Principle and The Principles of Grace

We are on lesson seven. Everybody have a lesson seven, hopefully? Lesson seven. And I think, let me get back here, I think we got to question three and we're most of the way through three. I'll just go over a kind of review. Isn't that where, I think we stopped at three last week. going from Romans 3, 24 and 25, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because in the forbearance of God, he passed over the sins previously committed. So, the question at hand was, what was the basis of God's grace system from that verse? What was the basis for it? Okay, there's a few here today, so you're going to have to speak up. You know, Mike and Bruce and some of the ones who talk up, a lot are gone, so the burden's going to fall on you guys now. So, what was the basis? Christ's work on the cross. Yes, it was the propitiation in His blood. And we'll go over that again. What does propitiation mean? Satisfaction. God was satisfied with Christ's blood.

Did I go over that example that Chester McCauley did about 7-Eleven? If you rob a 7-Eleven, remember that? Did I go over that? All right. You'd remember that one, right? Chess McCauley gave an example. I think I did go over this, but I'll hopefully remind you when I get in it. Chess McCauley said, imagine coming into court pleading guilty of robbing a 7-Eleven, and the man says, on the basis of robbing the 7-Eleven, I announce that you are guilty, and you are convicted, and you'll be issued a check by the court for $50,000.

Obviously, you got some things you probably didn't deserve. But there's another question that comes up. The judge is crooked. If you think that, you go in and you rob a 7-Eleven, you're convicted. And then not only that, you handed a check for $50,000. Well, I mean, that's one. You didn't get what you deserved. Number two, something's wrong with the judge. I'm convicted. I've robbed it.

I'm guilty. convicted and here you not only let me off, you give me a check for $50,000. So on what basis can he do something like that? So if God is going to give unmerited and unlimited blessing, it's got to be based on something. It's got to have a solid basis. So, you know, the thought being, you know, how can somebody, you know, you're guilty, you're convicted, but then he gives you $50,000.

Think of our salvation. We are guilty. Everyone's a sinner. Remember all the verses we went over in the identification class about who we are in Adam? Guilty by birth in Adam. We're guilty. We're convicted. But then what do we get? We get payment by Christ's blood on the cross. And then, what do we get? We get grace.

So the example of 7-Eleven getting convicted, not only do your sentences commuted, so to speak, then gives you unlimited money. It's the same thing that we get. Like I said, with salvation, you get your sentence commuted. Well, actually you don't. You have your old man convicted, crucified, and the sins paid for by Christ. But then not only do we get that, we begin to rest in the grace system, which is unlimited blessings. So we could say, God, what are you doing? That's a crazy system. Well, he has to base it on something solid. And the solid thing is the finished work of Christ on the cross. That's the total basis of him being able to do that.

What did Christ do on the cross? What? Shed His blood, but what, in shedding the blood, what was done there? Paid the price for all sins. You know, we get into this one too. He paid, you know, look at the verses. He paid for the sins of what? The whole world. Past, present, future. So, all of our sins, all of ours, all of everybody's sins were laid upon the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.

So that's kind of the sad part about somebody who doesn't receive that free gift. It's already paid for. Here are the keys to the car. Take it. So all sins have been paid for. All sins. The whole world. Past, present, future. All you have to do is what? Receive it by faith. Adam to anybody. I mean, Adam to anybody. If you read the scriptures, how many are excluded from being an Adam by birth? Zero. A lot of times we look at these things, too. You look at Osama. You look at Hitler. You look at whoever nasty person you want to do. Like I said, you look at them and go, oh, nasty person. Oh, sinful.

In God's eyes, we're all equal. The sin doesn't have a level. Once I'm born in sin, it doesn't matter. He looks at us in sin that we are all sinners. So when we get this broad brush and I think I'm so much better than Hitler was or whoever, well, by the grace of God, I didn't do all that stuff. that I'm every bit as wicked in my heart as any of those people. Yes, we're all dead. Like I said, we tend to rank. Here's the metric system again. Oh, you're a nasty. Well, you're a little better. God's eyes, we're all sinners.

The more we do this study of grace, the more I see how connected it is with our identification principles, how we understand one without the other. And sometimes when we think of, when I think of God's grace, like you say, I think of it as an act of fulness. He's communion, He's peace, He's love. Well, the sin was paid for, but we don't often think of that. We just think that God is going to give grace for us. Well, we sin again, but we're kind of adding on top of that. If we think of it, though, in terms of identification principles, that the sin has been taken care of.

