The Gospel Of The Grace Of God
by Lesley Dieselkamp
Introduction
I. Gospel Is Good News And Grace Is Unmerited Favor.
A. Paul said, “And none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have
received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Ac. 20:24)
B. So, Paul was preaching the good news to Jew and gentile alike - the news that God
had provided a way of salvation from all their sins, and he had done this without
preconditions and without merit on the part of the sinners.
II. In This Study, We Intend To Look At Five Main Points:
A. Man’s Unworthiness;
B. The Gift Of God’s Love;
C. What Grace Does Not Do;
D. Grace And Salvation; and
E. Grace And Security.
Body
I. Man’s Unworthiness
A. Man will never merit salvation.
B. Passages: Paul said, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23)
“Be sure, your sins will find you out” (Num. 32:23)
“The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23)
“Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have
hid his face from you” (Isa. 59:2)
C. Let us sum up and emphasize what the passages just quoted really mean to us:
1. First: We must plead guilty! Every accountable person has sinned.
a. Every accountable person has sinned.
b. We can never demand an entrance into heaven because we are so good.
1) God is good; we are guilty of sin.
2) The very best of us is without merit in God’s sight.
2. Second: our own sin has alienated us from God’s favor.
a. By our transgression we lose that precious relationship with God and become
children of the devil.
b. Paul said, “...to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness” (Rom. 6:16)
1) Indeed, we have not inherited the sin of Adam or the sin of our parents, but we
have become guilty by our own disobedience.
2) Furthermore, God and sin are totally incompatible - they cannot be together.
3) Just as light and dark are not in the same place, so God and sin, by the very
nature of each, are separated.
3. Third, we, as guilty sinners, cannot accomplish the removal of our guilt by human merit.
a. We can’t run away from guilt.
1) If we hide ourselves in the highest mountain, or in the deepest valley, or in the
densest forest on the darkest night, God still knows where we are and that we
are still sinners.
2) Furthermore, we cannot work our way out of this dilemma.
b. We, as Christians, must do good works (Eph. 2:10; Jas. 1:27; Gal. 6:10), but all the
good works we may do will not put God under obligation to us.
1) If we wear out our bodies in good work, all of that will cleanse us from no sin at all.
2) Paul said, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay:
but by the law of faith” (Rom. 3:27)
3) Again Paul said that God has saved us, and “Called us with an holy calling, not according to our own works,
but according to his own purpose and grace which was given
in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Tim. 1:9)
c. Let us not be self-deceived by notions of our own perfection.
1) Perhaps it is safe to say that the first requirement for our salvation is recognition
of our own guilt.
2) There is no promise of forgiveness without acknowledgment of sinfulness.
II. The Gift Of God’s Love
A. God hates sin, but he loves sinful people (for all accountable people are sinful).
1. And he loves us so much that he “gave us his only begotten Son” so that we might
be saved (Jn. 3:16).
2. Yes, “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8)
3. Jesus said that “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick” (Mk. 9:12)
B. God gave Jesus unconditionally.
1. He did not find a generation of people who were so good that God was obligated to
send a savior.
2. And he did not send Jesus to be accepted but to be rejected.
a. If the people would have accepted and adored Jesus, and if they would have
allowed him to have lived to a ripe old age and to have died a natural death, we
would still be lost and without a way of salvation.
1) But God sent Jesus to a people who would reject him - who would crucify
him - so that he (Jesus) being “lifted up would draw all men” to himself
(Jn. 12:32).
2) “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin” (Heb. 9:22) but
only the blood of the sinless, sacrificed Son of God was a sufficient price to pay
for our guilt (Heb. 9:12-14)
3. So we can confidently say that it was only through the gift of God’s grace in giving
his Son as a ransom for all that any of us can have hope and consolation.
a. Without Christ we are all hopelessly lost in our sin.
b. We have no cleansing element with which to wash away our guilt.
c. Even if we reform our lives and live clean and pure in heart and body to the
best of our abilities, we will falter and fail sometimes.
d. Evan if we could accomplish perfection for the future, that reformation would
not erase the past.
