The Gift of Grace - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Lord known comes to you under the direction of Elder Lucero Bradley Junior, pastor of the Cincinnati primitive Baptist Church will and this is pushing Bradley Junior inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace and will and in and in and will and in a will and in and will and thank each of you who are helping with the support of this program, you recognize that there is a special lead the present and I'm very thankful for those who have given an extra amount, making it possible for us to stay on their if you want us to remain on your local station. We need to hear from you.

Our mailing address is the Baptist Bible. Our box 17 oh 37, Cincinnati, OH 45217, or you can make a donation by going to our website@baptistbiblehour.org Bible handed turn with me to the book of first Corinthians chapter 1 going to read a few more verses than usual in the beginning of the message for someone look at the fourth verse which we will use as architects first Corinthians chapter 1 verse four I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ the gift of grace. What a gift. How marvelous the grace of God. Verse one. First Corinthians chapter 1 beginning with the first verse, Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ to the will of God and stuff and he is our brother, under the church of God which is at Corinth them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

Grace be unto you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ, that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that he come behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful about whom you were called on to the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Paul first gives thanks for the grace that is given to this church at Corinth, but in the process.

He acknowledges the grace that is given to him because he says Paul called to be an apostle was called by the will of God is not because of any merit of his own. It was purely by grace in the sovereign will of God. Saul of Tarsus was an enemy of the church.

He didn't just look at it with indifference. He opposed he despised. He was consenting to have Christians put to death. What a remarkable transformation when the Lord visited them on the road to Damascus and brought them down reveal Christ doing changed his life so he identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God.

Paul is writing to confront and correct a number of disorders in this church is fact if you look at the epistle as a whole have to say that is an expectation to godly living. But he begins reminding them of what God had done for them and also what he had promised yet to traverse much think about the giver of grace.

Paul thanks God for the grace given grace is undeserved mercy given centers. It cannot be earned or merited, or even repay it would be grace if it was something that was given on the basis of merit.

Good works, faithful effort, grace is mercy given to undeserving sinners. Some items, I am doing the very best I can put because the holy God of heaven demands perfection come close all have sinned and come short of the glory of God best you can do comes woefully short of what God demands.

So because of sin. There is a need for grace and because of grace, sin is put away, but couldn't access the gospel that sin is put away the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ephesians chapter 1 verse seven, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, the forgiveness of sins.

Sometimes a personal say what I just can't forgive myself for I can't forgive somebody else for what they've done. San Jose will thing the burden of guilt be almost unbearable. When we talk about the forgiveness of sin that the very God of heaven, whom we have offended her transgressions forgives us what marvelous news. What reason to rejoice. What comfort and consolation to know why we can't roll back the clock and we can't do the things we have done we can find forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

I could not observe. In reading these first verses first Corinthians chapter 1 as to how frequently the focus is on God and on Jesus Christ.

Trust in these few verses, Paul is constantly referring to God. God is the giver of this grace and he's the only one that can help this church recover from its difficult situation just noticed verse one and apostle of Jesus Christ. Verse one through the will of God. Verse two unto the church of God verse two sanctified in Christ Jesus.

Verse two all the call upon Jesus Christ treat the constant focus that's put on God and Jesus Christ first three peace from God our father verse three and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse four I thank my God always verse for the grace of God. Verse four given you by Jesus Christ.

Verse five enriched by him, verse six, the testimony of Christ. Verse seven coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse eight who shall confirm you to the end. Verse eight, the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse nine God is faithful. Verse nine Jesus Christ our Lord 17 times in nine verses reference is made to God that Jesus Christ truly his name is lifted up, we praise you. We rejoice in him. He is the giver of this grace of which the apostle speaks he speaking about the grace of God so that they sinners by nature are now sanctified they are addressed as saints. He speaks to them as being enriched by God, and he speaks to the fact that God has confirmed them to the giver of grace our sovereign God giving us abundant grace through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let's observe some of these particular blessings of grace describe its by grace that he addresses them as the church. The church of God. He refers to them as being God's church belonging to the church.

We have the privilege of membership and we should be thankful for that. But the church belongs to Christ. Now, as members we have obligations to fill our plates to support church to pray for the church to respect the church I find many times a day that there is lacking in many of these areas the person to spend it takes for granted church is there.

I can attend, but it's comfortable doesn't interfere with any other plan if I got something else to do.

I don't feel any obligation to I can come and go like this church to move on to another and obligation to the local church of our membership. Paul is speaking of a particular church. The church of God which is correct. That was a church that had many problems yet he addresses it as the church of God.

There were factions that was in the strife lawsuits that the people missing church with the court suing each other but that's that's how far this church it gone down the wrong path. There was immorality there was a lack of discipline, the church and terribly failed in that area had not held up the principles of righteousness to them and maintain mental Paul has to confront them about the matter of discipline was doctrinal error. Certainly there was spiritual immaturity had to be fed with milk cannot with meat that we disorders of the Lord's table. They were relying on human wisdom and the list goes on. Now when you hear all that you read the entire book of first things you might say I don't think I would: the church somebody would say one day that church would be internal disorder have no respect for the apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit addresses it as the church of God which is at Corinth, doesn't mean that we defend their errors or their failure or other improper actions, but it does give us some comfort to know that God is often more gracious than man that he still identifies it as church.

