* You can now watch a video of this message at: https://new.livestream.com/rickpina/live.
This morning we continue our series, “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to teach on the fact that “God’s Grace is Sufficient.” In yesterday’s message I told you that God’s grace is sufficient for eternal life. Today we will look at the fact that God’s grace is sufficient to make us righteous. This is very important, because if we fail to accept righteousness by faith, because of God’s grace, we will inevitably attempt to work to be right with God. The focus on work or human-effort is a carryover from the Law of Moses. But if we could work our way to a right-standing with God, then Jesus would not have had to die, and His death is in vain.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. The gospel of grace made God accessible to all people. Prior to Jesus, the only people with a relationship with our God were the Israelites. Paul said, “This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way” (Rom 1:16). Jews and non-Jews, men and women, young and old, Black and White, Hispanic and Asian, the grace of God is offered to everyone everywhere, and when they come, they do not have to attempt to live under the Law that was written for the Israelites.
2. Jewish converts, who had been under the Law of Moses all their lives, LEFT the Law when they accepted salvation in Christ Jesus by grace. So it makes no sense for a Gentile, who had never been under the Law of Moses, to embrace the Law AFTER being Born-Again. Those who had the Law left it after being Born-Again, so why would a person who never had the Law in the first place TAKE IT after being Born-Again?
3. Paul said, “We have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law”(Gal 2:16). The Bible is clear that we are made righteous by our faith and God’s grace; not by works. We cannot earn righteousness. God makes us righteous when we accept His Son Jesus as Lord.
4. Paul said, “No one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” (Gal 2:16). That is about as clear as you can make it. You cannot be made right with God by dutifully obeying rules. You can only be made right with God when you accept the fact that you are a rule-breaker, in need of a Savior.
5. Righteousness is a gift we receive — totally unmerited — when we receive Jesus. Paul said, “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” (Rom 5:17). When you made Jesus the Lord of your life you received an abundance of God’s grace (which will never run out) and the gift of righteousness. You have been made right with God by grace. You are right with God because of Jesus. You are right with God and you did not earn it. You are right with God and you did not deserve it. You are right with God… ACCEPT IT, because it was given to you as a gift, by God’s undeserved grace.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me more and more about Your amazing, undeserved, unearned and immeasurable GRACE! You are not holding my past against me. You are not out to get me. You are not focused on everything I have done wrong. Once I accepted Your Son Jesus as my Lord, You saved me by Your underserved Grace and You now seek to use me by Grace to accomplish Your Kingdom plans and purposes for me. The Law of Moses served it’s purpose in my life. The Law exposed to me the fact that I was wrong and that I needed a Savior. Without the Law I would have never called out to Jesus as Lord. But now that I am Born-Again, I don’t focus on the Law of Moses. You have written Your Law on my heart, by Your Holy Spirit, and I now seek to be led of Your Spirit every day. The Law was external, the Holy Spirit is internal. I have been made righteous by faith in Christ Jesus. I have right standing with You and I did not earn it. I am right with You and I do not deserve it. Righteousness was given to me as a gift. I receive it, I embrace it, I accept it, and I live my life as the righteousness of God in Christ. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
