Volume 3 - Number 5 The week of November 12, 2017 Loudonville Community Church THIS WEEK’S CORE STATEMENT Salvation by Grace: We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential and that a person comes into a right relationship with God by His grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. John Samson is the pastor-teacher of King’s Church in Peoria, Arizona, as well as an author and conference speaker. He has a passion for the local Church and for the free offer of the gospel to be proclaimed far and wide. Samson’s article below contains his reflection on the third Sola and is aptly entitled: “Sola Gratia - Grace Alone” The religions of man often like to bring grace into the equation. Human works always play a role in obtaining salvation in these man made formulas. An appeal is often made that although works (human actions) must be involved before salvation can occur, it is still “grace alone” that saves because it is God alone who is the ultimate source of power for these works. They say that God (in the end) therefore gets the glory for the works we do to save ourselves. While it is true that for the Christian, God's grace empowers us for Christian service (sanctification), the Bible makes it abundantly clear that the works we do play no role whatsoever in our salvation (justification) (Romans 4:4, 5). In contrast, Rome confuses justification with sanctification for in their scheme, only when a man is fully sanctified will he be declared right with God (or justified). Yet Romans 5:1 declares that justification is a past tense event for the believing Christian - having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8, 9 also declares, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” According to the Bible, for grace to truly be grace, works cannot be mixed in. Romans 11:6 says, “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” In contrast with all man made concepts, the Protestant Reformers heralded the message of "Sola Gratia," or Grace Alone. There was no confusion as to the meaning of the term. Sola Gratia meant grace at the start, grace to the end, grace in the middle, grace without fail, grace without mixture, grace without addition, grace that allows no boasting, grace that precludes all glorying but in the Lord. All false concepts of grace would seek to eliminate at least one of these clauses, but the biblical Gospel stands firm. Unless Grace Alone is understood in this manner, man will always have some room for boasting. The Reformers understood that man’s only contribution to the table of redemption is in fact his sin. Man’s will is not a deciding factor (Romans 9:16) because it is inseparably linked with his heart which is desperately wicked and while still in the flesh, he cannot submit to God (Rom 8:7,8). It takes a new heart - a regenerated or born again heart - to enter or even see the kingdom of God (John 3). As Martin Luther said, “If any man ascribes salvation, even the very least, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he has not learnt Jesus Christ aright.” Even though we are justified by simple faith, without any human works or human merit involved, even this faith is the gift of God and not a reason for which to boast, for any boasting of man robs God of His glory. The works we do are the fruit and not the root of our salvation. The fruit is necessary to affirm that the faith is genuine, but Jesus Christ is the Savior who saves through faith alone - plus nothing! Only when Sola Gratia is properly understood does Soli Deo Gloria (the fifth sola) maintain its integrity. The issue has never been the necessity of grace, but the sufficiency of grace. All man made religion believes grace is Sermon Series: Seizing the Solas Sola Gratia: Grace Alone Ephesians 2:1-10
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Volume 3 - Number 5 The week of November 12, 2017
Loudonville Community Church
THIS WEEK’S CORE STATEMENT
Salvation by Grace: We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely
essential and that a person comes into a right relationship with God by His grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.
John Samson is the pastor-teacher of King’s Church in Peoria, Arizona, as well as an author and conference speaker. He has a
passion for the local Church and for the free offer of the gospel to be proclaimed far and wide. Samson’s article below contains
his reflection on the third Sola and is aptly entitled: “Sola Gratia - Grace Alone”
The religions of man often like to bring grace into the equation. Human works always play a role in obtaining
salvation in these man made formulas. An appeal is often made that although works (human actions) must be
involved before salvation can occur, it is still “grace alone” that saves because it is God alone who is the
ultimate source of power for these works. They say that God (in the end) therefore gets the glory for the works
we do to save ourselves.
While it is true that for the Christian, God's grace empowers us for Christian service (sanctification), the Bible
makes it abundantly clear that the works we do play no role whatsoever in our salvation (justification)
(Romans 4:4, 5). In contrast, Rome confuses justification with sanctification for in their scheme, only when a
man is fully sanctified will he be declared right with God (or justified). Yet Romans 5:1 declares that
justification is a past tense event for the believing Christian - having been justified by faith we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8, 9 also declares, “For by grace you have been saved
through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may
boast.” According to the Bible, for grace to truly be grace, works cannot be mixed in. Romans 11:6 says, “But if
it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”
In contrast with all man made concepts, the Protestant Reformers heralded the message of "Sola Gratia," or
Grace Alone. There was no confusion as to the meaning of the term. Sola Gratia meant grace at the start,
grace to the end, grace in the middle, grace without fail, grace without mixture, grace without addition, grace
that allows no boasting, grace that precludes all glorying but in the Lord. All false concepts of grace would seek
to eliminate at least one of these clauses, but the biblical Gospel stands firm. Unless Grace Alone is understood
in this manner, man will always have some room for boasting.
