the power
of His Holy Spirit
00:13:01.94\00:13:03.71
will be poured out from on high.
00:13:03.71\00:13:06.05
And our frail
human understanding
00:13:06.05\00:13:08.38
will be strengthened
to know the love of God
00:13:08.38\00:13:12.02
that we may be filled
with all of His fullness.
00:13:12.02\00:13:15.99
Let me read to you
from Ephesians 3:14-19.
00:13:15.99\00:13:21.66
Paul writes to the
Ephesians and he says,
00:13:21.66\00:13:24.37
"For this reason I bow my knees
00:13:24.37\00:13:27.10
to the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:13:27.10\00:13:30.11
Why? "That He would grant you,
00:13:30.11\00:13:32.21
according to the
riches of His glory,
00:13:32.21\00:13:34.78
to be strengthened with might
00:13:34.78\00:13:37.58
through His
Spirit in the inner man,
00:13:37.58\00:13:40.68
that Christ may dwell in
your hearts through faith"
00:13:40.68\00:13:43.99
So we see there,
00:13:43.99\00:13:45.39
it's through the
Holy Spirit living in us
00:13:45.39\00:13:47.49
that Christ
dwells in us by faith.
00:13:47.49\00:13:50.23
"That you, being
rooted and grounded in love,
00:13:50.23\00:13:52.93
may be able to
comprehend with all the saints
00:13:52.93\00:13:56.16
what is the width and
length and depth and height,
00:13:56.16\00:13:59.53
to know the love of
Christ which passes knowledge,
00:13:59.53\00:14:02.60
that you may be filled
with all the fullness of God."
00:14:02.60\00:14:07.44
You know, Paul
exclaimed, it's the grace of God
00:14:07.44\00:14:12.11
that brings salvation
has appeared to all men
00:14:12.11\00:14:16.15
when Jesus came.
00:14:16.15\00:14:17.55
Hallelujah.
00:14:17.55\00:14:18.95
God's grace pipeline
is provided for every man,
00:14:18.95\00:14:22.16
woman, and child on earth.
00:14:22.16\00:14:23.89
It encompasses the world
in an embraces of his love.
00:14:23.89\00:14:28.16
tells us that God desires
00:14:28.16\00:14:31.97
that all would repent
and none would perish.
00:14:31.97\00:14:35.37
His grace is for all.
00:14:35.37\00:14:37.51
Scripture is
clear and confronting,
00:14:37.51\00:14:39.77
salvation belongs to God.
00:14:39.77\00:14:42.68
Both the Old and New Testaments
00:14:42.68\00:14:44.41
actually use that exact wording.
00:14:44.41\00:14:47.15
Don't believe for one
minute that you are too bad
00:14:47.15\00:14:49.78
to qualify for
God's saving grace,
00:14:49.78\00:14:51.99
denying His ability to
save and exalting your opinion
00:14:51.99\00:14:56.09
above His recorded truth.
00:14:56.09\00:14:58.53
In a supreme display of His love
00:14:58.53\00:15:00.86
God sent His Son to die
00:15:00.86\00:15:02.96
for ungodly sinners
like you and like me.
00:15:02.96\00:15:06.53
And don't suffer
the prideful notion
00:15:06.53\00:15:08.50
that you can do
anything to save yourselves
00:15:08.50\00:15:11.11
because then you
would unwittingly
00:15:11.11\00:15:12.84
be setting yourself
up as your own deity
00:15:12.84\00:15:15.11
and thereby
practicing a form of idolatry.
00:15:15.11\00:15:18.61
Don't reject the idea
either of your great need
00:15:18.61\00:15:22.98
for the Savior by considering
yourself as inherently good.
00:15:22.98\00:15:27.12
For the Bible says
that all have sinned
00:15:27.12\00:15:29.19
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:15:29.19\00:15:31.53
We are all
candidates for God's grace.
00:15:31.53\00:15:35.93
James tells us in 4:6
that God resists the proud,
00:15:35.93\00:15:41.77
but he gives
grace to the humble.