Our Lord has been crucified, left His grace, all the more amazing. Yeah, you know, that's why I've, exactly, I've said that many times. Our identification, as I've said many times, Mike and I, I think I've convinced Mike now, and that took a long time. But that is true. I think you have to know the identification truths before you'll ever enter into a grace system. And the identification truths being the fact that we are now identified with Christ. that our death, burial, ascension, and seeding with Christ were co-crucified on the cross. When you read Romans 6, the old man has been crucified.

We still have that nature. It's just been rendered powerless. There are two natures. We're not a one nature deal. Clearly, there's two different natures, the old man and the new. But you have to understand that. You have to see about our old man being co-crucified with Christ. Once you understand that, I think then the understanding of grace were unmerited. Because I think unless you know that, you're always going to be fighting the old man about trying to do something. And the more you realize your identification that we are new creatures in Christ and rest in that, it becomes easier to understand the grace system. that the only one who wants to do anything is the old man. That's the one who just has to do something. And so, I agree 100%. You've got to understand the identification and what the old man is in you and what our new position is in Christ. So, I mean, that's, I think, vital.

All right, so basically the basis for this grace system is totally on the work of Christ. And again, from Romans 3, 24 and 25, what phase of work of Christ is the basis to be justified as a gift by his grace? What is that actually said at the beginning? What part of Christ's work? You already said it. His death or His blood, the crucifixion, His death work, it says the blood, the totally adequate work is basically on His blood. That phase of His work is what allows us to enter into this grace system. So, it's based on Christ. Go back to our definition. What is grace? The unmerited, unlimited blessings of God. based on what? The totally adequate work of Christ. And again, that part of it matches perfectly with the first part, which is unmerited. It's based totally on his work, nothing of what we do. All right, so where does that put us? That gets us in question four.

Is this 100% sufficient to receive the unmerited and unlimited blessings of God? From the Romans 3 passage, we know that God is going to give us unlimited blessings and it's going to be based on the 99% complete work of Christ on the cross, right? 99.9? 99.99. What percentage do you want to hold back? Nothing. It is based 100% on that.

What are we saying to God if there's anything we need to do to receive this grace? What are we saying to Him? What are we saying if we have to do anything? God, you did a great job. 99%. I got that 1% that I'm filling in for you. So, what does that say to God? Well, 1% is anything. We can get into it. Does that mean free? Does that mean unmerited?

So, what are you saying to God if you say there's something other than Christ's work? Wasn't enough. It's an insult to Him. God, you did a great job, but I've got to finish it up for you. I've got to do that little extra, and I'm going to finish it for you. Great job on the cross. Great job, but you came a little short. I need to help out. One, who's saying that? The old man. The old man is the only one. The new creature in Christ is not saying that. The new creature in Christ, who we are in Christ, never will say that. Resting totally on his work. And it doesn't matter how much we want to add to it.

If we say anything, you know, if we just, you know, God, it's great, and I will read my Bible every day because that'll please you just a little bit, and thank you for doing that work on the cross, but I'll read every day to help you out with me. Is that okay? I don't want to say you don't read your Bible. That's fine. It's the motive here that I'm looking for.

If you do anything to add to Christ's work on the cross, you negate grace. I'm sounding like the broken record here. Anything that we add to grace negates it. There's a switch and it doesn't rest in the middle. You're either in grace or you're not. And anytime we add anything to it, we get out of the grace system. We'll look at some more verses as we go on here. You're out of the grace system.

So I hope as we get through this class more and more, you can rest, and it's the peace, the rest, knowing that you don't have to do a thing to get into grace. That's a hard concept for us to understand, but the only thing you can say is, thank you. And that's so contrary to what we're used to. So we will keep looking at this.

You know, I guess the example I also gave on free gifts. Remember like I gave Mike or Bruce or somebody my Ferrari for, well, somebody, it's not $100,000, it was $300,000. Somebody corrected me on the price on that one later or something. I guess I'm living in the old days, 100,000 was a fast, Expensive car. Now, a $300,000. I'm giving you the $300,000 Ferrari.

Brand spanking new. It's out in the parking lot. Here are the keys. Great. And you go take the car. Who's going to do that? Somebody's going to say, oh man, I'll at least have you over for dinner. I got $100 in my pocket. Just thank you. That's our first inclination. I mean, literally. Maybe that's an insult. Boy, I'll take you out to lunch. You just gave me the $300,000 car. I will give you lunch. Let's go out to lunch. I'll take you out in my Ferrari now. We'll go out and I'll take you out to lunch. Is that a free gift? Is it free?

It doesn't matter what you do. You've got to understand how grace works. Even if I gave a quarter to you and said, okay, I'm giving you a quarter for that $300,000 car, is that a free gift anymore? It's not. So understand how grace works. You've got to get that concept down that whatever I do, negates grace. And that is so contrary to what our understanding is.

We'll get through it, hopefully. We'll get down to about growing in grace and what that means. I don't think it happens overnight. Peter actually, in 2 Peter, tells us about growing in grace and what that process is. So again, the basis, which I just keep hammering on, is free gift.

And if you remember Romans 5.15, but the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one, the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ abound to many. Free gift. There's nothing on our part other than thank you. Remember the verse that we went over, the giving of thanksgiving? That's what we start, the only thing we can do is say thank you. All right, blasting on to number five.

Romans 4, 13 through 17. I'll go ahead and read it, but then think about what do these verses say about mixing grace and the law or works? Okay, Romans 4, 13 through 17. For the promise to Abraham, or to his descendants, that he would be heir of the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and a promise nullified. For the law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation. For this reason, it is by faith that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written, a father of many nations have I made you.

In the sight of him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist, So, beginning in verse 13, what does it say, the promise to Abraham? What was it? The promise of God that he would be the heir of the world. What was it based on? That he would be the heir of the world. What was it based on from verse 13?

What? Faith. Faith. And what do we say about faith? What is it? What kind of work is it? What? Non-meritorious. Un-meritorious. Faith is the only thing that doesn't require work. Faith is one of those things that you do not work. You just do. It's not any work effort. You just believe. So, we have this, it is based on faith only.

Was it, looking at this, was it based on Abraham being good? Does it say any requirement of how he acted? Does it say he was just a great guy? Actually, when you look through some of the things that went on, it's kind of amazing. with Abraham. So, was it based on any kind of work that Abraham had to do? He didn't have to build an ark or anything, but did he have to do anything? Did he have to build a temple? Build an altar? Did he have to do anything? Nothing. Getting the picture here? Again, was it based on law? That he maintained the law? Was it based on that he maintained the law 100%? Is that what it says? That Abraham, man, you got them all right. You got everyone up. You're the man. You made every law. Is that what he said? No. None of this is based on anything other than faith.

Now, look at verse 14. Who is addressed there if you look at verse 14? Huh, you want me to read? For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified. Who's he talking to about that kind of people? Or what kind of people is he talking to? Yeah, well, these are, yeah, basically it's somebody who wants, to mix law and grace. For if those who are of the law are errors, faith is made void and the promise nullified. So, if you are mixing the law in there, what does it say about faith? Void. Rejected. Done. Canceled. because is faith based on law? No, faith is not based on law.

So, if you mix a little bit of law in there, faith is nullified, gone, because it's not by faith then. So, he's addressing those people who are kind of mixing a little bit of law back in with the grace. So what does the verse say about such people? Their faith is made void, and what? The promise nullified. Mixing grace and law, faith and law, they negate. And it says faith is made void.

So again, the people who are trying to mix up law and grace or law and faith, They negate the switch. There isn't a yellow line down the middle, and I'm going to straddle it. I'm going to keep one foot in law, one foot in grace. I'm going to put a little bit of law in left foot, and I'm going to write with faith. I can't do that. You're either in one or the other. Tom. Dave, currently, you used the suture illustration today.

You said that you could be in the middle of the campus prairie, or in the south, where the chief Actually you'll be destroyed I think at that point. This is basically... basically addressing the fact of those of the Jews who were trying to mix law back in, circumcision, you know, the Judaizers who were saying, okay, it's great, but let's mix a little law back in here. That's the one he's trying to address in here is the ones who were still maintaining the circumcision that said, okay, Yeah, accepting and understanding who Christ is and all that, that's all great, but let's mix a little law back in here. A little circumcision, we'll throw that back in. You have to have that. It doesn't work. And that's who he's addressing.

