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GraceNotes
GraceNotes is a concise quarterly Bible study on the important issues related to
salvation by grace and living by grace. They are designed for downloading (*pdf available)
and copying so they can be used in ministry. No permission is required if they are
distributed unedited at no charge. You can receive new GraceNotes by subscribing to
our free quarterly GraceLife newsletter.
Topic: Discipleship
Does James 2:14 teach that works are a necessary component for salvation?
Why do we as Christians serve God? Why should we serve God? Many have probably never paused to consider their motives.
Many Bible-believing churches talk about grace. But are they consistent in their practice? Here are some things that should characterize a church that follows the biblical principles of grace.
Christians agree that Jesus directed us to make disciples in Matthew 28:18-20. But making disciples means different things to different people. How can we know when we have made a disciple?
Sometimes Christians must choose whether or not to participate in certain 'questionable' practices. A questionable issue is a 'gray area' of activity or a choice not directly addressed by the Bible as right or wrong.
Everyone knows somebody who calls himself or herself a Christian, but doesn't act like one. Christians struggle with how to think about these folks.
God has given us Peter as a model of a typical disciple. Disciples today can learn and be encouraged from his example.
Is a disciple merely another name for a Christian who is born into God's family through faith in Jesus Christ, or is a disciple a Christian who meets specific conditions about following Jesus?
Like Jesus, we must share the truth of grace graciously so that this wonderful message will not be tarnished, undermined, and even contradicted by ungracious words and conduct. How can we be gracious as we seek to proclaim grace?
In the New Testament, grace is usually mentioned as something in the past for those who have been saved through faith, or something that can be appropriated in the present for Christian living.
What then do the three references to fire in the warning judgments (6:8; 10:27; 12:31) mean to believers?
This passage is often used to argue against the doctrine of eternal security.
Preservation of believers, not perseverance of the saints, is the view taught by God's Word and is consistent with the gospel of salvation by grace.
We know that justification and glorification are by God's grace through faith, not our effort or works. Can we say the same about our present experience of sanctification?
According to a common interpretation, bad behavior proves a person is not saved; good behavior proves a person is saved. Is that what this passage teaches?
What do the branches represent in John 15:6 and what is their fate?
The parable of the soils is found in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matt. 13:18-23; Mark 4:2-20; Luke 8:4-15). Our focus will be on Luke's account. In Luke especially, Jesus used this parable to explain the purpose of all parables and to illustrate how people respond to God's truth.
This passage (See also Matt. 10:22; Mark 13:13; cf. Luke 21:19) is often used to argue that only those who continue in faith and good works to the end of their lives will receive salvation or prove they were saved.
Some readers assume that Jesus invites Andrew, Peter, James, and John to salvation. Their view requires that salvation is obtained by following Jesus, with the implication that every Christian must be a committed follower. In other words, there is no distinction between being a Christian and being a disciple. Is the call to follow a call to be saved?
Some questions often posed about the new birth are: Does regeneration inevitably produce a changed life? Does a changed life therefore prove regeneration? Does a changed life give assurance of regeneration?
Is there such a thing as carnal Christians, believers who persist in disobedience to God? Some say no. While conceding that Christians can and do sin, they deny that true believers will persist in sin until the end of their physical lives.
This passage, especially verse 22, raises the questions, who is the apostle Paul addressing?, what does it mean to be \cut off\"?
Grace is not only a theological term that helps us understand how God shares His unconditional love towards us, it is also a moral term that should influence our conduct, especially in ministry. All believers in Christ are called to minister (serve) the body of Christ, but that ministry is most effective when it reflects God's love and grace. As a starting point, we must understand that grace not only saves us, but gives us the privilege of and the ability to minister to others (Rom. 1:5; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 3:7; 1 Peter 4:10). Here are some ways to practice grace in various ministries.
These three passages are similar in that they list sins and the consequence of those who commit them. The passages often confuse people. What kind of people do they describe, believers or unbelievers? What is the point of listing these sins for the original readers and for us today?
Of Jesus Christ's seven last sayings on the cross, "It is finished!" is surely the most profound. Understanding what Jesus meant with this saying can encourage believers, witness to unbelievers, and clear up bad theology about the gospel of salvation.
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