1. Grace Uncomplicated Ephesians 2:8-9 03/02/2008 Dr. Dane Boyles

2. Grace Uncomplicated Introduction
For the longest time I struggled with being good enough to be saved.
Have you ever felt that way?
“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).

3. Grace Uncomplicated
But somehow there was a disconnect between what I was taught and what was deep inside me.
Somehow, although I loved Jesus, I couldn’t get past having to do something and keep doing something to be saved.

4. Grace Uncomplicated
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (Eph 2:8-9, NIV)

5. Grace Uncomplicated
Grace is thought my many to be only a New Testament subject.
That’s not exactly correct.

6. Grace Uncomplicated
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17, NIV)

7. Grace Uncomplicated
The truth is, grace has existed from the beginning simply because God is a God of grace.

8. Grace Uncomplicated Grace Has Always Been the Way God Deals with Man.
In the beginning when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, God was gracious.
By the time we get to Genesis 6, the earth was corrupt and was full of violence.

9. Grace Uncomplicated
5 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. (Genesis 6:5, NIV)

10. Grace Uncomplicated
6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. (Genesis 6:6, NIV)

11. Grace Uncomplicated
7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:7, NIV)

12. Grace Uncomplicated
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8, NIV)

13. Grace Uncomplicated
Question: Why does God at this point show such grace?
9 Noah was blameless in God’s sight (Gen 6:9, NIV).

14. Grace Uncomplicated
God shows grace just because He wants to, as in the case of Adam and Eve.
God’s heart is moved by people who are blameless like Noah.

15. Grace Uncomplicated
We read about another important figure in Genesis – Abram.
He was from Ur of the Chaldeans.
He was far from perfect.
But he was also a man of faith.

16. Grace Uncomplicated
Then there’s the lives of Isaac, Jacob and Joseph and so many others.
So how is it that we can complicate the grace of God so much?
On the one hand, we complicate the grace of God because men complicate salvation.

17. Grace Uncomplicated
On the other hand, we complicate the grace of God because man make grace something it isn’t.

18. Grace Uncomplicated Three Important Principles from Ephesians 2:8-9:
Salvation is based on what God has done.

19. Grace Uncomplicated
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Eph 2:4-5, NIV)

20. Grace Uncomplicated Salvation is not a human achievement.
8 and this not from yourselves (Eph 2:8, NIV)
Salvation is not by human accomplishments.
9 not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:9, NIV)

21. Grace Uncomplicated Men Make Grace Something It’s Not.
Back in the 16th century men began to change the way grace was defined and the way grace was received.

22. Grace Uncomplicated
Grace is defined by the Old and New Testament covenants.
There are three unconditional covenants in the Old Testament: Noachic, Abrahamic, Davidic.
They are not dependent on human behavior.

23. Grace Uncomplicated But every other covenant is conditional.
Conditional Covenants: Mosaic covenant, New Covenant.

24. Grace Uncomplicated
You have to separate the giving of the law from the dictates of the law.
Just like the Law of Moses was to be obeyed, so the New Covenant is to be obeyed.

25. Grace Uncomplicated Conclusion
We don’t have to struggle with being good enough or doing enough to be saved.
We don’t have to buy in to denominational definitions of grace.

26. Grace Uncomplicated
All we have to do is love God and continue to get to know Him.
Your salvation and mine are not a matter of trying harder.
It’s merely a matter of loving God.

27. Grace Uncomplicated Ephesians 2:8-9 03/02/2008 Dr. Dane Boyles