It's really the ones who are trying to mix law back into the grace. So these were, I think the audience was more the Jews who were, the Judaizers who were trying to convince people that you needed to go law and grace together. So really, in salvation, it isn't much. It's really talking about the basis of it, which is faith. So that's really what he's getting at, is that you can't mix the two, that law negates faith. And then it gets into further about faith and grace and all those. So it's really kind of mixing the two.

In fact, Ingrid, didn't you have, you had a question about, was this the question you had some question on? Yeah, was that the one? Yeah, that's right. Yeah, I don't know if you heard in the back. That was one of the questions when I say negates grace.

And we're saying, you know, that doesn't negate God's side of the equation. Grace is still operating. What it does is get us out of that system. So when I say negates grace, that was good because I remember we were discussing that, that you don't negate the system. You negate being in the system. God still functions in grace.

We don't change that. What we do change is our condition. Are we resting in grace? Are we operating in grace or are we not? I just wanted to digress from that. It looks like the righteous aspect of Abraham's action was his faith. Yeah. And you look at Hebrews 11. the hall of fame of faith. And that's really, it's talking about his righteousness came by faith. So again, it wasn't how good he was. It wasn't the great things he did. It wasn't any, you know, keeping of the law that he did. It was his faith, a non-meritorious act. So yeah, that's what it's getting at here is the righteousness came by faith.

So again, when we look at it, and let me get back on the negating grace. Do you understand that when I say it negates grace, it negates us being in the system of grace. God still operates in grace. That it doesn't negate the system. It's just like our condition. We're either walking by the Spirit or walking by the flesh. I think it's similar to that in that we're either resting in grace or we're not.

Grace is still there. Grace doesn't go, turn off the faucet. It's still, the grace still operates. So whether we rest in it or we, and again, you can't be in law or works and rest in grace. That's what I'm saying. Once you jump over to the law or the work side, I'm not in grace anymore. I can't be. What does it say here? The faith, it makes it void. Tom. There's another key verse. It says, though we are Yeah, God's still in grace. God is still pouring forth his blessings. Whether we're receiving them and saying thank you is another matter, I think. We're not resting in the grace system.

Can we be a partial legalist? Can you be a partial legalist? No. Faith is made void. Does it say 50%, 90%, 98%? If your in-law works, you negate grace or faith is made void. Thanks, because I remember we discussed this one at home, and I was trying to remember what we were discussing about that. All right, number six.

Why do we have to obtain grace by faith? If it is not by faith, what happens to the grace system? So, in these verses that we just looked at, why do we have to obtain grace by faith? Can't do anything for it. Any other thoughts? Look at verse 16. What does that say? Somebody read that one. All right, so, for this reason is by faith that what it might be, and in the NASB, the New American Standard, it might be in accordance with grace. Okay?

So, if it's not in faith, what happens to the grace system? It's worthless. You're not in accordance with grace. We said faith is negated by law works, So, diagram this here. Works negates faith. Faith is in accordance with grace. So, works negates faith, negates grace. Very clear. Anything you do other than by faith in what God has told us, negates grace.

We keep pounding this, but as I've said many times, the teacher gets more out of this. As I go over these verses, I keep going over these verses. It's like the V8. I have the flat forehead from keep hitting, going, every one of these verses keeps saying the same thing.

It's unlimited, unmerited blessings of God. and based on the totally adequate work of Christ. This verse says, it would not be in accordance with grace. Again, we have to look at the grace system. If there are any works, it is not of grace, no matter how small the effort. One cent, one action, one meritorious act or requirement negates the grace system. Like I said, follow the line here. Again, like I said, Works law negates faith. Faith is in accordance with grace. They're all linked together. So, anything we do negates grace. Just rest. Rest in the grace system. It is a magnificent system.

How freeing is that? How many times do you think you have to do something, but just receive it and say, thank you? As I learn this more and more, it's just amazingly Wonderful. It's that, as I go many times, the peace that surpasses all understanding. Well, we're getting into this a little bit. What kind of system we'd come up with if we had our druthers of choice. Anyway, let's move on. Number seven.

Somebody want to read Galatians 5, 1 through 4? And then with the question, what caused God, through the Holy Spirit, to say in verse 2, Christ shall profit you nothing, or in the New American Standard, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Somebody want to read Galatians 5, 1-4? It is stated that Christ is going to work with them for a man, not a person. He brings the damage while he rebuilds it. Annihilated? All right. Pretty strong statements there. I'll read it in the New American.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold, I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligation to keep the whole law. You have been severed from Christ. You who are seeking to be justified by law, you have fallen from grace."

