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6 Biblical Principles on Grace – Topical Bible Study

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Saved by Grace, Not Works

Ephesians 2:8-9 — “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Salvation is by grace through faith. A person cannot be saved by good works. Salvation is 100% God’s work in our lives. Going to church cannot save you. Praying cannot save you. Giving to the poor cannot save you. Reading the Bible cannot save you. Being baptized cannot save you. Singing in the choir cannot save you. Doing ministry for God (preaching or teaching or any other) cannot save you.

The word “grace” means that God gives us something which we do not deserve, namely salvation. It cannot be earned. It cannot be paid back. Our sins mean we deserve judgment, but God gave us something much better instead, eternal life! It is a gift from God.

Suppose I am walking down the street and find a random stranger and hand him $1000 dollars; that is a gift, a form of grace. Since he did not work for me, he does not deserve this gift. Of course, he has the opportunity to accept it or not. God’s grace toward us is like this. It is completely unmerited. One reason God designed it this way is that He does not want a bunch of boasters in heaven.

Imagine a person drowning and the captain of a nearby boat tosses him a life ring. He takes hold of it. Will the saved person be bragging in the boat about his cleverness, his choice, or his great natural ability? Of course not. He will thank the captain for saving him. And the captain is the one who should get the credit for saving his life. On the other hand, imagine the captain throws him a life ring and it is within his grasp, but he refuses to grab it and tries to save himself. In the process, he drowns. Will people blame the captain for the man’s death? No, it is his own fault. He is the one who refused help and therefore has to bear the responsibility for his decision.

In the same way, God gets 100% of the credit for our salvation when a person believes and people get 100% of the blame when they refuse to take His free gift and die in their sin.

— From our Bible study on Ephesians 2:1-10

Romans 3:24 — “and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

Justification means that we are declared righteous by the Judge. In being declared righteous it is just as if we have never sinned. It is not like when a husband says he forgives his wife for something, but every time there is an argument pulls it back out and holds it over his wife’s head. Bringing a sin back up is not forgiving. God will put our sins away as far as the East is from the West. It is a gift.

There are two kinds of righteousness. The first is positional. It means that when God looks at us He sees Christ as our substitute instead. Our slate is wiped clean, but we are not even neutral after that. The dirty, filthiness is gone and holiness replaces it. Remember the example of the prince and the pauper and their clothes? Our beggar clothes are replaced with royal ones. Why does our practical righteousness not always match our positional righteousness? We are still used to being a beggar. Our position should motivate us to righteous living so that that gap shrinks day by day as we are sanctified.

God is not partial to who He saves. That means God is willing to save anyone and that means anyone. Some people take issue with this because they think it is not fair God may save a mass murderer while a relatively good person will be judged. But we learn that all fall short of God’s glory, His standard. God is willing to save anyone no matter what they have done in their past. This is a very comforting doctrine. It reinforces the fact that we can’t earn salvation, but shows it is available to everyone. There is always hope for salvation up until the moment of death, just like the thief who believed in Jesus right before he died.

— From our Bible study on Romans 3:21-31

Grace Is Not a License to Sin

Romans 6:14 — “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”

I am a very poor beggar on the street and some generous person gives me a lot of money so that I am now rich. Do you think I would continue to live on the street? That is what it is like if believers continue to practice sin. Grace should not be used as an excuse to sin. Instead God’s great love and grace to us should spur us on to serve Him with our whole hearts.

It’s like the guy walking on the rope over Niagara Falls. If we were in the wheelbarrow being pushed by him, his death would be our death, his victory would be ours. So when we trust in Christ figuratively we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection.

This is the doctrinal truth. You don’t have to sin. Sin is not necessary. It is beatable. You can be victorious. You don’t have to give in to your old bad habits. You cannot say, “I had no choice.” You cannot say, “I couldn’t help it.” We do have a choice and we can help it. To some extent a beggar has to beg for money. That is who he is. But a prince doesn’t. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Don’t be satisfied with being an average Christian.