The Reformers understood that man’s only contribution to the table of redemption is in fact his sin. Man’s will
is not a deciding factor (Romans 9:16) because it is inseparably linked with his heart which is desperately
wicked and while still in the flesh, he cannot submit to God (Rom 8:7,8). It takes a new heart - a regenerated
or born again heart - to enter or even see the kingdom of God (John 3). As Martin Luther said, “If any man
ascribes salvation, even the very least, to the free will of man, he knows nothing of grace, and he has not learnt
Jesus Christ aright.” Even though we are justified by simple faith, without any human works or human merit
involved, even this faith is the gift of God and not a reason for which to boast, for any boasting of man robs
God of His glory. The works we do are the fruit and not the root of our salvation. The fruit is necessary to
affirm that the faith is genuine, but Jesus Christ is the Savior who saves through faith alone - plus nothing!
Only when Sola Gratia is properly understood does Soli Deo Gloria (the fifth sola) maintain its integrity. The
issue has never been the necessity of grace, but the sufficiency of grace. All man made religion believes grace is
Sermon Series: Seizing the Solas Sola Gratia: Grace Alone
Ephesians 2:1-10
necessary but cannot embrace grace's sufficiency, and because of this, stands in opposition to the only Gospel
that saves.
Sola Gratia, Soli Deo Gloria. It is because God saves us by His Grace Alone that all the glory for it goes to God alone.
STEP ONE . . .
READING what the passage says
(Read it at least three times)
Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world,
following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the
mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because
of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together
with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his
grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this
is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk
in them.
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THIS WEEK’S COMPLEMENTARY PASSAGE
Titus 2:11-15(ESV)
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,12 training us to renounce
ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present
age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus
Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people
for his own possession who are zealous for good works.15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with
all authority. Let no one disregard you.
STEP TWO . . . OBSERVING how the passage moves
Return to the passage and mark key words, phrases and movements:
• Circle all of the words in these passages that speak of the Triune God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit, etc.).
• Underline the significant verbs/action words in these passages.
• In Ephesians 2:1, underline the phrase: “you were dead in the trespasses and sins.”
• In Ephesians 2:4, highlight the phrase: “But God.”
• In Ephesians 2:4, underline the phrase: “being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he
loved us.”
• In Ephesians 2:5, underline the phrase: “made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been
saved.”
• In Ephesians2:7, underline the phrase: “he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace
in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
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STEP THREE . . .
Ask the five “W” questions and the one “H” question:
1. WHO is speaking? Who is this about? Who are the main characters? And, to whom is it speaking?
2. WHAT is the subject of the passage? What does the passage say about the subject?
3. WHEN do or will the events occur? When did something happen to a particular person, people, or nation?
4. WHERE did or will this happen?
5. WHY is something said or mentioned? Why would or will this happen? Why at this time? Why this person?
6. HOW will it happen? How is it to be done? How is it illustrated?
STEP FOUR . . .
UNDERSTANDING what the passage means
This commentary is intended to enhance your own study of the text.
Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV)
2:1-Either verses 1–7 or 1–10 form one sentence in Greek,
with the main verb in v. 5. It is one sustained argument.
Paul’s presentation includes (1) the hopelessness, helpless-
ness, and spiritual lostness of all mankind, vv. 1-3; (2) the
unmerited grace of God, vv. 4-7; and (3) the necessary human
response, faith and life, vv. 8-10.
“You.” In Colossians and Ephesians this plural pronoun al-
ways refers to believing Gentiles.
“Were dead.” This word may also be rendered “being dead.” It
refers to spiritual death. The Bible speaks of three stages of
death: (1) spiritual death (cf. Gen. 2:17; 3; Isa. 59:2; Rom. 7;
10-11; James 1:15); (2) physical death (cf. Gen. 5); and (3)
eternal death, called “the second death” (cf. Rev. 2:11; 20:6,
14; 21:8).
“Trespasses.” This Greek term (paraptōma) means “falling to
one side” (cf. 1:7). All Greek words for “sins” are related to
the Hebrew concept of deviation from the standard of God’s
righteousness. The term “right,” “just,” and their derivatives
in Hebrew are from a construction metaphor for a measuring
reed. God is the standard. All humans deviate from that
standard (cf. Ps. 14:1-3; 5:9; 10:7; 36:1; 53:1-4; 140:3; Isa.
53:6; 59:7-8; Rom. 3:9-23; 1 Pet. 2:25).
“Sins.” This Greek term (hamartia) means “missing the
mark” (cf. 4:26). The two terms for sin in verse 1 are used as
synonyms to illustrate mankind’s fallen, estranged condition
(cf. Rom. 3:9, 19, 23; 11:32; Gal. 3:22).
2:2-“In which you once walked.”The Greek term that is trans-
lated as ‘walk’ is a biblical metaphor for one’s lifestyle.
“Following the course of this world.” This current fallen world
system is personified as an enemy (cf. Gal. 1:4). It is fallen
mankind attempting to meet all of their needs apart from
God. In John’s writing it is called “the world” (cf. 1 John 2:2,