The Elbert County tribune., 1919-05-16

Lesson TEXTS - Ephesians ia-io:
ritus 2:I1-14.
GOLDEN TExT-ws believe that
through the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ we shall be saved. even they.
Acts 15.11
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-Genesis 6:
!; Cor. 11;s; John LIS. II: 1 Cor. i5:lo;
James +:s; Peter t:7o: Peter 3:is.
Grace means unmerited favor. Gods
grace means his kindness toward us
through Jesus Christ. (Eph. 2:7)
Gods mercy does not go out to men be-
cause they are good but because he
Is good and desires to bestow that
goodness upon lost and ruined men in
order to make them good.
|. The Grace Of God In Salvation
tEph. 2:4-10.)
Grace brings salvation; 1t does not
send 1t. Jesus Christ. who, Is the en-
bodiment of Gods love and grace,
came bringing salvation with him. In
order to apprehend what the grace Of
God has done, observe:
l. Mans natural state (Eph. 2 2:1-3).
In the natural man is found all that is
opposed to the will and purpose OF
God. "a Dead in trespasses and
dead man is life. therefore he must
have life from without himself. The
Characteristic of one who is dead Is
that he is ta) without sensation
past feeling" (4:19) The natural
man, therefore, can neither love God
nor hate sin until he Is made alive.
(b) Without motion. Activity is the
demonstration Of life. So far as God
and holiness are concerned they are
motionless. They are as helpless as
Lazarus was in the grave. (2) Under
the control of fieshly and worldly lusts
". p. The carnal nature holds sway
over their lives. (3) Under the domi-
nation of Satan ". p. All unregen-
crate men and women are ruled by Sa-
tan. Since he is the god of this age
q Cor. q: AZ. the prince of this world
tJohn 10 :31), all who have not been
freed by Christ are under the rule of
Satan. (4) Under the condemnation
and wrath of God w. 81. Over all
these-death, worldliness, disobedi-
ence, lust of the fiesh-hangs the
wrath and condemnation of God
2. Mans state by grace :4-10).
O He is alive in Christ w. 81. The
Holy Spirit lays hold upon men dead
In sin and quickens them into life.
(2) Raised up with Christ ". 81.
Gods grace not only makes lost men
alive but raises them up with Christ.
(3) Association with Christ In glory
". 81. Christ's incarnation has so
identified himself with the race that
those who are saved are raised up to
be with Christ and shall ultimately
share his glory. The actuating prin-
ciple of God which moved him to thus
lay hold upon lost men is his love
". ~. Mans salvation is due entirely
to Gods grace. Not only the salvation
has been provided in grace but the
faith which appropriates 1t is Gods
gift ". 81. Works as grounds of sal
walton are absolutely excluded.
(4 The purpose of God in the saliva
tion of men wv. 7, 1O). (a) 1t is to
display his grace in the coming ages.
The demonstration to the Inhabitants
of the spheres in which sin has not
entered, in the ages to come, will be
the transformation of dead and lost
men and their exaltation with Christ.
(b) To glorify God through their good
works ". 10: CT, Matt 5 :16). While
good works have absolutely no part in
the salvation of men Gods purpose in
saving them was that they might do
good works.
II. The Grace of God In Right CIv-
Ing (Titus 2 2:11-14).
Grace is not only essential to sal
walton but essential to right living. 1t
fpacheS Sovad mon f1N IN dapy un1od
illness ". 12). The saved man has
the divine nature. The grace which
has saved him teaches him the neces-
sity of denial of everything that is
opposed to God. (2) Worldly lusts
". 12). The redeemed man is sur
rounded with the things of the world
which have a downward pull upon
him. The grace of God teaches him
to renounce them. (3) Sober living
". 12). The grace of God teaches
the saved man self-control; to have
the reins of his nature well In com
mand and to rule with strong hand.
(4 Righteous living ". 12). The
grace of God teaches the saved man
to live uprightly with reference to
those about him. (5) Cody living
". 12). 1t teaches him to so live In
this present world as to enable him
to meet God and abide in his fellow
ship. (6) 1t teaches the right mo-
tive in living wv. 13, 14). The blessed
hope of the glorious return of the
Lord Jesus Christ is the grand incen-
tive to holy living in this present
world. He that has 1t will keep him
self pure II John 3.3)