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Grace
Favor for the Undeserving
a 173-page book
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
|
Nearly every world religion teaches that you have to work for your salvation. If you work hard enough and are good enough, then you'll make it. Only in true, biblical Christianity are we taught that God sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins, so that if we believe in him, we'll be saved. It is all God's grace -- God's favor for the utterly undeserving. Grace is central to our understanding of God and Christ, a core theme of both Old and New Testaments.
In September 2014, the author was privileged to bring 15 messages on grace to pastors gathered for the African Renewal Conference in Eldoret, Kenya. Here is a distillation of those messages centered on the classic Scripture verses that teach us grace. Each lesson looks at a different aspect of God's grace. The final lessons examine how believers who have received so much grace can deliberately dispense God's grace to others through gracious living and ministry.
The message of grace is crystal clear in the Bible. Predestination and foreknowledge, on the other hand, are only vaguely understood. People argue about how much is God's part and how much is man's part in salvation. We learn from comparing and contrasting, but the lessons themselves focus on the clear teachings of Scripture about grace. Controversy is not ignored, however, but probed in an appendix to increase understanding of the issues involved.
Intended for study as well as instruction, the topic of grace is presented in nine lessons. Each chapter concludes with a summary of lessons for disciples to ponder. Helpful thought and discussion questions make it useful for personal enrichment and by small groups and classes. Extensive research contained in the footnotes makes it a goldmine for teachers and a boon to preachers involved in sermon preparation.
Here is an outline of the lessons.
- Our Gracious God (1 Peter 5:10; Exodus 34:6-7; Hosea 1-3)
- Grace That Is Wildly Undeserved (Romans 5:6-8; Ephesians 2:1-5)
- Jesus: Full of Grace and Truth (John 1:14-17; 3:16-18)
- Balancing Grace and Law (Romans 3:21-26)
- Balancing Grace and Good Works (Ephesians 2:8-10)
- Grace to Believe and Persevere (Romans 8:28-30; 1 Peter 1:4-5)
- Grace in Time of Need (Hebrews 4:16; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10)
- Grace and Ministry (1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:9-10)
- A Grace-Filled Way of Life (Luke 6:27-28; Colossians 4:5-6; 1 Peter 5:5-7)
See the entire Table of Contents.
This study is available in book format (below) or at no cost
delivered via e-mail over a
nine-week period.
Copyright © 2024, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastorjoyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.
In-depth Bible study books
You can purchase one of Dr. Wilson's complete Bible studies in PDF, Kindle, or paperback format -- currently 48 books in the JesusWalk Bible Study Series.
Old Testament
- Abraham, Faith of
- Jacob, Life of
- Moses the Reluctant Leader
- Joshua
- Gideon
- David, Life of
- Elijah
- Psalms
- Solomon
- Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120-134)
- Isaiah
- 28 Advent Scriptures (Messianic)
- Daniel
- Rebuild & Renew: Post-Exilic Books
Gospels
- Christmas Incarnation (Mt, Lk)
- Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7)
- Luke's Gospel
- John's Gospel
- Seven Last Words of Christ
- Parables
- Jesus and the Kingdom of God
- Resurrection and Easter Faith
Acts
Pauline Epistles
- Romans 5-8 (Christ-Powered Life)
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians, Philemon
- 1 & 2 Thessalonians
- 1 &2 Timothy, Titus
General Epistles
Revelation
Topical