00:15:41.77\00:15:44.14
To receive grace
requires an act of humility
00:15:44.14\00:15:48.38
which explains
the human tendency
00:15:48.38\00:15:51.08
of our hearts to reject it.
00:15:51.08\00:15:53.48
We must humbly accept
but for the grace of God
00:15:53.48\00:15:57.79
we would be
doomed to destruction.
00:15:57.79\00:16:00.49
Further we must believe
that He loves the undeserving
00:16:00.49\00:16:05.26
and He is able to save us.
00:16:05.26\00:16:08.43
Romans 6:23 speaks
to God's grace saying,
00:16:08.43\00:16:12.87
"For the wages of sin is death,
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.67
but the gift of
God is eternal life
00:16:15.67\00:16:21.21
in Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:16:21.21\00:16:23.85
The Bible paints a
portrait of an all loving,
00:16:23.85\00:16:27.55
all powerful, all Holy God.
00:16:27.55\00:16:30.72
And the perfect moral
purity of God separates Him
00:16:30.72\00:16:35.29
from any possibility of
wrong doing or injustice.
00:16:35.29\00:16:39.86
Now in striking
contrast the Scripture portraits
00:16:39.86\00:16:43.26
the picture of fallen
humanity as selfish, weak,
00:16:43.26\00:16:47.54
morally corrupt
and hopelessly lost
00:16:47.54\00:16:50.74
unless we repent of
our rebellion against God.
00:16:50.74\00:16:54.84
Man was created to be the
image bearer of a Holy God.
00:16:54.84\00:16:58.95
And our creator set
forth His righteous criteria,
00:16:58.95\00:17:02.28
His laws of love by
which He would govern the world
00:17:02.28\00:17:06.32
to provide a
protective barrier against sin.
00:17:06.32\00:17:09.99
But through an act of rebellion
and opposition to God's plan,
00:17:09.99\00:17:13.96
Adam and Eve introduced
00:17:13.96\00:17:15.33
the consequences of
sin into this world.
00:17:15.33\00:17:18.03
Sin ravaged the
perfection of God's creation
00:17:18.03\00:17:21.44
and infected the
entire human race
00:17:21.44\00:17:24.41
with through an inherited nature
00:17:24.41\00:17:26.94
that is inclined to
surrender to sin's sway
00:17:26.94\00:17:31.41
rather than to the power of God.
00:17:31.41\00:17:33.72
Yeah, we are born with freewill,
00:17:33.72\00:17:35.68
the personal choice
between right and wrong.
00:17:35.68\00:17:37.92
And scripture makes it
very clear in Ezekiel 18:20.
00:17:37.92\00:17:44.43
It says we are individually
responsible for own sins.
00:17:44.43\00:17:49.10
The sin experience of mankind
is the disgrace of humanity.
00:17:49.10\00:17:54.14
That's what caused our decline
00:17:54.14\00:17:56.04
into a state of
moral degradation
00:17:56.04\00:17:58.31
and separated us
from our Holy God.
00:17:58.31\00:18:01.44
Suffering, torment, death
00:18:01.44\00:18:04.21
and these types of things
are the toxic waste of sin.
00:18:04.21\00:18:08.85
As the
consequence of His holiness
00:18:08.85\00:18:11.75
evil is an
abomination to the Lord.
00:18:11.75\00:18:14.49
And His judgment is that those
who practice sin deserve death.
00:18:14.49\00:18:19.63
The Bible describes-
describes God's holy reaction
00:18:19.63\00:18:23.47
against the squalor
of sin as His wrath.
00:18:23.47\00:18:27.30
Our God of love
proclaims himself
00:18:27.30\00:18:30.51
to be merciful,
gracious, slow to anger,
00:18:30.51\00:18:33.54
and abundant in
loving kindness and truth.
00:18:33.54\00:18:36.28
Still we must understand
that His love towards us
00:18:36.28\00:18:40.02
is not just a shower
of sentimental feelings.
