Come up with a plan to help you experience God's forgiveness more fully.
I want to focus on Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
I have such a hard time with this... I hold a grudge because I don't think about the vast contrast between my own sins against God and the offenses of others against me. I think if when other people give offense, I stop and compare my sins against God with what someone has done to me - not only will I be able to appreciate God's forgiveness more fully - I can in turn forgive others more fully and live by Grace.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Lesson Two - Exploring Grace Section 7
Believers fail to experience God's grace on a daily basis for many reasons. Two of these are:
- A misconception of God as a hard taskmaster who meets our needs begrudgingly.
- The belief that while we were saved by grace we must now "pay our own way" and earn God's blessings in our daily lives.
It is possible to know that the above beliefs are lies and still to operate as though they were true. Share a time when you were tempted to operate according to one of these misconceptions.
Any time I've ever tried to bargain with God for something I want. "Lord, if you'll just give me this one thing, I promise I'll do what you want me to." We do it as children with our parents... it almost seems natural to do it with our Ultimate Father.
Lesson Two - Exploring Grace Section 6
Are there any areas of your life where you are not experiencing God's forgiveness? What factors in the list above may be part of why you are not experiencing God's forgiveness?
I'm not sure. I know I struggle with feeling like I'm not being judged when I am bad... but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with believing I have to Work for it... I think it could just be that I sometimes forget just how freeing it is to be forgiven.
I'm not sure. I know I struggle with feeling like I'm not being judged when I am bad... but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with believing I have to Work for it... I think it could just be that I sometimes forget just how freeing it is to be forgiven.
Lesson Two - Exploring Grace Section 5
Sometimes we know that God has forgiven us but we have trouble forgiving ourselves. Why do you think this is true?
I think it's hard to forgive ourselves because even though we know we've been forgiven, we also know we don't deserve to be. It's hard to really connect just how Fully Jesus paid for us. It wasn't just in our salvation - it is in our everyday lives. I think we forget that we aren't displeasing to Him because he doesn't see US anymore. It's kind of like concealer. We are a blemish on God's perfect creation... he couldn't just turn and not stare at us... instead, he covered us up with something perfect instead. So even though the blemish is still there... he sees perfection.
I think it's hard to forgive ourselves because even though we know we've been forgiven, we also know we don't deserve to be. It's hard to really connect just how Fully Jesus paid for us. It wasn't just in our salvation - it is in our everyday lives. I think we forget that we aren't displeasing to Him because he doesn't see US anymore. It's kind of like concealer. We are a blemish on God's perfect creation... he couldn't just turn and not stare at us... instead, he covered us up with something perfect instead. So even though the blemish is still there... he sees perfection.
Lesson Two - Exploring Grace Section 4
What do the following verses show us about God's forgiveness?
Psalm 103:12
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
East and West never meet... so it is always an infinite distance apart.
Isaiah 38:17
Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.
In your love you kept me
from the pit of destruction;
you have put all my sins
behind your back.
God no longer "sees" either our deliberate disobedience or our marred performance, instead he "sees" Christ's righteousness... and because of that, there is no need to punish us - so whatever anguish we suffer, it is to help us, not to hurt us.
Isiah 43:25
I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.
Not only does He forgive our sins, He doesn't keep throwing them in our faces to remind us how horrible we are and how we don't deserve His love.
Micah 7:19
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
He doesn't just ignore our sins - He actively throws them away because they were already dealt with by Jesus so he doesn't want to see them anymore because there is no need!
Psalm 103:12
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
East and West never meet... so it is always an infinite distance apart.
Isaiah 38:17
Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.
In your love you kept me
from the pit of destruction;
you have put all my sins
behind your back.
God no longer "sees" either our deliberate disobedience or our marred performance, instead he "sees" Christ's righteousness... and because of that, there is no need to punish us - so whatever anguish we suffer, it is to help us, not to hurt us.
Isiah 43:25
I, even I, am he who blots out
your transgressions, for my own sake,
and remembers your sins no more.
Not only does He forgive our sins, He doesn't keep throwing them in our faces to remind us how horrible we are and how we don't deserve His love.
Micah 7:19
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
He doesn't just ignore our sins - He actively throws them away because they were already dealt with by Jesus so he doesn't want to see them anymore because there is no need!
