This Free Gift of Salvation: : The Gospel of Grace with Kim Balogh

God has given a gift to the world in the person of Jesus and all who believe in Him are given eternal life. They have passed from death to life.

This free gift of salvation is motivated by the love of God and is an expression of God’s mercy. This free gift of salvation is a manifestation of God’s undeserved grace and is received through faith.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)

Not only are we saved by grace but we are also empowered by grace to live a life that pleases God. It is by
grace that God gives us His power to experience his peace and joy and long suffering in the face of any trial or tribulation.

“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,” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God’s grace saves us and also empowers us! As we walk in the Spirit we are blessed with God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

Saved by grace is different than saved by faith which some preach in error. The difference is very important. If we are saved by faith we make the salvation experience about our own effort, our own choice, but God has chosen grace because it involves no effort on our part at all.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that NOT OF YOURSELVES; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

If you had anything at all to do with your salvation you might have reason to boast but God has made salvation a free gift to those in whom he chooses to bestow this gift of his mercy.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15:16

The Breast plate of Righteousness

With the breast plate of righteousness on, we cannot wear our own righteousness. We must always look to the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. If you examine the life of Job you will find that he underwent a great test of his faith for the purpose of exposing his self righteousness. God does allow the devil to attack us and in doing so it usually reveals to us our inner motives and heart conditions.

Scriptures tell us that Job was a “righteous man” in other words he kept the law like Paul did but even though Job did righteous deeds he was in actuality a “self righteous man.” (Self-righteousness (also called sententiousness) is a feeling of smug moral superiority derived from a sense that one’s beliefs, actions, or affiliations are of greater virtue than those of the average person) wiki Dic.

Job relied upon his own good works rather than the work of grace. Job 40:8 “Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?”

But eventually as the trials continued Job became indignant…. he felt that he was entitled….”I am such a good guy so why are these things happening to me?”

Dwight L. Moody quotes it this way…“You can always tell when a man is a great ways from God — he is always talking about himself, how good he is. But the moment he sees God by the eye of faith, he is down on his knees, and, like Job, he cries, ” Behold I am vile.”

As we can see from the scriptures, Job had a lot to brag about didn’t he?

“When I went out to the gate by the city, when I took my seat in the open square, the young men saw me and hid, and the aged arose and stood; the princes refrained from talking, and put their hand on their mouth; the voice of nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. When the ear heard, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw, then it approved me; because I delivered the poor who cried out, and the fatherless and the one who had no helper. The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth.

Men listened to me and waited, and kept silence for my counsel. After my words they did not speak again, and my speech settled on them as dew. They waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain. If I mocked at them, they did not believe it, and the light of my countenance they did not cast down. I chose the way for them, and sat as chief; so I dwelt as a king in the army, as one who comforts mourners. (Job 29:7-17, 21-25)

But what happens when Job tries to justify himself before God ? He is humbled! God asks Job if he thinks that he is good enough to save himself and of course Job sees his sin and realizes, that no, he is not able to save himself.

Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said: “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”Then Job answered the Lord and said: “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath; look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in hidden darkness. Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you.” Job 40:1-14

After his chastising, Job sees his arrogance and pride. When God confronts him with his self righteousness then Job repents of it.

“Then Job answered the LORD, and said, “I know that Thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask Thee, and do Thou instruct me.’ “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees Thee; Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6

As long as we cling to our own self righteousness instead of wearing Christ’s breast plate of righteousness we are wide open for spiritual attack by Satan. True humility is recognizing your inability to be righteous of your own recognizance no matter how many good deeds you have done or how much of the law you have kept!

“For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. . . . But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. “ II Corinthians 10:12, 17-18

James 4:5-6 “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'” James 4:6

In conclusion, it is only the righteousness of Jesus Christ that makes us acceptable to God and NOTHING we do or ever could do, no matter how noble.

SOVEREIGN GRACE OR PREVIENT GRACE : The Gospel of Grace with Kim Balogh

The Arminian doctrine of “Prevenient Grace,” Taught by some Christian denominations is defined by John Wesley as “Human beings are totally incapable of responding to God without God first empowering them to have faith. This empowerment is known as “Prevenient Grace.”

Prevenient Grace doesn’t save us but, rather, comes before anything that we do, drawing us to God, making us WANT to come to God, and enabling us to have faith in God. Prevenient Grace is Universal, in as much as all humans receive it, regardless of their having heard of Jesus. It is manifested in the deep-seated desire of most humans to know God.

What is the difference between that and the scriptural doctrine of SOVEREIGN grace? I will show you. This doctrine is not an effectual grace. In other words it is a grace that is presented to a person but not bestowed as a free gift to the person. That type of grace is dependent on man’s choice or man’s initiative; therefore I make my argument that it is not the same grace as the bible teaches.

According to scriptures a person makes a decision based on the condition of his heart.

“A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” Matthew 7:18

If as the bible says, man’s heart is desperately wicked, has no good, (Jeremiah 17:9) how then can he choose anything good? How can a desperately sinful heart desire after God ?

Scriptures tell us that the sinful heart cannot submit to God’s laws, not “will not submit” but rather CANNOT submit.

“Sin is still hostile to God and cannot submit to His law” Rom. 8:7

It is only after the heart is filled with faith which comes from hearing God’s word can a person receive Jesus Christ. The blind man cannot see unless his eyes are opened and scriptures tell us that “the god of this world has blinded people’s eyes (their understanding)

“ In whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

Scripture tell us why some people do not believe the gospel. “You do not believe because you are not my sheep” John 10

“Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” John 8:47

The bible tells us that it is the condition of one’s heart which is the determining factor in receiving Jesus Christ as Savior. When one is given a new heart then he/she can receive the things of God but not until then. “And I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give to you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments and do them ” Ezek. 36:26-27

The regenerated person becomes then a NEW CREATION.

So that if anyone [is] in Christ, [he] is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new 2Co. 5:17

The old things, include the old heart, and this is removed by God. The Holy Spirit makes a person anew! (born again)

The doctrine of “prevenient grace” would make a person partly regenerate but man’s will (or nature) does the rest or completes it. This doctrine is not scriptural.

What do scriptures really teach? Scriptures teach that Man’s heart is totally depraved (corrupt) and cannot come to God by choice because of the fallen nature which is in opposition to God and all that is God. Man is blind in his dark heart (understanding and nature) and therefore a man must be given a new heart by God because he cannot save himself nor does he want to be saved.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were BY NATURE children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” Ephesians 2:1-3

The bible clearly teaches that the Father has set apart certain persons for Himself while excluding others who were not “given” to Him.

John 17: 9 , “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.”

“And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” Acts 13:48

“But ye believe not, BECAUSE ye are not of My sheep” John 10:26

“Therefore THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE because He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted…” See John 12:37-40

“According as HE HATH CHOSEN us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” Ephesians 1:4-5

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning CHOSEN you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

In a coming day the Lord Jesus Christ will say to many false professors of the true faith: “I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23

“I am the good shepherd, and KNOW My sheep, and am KNOWN of mine. As the Father KNOWETH Me, even so KNOW I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep…My sheep hear My voice, and I KNOW them, and they follow Me.” John 10:14, 15, 27

In conclusion, the doctrine of sovereign grace is scriptural grace while the Arminian doctrine of prevenient grace is unscriptural. Therefore I make my argument than man cannot come to Jesus Christ without the ability of God and so it is according to God’s good pleasure whom he saves. Our job is to preach the gospel and according to the bible, it is God’s job to give the increase of the harvest. SOLA SCRIPTURA!