Walking by Grace thru Faith

Walking by Grace Thru Faith

Help in Your Journey with Jesus as You Learn to Walk by Grace through Faith; Joyfully Living the Christian Life.

By Jim Brady

INTRODUCTION

Begin with the basics. For a new believer, with no Bible background, there are many beliefs and ideas that can confuse you. Some are good and some are not. But how can you know the good from the bad? There are a few basic steps that I have put together in this book that will help every believer grow in a path toward maturity.

A newborn baby cannot begin growing by eating hamburgers and fries. It must begin with a liquid diet—milk or formula. Then, in time, soft foods are added to a baby’s meal. Eventually, solid foods become the norm for a diet that leads to healthy nourishment. Jesus describes our introduction to the Christian life as a new birth. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3).

This is the starting point for a healthy development of our spiritual life. But to advance in any mental or spiritual development, you must train yourself for a life of growth. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, says the psalmist in Psalm 119:105. And, Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. (119:11). The Apostle Paul instructed his student in ministry to Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15).

But many become frustrated and don’t grow spiritually because they don’t understand what has happened and where to begin. Others want to grow but do not have someone willing to teach them.

This is why every believer needs the fellowship of a local church with a pastor, teaching staff or members who feed the individuals as well as the congregation from the Word of God.

Discipleship is when a person studies from one who is more mature in God’s word. As you are discipled you are then able to disciple others in what you have learned. Every new believer should be discipled by someone to avoid being defeated and/or deceived. As you are discipled, you will fall in love with God, trust Him through His Word, and obey Him in His way; by grace, and in freedom—not in your own or someone else’s way. Understand that God has given you all you need in Jesus, but you have to learn to apply it in His strength and under His guidance.

The goal of this book is get you on a track to know what you are as a new Christian. Each chapter will introduce you to the basics for a maturing lifestyle in the grace of God. As you master each chapter, you will find that your growth will not be dependent upon your feelings, teachings outside the Bible, or the do the best you can attitude that is prevalent among some Christian groups and organizations. Instead, you will find simple—yet sometimes difficult—steps that will strengthen your walk in Living the Christian Life God’s Way – by Grace through Faith.

Just as the moon on the cover reflects the light of the Sun, we can reflect the Grace of God in this sometimes dark world.

NOTE: Scriptures quoted are in bold. ALL CAPS and italics within verses are in the translation. Underlining (and some bold) is added for emphasis, as well as any italic words outside of verses or quotes.

CHAPTER ONE

What is a Christian?

…AND THE DISCIPLES were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26).

The actual definition meaning is one who believes Jesus is the Christ or Messiah. Later we will cover what that means, but let’s keep it simple right now. A Christian is a person who has a personal relationship with God through Jesus. As part of that relationship, Jesus is your personal Savior; that is, He saves you from sin and its penalty, and gives you new eternal life in Him.

Christianity is not a religion like any other. Other religions are man’s attempts to reach God by doing something. Christianity is a relationship with God, where God, the creator of the universe, comes down to mankind to live as a man. Totally God and yet totally man, Jesus, became the one and only way by which an undeserving, sinful man can have fellowship with a perfect God. This transition from separated from God to His child is by grace, not earned, through faith and not our efforts or deeds. In Christ, we are His followers and also children of God.

A Christian is not someone who does or does not do certain things like walk an aisle in a church or meeting, or joined a certain church, or even praying a certain prayer. A Christian is someone who has been born again and becomes a new creation in Christ.

Because of that, a Christian is someone who has a personal relationship with Jesus and therefore can love, trust, and obey Him in His power and strength, guided by God. Not all Christians do this as they should because not all know everything that is theirs in Christ and for various reasons don’t take the time to learn and grow and love God.

Why is being a Christian a necessity?

Jesus said in John 14:6,

I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Apart from Jesus there is no way to come into a personal relationship with God. Jesus says He is the only way—the way. Without that relationship with Him, Jesus tells us that we are already condemned by separation from God and live in judgment.

He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18).

We are all born with a sin problem. We know this from the Bible, which is the inspired word of God. Inspired means that God directed the men what to write and that every word, in the original, is the word of God. God’s word also tells us that man was created perfect, but he chose to sin. Well, what is sin? It is an archery term that means to miss the mark. Applied to the Bible, sin is when we don’t hit the target of perfection every time perfectly. God gave us certain laws or rules to live by, like the Ten Commandments, and when we break one of those we are no longer perfect. He also put in each of us a conscience to know right from wrong and it is easy to see that every one of us breaks these laws and we are all sinners. Romans 3:23 tells us,

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

All of us – you and me and everyone ever born, except Jesus, have sinned.

Have you ever lied or stolen, or put something or someone first in your life instead of God? Of course you have; we all have, which is why we need a Savior. Jesus is our Savior. He, who is God, came to earth and paid for sin for us. It is like going to court to pay a huge fine you owe, but when you get there you find someone else has paid your fine.

