Study Guide
Lesson 1 - Teacher's Guide
- The body of Christ is basically divided into two groups: those who emphasize grace (what God does) and those who emphasize faith (what we do) (Eph. 2:8-9). The first group preaches that everything is totally up to God, and the second group teaches, “No, we have to do this and that, and this and that.” We might phrase this same issue differently, but it all comes down to which part is God’s and which part is ours. God’s Word clearly reveals a balance between grace and faith. God has done so much for us by grace, but for us to receive what He has done, there must be a positive response on our part, which is what the Bible calls “faith”—there has to be a combination of both grace and faith (Titus 2:11).
- Grace is what God does for us—it’s His part. Grace has nothing to do with us. By definition, it is “unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor.” God’s grace is the same toward everybody because it’s not based on, or tied to, what we do. The moment we begin relating God’s blessing—the manifestation of His power in our lives—to anything we’ve done, then we have just voided grace, because we’ve made God’s blessing and manifestation in our lives proportional to something that we’ve done (Acts 16:30-31).
- The Word reveals that our sins are already forgiven (1 John 2:2). What we have to do is believe the Gospel—that Jesus has already come, already died, and already forgiven the sins of the world. The sin that is going to send people to hell is the singular sin of rejecting Jesus as their personal Savior (John 16:8-9). If we have made Jesus our Lord, then all of our sins—past, present, and even future sins (sins we haven’t committed yet)—have already been forgiven. Sin has already been dealt with by grace (Heb. 9-10).
- The grace of God is identical toward us all. The grace of God is consistent. God is no respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11). Grace is what God does for us independently of us.
- God, by grace, has already done everything. He anticipated every need we could ever have, and He already met all of those needs through Christ. Salvation, healing, and deliverance have already been provided. When people today hear the truth and believe, all of a sudden what God has already provided by grace becomes a reality to them. As they mix faith with the Word of God, what He has already done by grace begins to manifest in their lives.
- True Bible faith is simply a positive response to what God has already provided by grace. Faith only appropriates what God has already provided. Faith doesn’t move God or make Him do anything. There has to be a balance between grace and faith.
Footnotes
| 1. | A. | Read Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 2:11. What do “grace” people emphasize? (What God does) |
| B. | What do “faith” people emphasize? (What we do) | |
| C. | What must there be on our part for us to receive what God has done by grace? (A positive response, which is what the Bible calls “faith”) | |
| 2. | A. | Read Acts 16:30-31. By definition, what is grace? (Unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor) |
| B. | We void grace the moment we begin relating God’s blessing—the manifestation of His power in our lives—to what? (Anything we’ve done) | |
| 3. | A. | Read 1 John 2:2, John 16:8-9, and Hebrews 9-10. What does the Word reveal about all of our sins—past, present, and even future sins? (They have already been forgiven) |
| B. | What is the singular sin that is going to send people to hell? (Rejecting Jesus as their personal Savior) | |
| 4. | A. | Read Romans 2:11. How is the grace of God toward us all? (Identical, consistent) |
| B. | Grace is what God does for us how? (Independently of us) | |
| 5. | A. | How has God already met every need we could ever have? (Through Christ) |
| B. | What happens when we mix faith with the Word of God? (What He has already done by grace begins to manifest in our lives) | |
| 6. | A. | What is true Bible faith? (Simply a positive response to what God has already provided by grace) |
| B. | Faith only appropriates what? (What God has already provided) | |
| C. | There has to be a balance between what? (Grace and faith) |