00:18:40.02\00:18:43.69
His love provides grace
that is the offsetting power
00:18:43.69\00:18:47.89
to subdue the
influence of the devil
00:18:47.89\00:18:50.83
and change our
sin-sick state of mind.
00:18:50.83\00:18:55.30
Thank God for the assurance
of Romans 5:20 which says,
00:18:55.30\00:19:01.57
"Where sin abounded
grace abounded much more."
00:19:01.57\00:19:05.87
As we tap into God's
grace pipeline by faith,
00:19:05.87\00:19:09.44
He will flood us with His grace
00:19:09.44\00:19:11.85
and wash away
the Spiritual drought
00:19:11.85\00:19:14.42
that's caused by our sins.
00:19:14.42\00:19:16.55
His benevolent
gifts are free to us,
00:19:16.55\00:19:19.02
but we must be
careful not to propose
00:19:19.02\00:19:22.26
an idea of cheap grace
00:19:22.26\00:19:24.69
for the cost to
God was incalculable.
00:19:24.69\00:19:28.43
If anyone appreciated
the benefits of grace
00:19:28.43\00:19:30.83
it was the Apostle
Paul, a Pharisee of Pharisees,
00:19:30.83\00:19:34.57
who at one time
thought his pedigree
00:19:34.57\00:19:37.97
and his zealous
religious practices
00:19:37.97\00:19:40.48
earned him favor with God.
00:19:40.48\00:19:42.51
But lacking the life
and love of God within,
00:19:42.51\00:19:45.55
he failed to recognize that
he was spiritually destitute
00:19:45.55\00:19:49.72
until the moment of his dramatic
Damascus road conversion
00:19:49.72\00:19:54.26
when he encountered
the master of grace.
00:19:54.26\00:19:58.23
Grace awakened in Paul,
00:19:58.23\00:20:00.70
an emotion that
could not be expressed.
00:20:00.70\00:20:03.40
Nor could his gratitude
for grace be suppressed.
00:20:03.40\00:20:07.50
He was writing a letter
to the church at Corinth
00:20:07.50\00:20:10.14
offering instructions
on sacrificial giving.
00:20:10.14\00:20:13.81
When suddenly in the midst
00:20:13.81\00:20:15.44
to providing the
reasons for sacrificial giving
00:20:15.44\00:20:18.31
and the motives
Paul's heart surged
00:20:18.31\00:20:21.28
with gratitude for God's grace.
00:20:21.28\00:20:23.52
And he penned
the strong language
00:20:23.52\00:20:26.19
in Acts excuse me
2 Corinthians 9:15.
00:20:26.19\00:20:29.79
He said, "Thanks be to God
for His indescribable gift."
00:20:29.79\00:20:35.03
Paul knew the
supreme demonstration
00:20:35.03\00:20:37.77
of God's saving love
was the glorious gift
00:20:37.77\00:20:41.07
of His only begotten Son.
00:20:41.07\00:20:43.20
He could find no other words
adequate to define such charity.
00:20:43.20\00:20:49.21
The 85 Psalm says that "Mercy
and Truth have met together,
00:20:49.21\00:20:54.18
righteousness and
peace have kissed."
00:20:54.18\00:20:57.09
When is this talking about?
00:20:57.09\00:20:59.12
The gateway to salvation
is the crucifixion of Christ.
00:20:59.12\00:21:03.02
Sinful men deserve destruction.
00:21:03.02\00:21:05.69
But in spite of our
hostility and rebellion
00:21:05.69\00:21:08.76
God paid the
unspeakable price to redeem us.
00:21:08.76\00:21:12.93
His holiness demanded justice
but His love demanded grace.
00:21:12.93\00:21:18.77
Justice and Grace
collided at Calvary's cross
00:21:18.77\00:21:23.58
evidencing both the
holiness and the love of God.
00:21:23.58\00:21:27.72
The Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of God,
00:21:27.72\00:21:29.92
and being Himself God possessed
the very nature of the Father.
