Some things are worth fighting for. Some things are so precious you can’t afford to lose them. Sometimes you absolutely must stand up and be counted or there will be a terrible price to pay. Grace is one of those things. Luke wrote an entire chapter in the book of Acts dedicated to The Great Grace Debate. It must be important. It must be worth fighting over. But why? Why should we care about grace?
Grace Always has its enemies! 1 Certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."
There were Grace haters in Paul’s day - Galatians 2:4
Infiltrators slipped in to steal their liberty. Without Grace there would be no liberty Gospel of Legalism: You must keep the Law to be saved!
Grace is freely bestowed. The Law is a demanding taskmaster.
Grace is something God does. Keeping the law is something we do.
Grace is freeing. The law is enslaving.
“Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them.”
Paul was a friend of Grace
He had “no small dissention” with them.
Being misguided about Grace is deadly!
It was such an important truth, that they went to the Apostles with it.
The First Church Council 4-6 “When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” The Apostles gathered to make a monumental decision! This was the First Church Council, and the only inspired church council. Church councils don’t hold the same authority as Scripture. What is “the Law of Moses?”
Mosaic Law: the 10 commandments and 613 commands in the Torah.
The Pharisees were of the opinion that Christians must obey the Law.
“God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.” Peter struggled with the culture of the Gentile - Gal 2:11-13 Everyone who has ever been saved, has been saved by Grace. Peter called the law a YOKE that no one is able to bear! Peter said that if God gave the Holy Spiritto Gentiles they were saved! Peter said, “we are saved by Grace! Period!”
James was a Friend of Grace 12-21
“I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God.”
Grace harmonizes with the message of the Old Testament - 15
God chose to save Gentiles apart from the Law
Imposing the Law results in serious trouble.
Do not add to grace. Do not change the message.
To ensure the Gentiles live moral lives, they should live a worthy life.
The Church was a Friend of Grace 22-29
“We have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment.”
So important was this decision, that the church wrote it in a ________
Legalism is unsettling to the soul!
Keeping the Law was never a commandmentof the church
When all was said and done, Grace won the day.
What’s wrong with the law? It came with a curse.
The penalties for breaking the law are steep.
The Death Penalty was often given as a legal consequence
The divine consequence of failure is eternal death! Ezek 18:20
Did these Moral Principles exist before the Law was given?” Yes.
Do these Moral Principles exist apart from the Law?” Yes!
9 of the 10 commandments are repeated in the New Testament.
The difference? Grace offers forgiveness instead of a curse.
What’s so amazing about Grace? Let me sum it up in one sentence: Without grace, there would be no liberty, because liberty flows out of grace. Grace is the key that unlocks the prison doors and lets the captives go free. Grace is the magic wand that turns pumpkins into carriages so Cinderella can go to the ball. Without grace, not one of us would ever make it to the pearly gates of heaven. Grace is the liberating truth of the Bible. Grace is worth gaining, standing for and dying for. Grace is what it’s all about. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise.