House Church Talk - The Doctrines of Grace

[Bruce Woodford]

When I awoke this morning, the Lord brought one word to my mind...GRACE!  I 
realized that I could never recall actually doing a word study on "grace" 
before. So with the Online Bible I began to look up all the references to 
grace in the scriptures. What an awesome thing is the grace of God revealed 
in all it's splendor in Christ!

As I considered the subject of grace, I recalled that "the doctrines of 
grace" have been mentioned here on HC- talk a few times recently. I'm not 
sure how those who used that term here understand it, but I have often heard 
"the Five Points of Calvinism" (otherwise known as TULIP) referred to as 
"the doctrines of grace".  I was intrigued this morning to find that a 
number of scriptural statements relative to the doctrine of grace are 
actually direct answers to the doctrines of Calvinism, none of which can be 
stated in words of scripture.

1.TOTAL DEPRAVITY.
The grace of God does not deal with those who are "depraved" as a result of 
a "fall " as many have been taught. "Depravity" is crookedness or being bent 
out of shape, a doctrine never found in scripture.  Falls are usually 
accidental and are rarely fatal. Scripture never once teaches that man 
"fell" into sin!!!  Eve and Adam both made a DELIBERATE CHOICE to sin, a 
choice of which they had clearly been warned of God and informed of the 
consequence (death). While "Total Depravity" is a docrtine that is foreign 
to scripture, the "TERRORS OF DEATH" certainly is a docrtine of the Book! 
(Job 24:17 and Psalm 55:4) There is no remedy whatsoever for those who only 
claim to be depraved (crooked or bent) but the grace of God is the solution 
for those who acknowledge that they are  DEAD in trespasses and sins!!

This doctrine of grace is found in the following scriptures:
Romans 5:14-21 Nevertheless DEATH reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them 
that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the 
figure of him that was to come.  But not as the offence, so also is the free 
gift. For if through the offence of one many be DEAD, much more the GRACE of 
God, and the gift by GRACE, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded 
unto many. And not as it was by one that SINNED, so is the gift: for the 
judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences 
unto justification. For if by one man's offence DEATH reigned by one; much 
more they which receive abundance of GRACE and of the gift
of righteousness shall reign in LIFE by one, Jesus Christ.)  Therefore as by 
the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by 
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification 
of LIFE. For as by one man's disobedience many were made SINNERS, so by the 
obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, 
that the offence might abound. But where SIN abounded, GRACE did much more 
abound: That as SIN hath reigned unto DEATH, even so might GRACE reign 
through righteousness unto eternal LIFE by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ephesians 2:5  Even when we were DEAD in SINS, hath QUICKENED us together 
with Christ, (BY GRACE ye are saved;)

2.UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION.
That God would bestow His grace in salvation apart from any conditions is an 
utter impossibility! No one, and not even God can make a choice without 
conditions!  Every choice has a purpose and the purpose of the choice 
determines the conditions of the choice! When God elected one to be His 
perfect servant (Isaiah 42), the purpose of that choice placed conditions so 
stringent that only one man out of all of humanity qualified! When God chose 
to save sinners, righteous ones were excluded! Because God resists the 
proud, all proud ones were excluded! But because God has chosen to give His 
grace to the humble, all who humble themselves before God were included!

The scriptural doctrine of grace that is the answer to the unscriptural 
doctrine of unconditional election is found in the following scriptures:
Proverbs 3:34  Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the 
lowly.
James 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the 
proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
1 Peter 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, 
all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:

The truth that God chose a particular KIND is declared in the key O.T. and 
N.T. statements of the doctrine of election:
Isaiah 49:7  Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, 
TO HIM WHO MAN DESPISETH, TO HIM WHOM THE NATION ABHORRETH, TO A SERVANT OF 
RULERS, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of 
the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and HE SHALL CHOOSE 
THEE.
I Corinthians 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many 
wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:  But 
GOD HATH CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS of the world to confound the wise; and 
GOD HATH CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS of the world to confound the things which 
are mighty; AND THE BASE THINGS of the world, AND THINGS WHICH ARE DESPISED, 
HATH GOD CHOSEN, yea, AND THINGS WHICH ARE NOT, to bring to nought things 
that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

