Ephesians 2: 8 ... "For by grace you are saved through faith."


Grace

We are saved BY grace ... THROUGH faith.  Many people believe that grace means "unmerited favor."
Since God is good, merciful, gracious and long-suffering, we tend to associate grace mostly with mercy,
love and compassion.  And it is true according to the Scriptures.  Grace is unmerited favor.

But grace is also power.  You will remember from the previous study on The Trinity, that the Holy Spirit
has many names.  One of those names is "Spirit of Grace."  You will also remember that the Holy Spirit
was the power behind creation.  He is the Source of grace.  He poured out grace on the house of David,
and He continues even today to pour out grace on us.

No one can come to Jesus unless the Father draw Him (or her).  It is through the kindness of God (His
grace) that we are led to repentance.  We are saved by His grace.  Salvation means deliverance from the
power of sin.  We are redeemed by grace.  Redeemed also means to be delivered from ... and implies that
a price was paid for this deliverance.  We are justified by grace.  Justification is the process by which we
who are sinful are made acceptable to God, who is holy.  The sins of mankind have been charged to
Jesus Christ.  When we accept the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, we are acquitted from the guilt we
carried for our sins.  Justification is found only in Jesus Christ, and is accomplished by the grace
(power) of the Holy Spirit.  We are also sanctified by grace.  Sanctification is a process ... it's the process
through which we are separated from sin and set apart for God's purpose.  All these words are words of
action, and action requires power.  Grace IS that power.

Grace is also a free gift.  Great grace (power) was given to the disciples so that they could be witnesses
for the resurrection of Jesus.  That was the purpose of grace ... to bring glory and honor to the Father,
and His Son, Jesus Christ.  Grace is given to each one of us as well ... and for the same purpose.
Faith

To begin our discussion about faith, it would be good to understand what faith is not.  Faith is not a
mental attitude, or mere intellectual agreement to a truth.  The demons know (and believe) who Jesus is
... but they shudder!  Faith is also not wishful thinking.  Wishful thinking can be based and founded upon
something that is not the truth.  Faith is also not manipulating a Scripture to fit our circumstances.

"Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen."  Faith is a firm
conviction producing a full acknowledgment of God's revelation of truth.  It's not a mental attitude, it's a
spiritual force.  God's Word tells us. "as your faith is, so be it unto you," and "your faith has made you
whole."

Faith comes by hearing ... God's written word as well as His rhema word.  Mix the Word of God that you
hear with faith, and it will benefit you.  By faith, we surrender to God's will, rather than insist on our own.  
This surrender is important because it is possible to have faith, and still be wrong.  Paul, the author of
much of the New Testament, thinking he was doing the will of God, actually imprisoned and even killed
the followers of God's Son, Jesus Christ!  Through even the darkest of valleys, it is vital to have faith ...
the kind of faith exhibited by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  These young men were about to be
thrown into a firey furnace.  They knew God was able to deliver them, but even if He didn't, they refused
to worship other Gods.

True faith produces obedience.  Our obedience by faith then produces victory.  Peter saw Jesus walking
on water, and asked for permission to do the same thing. Jesus called to him, calling him to come.  By
faith, Peter got out of the boat, and for a time actually walked on water!  Faith is also a defensive weapon
... it is our shield against the wiles of the devil, God's eternal enemy.
Why Grace Through Faith?

So that no man should boast!! Why?  Because pride was the sin that caused Satan to get thrown out of
Heaven in the first place!  And pride was the sin that Adam and Eve embraced in the Garden of Eden!  
God will have no other "gods" (such as pride) before Him, because it lifts the prideful one up above
Him!  Therefore, all the world is accountable to God.  It's not about us, it's about HIM!! It's God's power
through our actions.  Our work, His anointing power.  Our faith, His grace.

Faith without works is dead.  But it is critical to understand that we were NOT saved BY good works, we
were saved TO DO good works.  Big difference!  Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift
you up.  We can't lift ourselves higher than God can lift us!

Our access to this awesome power of grace, is through faith!
Scripture References:

Hebrews 10: 29                       Zechariah 12: 10                 Romans 2: 4
Ephesians 2: 7                        Acts 15: 11                           Ephesians 2: 5
Titus 2: 11                                Psalm 222: 9                        Isaiah 43: 1
Galatians 3: 13, 14                  I Corinthians 1: 30              Titus 2: 14
Ephesiahs 1: 7                        Colosians 1: 14                   Ephesians 4: 30
Romans 3: 24                          Titus 3: 7                              I Corinthians 6: 11
Romans 5: 15                          Acts 4: 33                             Ephesians 4: 7
II Peter 3: 18                           II Corinthians 12: 9              II Timothy 2: 1

Hebrews 11: 1                          James 2: 19                         Romans 14: 5, 14, 23
Matthew 9: 22, 29                    Romans 10: 17                     Hebrews 4: 2
John 1: 7, 12                             Daniel 3: 17, 18                   Acts 9: 1 - 22
II Corinthians 5: 7                    Romans 1: 5                         I John 5: 4
Matthew 14: 28, 29                  Ephesians 6: 16                   Romans 4: 17, 20, 21
Ephesians 2: 8                         Galatians 2: 20

Romans 3: 26, 27                      Ephesians 2: 8, 9                 Isaiah 14: 3 - 20
Ezekiel 28: 11 - 19                    Genesis 3: 5                         Romans 3: 19
James 4: 10                               James 2: 17                          Romans 11: 6
Romans 3: 28
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Walking Toward The Light ... Lessons In Discipleship
God's Power ...
Grace Through
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