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THE MEANS of GRACE God's Tool

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THE MEANS of GRACE God's Tool 65 BAPTISM I [LSCE page 202f] 2 Cor. 4:4 also 1 Cor. 2:14 THE MEANS OF GRACE God’s Tool Box Eph. 2:1 also Rom. 7:18 1. What causes us to be saved? Rom. 8:7 also Gen. 8:21; Eph. 2:3; Gal. 5:17 A. In the margin, write the words from each of the When a ball is lying on the floor, can the floor following verses which mean the same as “saved”. throw it up to your hand? If you throw the ball at a. Eph. 2:4-5 the floor, can it return the ball to you? Where is the and Eph. 1:7 energy to do this, in the floor or in the ball? How are we saved? If the “ball is in our court” in our relationship with God, can we start a relationship with him? b. Eph. 2:4, 8 also Rom. 3:24 When God first sends his grace and love to us, What does this mean? what makes us able to respond? B. Salvation comes from God. We receive the gifts of God’s grace only through 2 Tim. 1:9 also Rom. 3:20-21, Eph. 2:8-9 faith, that is, believing his promises. (If we do not What is not the reason we are saved? believe, his words are still true, but we receive no benefit.) Faith itself is completely a gift of God, not Rom. 3:21-24 also Isa. 43:25, Rom. 5:1-2 a result of any human understanding or effort. Where does this salvation come from? This is because all humans are naturally born spiritually blind – unable to know what is right. If someone died and left an inheritance in your spiritually dead – unable to do what is right. name in the bank, what causes it to be yours? enemies of God – not desiring to do what is right. If you did not know or believe they did this, and never withdrew the money, would you receive any 3. How does God cause us to have faith? happiness or benefit from it? A. God causes faith. Whose death gives you the inheritance of eternal a. 1 Cor. 2:14 also 1 Cor. 12:3 salvation? How do you receive the benefit from it? What makes us able to accept what comes from God? We are saved only by grace, which is an undeserved gift from God. (Grace is always God’s b. Rom. 1:16 also Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Thes. 2:13-14 attitude toward us, not a quality or ability in people.) What does God use to cause faith? The single reason for God’s attitude of grace is Jesus, who lived, died and rose in our place. (There c. Acts 7:51 also Hosea 13:9; Matt 23:37 is nothing in mankind or any individual that is a If those on whom God works to not have faith, cause or condition.) what is the reason? 2. How do we receive the gift of God’s grace? What causes a sailboat to move through the A. There is only one way to receive God’s grace. water? If the boat dropped an anchor what would a. Rom. 3:22 also Rom. 1:17; 3:28; 4:21-24; 5:1-2; happen? Does this mean what moved the boat has How does God’s righteousness become ours? stopped? When we are moved toward God, what causes this B. The cause and reason is not within us. to happen? Can we keep this from happening? a. Eph. 2:8-9 also 1 Cor. 12:3; Phlp. 2:13 Does this mean that God stops working on us? Where does faith come from? The Holy Spirit brings us to faith, not by God’s John 1:12-13 direct irresistible power, but through the Gospel as a Where does faith not come from? “Means of Grace”, which effectively causes faith but can be resisted by a person’s choice. C. We are by nature isolated from God. (When we have faith it is entirely to God’s credit a. Psalm 51:5 also Gen. 5:5; 8:21; John 3:6 and by his action. When we do not have faith it is What are we like from our beginning? entirely our own fault and by our action.) 4. What are God’s tools, the “means of grace”? A. God works with tools. b. What are we like before we have faith? a. 2 Thess. 2:13-14 66 God saves us through (v. 13)… b. 1 Cor. 10:16 [830] … What is used with the word in Communion? (v. 14) … If you want to come to church, you could walk all b. Rom. 10:17 also John 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 1:23 by yourself or use a vehicle like a bicycle or car. How does the Gospel come to us to cause faith? Why might you want to do this? If you did, could someone who wanted to know where you were see if c. Eph. 5:26 you were at church or not? What does God also use together with his word The material element in a sacrament is like a vehicle to work on us? for God’s word. The important thing is that God’s word comes, but the vehicle helps to carry it. Acts 2:38 [829] When does this happen? Are sacraments an extra way to be saved without faith or an extra way to cause faith? d. 1 Cor. 11:23-24 What is the benefit of having a quick way to cause What does God also use together with his word faith, as in baptism of infants? to work on us? What is the benefit of having a way to make it evident that faith (which we cannot see) is in the 1 Cor. 10:16 [830] When does this happen? heart of someone through baptism? What is the benefit of having a sure way of giving Some medicines have an active ingredient, like forgiveness, as in Holy Communion? aspirin, which helps those who are sick, but which can be hard for some people to take. Added The sacraments include… ingredients can help the active ingredient to work at Words of God himself which are spoken, a certain time, be easier to swallow,etc. A command in God’s word that all Christians do it, What is the active ingredient in the sacraments? A promise in God’s word that they give His grace, What are the added ingredients? A material element used as God’s word instructs. The two tools which God uses to work faith in our REMEMBER FOR LIFE hearts so that we receive the gifts of grace are: the Gospel found in God’s written and spoken word Holy Baptism Part 3 (the primary means), and the word of God used How can water do such great things? together with visible elements in the sacraments, Certainly not just water, but the word of God in Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. and with the water does these things, along with the faith 5. What is included in the sacraments? which trusts this word of God in the water. For without God’s word the water is plain water and no A. Sacraments include God’s word. Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, a. When are these words of God spoken? that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a Matt 28:19 washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, Matt. 26:26-28 as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three: “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and b. What does God’s word say to do and who is renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out included? on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, Matt. 26:27 so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal Matt. 28:19 life. This is a trustworthy saying.” [Titus 3:5–8] c. What does God’s word say will happen? Eph. 2:8-9 Matt 26:28 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift Acts 2:38 [829] of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. B. Sacraments include a visible element used according to God’s word. a. Acts. 8:36 What must be used with the word in Baptism? 67 BAPTISM II [LSCE page 204f] a. Acts 2:38 [835] THE NATURE OF BAPTISM Who is included in this command and promise? Washing Away Sin b. Psal. 51:5 also John 3:5-6 Why do little babies need to be saved? 1. What is Holy Baptism? A. The Greek word “baptize” means “wash” c. What is the only way to be saved? a. Mark 7:4 [832] Eph. 2:8 What Jewish tradition was used for ceremonial purifying? John 3:5-6 [841] also Gal. 3:26 b. Mark 1:8 also Matt 3:11, Acts 8:36 d. Rom. 10:17 also Eph. 6:4 What is used for this washing? What causes faith? B. Holy Baptism is more than water. e. Matt 18:6 [843] a. Mark 1:8 also Matt 3:11, Acts 1:5, 2:16-18 and Luke 18:15-17[840] also Mark 10:13-15 What else is poured out on us in Holy Baptism? Who can believe in God and be in his kingdom? b.
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