All around us the world is full of filth and dirt and sin and corruption. It is so hard to live an uncompromising and holy life in this wicked place. But it is not impossible. God wants us to live sanctified lives and He makes it possible for us to do so. Don’t live like a pig wallowing in the mud. Live like a lion with your head held high because you know with God’s grace you can have victory over the worst temptations Satan throws at you. Christ didn’t die so that you could keep right on sinning. He died so that you would stop.

Application — Think of one sin you really struggle with. Write out some steps you should take to deal with the sin and kill it in your life. Write out more steps how to serve God in this area of your life.

— From our Bible study on Romans 6:1-14

Galatians 5:4 — “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.”

Going back to the law is returning to the rules of the old covenant and rejecting the grace offered by Christ in the new covenant. Christians too often focus on rules rather than the relationship. To be a “good Christian,” they adhere to certain practices. Sometimes this is done out of habit. Other times it is because other people are watching. Such religion can be very wearying.

God looks at our hearts. When we love God, we will want to serve Him. We will want to, not because it is on a list or because we will get blamed by other Christians if we don’t. We desire to please God because of what He has done for us. When you have that type of relationship with God, serving Him is not wearying. It is joyful and freeing. Take, for example, giving money or tithing. If you feel compelled to do it, then it will be a burden, and you will begrudge doing it. But when you voluntarily do it because you want to, it can fill you with a sense of joy and meaning, knowing that you are helping others.

Salvation is a gift from God. Grace is something we don’t deserve. If we try to earn it, we can’t have it. We can only have grace by accepting God’s offer of it to us as a free gift. Christ’s sacrifice is offered to those who come to Him on their knees and say, “I need you.” It is not for those who think, “I can do it myself.”

Application — Be mindful of your motivations. Why do you go to church on Sunday? Is it because it is Sunday? Is it because people will be watching and notice if you aren’t there? Here is a simple application. Every Sunday, before going to church, pray. Ask God to help you worship Him in spirit and truth. Ask Him to enlighten you and open your eyes to sin. Ask God to give you the strength to obey what you learn.

— From our Bible study on Galatians 5:1-12

Grace in Our Own Story

1 Timothy 1:14 — “and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

“He considered me faithful.” This is an interesting phrase. Paul goes on to talk about how he was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church. How could God consider him to be faithful? Clearly Paul wasn’t faithful at the time. But God saw what Paul could be, what Paul would be.

A sculptor looks at a hunk of ugly rock and exclaims, “It’s perfect!” He doesn’t look at the rock in its current state. He doesn’t focus on the cracks, the flaws, the dirt. Instead he is thinking about what this rock can become with a bit of work. I believe that God looks at us in the same way. One example of this is Peter, whose previous name was Simon. Jesus called him “rock” long before he ever acted like a rock. Jesus saw what he could be.

Application — Next time you are discouraged or depressed remember these thoughts. Remember that God has chosen you for an awesome work. He puts great value on you. Your self-esteem should not be derived from your own innate goodness. It comes instead from knowing that whatever you have done God still looks at you and sees what you can be with a bit of work.

In verse 16 Paul actually says that it is “for this reason” that he was saved so that through him Jesus could demonstrate His patience as an example. He chooses Paul, a person who has relentlessly persecuted the church. So God takes this enemy and changes him one hundred eighty degrees. He doesn’t merely save him. But he makes him into the most famous missionary, apostle, church planter, Scripture writer, and preacher of all. And then He says, “See. That is how merciful I am.”

Application — No matter what you have done in the past, there is hope. God’s grace is available. He is mighty to save. You may think that a friend or a relative is beyond hope. Perhaps they have done terrible sins. Perhaps they are the most aggressive God hater out there. They are not beyond hope.

— From our Bible study on 1 Timothy 1:12-20

Grace Sufficient in Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:9 — “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

God’s grace was sufficient. Note that God did not take away Paul’s affliction. He did not deliver Paul out of it right away. But He promised to give Paul the grace he needed to get through it and continue serving Christ to the glory of God. We can also take this as a promise from God to us as well. Though He may not remove any thorns we face, He continuously provides the grace we need to go through it in victory. His grace is sufficient. It is not a pool which we can drink dry. Rather it is a continuous state of provision.

