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Grace and Law – Ministry Training Topics

GRACE and LAW by Dr. Ed Roels

The first two Lessons emphasized that no one can be saved from the punishment and guilt of sin except by God’s grace. There is nothing we can do to atone for our sins and nothing we can do to earn our salvation or merit God’s favor. Every spiritual gift we receive is because of God’s grace.

But if this is true, why did God give His people hundreds of different laws in the Old Testament? And why does the Old Testament put so much emphasis on the the keeping of these laws, the blessing of obeying the laws, and the punishment which follows from disobeying them? If no one can be saved by keeping these laws, why did God give them to us? And if no one is able to keep those laws perfectly, why did He promise that those who kept them would be blessed while those who broke them would be punished?

Those are good questions that require a clear Biblical answer. Lessons Three and Four will focus on answering them. In this Lesson, most of the emphasis will be placed on events between the time of Abraham and the giving of the Law 430 years later.

GRACE FOR THE ISRAELITES IN CAPTIVITY

After the deaths of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the people of Israel lived for four hundred years as slaves in the land of Egypt. They had left the land of Canaan during a time of great famine and had gone to find food in the land of Egypt where Jacob’s son Joseph had become one of the highest rulers in the land. Though Joseph suffered much because of the antagonism of his brothers and the deception and thoughtlessness of some people in Egypt, God graciously used all those negative circumstances to keep the people of Israel alive during the time of famine (Genesis 50:20).

After Joseph died, the new rulers in Egypt forgot what Joseph had done and began to mistreat the people of Israel and make slaves of them. Eventually they would return to the land of Canaan, but not until they had spent four hundred years there, as God had told Abraham many years before (Genesis 15:13).

During their time in Egypt, the people of Israel suffered much but grew rapidly. They had actually become a “nation within a nation” and the Egyptian rulers felt threatened by them (Exodus 1:6-10). As a result, the rulers made life very difficult for their captives and treated them as slaves without rights and without power. But that situation was soon to change. “The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning and remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them” (Exodus 2:23-25).

God determined that the Israelites would not only leave Egypt as free people but that they would also leave with great possessions as He promised Abraham four hundred years before. (“I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions” (Genesis 15:14). The Israelites were totally unable to free themselves from their bondage and they certainly could not, on their own, gain “great possessions” while living as slaves. But God in His grace not only delivered them but provided them with riches which they never expected to have.

When the Egyptian rulers refused to let God’s people leave their land as free people, God sent ten devastating plagues on the country. During the first three plagues, the Israelites seemed to suffer along with the Egyptians, but from the fourth plague onwards, God graciously spared the Israelites from the awesome punishment he inflicted on their idolatrous and heartless oppressors (Exodus 8:20-24).

By the time God sent the final plague, the Israelites knew that their God had not forgotten them or His promises to Abraham. GOD would set them free—free from bondage and free to serve and love and honor Him as they finally moved to the Land of Promise. And all of this would be done by His grace and power. They could do nothing to redeem themselves or escape from slavery. If they were to be made free, it would have to come about because of what GOD would do!

GOD’S GRACE IN THE PASSOVER

Before the Israelites left Egypt, God demonstrated in a powerful and unforgettable way that their freedom would come at great cost—but not at their own cost! When God determined to slay all the firstborn of the Egyptians (both men and animals), He made it clear to the Israelites that their own deliverance would come about only through the shedding of the blood of a substitute.

God told each Israelite family to select a perfect lamb as a sacrifice and put the blood of the sacrificed lamb on the sides and tops of the door frames of the houses where they would eat the lamb (Exodus 12:1-7). And then He said, “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt” (Exodus 12:12-13). It was clearly God’s grace that would save them, though the people had to believe what God said and obey what He commanded.

Throughout the Old Testament period, the Israelites were commanded to celebrate the Passover every year (Deuteronomy 16:1-3). This annual celebration continued until Jesus became the Passover Lamb to which all previous Passover celebrations had pointed (1 Corinthians 5:7). The importance of the death of the “substitute was also re-emphasized in the book of Hebrews where we read that “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).

GRACE AT THE RED SEA

When the Israelites hastily left Egypt, having been covered and protected by the blood of the Passover Lamb, they left loaded with gifts from their former slave masters. The Lord graciously inclined the hearts of the Egyptians to send the Israelites out of their country in haste, showering them with costly treasures of various kinds. This dramatic and sudden change from bondage and poverty to freedom and wealth was amazing. Only divine grace and power could have accomplished what the Israelites experienced on their historic night of freedom. (See Exodus 12:36, “The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.”)

As the people journeyed in the strange and barren wilderness, God led the people in a unique but very comforting way. “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud

by day nor the pillar of fine by night left its place in front of the people” (Exodus 13:21-22.) Living and traveling in the wilderness was a totally new experience for the Israelites after living for so many years in the cities of Egypt. But God graciously gave them a miraculous sign that He was with them every step of the way. As long as they put their trust in Him and followed where He led them, they had nothing to fear.

