Understanding the dispensation of Grace

Ephesians 3:1-7
Notice verse 1 – dispensation of grace
“1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.”

To teach you that as a child of God you have been bestowed with the grace of God, which enable you to fulfill God’s plan for your life. Also, you have bee saved by God’s grace and not of your works.

John 1:14-16 (amplified) “and of His fullness we have all received and grace for grace”
“1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.”

A. We have peace with God
Ephesians 2:14
“14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,”

B. For by grace you have been saved and not of your own works.
Ephesians 2:8
“8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”

1. What is grace
Amplified Bible
Ephesians 2:8-9  “For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]”

B. Grace is God’s unmerited favor towards those who believe in His son, undeserved blessings, a grace gift.

2. How grace works

2 Corinthians 12:9 “my grace is sufficient for you”
“9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

1 Peter 5:5-10
“5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
      “ God resists the proud,
      But gives grace to the humble.”[a]
 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because[b] your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may[c] the God of all grace, who called us[d] to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”

We must always remember god is in control of our lives.

Philippians 1:6
“6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

3. How did grace come about and why
Romans 5:12-17  
“12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)”

B. Watch of us has been given grace for life.
Word wealth (Grace – God’s ability)

Ephesians 4:7
“17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of[a] the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,”

Romans 15:15
“15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God,”

Galatians 2:8-10
“8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.”

4. We have the right to tap into abundance of grace.

Romans 5:17
“17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)”

Acts 4:33 “Disciple great grace”
“33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”

B. Run to the throne of grace

Hebrews 4:16
“16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need”

5. You can increase in grace
You can hinder grace from working into your life.

James  4:6
“6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
      “ God resists the proud,
      But gives grace to the humble.”

B. How to grow in grace – increase
2 Peter 3:18
“18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

C. Establish in grace
Hebrews 13:7-9
“7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Do not be carried about[a] with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.”

D. Be strong in grace
2 Timothy 2:1
“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”

E. You can fall from grace
Galatians 5:1-4
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,[a] and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”

Galatians 2:4
“And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),”

A.Not walking in grace, will bring you into bondage
Main point: Paul testimony is
Galatians 2:19-21
“19 For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

B. Justification by faith
Galatians 3:1-3(notice verse 3)
“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth,[a] before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you[b] as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”

C. Do not use Christian liberty as an opportunity to sin.
Galatians 5:1
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,[a] and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”