Lesson Two - Exploring Grace Section 3
Ephesians 2:1-9
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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.
Fill in this chart to help show the contrast Paul makes between what we deserve and what God has done for us.
We were dead in our transgressions but God made us Alive in Christ. We deserve his punishment and torment and instead we receive his forgiveness.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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.
Fill in this chart to help show the contrast Paul makes between what we deserve and what God has done for us.
We were dead in our transgressions but God made us Alive in Christ. We deserve his punishment and torment and instead we receive his forgiveness.
Lesson Two - Exploring Grace Section 2
It's easy to believe this doctrine of justification intellectually, but many people find it hard to let this truth strongly affect their lives, why do you suppose that's the case?
I think it's because deep down, we know we don't deserve it and it's hard to reconcile the fact that God doesn't care that we don't deserve it - he's giving it to us anyway.
I think it's because deep down, we know we don't deserve it and it's hard to reconcile the fact that God doesn't care that we don't deserve it - he's giving it to us anyway.
Lesson Two - Exploring Grace Section 1
Romans 3:19-26.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
There are two aspects to our justification. First, God removes our guilt from us and places it upon Jesus. Second, He credits Jesus' righteousness to us. What practical difference does it make to your life that God has removed your sin and given you Jesus' righteousness? How should this fact affect the way you feel? The way you live?
It makes the difference - or should, in how you act. It should affect every part of your life - from how you live to how you laugh to how you love... everything should be joyous because of how wonderful his gift is.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
There are two aspects to our justification. First, God removes our guilt from us and places it upon Jesus. Second, He credits Jesus' righteousness to us. What practical difference does it make to your life that God has removed your sin and given you Jesus' righteousness? How should this fact affect the way you feel? The way you live?
It makes the difference - or should, in how you act. It should affect every part of your life - from how you live to how you laugh to how you love... everything should be joyous because of how wonderful his gift is.
Lesson Two - Warm-up
Imagine for a moment that next time you pray you will have to come into God's presence based on your own merit. What things would you be able to say you have accomplished? Do they outweigh the times you have failed God? Now, give each person a chance to answer this question: "How does trying to come into God's presence on your own merits make you feel?"
I know that I wouldn't be able to say anything I have accomplished because everything I do is His doing... but I would want to take credit for the things "I've" done and even if I did try to take credit for them, they wouldn't outweigh the times I've failed.
Thinking about standing in front of God on my own merits terrifies me. Because when I think about everything I've done "right" I think of everything I've done "wrong" and it puts me in mind of a judgemental God...
But trying to stand on merits is like looking at Gods grace as a loan instead of a gift. If it's a loan, you worry so much about paying it back that you can't enjoy having it. Then, if you can't pay it back you feel guilty and try to make excuses why you haven't paid it back yet...
Whereas if you accept grace as a gift - you say thank you and you enjoy it. Sometimes you feel guilty because you think it's too expensive a gift, but it makes you appreciate it more. So when you stand in front of God you can relax because you know He isn't expecting you to pay Him back because He loves you.
I know that I wouldn't be able to say anything I have accomplished because everything I do is His doing... but I would want to take credit for the things "I've" done and even if I did try to take credit for them, they wouldn't outweigh the times I've failed.
Thinking about standing in front of God on my own merits terrifies me. Because when I think about everything I've done "right" I think of everything I've done "wrong" and it puts me in mind of a judgemental God...
But trying to stand on merits is like looking at Gods grace as a loan instead of a gift. If it's a loan, you worry so much about paying it back that you can't enjoy having it. Then, if you can't pay it back you feel guilty and try to make excuses why you haven't paid it back yet...
Whereas if you accept grace as a gift - you say thank you and you enjoy it. Sometimes you feel guilty because you think it's too expensive a gift, but it makes you appreciate it more. So when you stand in front of God you can relax because you know He isn't expecting you to pay Him back because He loves you.
Lesson Two - Grace - It Really Is Amazing
Grace - It Really Is Amazing
Chapters 3 and 4
In His infinite grace, God does not treat us as we deserve, but rather offers us forgiveness through faith in Christ. Christ removes our guilt and puts in its place His righteousness. The blessings we receive come to us through faith in Jesus Christ, not because of anything we have done.
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