However, the Israelites soon realized that their travel to the Promised Land would not be free from challenge or difficulty. Within a few days after they escaped from Egypt, Pharaoh regretted that he had let the people of Israel go and went out in force to overtake them. When he and his soldiers got close to the slow-moving Israelites, they began to panic and doubt and complain. With the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s troops behind them, their faith faltered and their joy dissolved. Desperately, they called out to their leader Moses, fearing greatly and complaining bitterly. (Exodus 14:10-12).

God could have punished the Israelites for their unbelief and fear, but He didn’t. Through His servant Moses God told them to believe in His promises and to go forward toward the Sea. He said, “I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army . . . The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen” (Exodus 14:17-18) .
And then, by a miracle of grace and power, God caused the waters of the Sea to divide in such a way that His people were able to march through the sea on dry ground until they reached the other side. When the Egyptians boldly tried to pursue them, God caused the waters to roll back and destroy Pharaoh and all his trained and powerful soldiers (Exodus 14:13-31).

What a tremendous miracle this was! Once again God gave His people a powerful demonstration of the fact that HE was the source of their strength, their security, and their salvation. The people had done nothing to earn or deserve this victory and they could never have won it in their own strength or by their own power. It was God’s grace that saved them! The people simply had to believe what God said and obey what He commanded! Israel’s future would not depend on what they could do by themselves. GOD had to rescue, preserve, and provide for them or they would be defeated over and over again.

GRACE IN THE WILDERNESS

After their humble but sincere gratitude for God’s victory at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-21), the Israelites again exhibited a lack of faith and a spirit of rebellion and fear. Though God had provided one mighty miracle after another during their last days in Egypt and their early days in the desert, they openly longed for the difficult but predictable days of life in Egypt (Exodus 16:2-3).

Shortly after crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, the people began to suffer from thirst. Only a short time before they were desperately afraid of the threatening waters of the Red Sea. Now they were filled with anxiety and fear because they had no water to drink (Exodus 15:22-24). Their concern was understandable, but their complaining and grumbling demonstrated a complete lack of faith in the Lord who had already provided for them in so many wonderful ways. In spite of their complaining and lack of faith, however, God graciously responded to their concern by miraculously turning undrinkable water into water they could safely drink (Exodus 15:25).

Immediately after demonstrating his grace once again to His unworthy people, God gave them another tremendous promise. He said, “If you carefully listen to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26). And after giving them this wonderful promise, God led the people to a place called Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees (Exodus 15: 27).

Did the Israelites somehow “earn” all these blessings which God continued to give them? Not at all. By trusting and obeying what God commanded, they would continue to receive God’s gifts of grace, but in no way did they earn them or merit them.

Shortly after God gave them His wonderful promise concerning their future health and well-being, the people again grumbled because they did not have enough food (Exodus 16:2-3). This happened on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of bondage in Egypt (Exodus 16:1)! They had been living in freedom for less than fifty days, witnessing God’s grace in one miracle after another, but they still continued to live in rebellion, doubt, and fear. There was one brief period in which they paused to give God thanksgiving and praise (Exodus 15:1-21), but their worship soon gave way to grumbling and their gratitude gave way to complaint. Even then, however, God’s grace continued to guide them, protect them, and provide for them. And as God’s glory appeared to them in the cloud, He left no question that it was HE, the God who graciously brought them out of the slavery of Egypt, who was leading them every step of the way (Exodus 16:9-10).

GRACE FOR DAILY NEEDS

When the people continued to grumble and complain, God sent them a large supply of quails to meet their yearning for meat. He also provided a supply of manna for them to eat. And He provided this manna for them each day (except for Sabbath days) for the next forty years ( Exodus 16: 11-35)! Later God provided the people with an abundant supply of water when Moses struck a rock at God’s command (Exodus 17:1-7). Even then, however, the people tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7) The people almost seemed deliberately intent on forfeiting the blessings God had promised them!

Both the manna and the water which God miraculously provided pointed forward to the coming of Jesus who would be born many centuries later. Over and over again, events which took place in Old Testament times pointed forward to God’s “spiritual provision” for His people through the life and ministry of Jesus. In John 6:32, for example, Jesus referred to Himself as “the true bread from heaven.” In John 6:33 he he called Himself “the bread of God” who “gives live to the world.” In John 6:35 and 48 He said He was “the bread of life.” And in John 6:51 He said that He was “the living bread that came down from heaven. . . . If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”

On another occasion, while talking with a non-Israelite at the well of Jacob, Jesus discussed the importance of drinking “living water” (John 4:4-10). He said, “Everyone who drinks this water [from Jacob’s well] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14). Just as God provided for the physical needs of the Israelites in the wilderness, so He later provided for the spiritual needs of all who would trust and believe in Jesus. And, just as the Israelites did not “earn”

the manna which they ate for 40 years or the water which God miraculously provided for them, so no one could earn or merit the “living water” or the Bread of Life which came from heaven. “Living water” and the “Bread of Life” were always gifts of grace. And they always will be!

GRACE IN BATTLE

As the Israelites continued their journey in the wilderness, a group of people called Amalekites came out and attacked them. Up to this point the people of Israel had never been involved in fighting a war. They had lived as slaves and had been involved in building store cities for the Egyptians, but they were totally inexperienced in warfare. They may have had some weapons (such as swords) which they could use in the battle, but their enemies were almost certainly much better equipped for fighting than they were. Once again they had to depend completely on their God to win a victory for them.

The most significant weapon the Israelites had for this battle was prayer. So Moses appointed one man (Joshua) to lead the Israelites in battle while he and two others went to the top of a hill to pray. “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning” (Exodus 17:11). When Moses’ hands grew tired, his two companions continued to hold up his hands in prayer until the battle was won (Exodus 17:12). The lesson was unmistakable. Unless the the Lord protected them and defended them, they would not be able to win any of the battles that would face them in the future. The Bible says that “Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword” (Exodus 17:13), but it was very clear that God gave him the victory in answer to the prayers of Moses.

GRACE THROUGH THE GIFTS OF OTHERS

God, in His grace, selected the descendants of Abraham to be his “Chosen People.” He promised to bless them, care for them, protect then, guide them, and direct them in all their ways so that they could some day be a blessing to all the nations of the world.

But God didn’t always bless His people directly without the help of others! Already early in their history God used Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law and a non-Israelite, to be a blessing to Moses and the people of Israel. Jethro had been a priest in the land of Midian (Exodus 2:16, 21), presumably serving other gods, when Moses married his daughter. However, when Jethro heard from Moses about all the things that God had done for the people of Israel, he exclaimed: “Praise be to the LORD, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods . . . . Then Jethro brought a burnt offering and offered other sacrifices to God” (Exodus 18: 10-12).

Jethro then gave Moses some very important advice on how he (Moses) could best serve the people of Israel as their spokesman and their judge (Exodus 18:17-23). His advice was excellent and Moses immediately followed it (Exodus 18:24-27). God could obviously have given this advice directly to Moses Himself, but He chose to use someone else—someone from outside the nation of Israel—to accomplish His purposes.

God’s grace often takes many forms and comes into our lives in many different ways—even in ways that might seem unusual or very surprising to us. Moses had been appointed and called directly by God to lead His people while his father-in-law had only recently come to faith in God. However, because

Moses humbly recognized and followed Jethro’s advice as coming from God, both he and the people of Israel were richly blessed . . . and God was honored and glorified.

GRACE AT MOUNT SINAI

When the Israelites encamped at Mount Sinai in the wilderness, God gave Moses a message to pass on to the people. It was a tremendous promise, one built on the covenant promise given earlier to Abraham, and one that would set the nation of Israel apart from all other people in the world. God said:

“You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6).

All that follows in the book of Exodus from this point is related to the Covenant of Grace God had made with Abraham and this covenantal promise made to the nation of Israel.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Both before and after God led His people out of slavery in the land of Egypt, He demonstrated His grace and power to them in many wonderful ways. He delivered them, enriched them, protected them, fed them, and gave them victory over their enemies. Though they were often stubborn, disobedient, and unfaithful, God remained faithful to the promises He had given long before to Abraham. He would soon be giving them laws and commands to guide them in the days and years ahead, but BEFORE He gave the people His laws, He reminded them of the wonderful blessings He had already given to them by His grace. In the midst of trials, difficulties, and fears, He had carried them “on eagles’ wings” and had brought them to Himself. They had not sought Him or honored Him or done anything that would cause Him to choose them over other people or other nations. In fact, their continued failures and complaints and lack of faith demonstrated how totally unworthy they were of receiving any favor or blessing from God. However, God made it clear that He had chosen them over all other nations to be His treasured possession. And, at the same time, He made it equally clear that He had not chosen them because of anything they had done but solely by His grace.

QUESTIONS FOR LESSON THREE

1. How long did the people of Israel live as slaves in the land of Egypt?

2. Joseph’s brothers treated him very unkindly for many years.

A. Was Joseph willing to forgive his brothers for all they had done?

B. What did Joseph say about the treatment he had received from them? See Genesis 50:20.

3. God promised Abraham that He would give him and his descendants the land of Canaan as an

inheritance. If Abraham suddenly appeared again on earth three hundred years later, would he have

been surprised that his descendants were living as slaves in Egypt rather than as free people in Canaan?

Give the reason for your answer.

4. A. Why did the Egyptian rulers treat the people of Israel so harshly?

B. How did God respond to the groaning of His people in Egypt? (Exodus 2:23-25)

5. A. When God sent the ten plagues on the land of Egypt, were the people of Israel affected by them

too?

B. What reason did the Lord gave for doing what He did for the Israelites? (Exodus 8:22-23)

6. A. What was the tenth plague that God sent on the Egyptians?

B. How did the people of Israel “escape” this terrible plague? (Exodus 12:1-7)

C. Fill in the blanks in the following passage from Exodus 12:13. “The ________ will be a

sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the _________, I will _______

______ ________.”

7. A. How often did the Israelites have to celebrate the Passover feast? (Deuteronomy 16:1-3)

B. What does 1 Corinthians 5:7 tell us about Jesus Christ?

C. What does Hebrews 9:22 teach us?

8. A. Did the Israelites leave Egypt in poverty or with great riches?

B. What was the reason why the Israelites left as they did? (Exodus 12:36)

9. A. How did God lead the people as they traveled through the wilderness? (Exodus 13:21-22).

B. Do you think these miraculous signs were comforting or frightening?

Please explain your answer.

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10. A. How did the Israelites react when Pharaoh and his army chased after them?

B. What promise did God give them at this time? (Exodus 14:17-18)

C. How did God them a victory over Pharaoh and his army?

11. A. What did the Israelites do to deserve or earn this victory?

B. How did they respond to this great victory (Exodus 14:31)?

C. Did their response of trust and gratitude last for a long time or only a short time before they

again grumbled and complained?

12. A. When the people had no water to drink, what did they do? (Exodus 15:22-24)

B. How did God respond?? (Exodus 15:25)

13. A. According to Exodus 16:2-3, what did the murmuring Israelites want to do?

B. Why do you think they wanted to do this?

14. A. What great promise did God give the Israelites in Exodus15:26??

B. What had the people done to earn or deserve this exceptional promise?

C. Why did God give them this promise?

15. A. When the people complained that they did not have enough food or water, how did God

provide for them?

B. How did the people respond to God’s miraculous provision? (Exodus 17:7)

C. What does their response teach us about the “worthiness” of the people to receive God’s

blessings?

16. How did the manna which God provided point to Jesus Christ in the New Testament?

17. How did the water which God provided point to Jesus?

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18. A. The people of Israel would fight many battles before they would conquer the land of Canaan. (See

the book of Joshua.) With whom did they fight their first battle in the wilderness?

B. How many of the Israelite men were trained and experienced fighters?

C. How did they win a victory in this battle?

D. How would this encourage them in the future?

19. A. Who was Jethro?

B. How did God use Jethro to be a blessing to Moses and the Israelites?

20. A. What great promise did God give to His people in Exodus 19:5-6?

B. What does this promise teach us about God’s grace?

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION

1. A. God blessed the Israelites in many wonderful and even miraculous ways during their time in

the wilderness. Why do you think they continued to be so rebellious, ungrateful, and without

faith most of the time?

B. Are Christians today much better in this regard than the Israelites?

Please give specific examples which support or explain your answer.

2. God used Jethro, someone who likely served false gods much of his life, to give some very good advice

to Moses. Do you think God still uses “new” believers or even “non-believers” to bless, guide, and

help His people today? Please give specific examples which support or explain your answer

3. After God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, they may have thought that the way ahead would be

smooth, pleasant, and without challenges. As a result, they sometimes longed for their old life in

Egypt, even though that life was far from pleasant or easy. Do you think some Christians today expect

that their new life in Christ will be smooth, pleasant, and with few challenges? And, if so, do some of

them sometimes long to go back to their “old ways”?

A. Please give specific examples which support or explain your answer.

B. How would try to “help” or encourage people who do have problems and challenges which

they did not anticipate when they became Christians?

4. When the Israelites were in the wilderness God miraculously led them by a pillar of fire by night and a

pillar of cloud by day. In this way they were continually reminded of the presence of God with them.

In spite of that, however, and in spite of the many miracles God performed for them, they still

wondered whether their God was truly with them (Exodus 17:7).

A. Is it possible for Christians today to doubt that God is truly with them?

B. How does God demonstrate His presence with believers today?

C. How would you respond today to a believer who doubts that God is always with him?

5. This Lesson seeks to demonstrate that the blessings which God gave His people were always

undeserved. It was only by His grace that they enjoyed freedom from captivity, victory over their

enemies, a daily supply of food and drink, forgiveness for their many failures, and some very special

promises from the Lord. List five stories or situations which you found especially helpful in

demonstrating that God’s blessings and salvation are truly All By Grace.

February 12, 2013/0 Comments/by hreyenga

Grace – Ministry Training Topics with Questions and Answers

Courses

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SAVED BY GRACE by Dr. Ed Roels

By: Thomassin Mickaël

PERSONAL TESTIMONY

In most ways my grandfather was a very ordinary man. Few people remember him and most people never heard of him. However, on his death bed he taught his children and grandchildren a powerful truth which none of us will ever forget.

When he was dying at the age of 81, grandpa was lying on my parents’ bed in our family home. His strength was almost gone. His breathing was shallow and he spoke in little more than a whisper. We all knew that his life was slowly ebbing away. Soon he would be gone from us and at home with the Lord.

