Scriptures
Romans 3:19-31
Acts 8:18-20
John 15:25
Acts 15:5-11
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ROMANS 3:19-31
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
WHAT IS "FREE GRACE THEOLOGY"?
Righteousness: "innocent, without fault, guiltless, having sufficiently met what God requires." It is IMPUTED (credited to one's account), not IMPARTED (not transferred).
-Standard- An expectation or measurement (often connected to "judgment"- Psa 97:2; Rev 16:7).
-Nature- It is who God is and He cannot be otherwise.
Faith: "conviction that something is true" (Heb 11:1). "Faith" is the means by which the righteousness of God is appropriated when one responds to the Gospel.
Justified: "declared righteous," not "made righteous." God's public pronouncement that a favorable verdict has been rendered to the one who believes due to the sufficient nature of Christ's death & resurrection.
Gift: GREEK-dorean- "being freely given, as a gift, without payment" (BDAG). "Without cost, as a free gift, without paying" (Thayer).
-Understood as "freely, gratuitously" in Romans 3:24.
Grace: GREEK-charis- "good-will, loving-kindness, favor... kindness which bestows upon one what he has not deserved" (Thayer).
"Grace means pure un-recompensed kindness and favor" (Chafer).
"In the Bible the word often represents that which is limitless, since it represents realities which are infinite and eternal. It is nothing less than the unlimited love of God expressing itself in measureless grace" (Chafer).
"Grace... rules out all human merit... Any intermixture of human merit violates grace" (Unger).
"Grace speaks of a gift, not of barter or trade however unequal. It is pure kindness, not the fulfilling of an obligation. An act in order to be gracious must stand disassociated and alone. Divine salvation is, therefore, the kindness of God toward sinners. It is not less than it would be had they sinned less. It is not more than it would be had they sinned more. It is wholly unrelated to every question of human merit. Grace is neither treating a person as he deserves, nor treating a person better than he deserves. It is treating a person graciously without the slightest reference to his deserts. Grace is infinite love expressing itself in infinite goodness. (Lewis Sperry Chafer, Grace (Philadelphia, PA: Sunday School Times Company, 1922))
Gracious Blessings Received at the Moment of Faith in Christ
(modified from Chafer, Salvation, p. 59-67)
1. Reconciled: (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor 5:18-20; Col 1:20).
2. Redeemed: (Col. 1:14; 1 Pet. 1:18; Rom. 3:24; 8:1; Jno. 3:18; 5:24; 1 Cor. 11:32).
3. Related to God Through Propitiation (1 Jno. 2:2; Rom. 3:25, 26).
4. All Sins Covered By Atoning Blood (1 Pet. 2:24; Rom. 4:25).
5. United with Christ for Judgment of the “Old Man” Unto a New Walk (Rom. 6:4, 6; 1 Pet. 2:24; Col. 2:12; 3:1).
6. Free from the Law (Rom. 7:4, 6; Gal. 3:25; Rom. 6:14; 2 Cor. 3:11).
7. Children of God (Jno. 3:7; 1:12; Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:23; 1 Jno. 3:3; 2 Cor. 6:18; Gal. 3:26; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10).
8. Regenerated (Tit. 3:5; Jno. 13:10; 1 Cor. 6:11).
9. Adopted (placed as adult sons- Rom. 8:15, etc. So, also, a future adoption, see Rom. 8:23, etc.).
10. Declared Righteous (Rom. 3:22; 1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9; Eph. 1:6; 1 Pet. 2:5; 1 Cor. 1:30; 6:11; Heb. 10:14).
11. Forgiven All Tresspasses (Col. 1:14; 2:13; 3:13; Eph. 1:7; 4:32).
12. Brought Near By the Blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13; Jas. 4:8; Heb. 10:22).
13. Delivered from the Powers of Darkness (Col. 1:13; 2:13–15).
14. Translated into the Kingdom of His Beloved Son (Col. 1:13).
15. Secured on the Firm Foundation of Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20; 2 Cor. 1:21).
16. Circumcised in Christ (Col. 2:11; Phil. 3:3; Rom. 2:29).
17. Partakers of the Holy and Royal Priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6).
18. A Chosen Generation and a Peculiar People (1 Pet. 2:9; Tit. 2:14).
19. Having Access to God (Eph. 2:18; Rom. 5:2; Heb. 4:14–16; 10:19, 20).
20. Within the “Much More” Care of God (Rom. 5:9, 10):
21. Objects of His Love (Eph. 2:4; 5:2).
22. Objects of His Grace (Eph. 2:7, 8; Rom. 5:2; Tit. 2:12, 13).
23. Objects of His Power (Eph. 1:19; Phil. 2:13).
24. Objects of His Faithfulness (Heb. 13:5; Phil. 1:6).
25. Objects of His Peace (Col. 3:15).
26. Objects of His Consolation (2 Thes. 2:16).
27. Objects of His Intercession (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24).
28. God's Inheritance (Eph. 1:18).
29. An Inheritance Reserved in Heaven (1 Pet. 1:4; Eph. 1:14; Col. 3:24; Heb. 9:15).
30. Partners with Christ in Life (Col. 3:4; 1 Jno. 5:11, 12, etc.).
31. Raised and Seated with Christ (Eph. 2:6).
32. Partners with Christ in Service(1 Cor. 1:9; 3:9; 2 Cor. 3:3, 6; 5:20; 6:1, 4).
33. Partners with Christ in Suffering (2 Tim. 2:12; Phil. 1:29; 1 Pet. 2:20; 4:12, 13; 1 Thes. 3:3; Rom. 8:18; Col. 1:24).
34. Betrothed to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25–27).
35. Heavenly Citizens (Phil. 3:20, R. V.; Eph. 2:19; Heb. 12:22; Lk. 10:20).
36. Of the Family and Household of God (Eph. 2:19; 3:15; Gal. 6:10).
37. Light in the Lord (Eph. 5:8; 1 Thes. 5:4).
38. United to the Father, Son, and Spirit (Jno. 14:20; 1 Thes. 1:1).
39. A Member of Christ's body (1 Cor. 12:13).
40. A Branch in the Vine (Jno. 15:5).
41. A Stone in the building (Eph. 2:19–22).
42. A Sheep in His flock (Jno. 10:27–29).
43. A Priest of the kingdom of priests (1 Pet. 2:5, 9).
44. A Saint (holy one- Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:2).
45. Indwelt with the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19; 2:12; Jno. 7:39; Rom. 5:5; 8:9; 2 Cor. 1:21; Gal. 4:6; 1 Jno. 3:24).
46. Born of the Spirit (Jno. 3:6).
47. Baptized with the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13; 10:17).
48. Sealed by the Spirit (Eph. 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:22).
49. Guaranteed Glorification (Rom. 8:30).
50. Complete in Him (Col. 2:10).
51. Possessing Every Spiritual Blessing (Eph 1:3).
52. One New Man in Christ (Eph. 2:14-16).