Paul leaves and change. He believes the change is possible is writing this church to point out some of their errors and discrepancies. The expresses thanks to God for what God has done for them and speak support God intends it to do because he is promised to be faithful to them. So we are reminded of this that God is the God of hope, there is always hope in God can never say not the God of the Bible you can never say this because God identifies himself as a God of hope Romans chapter 15 verse 13 now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope A person how you know I'm hanging in there that would satisfy the possible. I want to just hang in there. I want you not only to have a whole would you do abound in hope.

I want to have an abundance of energy through the power of the Holy Ghost, and I myself also am persuaded of you my brother, and that you are full of goodness filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another so as with monies one another on the basis of biblical truth, hope is built up we can encourage one another, we can help one another.

We can see change real quick change needs to occur lives because we trust in God.

God is the God of hope, I might be speaking to somebody today who is in the very low dark place you close the feeling hopeless. But remember, God still, I'm still able to do for you what you are unable to do for yourself.

Says he is the God of hope, we need to keep this truth ever in mind when we looking at a church.

The problems with church or were looking at an individual with problems that can at times seem to be helping all believe that by the grace of God that have been given them the power of God. The enabling work of the Holy Spirit of God.

These who were saved by grace could be changed by grace, that you have you had friends that you've tried to help someone that you've tried to admonish someone that you tried to encourage after time when there was no positive change. You gave up one given up on this church was in bad shape. I can imagine any purchase. I am allowed to enter. That's a church I'd like to pastor while the problem is a great I feel overwhelmed with all of these people he loved this church.

He wanted to see it recovered, so it doesn't give up hope will not give up hope for the church to hundreds an individual or maybe somebody you prayed for for a long time and you probably were with him and work with looks hopeless at the moment, but we're still talking about one who is able to do far beyond what we can think or even asked for. So Paul is directing the people not to himself and not to themselves but to God. Many many faults indeed. But he next has called them the church of God. He calls them Saints, which means a people set apart. Now, when you read this description you would be inclined to say I thankful for the Saints at Corinth, but Paul calls them saints. I work yes changes it needed to be made, problems that needed to be so first in order to get that.

He reminds them of their position in Christ.

He says you're the church of God, you are saints. Meaning you have been sanctified, that is your position.

They were the children of God, but this time they were disobedient children but they were still children see there was a difference between their position and their practice. Positionally they were in Christ. Positionally, they were the recipients of God's grace.

They were sanctified they were set apart but as far as the practice they were stumbling in faltering and coming far short in the sufficient Paul directly confronts each error. Each sin he doesn't ignore them. He doesn't say what I just love you people so much that I'm not going to confront you know we love them enough to speak the truth, but he gives them an incentive for change. He reminds them of who they are. You are in Christ.

Christ is in you the hope of glory. You are saints. Your sanctified I would ask you today you feel like a saint. Most of the sale, absolutely not. I'm not even close. But if your child of God you are synced positionally in Christ you have been set apart. You belong to him.

So they're not doing well as far as progressive sanctification is concerned, you see that distinction must be made positionally God's people are sanctified, but far as their walk, their experience of day today. It's a progressive thing. They are being progressively sanctified and the 30th verse of this first chapter of first Corinthians, it says, but of Kim, are you in Christ Jesus, who love God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Christ is made unto us sanctification. He is our wisdom.

He is our righteousness. He is our sanctification.

He is redemption. So being in him you are sanctified.

All saints are set apart. They are called sinks at the mean just a name attached to them. It means reason there saint is because the call. The been called by the Holy Spirit of God in first Peter chapter 1 there is reference in the beginning to election and to sanctification God has chosen the people elected them, and consequently they are sanctified in Christ, but to get to the 15th verse you see the practical application of, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of common for the fact that you been chosen was not that you just might live after the flesh, and secure place in heaven that what I do. Here are that you don't have any concern about daily sanctification. No sense be holy. Even as I'm home. That's what it's all about.

This is the foundation that God had given grace of the stilted upon you but now building on that foundation.

You are to walk in a godly matter. Saints reviewed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and that wonderful to consider Hebrews chapter 10 verse 10 we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Verse 14 for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified for the basis of your positional sanctification is the redemptive work of Jesus Christ because of his sacrifice. At the cross, sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ speaks of saints. In other places first two in this first chapter he says.

With all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord bears and our who are the saints and other places. All believers have the same Lord's order. Give us a gracious outlook toward other Christians have a tendency to focus on what our differences may be I don't agree with these people for this reason of that operation. I can't file a real fellowship with them because here's his one point it's important to me and I see that differently than they do what he says we have the same Lord, where part of the same family, thieves who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours processes my God T-shirt God is the God call all the call upon the Lord Jesus Christ. That doesn't include Muslims were calling on, or Hindus, who are calling on Brahma nor somebody that's on the way to heaven in darkness and anointing about Jesus Christ.

That's not the case. These call upon the Lord Jesus Christ and so we are one in him and have fellowship with other believers in the idea that a person may be on their way to heaven, but have never been brought to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ is foreign to the Scripture Scriptures declare he the believers on the son hath everlasting life. How thankful we can be for this gift of grace.

Salvation is of the Lord through Jesus Christ is accomplished at would like to get this complete message on CD request in writing and sent until next week.

At the same time I the Lord richly bless you all and the Baptist Bible is come to you under the direction of Elder Lucero Bradley Junior, pastor of the Cincinnati primitive Baptist Church address all mail to the Baptist Bible are Cincinnati, OH 45217. That's the Baptist Bible are Cincinnati, OH 45217