The family gathered closely around his bed to hear his final words. As he lay there dying he repeated the same few words over and over again. ALL BY GRACE. All by Grace. All by grace. His voice got softer and softer but his words remained the same. He repeated these precious words until his breath was almost gone. And then, with eyes closed and with a final effort he repeated it once more: “It’s all by grace.” And then he was gone. The gates of heaven were opened and by the grace of His Lord he entered the presence of the One he loved and served so long.

To me as a grandson, this is a very touching story. However, more important than the story itself is the truth my grandfather emphasized: Our salvation, our forgiveness, our confidence of spending eternity with the Lord, our victory and peace in life and in death are all by grace . . . and by grace alone.

There has never been a time or a situation when salvation could be merited or earned by doing good works or by keeping God’s laws or by observing His commandments. Salvation was always a gift of grace . . . and so will it always be. By ourselves we will never be “good enough” for heaven and, if we are truly “in Christ,” we will never be “too bad” for heaven. God’s grace covers all our sins, all our failures, all our imperfections, all our doubts, all our inconsistencies, and all our fears. Salvation is totally and wonderfully and purely a gift of God’s grace.

Grace -LESSON ONE

Introduction

Someone was once asked what he thought was the single most important word in the entire Bible. After thinking for a while, he replied, “I believe the most important word in the Bible is grace.” You might choose a different answer, but as you study these Lessons you will increasingly understand and appreciate how God’s grace is truly the source of every blessing we enjoy.

What is GRACE?

In its simplest form God’s grace may be described as God’s unmerited and undeserved favor toward us. By ourselves we merit nothing, we deserve nothing, and we can earn nothing. However, because of His grace, God pours out His blessings upon us. God is truly a God of mercy, love, and forgiveness, but unless He chooses by grace to show His love and forgiveness to us, we would be forever lost.

HOW DOES GOD DEMONSTRATE HIS GRACE TO US?

God demonstrates His grace to us every moment of our lives. EVERY blessing we receive comes to us because of the grace of God. Every breath we take, every moment we enjoy, every gift we receive, every skill that we possess, every work that we accomplish and every hope we have for the future is ours only because of God’s grace. Even the good we do in obedience to God and the love we show to others are possible only because of God’s grace. God may reward us for our obedience or for the kindness and love we show to others, but the source of every good thing in our lives is the sovereign grace of our Father in heaven.

This is especially true in regard to our salvation. No matter how we live or how much we pray, no matter how much we love the Lord or how diligent we are in seeking to live a holy life, our eternal salvation is based totally and completely on the grace of God. THAT is the main emphasis of this course. We do not minimize the importance of prayer, obedience, Bible study, or seeking to help others, but we must always recognize that we can add absolutely nothing to what Jesus has already done for our salvation.

Since Jesus Christ has done everything required for the forgiveness of our sins and for our eternal life, our part is to BELIEVE in Jesus Christ as our perfect Savior and then seek to live out the salvation He gives us in works of obedience, gratitude and praise. That is what the Bible means when it says that we are saved by grace through faith for good works (Ephesians 2:4-10).

In this course we will study some of the wonderful ways in which God has demonstrated His grace to mankind throughout history. The first Lessons will deal primarily with God’s gracious actions and promises in the Old Testament. Later Lessons will focus on the teachings of grace in the New Testament. The last chapters will deal with the subject of Christian Liberty—our freedom in Christ to live without the burden of constantly wondering whether we are good enough or whether we are doing enough to please God. We obviously do want to please God and walk with Him if we are His children, but salvation is truly a gift from our Father in heaven. The way of salvation has always been By Grace Alone.

EARLY DEMONSTRATIONS OF GOD’S GRACE IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS

Adam and Eve

When God created Adam and Eve, He created them in His own image and after His own likeness. He gave them authority over the earth He had created and told them to rule over it, care for it, and be fruitful and increase in number. He placed them in the beautiful Garden of Eden where everything was peaceful and delightful. They had a wonderful place to live, good minds, loving hearts, meaningful things to do, and a great variety of things to eat and enjoy (Genesis 1:26-30; 2:8-9). There were no arguments, no disagreements, and no frustrations. There were no disappointments or failures, no sickness or pain, no sorrow or death, no guilt and no fear. Everything was perfect.

However, God gave Adam one very clear command–a command not to eat the fruit of one specific tree in the Garden. The penalty for breaking that command, God said, would be death (Genesis 2:16-17).

He did not say or even suggest to Adam in any way that He would Himself provide a way for Adam to escape that punishment. The only message He gave to Adam was this: “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” The command was simple and the punishment for breaking the command was clear: Eat and you will die. At this point there was no promise of grace if Adam failed.