00:21:29.92\00:21:34.46
He was worshiped and
adored by heavenly beings
00:21:34.46\00:21:38.13
but yet He
choose to humble Himself
00:21:38.13\00:21:40.70
and leave that glory
and majesty in heaven
00:21:40.70\00:21:43.47
to come to earth and
rescue His created beings.
00:21:43.47\00:21:47.34
He condescended to
acquire the nature of man
00:21:47.34\00:21:51.01
through His incardination.
00:21:51.01\00:21:52.94
God's beloved
became humanity's rejected.
00:21:52.94\00:21:56.88
The perfect sinless one became
the willing sacrifice for sin
00:21:56.88\00:22:02.32
bearing the penalty of our sins.
00:22:02.32\00:22:04.89
Heaven's innocent
became the condemned
00:22:04.89\00:22:08.76
and the author of life served
as our substitute for death.
00:22:08.76\00:22:13.33
It is written
in 1 Peter 1:18-19.
00:22:13.33\00:22:17.93
"You were not redeemed
with corruptible things,
00:22:17.93\00:22:20.80
like silver or gold,
from your aimless conduct
00:22:20.80\00:22:23.97
received by
tradition from your fathers,
00:22:23.97\00:22:26.81
but with the
precious blood of Jesus,
00:22:26.81\00:22:30.01
as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot."
00:22:30.01\00:22:35.58
Stand at the foot of
Calvary's cruel cross
00:22:35.58\00:22:38.92
and you will begin to comprehend
the cost of God's grace.
00:22:38.92\00:22:42.59
See His Son hanging
naked, lacerated by the whip,
00:22:42.59\00:22:46.93
pierced by the rough iron nails
through his hands and feet,
00:22:46.93\00:22:50.33
and bruised by the
fist of his tormentors
00:22:50.33\00:22:53.77
with men's spittle dried to
his wounded and blooded head
00:22:53.77\00:22:57.37
that was topped then
with a crown of thrones.
00:22:57.37\00:23:00.78
If we see the suffocating
savior gasping for air
00:23:00.78\00:23:05.38
and grimacing in pain
and witness the inward grief
00:23:05.38\00:23:09.05
that engulfed
Him as God made Him
00:23:09.05\00:23:11.82
who knew no sin
to be sin for us,
00:23:11.82\00:23:15.02
that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
00:23:15.02\00:23:18.69
Now in contrast
to the mocking crowd,
00:23:18.69\00:23:22.36
hear the heart of
mercy of Jesus crying out,
00:23:22.36\00:23:26.30
"Father forgive them for
they know not what they do."
00:23:26.30\00:23:30.44
To contemplate the scene of our
Savior's death is to understand
00:23:30.44\00:23:34.98
why Paul did not
propagate a cheap grace.
00:23:34.98\00:23:38.95
He describes it
in Galatians 5:11
00:23:38.95\00:23:42.15
as the offence of the cross
Jesus gave Himself willingly.
00:23:42.15\00:23:47.49
In Hebrews 12:2 says,
00:23:47.49\00:23:49.76
"For the joy that
was set before Him,
00:23:49.76\00:23:52.53
He endured the cross
despising the shame."
00:23:52.53\00:23:55.80
Let me ask, what was his joy?
00:23:55.80\00:23:58.20
He knew that through His death
00:23:58.20\00:24:00.44
God was reconciling
the world to Himself
00:24:00.44\00:24:04.27
and not counting
our sins against us.
00:24:04.27\00:24:07.54
Through Christ's
sacrifice He would destroy
00:24:07.54\00:24:10.75
the power of the
Devil and deliver us
00:24:10.75\00:24:13.78
from this present evil age
according to God's perfect will.
00:24:13.78\00:24:20.89
Titus 2:14 tells us that
it was God's joy to redeem us
00:24:20.89\00:24:27.60
from every lawless
deed and purify for Himself
00:24:27.60\00:24:31.90
His own spiritual people,
00:24:31.90\00:24:33.87
people that were
zealous for good works
00:24:33.87\00:24:37.21
because of the effects of grace
00:24:37.21\00:24:40.01
and because of this His glorious
grace will strengthen us
00:24:40.01\00:24:44.95
with the power
to conduct ourselves
00:24:44.95\00:24:47.45
in a manner worthy of the Lord's
great hearted gift of love.
