BE STRONG IN GRACE

2 Tim. 2:1

Morning Meditation 3/27/2013

"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."

The word "son" translates "teknon" and Strong says, "the name transferred to that intimate and reciprocal relationship formed between men by the bonds of love, friendship, trust, just as between parents and children."

The word son is:

1. A tender appeal. There is feeling in the use of this word.

2. A confidence revealed. Paul said in Philippians 2:19-20, "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state." Paul had confidence that Timothy would care, have compassion for, their state. He wanted to send someone who would feel the same way he did and teach the same truth to them he would. He had confidence that when Timothy went and dealt with the problem, he wouldn't have to go straighten out a mess that he made.

3. An authority established. When Paul called Timothy my son, it was not only a tender appeal, and a confidence revealed, but it established an apostolic authority in his ministry since Paul is sending him with instructions to carry out. I'm not saying that Timothy was an apostle. I am saying that he was sent by the authority of an apostle and was to teach what an apostle told him to teach.

Paul exhorts Timothy to "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." This is not just any grace. It is the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. Faith exercised in the gospel is a non-meritorious act. There is only one place one can get God's unmerited favor. It is in Christ Jesus. This means there is no other way of salvation. It is either forgiveness in Christ or one has to face God on his own merits and have a God who demands absolute perfection in one hundred percent of one's life to stand the test. God's prophetic word is absolutely immutable. God makes no mistakes in His predictions. God says if your name is not in the book of life you will not be saved. Revelation 20:15, "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

To be strong in grace is to teach grace in such a way that believers understand grace as the Scriptures present it. If the believers understand that, when a false teacher comes along, and teaches that salvation is not by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, they will quickly reject his teaching as heresy. The best way to be equipped to stand against heresy is not to spend years learning all that the false teachers teach, it is to be strong in grace, and when someone teaches contrary to this, one will recognize it immediately. Let's notice some things about grace that will make you strong.

GRACE ORIGINATED IN THE MIND OF GOD

Acts 13:43 says, "Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."

Paul knew above anyone in his day the strength of the flesh to want a plan of salvation that glorified man. So he spent some time exhorting these converts to "continue in the grace of God." It is the grace of God not the grace of a denomination. Grace offends the natural man because grace rejects man hands down, and gives him the opportunity to come before God as one TOTALLY DEPENDENT upon God for salvation.

John Gill's comment on this is, "who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God; meaning, not that the Jews and proselytes spoke to Paul and Barnabas, and entreated and persuaded them to persevere in preaching the doctrine of the grace of God, notwithstanding the offence some might take at it, and the ill usage they might meet with on account of it; but that Paul and Barnabas took notice of them, and by their following them, and by the conversation they had with them, found that the word had reached their hearts, and that they had embraced the doctrine of the Gospel; wherefore they spoke a word of exhortation to them, beseeching them to continue in it, it springing from the grace of God, and being a declaration of it; and particularly in those special doctrines of grace, which had been insisted on, namely, remission of sins, and free justification by the blood of Christ."

Romans 5:15, "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."

It is called "The grace of God" because it originated in Him. You may hear the gospel of the grace of God as it is preached by man, but you do not trust him, you trust the one He preaches, i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ. Next,

GRACE IS DEFINED IN SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." It is made plain in Scripture that works is not in the definition of grace.

Romans 11:6, "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." Paul explains in this verse that works nullifies grace. Grace cannot be grace if works is mixed in with it.

To mix works with grace is not a minor error. Paul attacks this heresy in the book of Galatians. The false teacher were teaching that one is not saved by faith alone but must have Jewish circumcision to be saved.

Galatians 1:6-9, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Paul teaches here that you are not to listen to these hell bound preachers of a perverted gospel. When Paul says, "let them be accursed," he is saying, "these preachers are accursed, devoted to the direst of woes, therefore treat them as an accursed thing."

GRACE IS EXPOUNDED AS THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION

Acts 15:6-11 says, "And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."

What is this text referring to when it refers to "this matter?" This is stated in Acts 15:1, "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved."

So Peter took the pulpit and said the words above. It is clear that he is saying grace is the only means of salvation.

Romans 3:24 says, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"

Romans 4:4-5, "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

Romans 4:16 says, "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,"

GRACE EXCLUDES THE LAW AS A MEANS OF HOLINESS

We are not saved by grace and then serve by law. However, this is one of the hardest hurdles I ever overcame. And if I don't watch it, it will seep back into my preaching. The law is not a means of holiness. So I am not to use it, whether it be the law of Moses, or the law of a denomination. I am not to use a law to get saved people to live right. If I do, I will be making Pharisees out of them. When professing Christians reach a certain degree of holiness (that's what they are taught to believe) then they take it on themselves to judge the spirituality of others by their own accomplishments.

Galatians 3:1-3, "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

GRACE IS THE TEACHER OF THE SAINTS IN THIS AGE

Titus 2:11-15, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."

What are these verses teaching? They are teaching that grace teaches to live godly in this present world. Grace is not a license to sin but a reason to live godly.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White