Later, when the serpent came and tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden, Satan aroused in them a desire for something they did not yet have. He assured them that if they ate the forbidden fruit, they would become as God Himself, gaining a personal knowledge of good and evil. As a result, Adam and Eve questioned God’s motive for giving them the one negative command and believed the lie of Satan rather than the truth of God. So they ate. (Genesis 3:1-6)

As a result of their disobedience and sin, their once-perfect bodies immediately became subject to suffering and pain and eventually to death. They also died spiritually and became alienated from the God who created, loved, and blessed them. The once-perfect earth began to produce thorns and thistles and God told Adam he would eat its fruit only through painful toil. They became aware of their physical (and spiritual) nakedness and in their guilt and shame they sought to run away and hide from the God who had created them (Genesis 3:8-10). Adam and Eve also were alienated from one another and began to make excuses for their sin (Genesis 3:11-13).

But God did not leave Adam and Eve alone in their guilt and nakedness. In His grace, He took the initiative and went “looking” for them. He could have let them die in their sin without mercy–but He didn’t. Just as Jesus in the New Testament was the Good Shepherd who cared for His sheep (John 10:11-14), so the Father immediately sought out Adam and Eve in their lost and confused condition. He didn’t excuse what they had done and He didn’t minimize the consequences of their sin, but He immediately “found” them and questioned and challenged them about what they had done. They responded with feeble efforts to excuse themselves by putting the blame on someone else. Their pitiful response simply showed the depths to which they had already fallen. But God, in His grace, responded with a word of hope.

Before pronouncing His judgment on Adam and Eve, God pronounced a curse upon the serpent (Satan) who had deceived them. He graciously promised that some day one of Adam’s and Eve’s descendants would crush the head of the serpent (Satan) and would thus win a victory over sin and death (Genesis 3:15). God also indicated, however, that this victory would come at great cost to the “seed” (descendant) of the woman. At this point, God’s promise of GRACE was veiled in language which Adam and Eve could not begin to understand. However, the promise of grace was there, and this promise would never fail.

Because of God’s grace, both Adam and Eve knew that there was HOPE for them and all their descendants. Though the results of sin would be terrible and painful (Genesis 3:16-17), death would not be the final word. Some day there would be a glorious victory! That was grace!

God also demonstrated His grace to Adam and Eve in another significant way before He banished them from the Garden of Eden. He made “garments of skin” for them “and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Earlier Adam and Eve had tried to cover their nakedness by sewing some fig leaves together (Genesis -4-

3:7). These fig leaves represented their own efforts to deal with the results of their sin. But God showed them that He alone could provide for their “spiritual nakedness” by taking a “substitute” and using the skin of a sacrificial animal to provide the covering they needed.

This first “substitute” in Genesis 3:21 pointed ahead to the time when God’s own Son would come into the world as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Though Adam and Eve could not fully understand all this, God demonstrated that people could never atone for their sins through their own effort. The payment for their sin required the death of a perfect Substitute who would die in their place. And God, in His grace, loved the world so much that He gave His own Son to die so that all who believed in Him would not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

FURTHER DEMONSTRATIONS OF GRACE IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS

Some time later, God gave Adam and Eve two sons, Cain and Abel. When Cain killed his brother, God pronounced judgment on him for what he had done. At the same time, God showed Cain special grace by protecting him from those who might want to kill him or hurt him in some way. In order to assure Cain of protection from others, God put a distinguishing mark on Cain so that others would not harm him. Cain lived as a fugitive, but God spared his life so that he did not immediately perish (Genesis 4:13-16).

After the death of Abel, God, in His grace, blessed Adam and Eve with another son, Seth, through whom He would carry out His promise to some day provide someone who would be their Redeemer. It was during the lifetime of Seth’s son Enosh that people began for the first time in recorded history to call on the name of the Lord (Genesis 4:25-26). In those days people seemed to understand, possibly for the first time, that their greatest need was to live in the grace of their Creator God.

In Genesis 5, we read the “roll call” of successive generations of people who died. The penalty that God had pronounced on Adam and Eve in the beginning was being carried out, even though people in those days lived a very long time. However, in the midst of the somber repetition of the words, “And he died,” in this chapter, there is a wonderful and encouraging sign of God’s continued promise and grace. Enoch, one of Adam’s descendants, walked with God and did not die but was taken directly to heaven to be with the God he loved and served (Genesis 5:21-24) . Here again was a glorious sign of hope and grace in the midst of the despair of death.

THE DAYS OF NOAH

Several generations after the time of Adam and Eve, sin became so deeply entrenched in human life that God decided to destroy mankind from the face of the earth by means of a flood. In Genesis 6:5 we read, “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” For most people, God did not matter. Almost all of them had forgotten about God and no one seemed to have any concern about life after death. They lived to be very old and they did what they pleased, and for them this was all that mattered.

