Amazing Grace Bible CLass – Lesson Four – Dealing With Extremes

This article is part 5 of 20 in the series Amazing Grace Bible Class

 
“I’M UNASHAMED” (Composed by dad, Bob and myself)
“I’m unashamed of my Savior and Lord,
So unashamed of his wonderful word;
I’m unashamed of his powerful sword,
He’s mine, yes mine to share.

I’m unashamed of the thorns that were pressed,
So unashamed of his colorless dress;
I’m unashamed to sigh on his breast,
He’s mine, yes mine to share.

I’m unashamed of his teaching so bold;
So unashamed of the heaven foretold;
I’m ashamed to found in his fold,
He’s mine, yes mine to share.

I’m unashamed just to stand in his grace
So unashamed just to serve in his place,
I’m unashamed just to finish the race,
He’s mine, yes mine to share.

I’m unashamed of the wonders he rought,
So unashamed of the wisdom he taught,
I’m unashamed of salvation He brought
He’s mine, yes mine to share.

I’m unashamed of the parables told,
So unashamed of his challenge so bold,
I’m unashamed to be placed in his mold,
He’s mine, yes mine, to share.

 Primary purpose of lesson = BRING GRACE INTO FOCUS/BALANCE.  Grace=The life of grace is not a substitute for a holy life and an earth shaking message. It is the foundation for both.” 
Questions: 
1. Why do you think Paul EMPHASIZED grace?  
2. Is preaching TRUE, REAL, grace ‘risky’? How? (“CAUTION- GRACE TAUGHT HERE!”)
3. There are two BASIC extremes (abuses)… what are they?
4. What is wrong with the following statement: “If you want to go to heaven, you must obey the commandments, do good works, and do so regularly, and consistently, and if you do not fail to in doing this…  you will be pleasing to God, and heaven will be yours.” Agree? Disagree? Why???
Danger – EXTREMES (ie Abuse) “ANYTIME GRACE IS TAKEN TO AN EXTREME – be it by LIMITING ITS APPLICATION, or USING IT AS A LIFE-LICENSE… it shows a lack of understanding/ appreciation for grace.” (Cf. Romans 6:1-2).

1. PERVERTED GRACE… (Galatians 1:6-8)
    A. WHY… was Paul “flabbergasted” with these Christians?
    B. What was being added to the Gospel which changed it to “another gospel”
        (which was not really the Gospel?)
    C. Call it a ‘scam’, ‘fake’, or just plain ‘false’. Anytime you add something to grace, it
         changes the essence of the Gospel. What are some examples of doing this
         today? Why are scams, fakes, so convincing? (Discussion)
2.  LEGALISTIC GRACE… (Contradiction? How?)
    A. What is (define) ‘legalism’? (Give personal illustration)
         1.) What does legalism (Strict adherence to the letter of law) do to grace?
         2.) Grace/Faith+Law/Works = Butterfly/Spider
         3.) How is a legalistic attitude recognized?
         4.) What does legalism do to a congregation? Restoration Movement?
    B. Illustration: Lady with the check list.
    C. Is it ok to “observe certain days, months, years etc…  as Holy?” (e.g. Christmas,
         Easter)
    D. What about ‘circumcision’ (Galatians 5:2-3; 4:10-11)? Cf. Timothy (Acts 16:3) and
         Titus and Galatians 2:3. What’s the difference? Timothy fallen from grace???
    E. Why does legalism seem ‘easier’ than grace?
    F. “Freedom in Christ” (Sermon outline)
        1.) … Take it seriously (Galatians 5:1)
        2.) … Guard it courageously (Galatians 5:2-11)
        3.) … Use it lovingly (Galatians 5:13-14)
3. BUSINESSMAN’S GRACE (“Hey God, ‘let’s make a deal’!”)
     A. “Give me half, and I’ll earn the rest!” (“You prepare supper/ I’ll sing for it” grace).
     B. Illustration: Ruler
     C. Prodigal son vs elder brother “Will work for food!”/ “I have slaved for you!”
     D. Is GRACE a 50:50 PROPOSITION? Why? Why not?  
     E. Consider the following: Salvation: It’s all (100%) grace on God’s part, and all
         (100%) faith on man’s part. (Agree? Disagree? Why?)
     E. LET’S LOOK AT YOUR DRIVING RECORD!
4. RELIGIOUS GRACE
     A. The religious ‘check list system’.
     B. Luke 18:9-14 One felt justified… WHY?
     C. How can we ‘mess up’ like the Pharisee?
     D. “
The Pharisee rejected the love, mercy and forgiveness of God based on grace. 
           They just could not understand (comprehend) how God could be so gracious… 
           They depended on their law (commandment) keeping, their works as the
           foundation of their ‘worthiness’.
      E. The other, pleaded only for mercy, and received love, forgiveness and
           acceptance (grace).
      F.  Any appeal to law keeping, inward goodness, human works, tradition keeping,
           achievements or levels of self-righteousness constitutes a rejection of the grace
           of God! (Romans 11:6).

5. MORE SIN – MORE GRACE (LIVE IT UP GRACE)

    A. How much grace is too much grace?
    B. We all sin… we know better when we do it… Are we IN OR OUT of grace?
        1.) If we are out… how to get back in? (Give example from Bible)
        2.) If we are in… (Still a child of God /Holy Spirit) what should we do to correct
             path?
    C. What did it do for Paul? (What should real grace do for us?)
    D. Paul’s Argument from Romans 6
         1.) By grace – PRINCIPLE OF SIN = BROKEN (any sin/all sin)( Romans 6:1-11)
         2.) By grace – POWER OVER SIN = GIVEN (any/all sin) (Romans 6:12-22).
         3.) By grace – PUNISHMENT OF SIN = DELIVERED (any/all sin) (Romans 6:23; 
              8:1-2)
 
 For questions for class discussion please refer to “Amazing Grace God’s Pwoer To Be” Workbook (e-Book) Lesson Four

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