00:24:47.45\00:24:52.92
God's
indescribable gift Jesus Christ,
00:24:52.92\00:24:56.59
was a demonstration of His
perfect love towards sinners,
00:24:56.59\00:25:00.10
a love that would drive the fear
of His wrath from our hearts.
00:25:00.10\00:25:04.97
A true understanding of
God's grace conquers our fears
00:25:04.97\00:25:09.30
and it stirs a longing
within us to walk in His path
00:25:09.30\00:25:14.98
and holds our
hope for our future.
00:25:14.98\00:25:19.78
Only by grace can our
fallen human nature be subdued
00:25:19.78\00:25:25.05
and the unholy heart
of humanity be restored
00:25:25.05\00:25:28.56
to the image of our creator.
00:25:28.56\00:25:30.79
The fullness of grace
stored in our Lord Jesus
00:25:30.79\00:25:35.63
streams down from Him into us
providing the divine assistance
00:25:35.63\00:25:40.27
and the supernatural salvation
00:25:40.27\00:25:43.67
as we walk in daily
fellowship with Him.
00:25:43.67\00:25:47.24
It is written in 1 John 5:11-13,
00:25:47.24\00:25:53.82
"This is the testimony.
00:25:53.82\00:25:56.02
God given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son.
00:25:56.02\00:26:01.62
He who has the Son has life,
00:26:01.62\00:26:05.39
he who does not
have the Son of God
00:26:05.39\00:26:10.53
does not have life.
00:26:10.53\00:26:12.27
These things I
have written to you
00:26:12.27\00:26:13.90
who believe in the
name of the Son of God,
00:26:13.90\00:26:16.67
that you may know
that you have eternal life,
00:26:16.67\00:26:21.24
and that you may
continue to believe
00:26:21.24\00:26:24.38
in the name of the Son of God."
00:26:24.38\00:26:27.65
Give thanks to God for His
indescribable gift Jesus Christ,
00:26:27.65\00:26:32.79
the revelation of
His great love for you.
00:26:32.79\00:26:35.96
Rejoice, you were worth
nothing less than the price
00:26:35.96\00:26:39.96
He paid to redeem you
with His own precious blood.
00:26:39.96\00:26:44.10
Christ paid ransom for
your release from sins bondage
00:26:44.10\00:26:49.10
to set you free
from its horrors.
00:26:49.10\00:26:52.64
My advice is- for you, for me
00:26:52.64\00:26:55.91
that we need to rivet
our eyes on our redeemer
00:26:55.91\00:27:00.18
and if we are in
Christ we can rest
00:27:00.18\00:27:03.52
in the assurance
of salvation by grace.
00:27:03.52\00:27:06.45
That's what we just
read in 1 John 5:11-13.
00:27:06.45\00:27:10.39
And I just want to
read it one more time.
00:27:10.39\00:27:12.96
"This is the testimony.
00:27:12.96\00:27:14.56
That God given us eternal
life and the life is in His Son.
00:27:14.56\00:27:19.30
He who has the Son-" Do
you have the Son of God?
00:27:19.30\00:27:24.04
If you've accepted
Christ as your Savior
00:27:24.04\00:27:27.18
and you are living
in Him then it says,
00:27:27.18\00:27:31.55
that He has written these things
00:27:31.55\00:27:34.08
that you may know
that you have eternal life.
00:27:34.08\00:27:39.05
I don't know what
your circumstances are?
00:27:39.05\00:27:42.09
But there is
someone in heaven who does.
00:27:42.09\00:27:44.66
And I know He loves you.
00:27:44.66\00:27:46.26
And if you will cry
out to him He is eager
00:27:46.26\00:27:49.76
and ready to
come to your rescue.
00:27:49.76\00:27:54.10
God loves you and He wants you
00:27:54.10\00:27:57.04
to be born again
and saved by grace.
00:27:57.04\00:28:00.54