Lesson One Second half

INSPIRATION

What is the work God wants us to do? Pray more? Give more? Study? Travel? Memorize the Torah? What is the work he wants?

Sly is this scheme of Satan. Rather than lead us away from grace, he causes us to question grace or to earn it... and in the end we never even know it.

What is it, then, that God wants us to do? What is the work he seeks? Just be- lieve. Believe the one he sent. "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent" (John 6:29).

Someone is reading this and shaking his or her head and asking, "Are you saying it is possible to go to heaven with no good works?" The answer is no. Good works are a requirement. Someone else is reading and asking, "Are you saying it is possible to go to heaven without good character?" My answer again is no. Good character is also required. In order to enter heaven, one must have good works and good character.

But, alas, there is the problem. You have neither.

Oh, you've done some nice things in your life. But you do not have enough good works to go to heaven regardless of your sacrifice. No matter how noble your gifts, they are not enough to get you into heaven.

Nor do you have enough character to go to heaven. Please don't be offended. (Then again, be offended, if necessary.) You're probably a very decent person. But decency isn't enough. Those who see God are not the decent; they are the holy. "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).

You may be decent. You may pay taxes and kiss your kids and sleep with a clean conscience. But apart from Christ you aren't holy. So how can you go to heaven?

Only believe.

Accept the work already done, the work of Jesus on the cross. Only believe...

It's that simple? It's that simple. It's that easy? There was nothing easy at all about it. The cross was heavy, the blood was real, and the price was extravagant. It would have bankrupted you or me, so Jesus paid it for us. Call it simple. Call it a gift. But don't call it easy.

Call it what it is. Call it grace. A Gentle Thunder by Max Lucado.)

REACTION

7. Why do you think it is so hard for people to grasp the concept of grace?

[Your Response Here]

8. What are some things (other than Christ) that Christians tend to rely on to try to establish their approval in God's sight?

[Your Response Here]

9. How would you answer the person who read this passage and said, "I don't get why Paul is so upset over a few theological semantics?"

[Your Response Here]

10. When you look at your church, do any trends "astonish" you or cause you to "marvel" (in a negative sense)?

[Your Response Here]

11. Is the gospel message you share with others marked by radical and riskysounding grace? Why or why not?

[Your Response Here]

12. How will you respond the next time you hear someone share a distorted version of the gospel?

[Your Response Here]

LIFE LESSONS

Grace is what sets Christianity apart from every religion in the world. God offers his unearnable salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life not as a reward but as a free gift. Nothing-absolutely noth- ing-is required on our part except to believe. There is no fine print and no strings attached. When we trust in what Christ has done and rely solely on his promises, all the treasures of heaven are ours. It doesn't matter how miserably we've failed in the past. It's irrelevant how messed up our lives are right now. Grace is true and certain no matter what we might do or fail to do in the future. It sounds too good to be true... but that, in a nutshell, is the simple gospel. The only question is this: Have you received Christ's remarkable gift?

[Your Response Here]

DEVOTION

Father, thank you for the gospel. We could never earn your favor, but we can be recipients of your grace. We can enjoy all your blessings simply by trusting in Christ as our all-sufficient Savior. Help us to live this message. Help us to show it by our lives and share it with our lips.

JOURNALING

When were you first struck by the "free" nature of the gospel-that faith, not works, is the doorway to peace with God?

[Your Response Here]

FOR FURTHER READING

To complete the book of Galatians dur- ing this twelve-part study, read Gala- tians 1:1-10. For more Bible passages on the gospel of grace, read Acts 15:6-21; Romans 3:21-24; 1 Corinthi- ans 15:1-11; Ephesians 2:8-9; and Titus 3:4-7.