Sermon Central
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Easter: Freed By Grace
Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008 (message contributor)
Easter: Freed By Grace
A life connected to the "Ever-Flowing Life of Easter" is a meaningful life and it is a life "Freed by Grace." Romans 11:6 says, "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." F.F. Bruce points out, "These passages are the watchword for the reformation theology: 'By grace alone, through faith alone, to God alone be the glory.'" When we really meditate upon it, God has "Amazing Grace."
"Grace" (charis) means that we are justified freely by God's own hand, nothing done by us. The application is we have free forgiveness through Christ's sacrificial death on the Cross and thus we have reconciliation to a holy God.
It is impossible to achieve victory over sin merely by striving to do things. All salvation is by God's grace. It is unmerited divine help that even causes even a sinner to have a desire to want to seek the Lord, to enquire about the Christ and then have the ability to live a life pleasing to Him. If you know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord or if you have been given the opportunity to consider what you will do with Christ, then it is by God's grace alone. Without Him there would be no drawing to Christ or ability to respond to the gospel and live it out. (John 16:5-15)
God is willing and wanting to give us all grace. The Holy Spirit moved the apostle Paul to write about this powerful truth, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
On the Cross of Calvary Jesus Christ paid the only payment that could purchase your freedom from the bondage of sin. Robert Lowry wrote, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."
Let the Holy Spirit of Christ keep you from the cancers of "Traditionalism," "Denominationalism." "Legalism," and "Fad-ism," trust only in God's grace in Christ.
Does Your Life Reflect the Grace of God?
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