1) If we would be clean, we must first be cleansed, and that is accomplished
through the shed blood of Jesus - not by our works of merit but by God’s
abundant work of grace.
C. How great was God’s grace?
1. God have the greatest of all gifts.
a. He did not give a sinful son as we might do .......
b. But God gave one who had suffered, was persecuted and was tempted in every
way as we are tempted, and yet he lived 33 years on earth with no sin at all.
1) And the Heavenly Father did not give himself, as we might do if a life were
demanded, but he gave more - he gave his only Son.
2) Many parents have given a son to die for friends (country), but God gave his
Son to die for his enemies.
2. God’s gift was sufficient.
a. No sacrifice would have been sufficient except the “exceeding riches of his grace in
his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7).
b. When the blood of Christ was shed on Calvary, the Heavenly Father could say,
“That’s enough!” He could then be a just God and still justify the ungodly!
D. Remember, at this point I am trying to get all of us to see the real terribleness of sin
and the actual greatness of God’s grace. God’s Most Generous Offer Al Diestelkamp
A sinner must pay for the sins he’s committed; But the price is too high, it must be
admitted, For the cost of one sin, if valued in gold, Would be more than I’d have if I
saved till I’m old. But Jehovah, my God, saw the plight that I’m in, And provided the
payment for all of my sin. Now all I must do is believe and obey, And Jesus will wash
all my sins away. Why I’d be a fool, an ungrateful scoffer, If I let pass by - God’s most
generous offer.
III.What Grace Does Not Do
A. Grace does not save unconditionally (neither the alien nor the child of God).
1. Jesus said, “Ye must be born again” (Jn. 3:7)
2. The Bible says that Christ is the author of slv. to those who obey him (Heb. 5:9)
and that he is able to save all who come to God by Christ (Heb. 7:25)..
3. Jesus will come again, “taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey
not the gospel” (2 Thes. 1:8).
B. Grace does not save those who never hear the gospel, for that gospel is God’s power
to save (Rom. 1:16).
Paul said, “How can they believe in him of whom they have not heard” (Rom. 10:14)
C. Grace does not excuse impenitence. Jesus said, “Except ye repent ye shall...perish" (Lk. 13:3)
D. Grace does not pardon willful sin. “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin...” (Heb. 10:26)
E. Grace does not eliminate temptation. “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man;
but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own
lust, and enticed” (Jas. 1:14)
F. Paul said, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:3)
1. Indeed grace is God’s part in our salvation from sin and God has done his part
well and completely.
a. God has done for us that which we could not do for ourselves.
b. He has provided that which we could not supply.
c. He has paid the price we could not pay.
d. But God has not, and will not force us....
2. God will lift us by his mighty hand, if we will reach up to him in faith.
3. Isaiah wrote, “I have spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people” (Isa. 65:2)
a. (Heb. 11:6) - “But without faith it is impossible to please God”
b. God’s grace provides evidence to produce faith, but we must hear and believe.
1) His grace supplies incentive for repentance (“The goodness of God leadeth
thee to repentance” Rom. 2:4), but we must understand and appreciate his
great goodness.
2) God’s grace stipulates the means of entrance into Christ where salvation is
(2 Tim. 2:10; Gal. 3:26,27) but we must accept God’s Son and we must come into
that new relationship which is “in Christ” (Rom. 6:3).
IV. Grace And Salvation
A. Surely every Bible believer will acknowledge that we are saved, if saved at all, by
God’s grace.
1. However, there is much confusion as to the process by which we become
beneficiaries of that saving grace.
2. Let us now try to simplify this problem by suggesting the three fold manner in which
God’s grace avails for the alien sinner.
3. There are three separate but closely related circumstances or principles that
consummate forgiveness:
I. The provision: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom
God hath set forth to be a propitiation through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,
to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God” (Rom. 3:23-25)
a. This is God’s grace functioning, thus:
1) The Saviour was given;
2) the blood was shed;
3) God recognized the death of Jesus and the shedding of the blood as a ransom
price, paid in full.
b. This is salvation provided - and indeed provided by grace.