Because of this pervasive evil, God pronounced judgment on everyone except for one man, Noah, and his family (Genesis 6:8-9). In His grace God spared Noah and his family because he was considered “blameless” and “righteous” among the people of his time. This does not mean that Noah was without sin, but Noah was a man who believed God, trusted Him, and sought to do what was pleasing to Him. We don’t know whether or not Noah’s family were also “righteous” people, but God in His grace spared both Noah and his entire family because of Noah’s “righteousness” (see Genesis 7:1).

Did Noah “earn” his salvation because of his obedience in building the ark God told him to build? Not at all. Noah was far from perfect (see Genesis 9:20-23), but by doing what God told him to do, he demonstrated that he truly desired to serve God and trusted Him to save him from the destruction that was coming.

Though Noah preached for many years, no one believed the warnings God had given to him. No one turned to God in repentance and faith. Noah, however, believed what God had told him and, in spite of the unbelief of the people around him, demonstrated his faith by doing everything God told him to do. The unbelief and disobedience of the people led to their destruction. The faith and obedience of Noah led to his salvation.

After the earth dried up again after the flood, Noah offered sacrifices to God in gratitude for what He had done and as a sign of his commitment to what God commanded him to do. After Noah offered these sacrifices to the Lord, God in His grace promised that He would never again destroy the entire world with a flood (Genesis 9:8-11). He also provided a unique “sign” of His promise by placing a beautiful rainbow in the sky. This rainbow would remind all people of God’s gracious covenant promise made initially to Noah (Genesis 9:12-17). Though God would still punish people for their sins, there would never again be a world-wide flood to destroy all mankind. The rainbow provided both a reminder and an assurance that God will provide a way out of destruction for everyone who puts his faith in His redeeming love and grace.

THE TOWER OF BABEL

When the number of people continued to grow rapidly after the flood, the people became proud and soon forgot again about God. They deliberately refused to “fill the earth” as God had commanded in the beginning (Genesis 1:28) and began to build a tower that would reach to the heavens. They said that they wanted to “make a name” for themselves so that they would not be scattered over the face of the earth (Genesis 11:4). In response to their arrogance, pride and disobedience, God confused their languages and scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

With this story of the Tower of Babel we come to the end of God’s dealing with mankind as a whole. God did not change His purpose of providing a Redeemer for people throughout the world, but He no longer would deal with all the nations in the same way. From this point on (beginning in Genesis 11:27) God chose to work out His plan of redemption through one man, Abraham, and his descendants. To these people He would give His promises, to them He would give His laws, and through them He would fulfill the promise He made in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). God’s plan of redemption would not fail, but for the next two thousand years, most people would be excluded from the Covenant of Grace He would establish with Abraham and his descendants.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

When Adam and Eve were first created, God provided them with wonderful blessings of grace in the Garden of Eden. However, God also gave them a simple command not to eat the fruit of one of the trees in the Garden. If they did eat from that tree, God said, they would be severely punished for their disobedience. Regrettably, they chose to listen to the temptation of the serpent (Satan) and disobeyed the Lord. The consequences were catastrophic. Adam and Eve gained nothing and lost all that was precious, holy, and valuable. Through their disobedience they “earned” the penalty of death (see Romans 6:23) and all their descendants also shared in that penalty (Romans 5:12, 18-19).

Adam and Eve immediately died spiritually and also began to die physically. However, God graciously promised them that some day one of their own descendants would come and provide a way of salvation from the ultimate penalty for their sin (Genesis 3:15).

As sin increased in the world, God decided to destroy all living creatures on the earth by means of a devastating flood–except believing Noah and his family Years later, when sin again increased greatly in the world, God scattered people over the face of the earth. At that time He also began to limit His saving activities for the most part to one man and his descendants. That man was Abraham who later became known as the “father of all believers” (Romans 4:11, 16-17).

In the next Lesson we will focus on God’s call to Abraham, the Covenant of Grace, and Abraham’s descendants.

[/vc_column_text] [vc_accordion title=”QUESTIONS FOR LESSON ONE”] [vc_accordion_tab title=”Review Quiz”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

Click the plus buttons to see the answers to the questions.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”1. How would you define the word “grace” as it is used in the Bible?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

Grace is God’s unmerited and undeserved favor toward us.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”2. Why is grace so important?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

By ourselves we merit nothing, deserve nothing, and can earn nothing. Everything we receive from a holy and merciful God is because of His grace. Without it, we would be forever lost.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”3. What does it mean that we are saved by grace alone?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

We can do absolutely nothing to earn our salvation. Jesus Christ has done everything required for our salvation and we cannot add anything to it.. Whenever we try to add anything to it (such as our works, our obedience, or anything else) we simply detract from it because we are then indicating that Christ has not really done all that is needed for our salvation.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”4. Fill in the blanks in the following sentence: “We are saved by __________ through__________ for ___________ _________”.”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

By GRACE through FAITH for GOOD WORKS (or works of love and obedience).

