229 – Lesson from Romans on Grace

229 – Lesson from Romans on Grace

Steve Jaynes

God bless you all in the mighty and Powerful name of Our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May God bless you all abundantly. The following are my notes for the latest podcast show entitled 'Lesson from Romans on Grace.' I have all the scriptures written out so it will be easy for you to follow along. Give a listen. 

The Apostle Paul wrote a lot about the grace of God in the Book of Romans. Especially from chapter 3: 19 through the end of chapter 8. He mostly covers we are saved by God's grace and we have forgiveness of sins. Paul utilizes his experience to help people understand grace. He talks about how he had God's grace in his life when he didn't deserve it. You can read in the book of Acts the things that he did in putting men and women into prison, his conversion on the road to Damascus, and his following Ministry to bring light to the Gentiles. He gives many details and makes many points in those chapters from Romans 3 through 8 but here's just a summary.

Romans 3:19 – 31 “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ²¹ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; ²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: ²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ²⁵ 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; ²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. ²⁷ Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. ²⁸ Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. ²⁹ Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: ³⁰ Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. ³¹ Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”

One of the things that you can see is that faith/believing is very closely tied in with grace.

Romans 4:1, 4 – 8 “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? ⁴ Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. ⁵ But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. ⁶ Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, ⁷ Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. ⁸ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

It's not that we've never sinned or that we will never sin again but God will not impute sin on those who believe in the accomplished works of Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:18 – 5:2 “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. ¹⁹ And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: ²⁰ He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; ²¹ And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. ²² And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. ²³ Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; ²⁴ But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; ²⁵ Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Do we believe that Jesus Christ did all the work needed for us to be saved, born again, and by his grace our sins have been forgiven once and for all? The sin problem has been answered and handled by Jesus Christ Our Lord. We just need to believe in Jesus Christ who did the work so that we can act like we have been forgiven.

Romans 5:19 – 21 “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. ²⁰ Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: ²¹ That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Grace did much more abound than sin. So now we stand in the grace that we now have. This makes us a little bold, a little Fearless, knowing that we can stand and do whatever God calls us to do. Paul writes about this as we continue reading.

Romans 11:1 – 11 “I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, ³ Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. ⁴ But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. ⁵ Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

The 'remnant according to the election of grace' is those who believe. We are chosen by God's grace. We receive it by believing.

⁶ And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. ⁷ What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded ⁸ (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. ⁹ And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: ¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. ¹¹ I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”

The election is the ones who believed. The rest says here are in slumber, asleep. But it made it so that after they went to the Judeans by religion, and they refused the grace of God, then Paul and Barnabas said “Lo we turn to the Gentiles.” Which was what God had called Paul to do.

Isaiah 29:10 – 13 “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. ¹¹ And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: ¹² And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. ¹³ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”

Here it says “by the precepts of men”, in Matthew it says “by the tradition of men”, the same thing.

Romans 12:3 – 8 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. ⁴ For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: ⁵ So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; ⁷ Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; ⁸ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

The word gifts here means 'ways of serving', given to us by God differing one from another because we do not all have the same office or function. It is according to our believing and God working in us, Christ in us. Our believing comes from our interest, concern, and need.

Romans 15:13 – 19 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. ¹⁴ And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”

This is talking about serving one another.

¹⁵ Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, ¹⁶ That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. ¹⁷ I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. ¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, ¹⁹ Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

Paul says here he can be bolder with them because of the grace of God. Partly because he knows what God is called him to do. He is confident that even though it may be bolder than they'd like, maybe more confrontational, maybe more startling. But it's what God wants to have done. It is by the grace of God that he stands and is bold and proclaims exactly what God wants him to proclaim. Because of Grace.

Until the next time we get together, may God bless you abundantly. 

Agape, 

Steve Jaynes 

The Announcer: Maurice Coleman 

Intro and Outro Music: Pamela LoVerme Janovyak, Her version of "Be Thou My Vision" from her CD Behold 

But you don't have to wait till the next show to continue to learn and grow. Go to stevejaynes.com where Steve has plenty to give in resources to help you continue to learn today. 

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