TEACHING NOTES Introduction ‌Today we continue our Buzz Words series where we are defining popular words in the Bible. Our word for today is “grace” which is an important word in the Bible. Most people think they understand grace, but the term meant much more in the Bible than most modern people know. The biblical concept of grace will challenge us to rethink what it means to be in a relationship with God. ‌ Titus 2:11 ESV 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, ‌ Most Christians know that we’re saved by God’s grace. And that’s where most people stop. Paul has more to say to Titus, but we’ll come back to it later. ‌ The issue is not that God saves us by grace, but our definition and understanding of grace that is the problem. ‌ Grace = Grk. χάρις (charis) - a gift showing favor and a desire for relationship. ‌ The problem for us is that we don’t understand “gift” in the Bible. ‌ When we hear “gift” we assume Paul thinks of gifts the same way we do. ‌ Misunderstanding Grace ‌ Many Christians define grace as a free gift from God that has no strings attached. God gives us grace and requires nothing in return. However, the authors of the Bible would strongly disagree with this definition. ‌ Problem: If you believe that grace is a gift that requires nothing in return, then you will live like God requires nothing in return. ‌ This is the root of the problem in modern Christianity. People have been taught that God gives grace with no strings attached. It’s no surprise that people live according to what they have been taught. They have their ticket punched for heaven with no plans to pursue and obey God in the meantime. ‌ Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ‌ Grace = Grk. χάριτί (chariti)- a gift of favor and goodwill. This is where we get the English word “charity” which refers to an act of kindness or giving a gift. ‌ While grace is often thought of as a religious word, it was used widely in Greek secular literature as well. Charis simply meant a gift showing a desire for a relationship. Paul is using a common word to describe what God is doing. ‌ Saved = Grk. σῴζω (sōzō) - delivered, set free from bondage. In the New Testament, salvation is limited to a one-time event but an ongoing process. God wants to set us free and must desire to stay set free. ‌ Faith = Grk. πίστις (pistis) - ongoing trust, faithfulness, allegiance. Faith is not about believing a story, but about living out the story you believe. ‌ Grace is the gift and faithfulness is how we receive grace. ‌ This is not your own doing = Salvation by grace through faith is not our idea, nor did we do anything to bring about salvation. God alone planned and provided salvation through sending Christ for us. The only thing we provided was the need for salvation, which is our sin. ‌ Not a result of works = God offers grace as a gift to all people before they have done anything to earn it. God offers grace first and the offer is not based on merit or worth. Many people misunderstand this line as saying that grace requires nothing. But Paul is speaking about the “front end” of grace. God offers grace because He wants to, not because we earned it or deserved it. However, the “back end” of grace goes beyond the offer and calls us to return a gift back to God. ‌ The gift of God = Grk. δῶρον (dōron) - an offering. This word occurs 19 times in the New Testament and is always connected to an offering/sacrifice to God in the temple, except for here in Eph. 2:8 where it is a gift from God to us. ‌ Modern Gifts: In the modern West, a gift is free and has no strings attached, meaning there are no expectations to do anything in return. For us, if a gift has expectations it is not a gift. This concept of gifts is a modern invention of Western cultures. This view of gifts is completely foreign in both modern and ancient cultures of the East. ‌ In the ancient world, giving someone a gift indicated that you wanted to begin a relationship. If the recipient responded with their own gift, it was an indication that they too want to continue the relationship. ‌ Reciprocation is the evidence of relationship. ‌ If grace is called a gift, then we need to make sure we understand how the authors of the Bible practiced gift giving. In the modern west, a gift is given for free without any expectations of receiving something in return. However, the authors of the Bible were ancient Eastern people, not modern Westerners. ‌ In biblical times, a gift was given to start an ongoing relationship. Rejecting a gift indicated that you did not want an ongoing relationship. Likewise, refusing to return a gift indicated you did want a relationship. If you received a gift, then you were expected to return the favor by giving a gift of your own. Giving a gift in return indicated that you trusted the other person and wanted to continue the relationship. This is the concept of reciprocation. The evidence of an ongoing relationship was a constant reciprocation of gifts. If at any point you wanted to end the relationship, you simply stopped the reciprocation. ‌ God’s Radical Grace: In the ancient world, you would not give a gift indiscriminately to just anyone. You would give a gift only to someone you value. The Jews applied this God and believed that God gives grace only to the descendants of Abraham (Israel). They were worthy of the gift because of their ethnicity and connection to Abraham. However, Paul describes God’s grace as being offered to all people, both Jew and Gentile, who are both unworthy sinners. God’s grace is radical because He offers it to sinners who are unworthy. ‌ God offers the gift of grace to us before we deserved it. In that regard, grace is offered to us for free. But accepting God’s gift obligates a return. ‌ God expects His gift of grace to be a continual relationship of faithfulness. ‌ God gives grace and expects faithfulness in return. ‌ Ephesians 2:10 ESV 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ‌ Workmanship = Grk. poiema - creation. We are God’s creation and in receiving God’s gift of grace, we become God’s new creation. ‌ Created in Christ for good works = The Greek verb for “created” (ktizo) is in the aorist tense, meaning it is ongoing. We are saved by grace through faithfulness so that we can be transformed and do good works in return. Our good works are gifts we give back to God. ‌ We should walk in them = The Greek verb for “walk” (peripateo) is in the aorist tense, meaning in is ongoing. We must continue in good works to show that we want an ongoing relationship with God. ‌ We are not saved BY good works, but we are saved FOR good works. ‌ Titus 2:11–12 ESV 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ‌ Training us = Grk. paideuo - discipline, educate, training through practice. Receiving God’s gift of grace leads to a continual change of how we think and how we behave. Grace is meant to change us. ‌ Renounce = Grk. arneomai - deny, repudiate, disown, reject. This term commonly refers to a verbal refusal of consent to ungodly and worldly desires. Keep in mind that this leads to persecution. The world will also disown you if you renounce what they are promoting. ‌ Live self-controlled = Grk. sophronos - live wisely by showing self-control. ‌ Upright = Grk. diakaios - righteous. Live in right relationship with God. ‌ In this present age = While we wait for the age to come (new creation), we are commanded to be godly in the meantime. ‌ Titus 2:13–14 ESV 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. ‌ Gave himself to redeem us from all lawlessness = Christ did not give Himself to save us only on judgment day, but also to save us from living a sinful life now. ‌ To purify for himself a people = Grace is meant to purify us in this life in order to prepare us for the next life with God. ‌ Zealous for good works = Good works are our gifts back to God. God gives us grace and we give good gifts back to Him. ‌ Our response to God’s gift of grace indicates whether or not we have really received His gift. ‌ A continual offering of ourselves back to God is the proper response to God’s gift of grace. ‌ ‌Romans 12:1 (my translation) “I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercy, to continually offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, devoted and pleasing to God, which is your rational service (genuine return to God).” ‌‌ Conclusion ‌As we end our gathering today we need to prayerfully consider God’s gift and how we are responding to His gift. We need to repent of our lack of faithfulness and give ourselves completely to God. We need to renew our commitment to be faithful and walk in good works. This is our gift back to God.