Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1919-05-16
LESSON FOR MAY 10.
THE GRACE OF GOD.

The GRACE OF GOD.
LESSON TEXTS = Epheslans 2;4-lC
Titus 2:ll-l4.
GOLDEN TEXT-We believe thai
through the grace OF the Lord jesus
Christ we shall be saved. even as they
Acts l5:i1
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL--Geness 6
]; Cor R:9; John ll6 II; 1 Cor. 5:l0
James 4:6; ] Peter 40; . Peter 3:ls.
Grace means unmerIted favor. Gods
grace means his Kindness toward Us
through Jesus Christ. (Eph. 2:7)
Gods mercy does not 60 out to men be-
cause they nre 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
(Eph. :4-10.)
Grace brings salvation: II does not
send II. 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.
]. Mans natural state (Epn. 2:1-3).
In the natural man Is found all that IL
opposed to the will and purpose Of
God u) Dead In trespasses and
sins ". u. The supreme need Of the
dead man is life, therefore he must
have life from without himself. The
Characteristic Of one who Is dead Is
That he Is (a) without sensation
past feeling" (410.) 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 fur MS God
ana holiness are concerned they are
moiionless. They are as helpless as
Lazarus was In the grave. (2) Under
the control OF fleshly and worldly lusts
~ y. The cnrnal nature holds sway
over their lives. (3) Under the domi-
nation of Satan ". p. All unregen-
crate men and women are ruled by Sa.
tnn. Since he Is the god of this age
e. Cor. 40, the prince of this world
Cohn 12:3D, all who have not been
freed by Christ are under the rule of
Satan. f4) Under the condemnation
ana wrath of God ". 81. Over all
these-death, worldiness, disobedl-
ence. lust Of the nesh-hangs the
wrath and condemnation of God.
?. Mans state by grace (2:41O).
~ He is alive in Christ ". 81. The
Holy Spirit lays hold upon men dead
In sin and quckens them into life.
(2) Raised up with Christ ". g..
Gods grace not only makes lost men
nllve bur raises them up with Christ.
(3) Association with Christ In glory
". @. Christ's incarnation has so
Identified himself with the race that
those who are saved are raised IN TO
he with Christ and shall ultimately
share his glory. The actuatng prIn-
clple 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 hut the
faith which approprlates it is Gods
gift ". 81. Works rs grounds of sal
walton are absolutely excluded.
(D The purpose of God In the saliva
tlon of men wv. 7, 10). ta) It 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 he
the transformation of dead and lost
men and their exaltatlon with Christ.
tb) To glorify God through their good
works ". 10: CT. Matt. 5.1G). While
good works have absolutely no part in
the salvation of men Gods purpose In
saving them was that they might do
good works.
u. The Grace Of God In Right LIv.
Ing (Titus 2:11-1D.
Grace is not only essential 70 sal.
ratlon but essential TO right living. II
teaches saved men ~ to deny ungul.
Iiness ". 12). The saved man hns
The divine nature. The grace which
has saved him teaches him the neces.
'lty Of denial of everything that is
TO God. (2) Worldly lusts
w. 12). The redeemed man is sur
rounded with the things of the world
which have downward pull upon
him. The grace Of God teaches him
% renounce them, (3) Sober living
". 12). The grace Of God teaches
he saved man self-control: to have
he reIns of his nature well in com.
nand and to rule with strong hand
AZ Righteous living ". 12). The
grace of God teaches the saved man
o live uprightly with reference TO
hose about him. 90 Cody living
". 12). 1t teaches him to so live In
his present worM rs to enable him
o meet God and abide In his fellow.
'bip. 90 1t teaches the right mo.
I've In living wv. 10, 1l). The blessed
rope of the glorious return of the
lord Jesus Christ Is the grand incen.
i've to holy living In this present
world. He that has II will keep him.
elf pure. Ct John 3.3.)