II. The motivation: When God’s mercy is understood by the sinner, this should be
ample motivation to bring him to repentance. “Or despiseth thou the riches of his
goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God
leadeth thee to repentance” (Rom. 2:4)
a. In this instance God’s grace functions thus:
(1) God gave so much for me, a sinner;
(2) in view of my unworthiness I would surely not “despise” - that is, reject - the
generous offer of pardon;
(3) in humble, contrite penitence I come to the throne of God’s grace for mercy.
b. This is salvation motivated - and indeed motivated by grace.
III. The reception: Motivated by the gift of God’s love, the sinner will gladly surrender
his whole life in obedience. “...ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from
the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you. Being then made free from
sin, ye became servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:17,18)
a. Now we see the sinner truly saved by grace.
1) Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mk. 16:16)
2) Peter told sinners to believe, and to repent and be baptized for remission of
sins (Ac. 2:36-38).
3) Ananias told a penitent believer to “Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sin” (Ac. 22:16)
(a) But when the sinner has done all of this, he has not placed God under
obligation at all.
(b) Yet, under this circumstance, because of the sinner’s acceptance, in faith,
of Christ, his Saviour, and at this very time, God freely forgives. “For by grace are ye saved through faith...not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8,9)
(c) Indeed, at the point of obedience, pardon is granted. This is salvation
received - received by grace.
B. Do you recognize that all who continue to live in sin are lost - that such persons
are doomed to eternal condemnation in hell.
1. Will you respond to God’s amazing grace: believe with all your heart that Jesus
is God’s Son; repent of your sins; confess your faith; and be baptized...?
2. Surely you will not allow the marvelous love of God to be wasted in regard to you.
3. Remember the grace that God’s love produced.
4. Accept that grace today and receive its full benefit by your total surrender to the
gospel of Christ.
V. Grace And Security
A. When the sinner obeys the gospel he has a new relationship.
1. He becomes a child of God (Gal. 3:26,27).
2. He is now “in Christ’ where salvation really is ( 2 Tim. 2:10).
a. But in this new relationship he is still subject to temptation and sin. “If we say we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”(1 Jn. 1:8).
b. Though former sins will have been washed away, there will be need of daily cleansing.
c. Thankfully, God does not withdraw his favor when one has obeyed the gospel, but
grace is continuously available.
B. No, we are not forgiven automatically just because we are children of God.
C. No, God does not impute the righteousness of Christ or of anyone else to us.
1. Paul said, “Every man shall bear his own burden” (Gal. 6:5).
2. Those who live a life of sin cannot inherit the eternal kingdom (Gal. 5:19-21).
a. But if the Christian will “draw near to God, he will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8)
b. God will not allow us to be tempted above that which we are able to bear
(1 Cor. 10:13).
1) But he has warned us that we will stumble, we will falter, we may fall.
2) So, where is assurance? How can we have any security?
B. John wrote, “If we walk in the light...the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us
from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7)
C. Paul wrote, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1-4)
1. Now, the Christian who walks in the light, and who walks not after the flesh but after
the Spirit, will always be found trying hard to live apart from sin.
2. Further more, when he does realize that he has stumbled, he will repent and pray,
just as John directed: “If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9)
D. The true child of God will recognize his inability to discern the Word perfectly and
his inability to follow perfectly that which he does discern.
1. Therefore, in deep humility, and like the lowly Publican, he will say, “God be
merciful to me a sinner” (Lk. 18:13).
2. He will be consoled by the words of Jesus who said, “He that exalteth himself shall be abased;
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Lk. 18:14)
3. With David he will plead with God to “...cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep
back thy servant from presumptuous sin; let them not have dominion over me; then
shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Ps. 19:12,13)
D. Paul wrote to Titus and said, “The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Tit. 2:11)
that is, God has provided salvation by grace, without
merit to all who will come to him in an obedient faith and who live by faith:
(a) Keep himself pure (1 Tim. 5:22);
(b) worship scripturally (Jn. 4:24) and
(c) work fruitfully (Jn. 15:8).
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