Undeserved, unmerited favour of God

Forgiveness of sins

Ephesians 1:7
New King James Version (NKJV)

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

• the forgiveness of sins, NOT according to our goodness
• the forgiveness of sins, NOT according to our Obedience
• the forgiveness of sins, NOT according to our Faithfulness
• the forgiveness of sins, NOT according to our self control
• the forgiveness of sins, NOT according to our non sinning character

John 1:17
New King James Version (NKJV)

17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

• came : singular in Greek language
• Grace and Truth are not different, they are the same
• Singular : Single Person : Jesus Christ : Grace and Truth

Dominion over sin

Only way that sin cannot be dominion over us

Romans 6:14
New King James Version (NKJV)

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

• sin is NOT a verb
• sin is a noun

Law says, do good –> get good : do bad –> get bad

Story of Israelites coming out from Egypt

Before 10 Commandments was given

BASED ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS 

• Murmuring or complaining is a sin.
• Israelites murmured before the 10 commandments were give
  • NO ONE DIED
  • Because of His Unmerited favour
  • Because God is faithful and because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• They came out because of God’s faithfulness
• They murmured before Red sea, Waters of Mara, for the Lack of food.
  • No one died
• Because of God’s faithfulness, Read sea opened, waters of Mara became sweet after putting the tree inside ( tree represents cross ), Lack of food was satisfied by manna from Heaven
• Even after they murmured,
  • God was with them during the day time as cloud, night time as fire. And also they were provided with water after Moses hit the rock
• ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED BEFORE GIVING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS

After 10 Commandments was given

BASED ON PEOPLE’S FAITHFULNESS 

• Israelites murmured after giving 10 Commandments
  • They were dead each time they murmured

• Ten commandments was given in Exodus 20
• On Exodus 19, Israelites were boasting on their Self Righteousness, as if all blessings were because of their own faithfulness,
  • So 10 Commandments was given
  • God immediately said to Moses, let the people of Israelites not come near Me

After Jesus Died on the Cross

• Jesus has redeemed us from the 10 Commandments / Law
• We started living “Before 10 commandments was given” life
• Now BASED ON HIS FAITHFULNESS

Story of women found in Adultery

Theme

• “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more ” – Jesus Christ
• No condemnation was given first, that leads to sin no more.
• Some churches have in reverse like : go and sin no more then we won’t condemn you

Story

• When the women was caught in adultery, she was brought to Jesus to find fault with Jesus
• Pharisees and Sadducee were telling the law of Moses to Jesus, as if such and such women should be stoned
• Jesus knelt down and wrote on the ground with His own fingers
  • This instance happened inside the temple.
  • It was  a stony ground
  • Jesus was trying to explain the fact (depicting) that, He is the one who wrote the 10 commandments in Mount Sinai and gave it to Moses.
• Jesus was keeping the law of Moses by saying if any of you were righteous, let him stone her first. One by one left
• On the other side, Jesus could stone the women, but He didn’t.
• Jesus demonstrated HIS Love and HIS faithfulness.

At that time, Jesus was the One who is going to receive the sin of the women on His body on the cross

Story of The Prodigal son

• Jews tradition is to divide the inheritance only after fathers death, but the son was least bothered about that, considering that His father was dead ( Prodigal son has No love towards his father ), hence he asked for dividing his inheritance.
• The son returned to the house, not because He understood the love of his Father, but because he is hungry
• He is trying to prove His self righteousness by stating that he would like to be His servant rather than accepting His Father’s love and being His son
• According the Jewish Law, the son has to be stoned for this sin. So for protecting him, his Father ran towards him
• Even at the end, the son didn’t understand Father’s love, but the Father only ran towards him, hug him, kiss him, even after he would have smelled like a pig/swine. Shows the love of the Father in heaven.

Source of Good works

Romans 11:6
New King James Version (NKJV)

6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

Ephesians 2:8-10

New King James Version (NKJV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Reverse Engineering Ephesians 2:8-10 

• Example: Following the river backwards to find it’s source
• Good works <– not of works <– not of yourselves <– For by grace you have been saved through faith

Word “saved” in Greek

• http://biblehub.com/greek/4982.htm
• Saved, healed, protected
• Also used in “The healing of the women with an issue of blood”

Mark 5:34
New King James Version (NKJV)

34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

Importance of Undeserved and Unmerited favour of God

• Paul said “Grace be with you all” whenever he starts and finishes a book/letter. Shows the importance.
• The word “Grace” was used by Paul to the most immoral church Corinthians and more un-scriptural church Galatians, 26 time altogether.

There is no condemnation

Romans 8:1
New King James Version (NKJV)

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Don’t beat yourself

• DON’T SAY “I should not have done that”

If you beat yourself, it’s a matter of time you will beat others : with words, actions

• if you are hard on yourself, you will hard with others
• if you don’t forgive yourself, you won’t have mind to forgive others
• if you beat yourself, you will beat others
• if you hurt yourself, you will hurt others

If you stop beating yourself, you set yourself free, and You are free to forgive others

• Stop beating yourself, Jesus took all you beatings at the cross
• Stop hurting yourself, Jesus was hurt for all your sins
• Stop blaming yourself, Jesus took all punishments for your mistakes

By doing this you are honouring Jesus and for what He has done for you.

Article: Put The “Amazing” Back Into Grace (1 & 2 & 3 of 3)