The Lord purposely chooses the weak to be His ambassadors. His servants are like clay, frail and easy to break, weak. But they hold the treasure of the gospel. The very weakness of God’s servants highlights His own power.

One example of a believer with weaknesses who has used these to the glory of God is Joni Eareckson. When she was 18 years old, she dove into the Chesapeake Bay. Misjudging the depth of the water, she became paralyzed from the neck down. She became angry and depressed. Eventually, she was able to turn this disaster into an opportunity for testimony. Now she gives God glory in this situation. She has written more than 40 books and has inspired many who are disabled to put their confidence in the Lord. God’s power was manifest in her weakness.

Reflect — What affliction do you face that you can turn into a testimony for God? God’s grace is magnified when we serve Him even in the midst of debilitating afflictions. Rather than growing bitter when experiencing such “thorns,” let us instead learn to depend on God.

— From our Bible study on 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Hebrews 4:16 — “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Christ has experienced the same temptations that we do, only He didn’t sin. His response to temptation should motivate us to do what is right. Sometimes in the heat of the temptation we might have the idea that “God just doesn’t understand what I am facing” or “it’s easy for God to tell us not to do it when He is not a human and hasn’t been tempted like we are.” This verse destroys all of these arguments. Christ was a human. He does understand what we are facing.

There once was a boy who was playing in a sandbox behind his house. He discovered a large rock in the sandbox and didn’t want it there. Summoning all of his strength, he pushed it as hard as he could. His father was standing at the back door watching him the whole time. When it didn’t move the boy changed tactics. The next time he backed up and got a running start. Still it didn’t budge. The boy’s father then watched him get a stick and use it as a lever to try to move the rock. It was a clever idea, but still didn’t work. The father watched as his boy became increasingly upset and failed time and time again. Eventually the boy came back in a huff and complained bitterly about his inability to move the rock. He told his father, “I tried everything, and nothing worked!” The father simply said, “You didn’t try everything yet. You didn’t ask me for help.”

In this world, it is not possible for common people to approach the throne of emperors or kings. Guards and soldiers block the way. If you remember the story, even Queen Esther risked her life to enter the presence of the king. But the King of Kings gives free access. You have a free lifetime pass into His presence to offer your requests. Don’t waste it!

Application — What do you think God would have you to do in the coming week based on what we have learned today?

— From our Bible study on Hebrews 4:11-16

Extending Grace to Others

Titus 3:4-5 — “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”

Paul says that we should be gentle and courteous because we ourselves have received grace. We should show grace toward others because we are sinners like them. The grace we have received motivates us to show that same grace toward others.

Our flesh naturally reacts with, “But they don’t deserve it. They don’t show this kindness to me. They are sinners, and they don’t follow God.” Paul pre-empts that excuse with a reminder that we were all in the same boat before receiving Christ. We are not any better or superior to those who don’t know Christ. In fact, all of us, at one point in our lives, didn’t know Christ. All of us were as lost as lost could be. Therefore, we should show compassion (not pride or judgment) towards those still lost.

Jesus made the same point in the parable of the unforgiving servant. In that story, a servant was forgiven an enormous debt but would not forgive a small debt to his fellow servant. Sadly, we are often like that. We want others to forgive us and show us grace, but we are less ready to do the same to them.

What is one of the most important single words in the Bible? The word “but.” It is such a simple word but such a powerful one. Without Christ, we are lost, desperate, hopeless, deceived, and bound to sin. But that is not the end of the story. God chose to do something about it. Because of Him, everything changed. Because of Him, we have hope. Because of Him, we are no longer lost but found.

— From our Bible study on Titus 3

James 4:6 — “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'”

Since God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, we should humble ourselves — simple logic. We don’t want to find ourselves being opposed by God. That is the worst possible situation we could be in. God has established certain spiritual laws. One of these is that pride goes before the fall. If a person exalts themself, God will humble them. If a person humbles himself, God will exalt him.