3. LIMITTED ATONEMENT.
Atonement is NOT salvation, forgiveness, justification or being made "at one 
with God" as many have been taught!  Atonement is the covering for 
rebellious sinners provided by the shedding of blood which enables God to 
justly be longsuffering with sinners and not exercise His wrath immediately. 
Once a year, on the day of atonement (Leviticus 16), atonement (KAPHAR, a 
covering) was made for ALL of Israel, a nation of rebels,  for ALL  of their 
transgressions, ALL of their iniquities and ALL of their sins. 
(Lev.16:16,17,21,22,30,33 and 34.)  On that day, a bullock and a goat were 
killed as a sin offering.(Lev.16:18,19) Then on a living goat (the sin 
bearer) was placed all of the sins of the people. That goat was sent away by 
the hand of a fit man into the wilderness, a land not 
inhabitted.(Lev.16:21,22)

ALL of Israel were redeemed (delivered from bondage) Ex.15:13, they were ALL 
reconciled (brought near to God from far) when the tabernacle was completed 
and the sacrifices on the altar commenced and God came to dwell in the 
holiest of all (just a mere 35 feet from the tabernacle courtyard fence!)  
They were ALL atoned for (covered from the wrath of God) every year on the 
day of atonement (Lev.16)  But being redeemed, reconciled and atoned for did 
NOT make one Israelite forgiven or right with God!  These provisions of God 
for ALL of them only made it possible for those individuals among them, who 
would humble themselves, acknowledge their sins, take God's provision and 
rely on the sacrifice that God required,  to receive the forgiveness of 
their sins PERSONALLY! (Lev.4:27-35)

So too, by the shedding of His blood at Calvary, the Lord Jesus redeemed ALL 
men, not just believers, but "them that were under the law" Gal.4:4. Not 
just believers are "bought" ( I Cor.6:20 and 7:23) but also false prophets 
and false teachers who bring in damnable heresies and deny the Lord that 
bought them! (II Peter 2:1)

In like manner, the Lord Jesus reconciled ALL men, i.e. brought them near to 
God from far. (Rom.5:10, II Cor.5:19)  This is a different work than that of 
full reconciliation i.e. aliens and enemies of God being brought to peace 
with God.

In the very same way, the scriptural doctrine of grace which is the answer 
to the unscriptural doctrine of limitted atonement is that of unlimitted 
atonement found in Hebrews 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little 
lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and 
honour; THAT HE BY THE GRACE OF GOD SHOULD TASTE DEATH FOR EVERY MAN.

Other scriptures which state the very same truth are the following:
John 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold 
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin  of the world.
1 John 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, 
but also for the whole world.

4.IRRESISTIBLE GRACE.
Again, the doctrine that God's grace is irresistible is never stated in 
scripture! Rather the opposite is clearly stated by the following doctrines 
of grace:
Titus 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to 
all men,...
The Holy Spirit, who is called "the Spirit of grace" in Hebrews 10:29 is 
ALWAYS RESISTED by men to whom the grace of God has appeared!
Acts 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, YE DO ALWAYS 
RESIST THE HOLY GHOST: as your fathers did, so do ye.
So the truth of scripture is NOT that God's grace cannot be resisted by men, 
but rather that God will not resist the humble! God, Himself, has pledged 
that He will resist the proud, but will give grace to the humble.
James 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the 
proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
1 Peter 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, 
all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God 
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Had the Lord Jesus not redeemed, reconciled and atoned for all the world, 
NOT one of us could ever have received forgiveness of sins, justification or 
known peace with God. But because all were redeemed, all were brought near 
from far, all were atoned for there is also forgiveness, justification and 
peace with God which is available to all who will humble themselves in the 
sight of the Lord!  He guarantees that He will lift them up!

5. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS.
Scripture never ever states the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. 
Perseverance is always self effort!  The scriptural doctrine is rather that 
of THE PRESERVATION OF THE SAINTS.

The scriptural  doctrine of grace that is the answer to the doctrine of the 
perseverance of the saints is found in I Peter 1:1-5.  Peter, an apostle of 
Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, 
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,  ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD 
the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and 
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: GRACE UNTO YOU, and peace, be 
multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which 
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by 
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance 
incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven 
for YOU, WHO ARE KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD through faith unto salvation ready 
to be revealed in the last time.

The doctrine of the preservation of the saints is also stated in the 
following scriptures:
Psalms 37:28  For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; 
they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
1 Thessalonians 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I 
pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:1  Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them 
that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and 
called:

May we always cling to doctrines which are stated clearly in scripture and 
reject all such as are not thus stated.

Your brother in Christ,
Bruce

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