Very strong statements here. Very strong ones. So what caused God, through the Holy Spirit, to say in verse 2, Christ shall profit you nothing? Was it because of gross sin that He said this to them? They're just nasty sinners. Nasty sinners. They were sinning like crazy. Is that what He said? So they looked at it and said, Man, sinners. Was that what He said?

No. Was it because of some efforts that they weren't doing to measure up to the grace system? You know, you didn't do your 50 spiritual push-ups today. You're not going to make it. Bulk up." Is it some effort that they weren't doing? He said, no, you guys, you know, you weren't reading today. You weren't, you know, at three services today. Is that what he said to him? He said, I saw you weren't there last Sunday, were you?

Is that what he says? Okay, what does it say about trying to be justified by law or works? What does it say about that? Yeah, or? What does verse 4 say? Fallen from grace. Keep seeing this pattern here? See a pattern developing in all these verses that we go over? It says, yeah, you have fallen from grace.

Do you think you can mix law and any of our feeble efforts and still remain under grace? You know, it's a broken record here. If you're under the law? Yeah. If you seek to be justified by the law, what's it say? You have fallen away, you've fallen from grace. Anything by law. Has anybody been saved by the law? Anybody? Raise your hand. Saved by the law? News flash, somebody did? No. It's not. Again, the broken record. It's by faith. Faith that you do this. The non-meritorious act of faith.

And when you mix law and grace, you're not in accordance. The verse we just went over before that, you're not in accordance with grace. This one says you've fallen from grace. Do you see how polar opposites law and works are? There is no mixing of the two. If you have a little law, no matter what percentage, you negate grace. Yes. Not operating in the grace system. For those in the back, she was saying, what happens to churches who don't do that? Well, I think a lot, there isn't grace taught a lot.

And quite honestly, I mean, getting into this, I was learning a lot when we started looking at this. We've gone from the identification truths, which I think are the foundational, what we said at the beginning. I think those are the foundational truths that you have to know. Our identification with Christ, our co-crucifixion, the Roman six-end. Once you know that, then getting into this grace system, when you start looking at all these verses, grace is so misunderstood in today's society and a lot of the teaching that goes on.

I keep saying it's so contrary to the old man, so contrary to this world. But as I said, I think a few weeks ago, this really confirms my citizenship in heaven. I'm not of here because this world does not understand grace. It does not operate in grace. And I think by doing that, I know my citizenship's not here. It's in heaven because This world does not operate in grace. It is polar opposite of grace. So, you know, I think people miss out on unlimited blessings.

As we said, it doesn't stop God's grace. Grace is still there. God operates in grace. It's whether we receive it. You know, again, I gave you that Ferrari out in the parking lot. Well, you don't go out and use it. Still sitting out there. It's yours, waiting for it, but you didn't receive it. Grace is still out there. Grace is still being poured out to you, but you didn't receive it. The system still operates, but you're not receiving it.

It's like position and condition. Our position are those things that we went over in the identification class that are rock solid, that we have no matter what we do. They are eternal. They are not to be moved, motion changed. But our condition is how our walk is. Daily walk, our moment by moment. Are we walking in the flesh? Are we walking in the spirit? Are we being conformed to the image of Christ? What is our moment by moment condition?

Grace is the same way. I think they just miss out. Things can still be accomplished. The peace that I have is knowing that God is sovereignly in control. I don't know why I did some things. I don't know why. Why did I spend many years beating my head on the wall doing type A things? get me to the point today that I understand identification and beginning to understand the grace system. All I can do is rest in God's sovereign control.

Child training, for us to be trained, sometimes we have to hit the wall many times before, oh, it's a wall. You're absolutely right. You've got to have control of a person, something like that, or a workspace, or all that. It comes and it becomes. I think it's quite possible, though, that if someone didn't happen to be the same, that some of them may be more. He or she may be acting in a different system than somebody else. And it would just become a whole lot more. Yeah, I mean.

If you were to put forward and just network it through the spider Right, I mean, there's times where the motive is there where it's in grace. It's not that they're totally excluded, never to be, but God will work in everybody's life. And again, the system is still there. God is still operating in grace, whether you are functioning in grace or not. The system is still there. God doesn't turn off the system. He is always acting graciously, whether we receive it or not.

