GOD'S GRACE IS UNMERITED

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J

joaniemarie

Senior Member
#1
Jan 4, 2017
3,198
303
83
#1
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[TD="class: yiv4673628873mcnTextContent, align: center"]You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Galatians 5:4[/TD]
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[TD="class: yiv4673628873mcnTextContent"][h=2]- SEPTEMBER 5 -
GOD’S GRACE IS UNMERITED[/h][HR][/HR]
What is the grace of God? Simply put, the grace of God is God blessing, healing and delivering you because of Jesus. The grace of God is His unearned, unmerited and undeserved favor toward you simply because of Jesus’ finished work at the cross.

Because God’s grace is based on Jesus’ work and not yours, the only way you fall from this grace is by believing that you can earn, merit and deserve it through your obedience and good works.

For example, you fall from grace when you say, “God has to answer my prayer because I have prayed long enough.” You also fall from grace when you think that because you are serving in church or you have kicked a bad habit, God is pleased with you and He has to bless you.

When you think that it is by your efforts and obedience that you receive God’s blessings, you become like the Pharisees. They believed that their law-keeping justified them and ensured that God would bless them. But the truth is that when you believe like them, “you have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace”. This means that you are cut off from Christ, who is your salvation, Redeemer, healer and provider. Christ has become of no effect to you!

My friend, surely you would want Christ to be of effect to you. People to whom Christ is of effect receive from Him the miracle they need. When He is of effect to them, He is their healer and they get healed. He is their wisdom and they are wise before man. He is their good success and they experience good success in all that they do.

Beloved, for Christ to always be of effect to you and to never nullify the grace of God operating in your life, just remember and believe that it is because of Christ and His finished work—His blood, His stripes, His death, His obedience—that you are justified, healed and blessed!

Destined To Reign Devotional by Pastor Joseph Prince

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J

joaniemarie

Senior Member
#2
Jan 4, 2017
3,198
303
83
#2
For all the years I was saved up until only recently., what this Bible verse says about grace was not true in my life because I didn't understand that God's grace was unmerited. I didn't know it was not to be worked for. It seemed that working for it would make God SOOO pleased because He'd see "I" saw the value of it enough to work my hardest for it.

It seemed that first I had to please Him., do well., be well. Some time later when it was not possible to keep on pleasing Him., I failed., Then began running from God as many believers do. Getting further away from the truth that was so needed and allowing the condemnation to flow instead of the Holy Spirit's living water. Unfortunately., many Christians get very old and some even die before realizing this amazing truth. Thankfully., I just got older.

I so appreciate the pastor's message on grace because the truth of unmerited favor is a life changer for the unsaved man for sure., But also for the us old believers who didn't know.


 
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Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#3
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#3
Unfortunately for you joaniemarie a person making a choice is a work. It is true God does humble some people, people make bad choices and God eventually leads them to awareness of Him being there and that they need to repent, had they done anything before that time to merit being rewarded, no of course not, the work of repentance is part of the cause of a person's salvation.

Matthew 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#4
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#4
Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#5
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#5
God doesn't give salvation to people who don't repent, that would be unmerited.
 
OneFaith

OneFaith

Senior Member
#6
Sep 5, 2016
2,270
369
83
#6
joaniemarie said:
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[TD="class: yiv4673628873mcnTextContent, align: center"]You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Galatians 5:4[/TD]
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[TD="class: yiv4673628873mcnTextContent"]- SEPTEMBER 5 -
GOD’S GRACE IS UNMERITED

[HR][/HR]
What is the grace of God? Simply put, the grace of God is God blessing, healing and delivering you because of Jesus. The grace of God is His unearned, unmerited and undeserved favor toward you simply because of Jesus’ finished work at the cross.

Because God’s grace is based on Jesus’ work and not yours, the only way you fall from this grace is by believing that you can earn, merit and deserve it through your obedience and good works.

For example, you fall from grace when you say, “God has to answer my prayer because I have prayed long enough.” You also fall from grace when you think that because you are serving in church or you have kicked a bad habit, God is pleased with you and He has to bless you.

When you think that it is by your efforts and obedience that you receive God’s blessings, you become like the Pharisees. They believed that their law-keeping justified them and ensured that God would bless them. But the truth is that when you believe like them, “you have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace”. This means that you are cut off from Christ, who is your salvation, Redeemer, healer and provider. Christ has become of no effect to you!

My friend, surely you would want Christ to be of effect to you. People to whom Christ is of effect receive from Him the miracle they need. When He is of effect to them, He is their healer and they get healed. He is their wisdom and they are wise before man. He is their good success and they experience good success in all that they do.

Beloved, for Christ to always be of effect to you and to never nullify the grace of God operating in your life, just remember and believe that it is because of Christ and His finished work—His blood, His stripes, His death, His obedience—that you are justified, healed and blessed!

Destined To Reign Devotional by Pastor Joseph Prince
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God's grace is Christ's blood- which He only gives to one group of people- those who obey Him. Their obedience doesn't earn it, they are simply the group He chooses to give the gift to.
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#7
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#7
OneFaith said:
God's grace is Christ's blood- which He only gives to one group of people- those who obey Him. Their obedience doesn't earn it, they are simply the group He chooses to give the gift to.
Click to expand...
Matthew 11:20

[ Woe on Unrepentant Towns ]

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
 
J

joaniemarie

Senior Member
#8
Jan 4, 2017
3,198
303
83
#8
Just as I posted., many believers will get old and some may die before realizing this truth.
 
MarcR

MarcR

Senior Member
#10
Feb 12, 2015
5,486
183
63
#10
Dreamstate said:
Unfortunately for you joaniemarie a person making a choice is a work. It is true God does humble some people, people make bad choices and God eventually leads them to awareness of Him being there and that they need to repent, had they done anything before that time to merit being rewarded, no of course not, the work of repentance is part of the cause of a person's salvation.

Matthew 5:3

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Click to expand...

Certainly making a choice is a work. Work is a GOOD thing!! trying to earn Salvation by work just doesn't work. That is not an excuse for not doing what you know is right. It is just a reminder not to think you are earning points by it.
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#11
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#11
MarcR said:
Certainly making a choice is a work. Work is a GOOD thing!! trying to earn Salvation by work just doesn't work. That is not an excuse for not doing what you know is right. It is just a reminder not to think you are earning points by it.
Click to expand...
:D Was that an accusation aimed at me ? I'll be waiting for what you might call proof, if it was. Of course there is no proof that what I have said is wrong.
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#12
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#12
Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#13
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#13
Matthew 5:46

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#14
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#14
Matthew 6:4

so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#15
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
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#15
Matthew 10:41

Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#16
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#16
Matthew 10:42

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#17
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#17
Matthew 16:27

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
 
Zmouth

Zmouth

Senior Member
#18
Nov 21, 2012
3,391
134
63
#18
Because God’s grace is based on Jesus’ work and not yours, the only way you fall from this grace is by believing that you can earn, merit and deserve it through your obedience and good works.
Click to expand...

So can a person receive the LORD's grace without believing in truth?

 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#19
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#19
Matthew 23:37

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.
 
Dreamstate

Dreamstate

Banned
#20
Aug 27, 2017
521
9
0
#20
1 John 4:9

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
 
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