If a person recognizes that everything he has is from and because of God (that is because of grace), then he will will be humble. Acknowledging God’s grace leads to humility.

Here are 10 marks of a prideful person:

• A lack of gratitude – Prideful people think they deserve what they get.
• Talking a lot – Prideful people have a lofty view of their own opinion so they often like to share it.
• Talking about themselves – Prideful people focus on themselves in conversation because they view themselves as more important than others.
• Anger – Pride and anger go hand in hand. The angry person is upset that his so-called rights are violated.
• Having a high view of gifts and skills – Prideful people have a very elevated opinion of themselves.
• Boasting – Prideful people find ways to exalt themselves in their speech.
• Belittling and criticizing others – One way to exalt themselves is to belittle others.
• Unteachable – Prideful people do not listen to instruction or reproof because they aren’t wrong.
• Lack of asking for forgiveness – Prideful people seldom admit their mistakes.
• Lack of Biblical prayer – Prideful people rely on themselves, so they seldom pray.

Some of these marks come from the wonderful pamphlet “From Pride to Humility” by Stuart Scott.

What is true humility? A humble person is exactly the opposite of the above list. A humble person looks at himself through God’s eyes. It means we consider others better than ourselves. Being humble is realizing that we are the created, that we are limited in knowledge and power, and that we are sinners in need of a Savior.

Application — Look at the above list on pride. Identify which of these characteristics are manifested in your own life. Confess your pride to God and ask Him to help you grow in these areas. Then confess to anyone, starting with your family, whom you have acted pridefully toward.

— From our Bible study on James 3:13-4:10

Hosea and Gomer – A Living Picture of Grace

Hosea 3:1 — “And the Lord said to me, ‘Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.'”

Gomer already belonged to Hosea. She was his rightful wife. What would most men think if it was suggested to them that they have to pay for their wife…again? Most husbands would be outraged. “She left me! I already paid for her once! Why should I have to do it again? She should pay me to take her back! And even then, I am not sure if I want to. It is not fair.”

Is it fair? Fairness would be allowing her to remain in her own sin and face the due penalty for it in the consequences that came her way. It is not fair. It is grace. Gomer did nothing to deserve Hosea’s gracious treatment or the price he paid to redeem her. She had proven herself to be unfaithful. But Hosea loved her anyway.

My children sometimes say, “It’s not fair!” And I often tell them what my parents told me, “Life isn’t fair.” Thank God that life isn’t fair! If life was fair, we would all be on the way to hell. We are all like Gomer. Turning away from God’s love and instruction, we have proven ourselves to be unfaithful many times.

Jesus could have said, “It isn’t fair. I created them. I gave them everything. I sustained them. And they sinned and rebelled against my good and just rule. Why should I have to pay for them? It’s their sin, not mine. They should have to pay me to take them back again! And even then, I am not sure if I want them.” But He didn’t say this. He took the initiative to come to us and extend His grace, by laying down His life in order to redeem us. Not fair. Not fair that He faced the punishment and we didn’t. Thank God that He was willing to take the short stick for us.

Application — Next time you are tempted to complain that life isn’t fair, instead stop and thank God that it isn’t fair, and that He has given you grace upon grace.

— From our Bible study on Hosea 3

We hope you enjoyed this Bible study on grace. May God use His Word to speak into your life and give you strength to follow it. Please take some time to reflect on the questions below and consider leaving a comment with your key takeaway or insight.

Reflection Questions

• What stood out to you about this study of grace?
• Imagine you need to explain the concept of grace to an unbeliever, how would you explain it?
• In what ways have you experienced God’s grace in your life?
• How will fully recognizing God’s grace change your attitude and perspective?
• What are some tangible ways you can extend grace to others in the coming week?
• Have you ever shared the gospel and have someone ask you a question like, “Will God save a murderer for believing while a good person is judged?” How would you answer them?
• Do you think there are any sins too serious for God to forgive?
• What affliction do you face that you can turn into a testimony for God?