All right, what are we on? Question eight. Question eight. Is there a middle ground between law and grace? Hopefully you know this by now. Is there? No. So what is, you know, in Galatians 5, 3 and 4. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligation to what? Keep the whole law. You've been severed from Christ. You who are seeking to be justified by the law, you have fallen from grace. Again, remember the thing is it, you know, those who want to gravitate back to the law. I want to I'm going to pick and choose which ones I want to obey.

But those others that I think are not I don't think I'll blow those off. No. The whole law. You have to keep all laws. Every one, perfectly. Any one is like the tempered glass. You break one piece, it shatters into a million. You break one law, you violated them all. The system, the law system. So, you've got to keep them all. If you try to be justified by the law, you've fallen from grace. There is no middle ground between law and grace. You either keep all of law, nobody can do that, or you're in grace.

Let's go to 9 here real quick. Actually, is that the final one? Oh, I'm going to do it. Not that I'm racing through, but I wanted to try and get through. Romans 3, 27. Somebody want to read that? I better do it quickly. Alright, I'll read it. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law or works? No, by the law of faith. So, the question was, can you have pride in grace? Can you be really proud of grace?

I don't think so. Macaulay has an example I think I told you about with Harry Ironside who went out in Chicago. I'm going to be gracious. I'm going to be so gracious. I'm going to go out and I'm going to put sandwich boards with verses. I'm going to go right down to the nastiest part of Chicago and I'm going to sit there.

He suffered slings and arrows all day. He came home after that and he said, man, nobody else would have done that. Oops. Was he boastful? Pride? Yeah, what about you who are at home and you pray for three hours a day? The first thought is, man, I'm probably the only person who's prayed three hours a day. Oops. What about, you know, my usual thing is, what if you went and you said, man, I memorized the whole book of Romans? Bet you didn't.

Can you have pride in this? Can you have pride in grace? You're based on the entire work, the adequate work of Christ. Actually, Macaulay had one. Because one thing is for sure, if man makes any contribution of his own works for the program of salvation, he will never stop talking about it. Right? And people who are saved or who feel that they are saved by their own efforts, it's always inherent in their testimony. Why I had this wonderful life going as a movie star and I gave it up to follow the Lord.

Really interesting. The part that they are really occupied with, isn't it? What are they occupied with? I gave up all this. I gave up. What are they focused on? Me, those testimonies where you said it's by, they don't understand it, it's by, I gave up this and I'm so good because I gave up everything. I'm now living down on Larimer Street in a hovel, I gave up everything for it. What are you focusing on?

What I did. Yeah. He goes on to say about some of those things, it's really if we do it on our own efforts or we think it's our own efforts, we always mess it up. It's always pointed to us. So that's why it's based on the totally adequate work of Christ. Nothing that we do. One quick thing I want to get to, I know we're, I want to get into about the growing in grace.

We'll just spend 30 seconds on that. One of the things, I'm never going to get through that. I'm never going to get in 30 seconds. I'm gone next week, but maybe I'll dress. Jeremy's going to be next week. And maybe the following week or something, I'll take five minutes of your time, ten minutes, uh-huh, I'll take more than that, fifteen, just to finish up on a couple of things I want to do about the growing in grace and what that means.

So there's some really interesting stuff about growing in grace. It's like spiritual maturity, our process of conforming to the image of Christ. I don't think you just wake up tomorrow and go, I'm in grace. and you just have this magnificent change. I think it, and we'll see in some of the verses, it's growing in grace. And what that word growing means, there's some interesting things in the Greek and how that word is noted.

So let's close real quick. Heavenly Father, we thank you. We thank you for this time. We thank you for all time where we can just delve into your word. We thank you for your system of grace, your principle of grace. We thank you for grace, the unmerited, unlimited blessings from you. And again, as we learned through many, many of your verses, it's not based on anything, any works, any law, anything other than by faith, Receiving it by which we can only the only thing we can do is say thank you and what a magnificent transforming Power that is just understanding that and beginning to understand your system of grace Just resting in that and then to be able to act graciously as we understand that so father we just we thank you for your word we thank you for the Holy Spirit that indwells us and Father we just thank you for grace and father. We just thank you for all these things. He's his name. Amen