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”5. A. How would you describe the life of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before they sinned?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

A. Before they sinned, their life was perfect in every way. There were no problems, weaknesses, sicknesses, needs, disappointments, frustrations, or failures. They had everything they needed or desired and they lived joyfully in fellowship with God.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. How would describe the life of Adam and Eve in the Garden after they sinned?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. After they sinned, their bodies began to die physically, they died spiritually in the sense that they were alienated from God, they became subject to all kinds of problems, challenges, difficulties, and hurts, and they lost the joy they once had in fellowship with God. Even the earth was cursed and would bring forth thorns and thistles and make life difficult and unpleasant for them. At the same time, however, they still were able to enjoy many good on this earth and with each other since God did not utterly destroy the “beauty of the earth.”

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”6. Did Adam and Eve die immediately after they sinned?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

They immediately died spiritually in the sense that they were alienated from God and were destined for eternal death without Him. They also began to die physically as their bodies became mortal and would ultimately be destroyed.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”7. A. What great promise did God give to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

A. God promised them that some day a Savior or Redeemer would come who would crush the head of the serpent (Satan) which had deceived them and led them into sin. This Savior would be born as a human being (the seed of the woman), a future descendant of Eve and Adam.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. Was this promise given after or before God pronounced the punishment they would receive?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. God announced this BEFORE He pronounced the punishment they would receive.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”C. Why is your answer to question “B” so significant?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

C. This demonstrates God’s great GRACE for Adam and Eve and the human race. They could not earn their salvation and they would not have to. God Himself would redeem them! The final word for mankind would be victory over sin and all its consequences in spite of the fact that they would be facing the results of sin throughout their earthly lives.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”8. A. What did God do to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve after they sinned?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

A. God covered them with animal skins.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. What was the significance of replacing their fig leaves with animal skins?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. The fig leaves represented man’s efforts to “cover” the results of their sin. The animal skins represented two things: (1) GOD’S provision for man’s need, and (2) the death of “another” to cover their sins.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”9. A. How did God show His grace to Cain after he killed his brother Abel?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

A. God gave Cain some kind of sign which would show to others that they should not kill him or harm him because he was under God’s “protection.”

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. Do you think Cain “deserved” to be given special treatment by God?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. No. Cain had done nothing to merit God’s special treatment and he had not even shown sincere remorse for his sin. It was only God’s grace that protected him from the attacks of others. (Note: This earthly “protection” did not mean that Cain was “saved” or forgiven for what he had done. However, when God prolonged his life, He gave Cain more time to repent and ask God for forgiveness.)

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”10. A. How would you describe the basic message of Genesis 5?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

A. Genesis 5 shows that the “death penalty” for man’s sin was indeed being carried out. Even though people lived for many years on earth, they all died (except, of course, for Enoch).

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. What happened to the man called Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24)?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. Enoch walked with God and was taken directly to heaven without dying.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”C. After reading all of Genesis 5, are you left with a feeling of hope or a feeling of despair?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

C. Students will likely answer this question in different ways. Some may possibly emphasize the solemn repetition of the words “And he died,” while others might emphasize the hope found in the example of Enoch.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”11. A. How does the Bible describe the sinfulness of man in Genesis 6: 5?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

11. A. Genesis 6:5 contains some of the most awesome words of the entire Bible concerning the pervasiveness of sin in human life. We read, “The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.”

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. Do you think that this description also fits our world today?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. Answers will vary here. In general, the statement of Genesis 6:5 would not fit our situation today, since there are millions of believers around the world who are faithfully (though imperfectly) serving the Lord and serving others in His name. Also, there are many adherents of non-Christian religions who are living a life of “external obedience” to the laws of men and of God, even though they do not love and serve God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength or their neighbors as themselves.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”12. A. How does the Bible describe Noah in Genesis 6:8-9?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

A. Noah is described as “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.”

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. Do you think this description means that Noah was sinless?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. No. No one is sinless or perfect in the sight of God. After the flood Noah got drunk and exhibited some very inappropriate behavior (Genesis 9:21). There were likely other failures in his life as well. However, he definitely was an exceptional person of integrity and faithfulness who walked with God in his daily life.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”13. A. What promise did God give to Noah and his family in Genesis 9:8-11?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

A. God established a special covenant with Noah and his sons and the rest of the created world, promising that he would never again destroy the entire earth with a flood.

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. What sign did God give in connection with this promise?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. The sign of this covenant promise was the rainbow “in the clouds.”

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”14. A. Why did the people build the Tower of Babel?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

A. The people built the Tower of Babel “so that they could make a name for themselves “and not be scattered over the fade of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:4)

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”B. Why did God punish them for what they were doing?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first last”]

B. Earlier God had commanded Adam and Eve (and, thus, their descendants) to multiply and fill the earth. In their pride and arrogance and defiance, they deliberately refused to do that. If they continued with their defiance, God said that “nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” (Genesis 11:6)

[/vc_column_text] [/vc_accordion_tab] [vc_accordion_tab title=”15. What major difference in God’s plan of redemption took place after the events at the Tower of Babel?”] [vc_column_text el_position=”first”]