We cannot make ourselves perfect no matter what we do, but God can by giving us His own righteousness. Romans 5:8 says,

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

So, Jesus paid your fine—your penalty—for sin. What is that penalty?

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

We have already earned death, but the Bible also tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life and that is an eternity with God now and later in a new Heaven prepared just for you that is so wonderful God tells us we can’t even imagine what it will be like.

but just as it is written, ‘THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.’ (1 Corinthians 2:9).

It is necessary for us to be saved because there is no other way to come into a personal relationship with God. Also, we are saved from the penalty of sin we deserve because all of us are sinners and none of us are perfect; but Jesus is. He paid the penalty for us. So, how do you get that payment? You receive that free gift of God by faith or trusting that Jesus can and will save you from sin and make you born again from above, which makes you a new creature,

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We are saved for fellowship with God; from sin to a new life in Christ. Rather than being separated from God forever and having to pay for our own sin, because we refused the payment Jesus made for us (John 3:16-18), we have eternal life.

How do I get saved?

While Paul was in jail, in a town called Philippi, the Philippian jailer asked him,

…what must I do to be saved? Paul answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved… (Acts 16:30-31).

Notice that there is only one thing, one action verb, for the lost person to do to receive salvation and that is, believe. Most places in Scripture present salvation as simple. Jesus said,

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Some might want to add things like join the local church, be baptized, repent, quit sinning, pray a sinner’s prayer or many other things. But Jesus and Paul kept it simple. Faith, or belief in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, His death, burial, and resurrection means you have quit rejecting Jesus and are saved (John 3:18).

Believe - Granted that word means more than a belief that something is true. This type of belief means the same as faith, trust or confidence in God’s provision of Jesus’ payment for your sin. The moment a lost person exercises the faith God provides to trust in Christ is the moment he is saved; totally forgiven of all sin and given a new life in Christ. Your story ends and a new eternal story begins - a story without an end. You give up your sin and old life and receive a new life in Christ and start learning to listen to God and be daily who He has made you at the moment of Salvation.

Some other scriptures are John 6:28-29, Romans 4:4-5, Romans 1:16, and Ephesians 2:8-10.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9).

If there was anything we could do to earn or keep our salvation it would cease to be a free gift and would become a conditional contract. That was the Law of Moses: If you will I will.

If GRACE is grace then you won't stop deserving it since you never deserved it to begin with.

Salvation is simple and one sided. God says, I have a free gift; receive it. This prevents any pride on our part. Christ said, It is finished, which means paid in full (John 19:30), done! Other religions say DO. As a Christian we do good deeds because we are saved and motivated by a grateful love, not to get saved. The good deeds we do as Christians are from love and a grateful heart for what God did for us, not to get anything. Salvation is by grace (undeserved), not by your performance. (Ephesians 2:8-10) A lost human is spiritually dead in his trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) and thus incapable of doing anything of spiritual value, such as obey, submit, or do anything good.

By making these other things the conditions of salvation rather than simply believing, obstacles are placed in front of the unbeliever that he or she is incapable of fulfilling. The lost are capable of doing only one thing that is pleasing to a holy God: trusting in His provision for salvation. - Andy Woods; How Complicated is Salvation? ©2010 www.spiritandtruth.org/teaching/documents/articles/

God is not mean or pushy. If you do decide to reject Jesus and His payment for your sin, you can. Also, if you do give up running your life and turn your life over to His control, God will not force you to make the right choices. You learn what those right choices are and how to make them as you mature. This book is designed to help you learn how to make the right choices and live by grace through faith, not by rules. There is a big difference between keeping rules or commands from fear, or because we should, and between keeping Jesus’ commands because we love Him and we get to.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15).

Again, becoming a Christian is believing in or trusting in Jesus, and He saves you and starts you on the adventure of a new and eternal life.

Christianity is not keeping a set of rules, a prayer, going to church or anything else you can do. Salvation is a gift, freely given that needs to be received to save you. It is free, yet it cost Jesus His life and it costs you your life, but you get a new life that will never end; it is eternal. Just like Jesus died and three days later rose from the grave, you are also empowered in a resurrected life—this new life which you get is lived the way you got it, by grace through faith. God’s power takes care of saving you and giving you your day to day successful walk with Him. This walk is successful to bring you to where God wants you. There will be some suffering and problems, but His power and mercy and grace are enough to take you through. Focus your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, and one day you will see Him face to face and spend eternity in Heaven with Him.

If you have never believed in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, then do it now! Believe and receive the forgiveness of sin and the new life in Christ He offers.

Did you just pray (talking with God) to receive Jesus or have you already done this? Then you are a Christian! John 1:12 says,

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.

And 1 John 5:11-13 says,

"And the testimony is this, that God has given us