How would you respond to the person who says, "I don’t have to do anything because I’m under grace"? How would you encourage someone who seems to be spiritually lazy? The statement, "I don’t have to do anything because I’m under grace," is absolutely true, but it often reflects the view of one who has been "worn out" by the busyness of religion, who has no idea that God’s grace is what brings the "abundant life" Jesus promised and only sees grace as a "ticket to heaven". They are not aware of "the Christ life". Any attempt to "encourage" a spiritually lazy person to become more active usually has little effect…external motivation never lasts! Anyone who believes that the life ruled by grace will be characterized by inactivity, doesn’t fully understand what happens when Jesus Christ, Who is God’s Grace, comes to live inside the believer. God’s grace not only delivers us from something, but delivers us to Someone! Freedom does not give us the right to live irresponsibly; Freedom provides the "life source" to live as we should. Jesus not only brings forgiveness, but real life, the life we were originally designed to live, when He comes inside. Nothing is more invigorating to a believer than continuously experiencing the grace of God.

John 1:14-17 The Word became a human and lived among us. We saw his glory—the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father—and he was full of grace and truth. John tells the truth about him and cries out, saying, "This is the One I told you about: ‘The One who comes after me is greater than I am, because he was living before me.’ " Because he was full of grace and truth, from him we all received one gift after another. The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

(REM) God became a human and lived among us and we saw His glory. He was so filled with grace and truth that He could only be God. John the Baptist described Him as superior and preceding his own existence. By His indwelling, we have received the fullness of His grace, one gift after another. The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came only by Jesus Christ.

God’s law is the truth…it is holy, righteous and good…but it contains no grace! Grace is the ultimate truth and supercedes even God’s law. During His ministry, Jesus faithfully taught the law and demonstrated grace. (Example: woman caught in adultery)

Truth is having correct information, grace is God’s unmerited favor toward us…only Jesus was able to teach and demonstrate both completely.

On a number of occasions in the Old Testament, God revealed Himself to people. Which account of such revelations is your favorite? Moses and the burning bush, followed closely by Balaam and the donkey.

The mystery that is so difficult for us Gentiles to comprehend is that God has chosen to reveal Himself, not only occasionally and under special circumstances as He did in the Old Testament, but everyday in the lives of every believer who agrees to allow Him to express His indwelling presence through their body.

How have you seen the glory of God in your own life? Every time I’m able to share the Good News with someone who has not heard the truth about God, His glory is seen in my life. Every time I respond with love and acceptance when I am "offended" by others, His glory is seen in my life.

List three differences between empty religion and spiritual reality: 1) Empty religion involves my efforts to serve God, spiritual reality is His efforts being expressed in my life. 2) Empty religion is my gift to God, spiritual reality is God’s gift to me. 3) Empty religion is based on rules, spiritual reality is grounded in grace. 4) Empty religion is service based on obligation, spiritual reality is service that springs from the natural expression of who we are in Christ.

Read Ephesians 2:10 and explain what the Bible means when it says that God has already prepared good works in which we are to walk. How does this verse reveal God’s grace as it related to works? (God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.)

A person walking in grace doesn’t get up each day with resolve to serve the Lord. He simply chooses to abide in Christ, moves forward through his day in faith, and when he sees an opportunity to serve God, he responds by allowing Jesus to express His life in those circumstances and rejoices that the omnipotent God of the universe allows him to participate in what the Father is doing in this world!

Read Titus 2:1-15. But you must tell everyone what to do to follow the true teaching. Teach older men to be self-controlled, serious, wise, strong in faith, in love, and in patience. In the same way, teach older women to be holy in their behavior, not speaking against others or enslaved to too much wine, but teaching what is good. Then they can teach the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be wise and pure, to be good workers at home, to be kind, and to yield to their husbands. Then no one will be able to criticize the teaching God gave us. In the same way, encourage young men to be wise. In every way be an example of doing good deeds. When you teach, do it with honesty and seriousness. Speak the truth so that you cannot be criticized. Then those who are against you will be ashamed because there is nothing bad to say about us. Slaves should yield to their own masters at all times, trying to please them and not arguing with them. They should not steal from them but should show their masters they can be fully trusted so that in everything they do they will make the teaching of God our Savior attractive. That is the way we should live, because God’s grace that can save everyone has come. It teaches us not to live against God nor to do the evil things the world wants to do. Instead, that grace teaches us to live now in a wise and right way and in a way that shows we serve God. We should live like that while we wait for our great hope and the coming of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us so he might pay the price to free us from all evil and to make us pure people who belong only to him—people who are always wanting to do good deeds. Say these things and encourage the people and tell them what is wrong in their lives, with all authority. Do not let anyone treat you as if you were unimportant.

How does grace teach us to deny ungodliness? How does it instruct us in godly living?

The essence of ungodliness is not just to sin, but to live and act apart from God…to be independent from God. The Grace of God and the person of Christ are synonymous. When Christ is indwelling, the believer is not governed by rules, but by the relationship of being united with the living Jesus. Living in God’s Grace will never encourage sin, but will always promote godly living, not by trying to keep the law, but by abiding in Christ. As Paul said, "Sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14)

Ø We experience forgiveness, which allows us to forgive others.

Ø We experience acceptance, and realize that our behavior never separates us from Jesus.

Ø We experience joy, which does not depend on external circumstances and allows us to see every situation as "good".

Ø We experience rest, because it is Christ who does the work through us.