If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefields besides, is mere fight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.
Martin Luther
Grace Bible Church
Gbible.org
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Sunday,
December 04, 2022
PDF:EPHESIANS-0290-025NOTES
Mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve; Grace is God giving us something we do not deserve. (HAB 3:2) (PSA 51:1-2)
PSA 51:1-2, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!"
Grace, is God extending favor toward us that we do not deserve.(EPH 2:5,8)
- Common grace is defined as God's grace given to all humanity regardless of their response to Him.
- Saving grace [Efficacious Grace] is grace from God that provides salvation to a person.
Saving Grace is described in EPH 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."
HEB 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."
Through salvation, we receive the mercy of forgiven sin and the grace of life in Christ, including eternity with Him.
JOH 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.
Grace represents that which is limitless, and measureless.
Grace is that unlimited love of God expressing itself in measureless blessing and it represents the realities which are infinite and eternal.
Grace also means favor, kindness, and mercy.
Grace is based on Divine Mercy and Divine Forgiveness.
Grace is based on Divine Mercy and Divine Forgiveness, we are forgiven on the basis of what God has done for us, we are never forgiven on the basis of what we have done for God.
Grace, is the divine provision for mankind before, during, and after salvation.
Grace is all that God is free to do for mankind without compromising His essence.
- Grace is God's policy in salvation for all mankind.
JOH 1:12, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,
- The divine policy for the Church Age believer is totally grace.
Grace is what God does for us.
God sent His Son Jesus to earth as a Man who had no sin Himself (HEB 4:15).
He was sent for sin, -- to receive God's condemnation of death for sin once for all in His own sinless body (2CO 5:21).
God the Father treats us in grace and what our attitude should be toward others who have failed as well!
This story is about a young man who decided to go and make a life for himself without God.
We have tax gatherers, sinners, which includes the prostitutes, Pharisees and scribes, a very interesting combination for a congregation.
You have the lost sheep, LUK 15:4-7.
The lost coin, LUK 15:8-10.
The lost sons, LUK 15:11-32.
The Lost Son, The Two Lost Sons, The Waiting Father, The Parable of Divine Mercy, God's Love for the Lost, and The Lost Son and the Dutiful Son.
How dangerous it is for us to desire to be at our own disposal, and to live in a state of independence, and to be our own rulers!
The younger would be the obvious one to be condemned by the average Christian as being the worse, and he wasn't the worst.
The man in this parable represents God the Father and the sons represent believers, therefore, this is not a gospel message, this is a doctrinal message for born-again believers.
Note again he called him "Father" because he represents a person who is a believer.
Each one had enough so that he was independently wealthy which that represents the doctrine of logistical grace applied to your life.
Only his arrogant legalistic self-righteous brother said that he spent it all on "harlots or prostitutes" in verse 30.
JAM 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners [rebound]; and purify your hearts [perceive doctrine], you double minded.
This was a part of divine discipline which God brings on every one of His children who go astray for a length of time.
Having forsaken his Father who represents God, he can now find nothing but poverty, misery, and want.
In this state, he attached himself which is the Greek verb kollao meaning to glue or to closely unite himself to a citizen of that foreign country which represents the devil's children instead of God's.
No slavery so nasty as slavery to the old sin nature and the carnal, shameful, passions of the flesh.
Times of distress often lead to self-examination and are used by God to bring about changes or repentance in people's lives.
Pigs were considered to be unclean animals and expressly forbidden in the Mosaic law, Lev 11:7; Deu 14:8.
As 2PE 2:22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A dog returns to its own vomit," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."
This man finally became honest with himself and looked at his life from a biblical perspective, which means to face up with the situation as it really exists.
To recognize the sins in your own life, to stop rationalizing or justifying them, to stop blaming others for them, and to come to a point where you acknowledge them and recognize that it is wrong and contrary to the word of God.
Self-realization of the hopeless and useless predicament of the sinful life is the first step towards true repentance.
You must realize that the seeming pleasures of the sinful life are vanishing and un-satisfying, while life with the father is full and rich.
He's going to add a lot of emotional nonsense that merely shows his emotionalism and guilt but that will be dealt with!
Whether we are worthy or unworthy doesn't change our son-ship.
For people who have character and integrity are t
he forgiving type!
He wasn't allowed to continue with the nonsense like LUK 15:19 “make me as one of your hired men."
'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him” = is a picture of what happens when one rebounds and recover which is back to restored righteousness.
The best robe represents restoration to full experiential righteousness.
This was a signet ring representing withdrawing from the father’s resources, logistical grace.
LUK 15:22 and sandals on his feet; which means that once again you're getting the opportunity of service and production.
The fattened calf represents fellowship in the word, feeding on divine truth or Bible doctrine.
That is the divine attitude of grace when you're brought back into fellowship with God.
You cannot have a story like this without some legalists and his personal opinion trying to spoil everything.