The objective of this lesson: To stress that God can do things that benefit us and we can struggle with what He did. Our struggles and questions do not mean (or prove) God did not do it.
The text is related to the lesson in the following way: (1) Christians in Ephesus did not understand how God could make people converted from a Jewish background and an idolatrous background to be considered one. (2) Though they did not understand how, God already had reconciled them through Jesus’ death. Though not understood, it was a “done deal,” an accomplished fact. (3) God needed neither their permission nor their understanding to do what He did. (4) The key to understanding what God accomplished in Christians was to be found in realizing God made them His temple to house His Spirit. Thus, the issue was again “Who are you?” To them, being God’s temple to house God’s Spirit communicated powerfully.
This was a significant illustration/point to them that is likely of little importance to us.
It seems Christians always have been the victim of misunderstanding how God’s work and our actions cooperate to produce our salvation. Hopefully, we understand two things. (1) What God did for each of us in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection is astounding and incredible! (2) In accepting God’s gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, we accept the responsibility to show our appreciation for God’s gift (we commonly refer to this as obedience). Both those concepts are accurate. However, understanding how those two concepts work together often results in a basic misunderstanding.
Christians usually have little difficulty in accepting those two concepts as true. The difficulty usually comes when Christians seek to combine those two concepts.
There are those who wish to rely on what God did for us in Jesus in a manner that God did not and does not intend. The incorrect manner usually (in some way) absolves us human beings from any response to God for what He did for us in Jesus. The reasoning: (a) What God did in Jesus defies human understanding. (b) What God did/does for us in Jesus is a gift. (c) We cannot earn God’s gift. (d) Therefore, we do nothing to receive the benefits of God’s gift.
The incorrect manner of combining those two true concepts commonly results in declaring that humans who respond to God have no responsibility. To say that we cannot earn salvation and to say that we have no responsibility as heirs of salvation are not the same thing—these are two different concepts.
God making Jesus Christ in death and resurrection the foundation of divine grace and mercy does defy human understanding. God loving us so much that He would intervene in human existence to make human eternal salvation possible for everyone is beyond human understanding (consider John 3:16-21 and Romans 5:8-11). Truly, what God makes possible in Jesus’ death and resurrection has to be a gift—no human act could deserve what God did for us in Jesus (consider 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Colossians 1:21-23, and 1 Timothy 1:12-16). Because what He did for us is a gift, there is nothing we can do to earn God’s saving acts. Who could earn forgiveness, sanctification, and atonement (consider Romans 11:33-36 and 1 Corinthians 1:26-31)? The entire concept of human earning is an affront to the concept of divine grace!
The motivation of seeking to be deserving of God’s work through Jesus and the motivation of being grateful for what God did through Jesus for us are two different motivations. Because we cannot earn salvation gives us no reason for ingratitude! Gratitude does not eliminate doing or practicing.
The question becomes this: Is there a concept that combines the concept of a gift given and responsibility on the part of the receiver? For certain! There is the concept of assuming responsibility—consider Philippians 2:12, John 3:21, and 1 John 1:6, 7. The person who accepts what God did in Jesus “works” or “practices.”
Inheritance combines the concepts of “gift” and “responsibility.” The New Testament stresses both “gift” and “responsibility in the pursuit of salvation in Christ.
Paul did emphasize the fruit of the Spirit in contrast to the deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-24). He also associated the Spirit’s fruit with crucifixion of the flesh’s deeds—a deliberate execution of the acts that opposed the cultivation of the Spirit’s fruit.
When Paul contrasted fruit of the Spirit and deeds of the flesh, when he associated fruit of the Spirit with crucifixion, he stressed the reality of Christian responsibility.
Peter emphasized what is typically called “the Christian graces” (2 Peter 1:2-11). The Christian individual finds life and godliness if he/she develops these things. The qualities Peter listed were to be diligently pursued. Practicing them would prevent stumbling and grant entrance into the eternal kingdom.
When Peter listed what we call the “Christian graces,” he clearly stressed our responsibility.
Both Paul’s list and Peter’s lists involve doing or practicing God’s values. They declare there is a “doing” that is not related to an “earning.” Does that concept exist? Can there be a “doing” that does not “earn”? Is it possible to be committed to a responsible behavior without the motivation of earning? Can a genuine gift require responsible behavior? Does the responsible behavior earn the gift?
Neither listing associates “responsibility—doing—practicing” with “earning” (the concept of God owing us.)
This concept not only exists, but people use the concept today. The concept is called an inheritance. The gift of inheritance is associated with salvation a number of times in the New Testament—Matthew 25:34, Mark 10:27 (Luke18:18-23), Luke 10:25-28, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Corinthians 15:50; Galatians 5:21, Ephesians 1:18, 5:5, Colossians 1:12-14, 3:24, Hebrews 1:14, 6:12, 9:15, James 2:5, and 1 Peter 1:3-5, 3:8, 9.
Salvation (in numerous ways) is called an inheritance. People who belong to God “inherit” God’s gifts.
Why inheritance? (1) The first reason is based on the Christians’ relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The New Testament commonly refers to Jesus before his coming, during his earthly stay, and after his ascension as God’s son (consider John 3:16, l7, and 17:1-3, 5). He rules (is Lord) now and will continue to reign until he defeats all God’s enemies. Then he will subject everything (including himself) to God again (see 1 Corinthians 15:24-28). Through Jesus Christ, by being in him (Galatians 3:26-29), Christians are family or household to God (Galatians 4:4-7, 1 Timothy 3:14, 15)—remember, the word “church” comes from a Greek word that means “the called out.” Christians are “called out” to be God’s family continually.
Christians are heirs because they are family to God in Christ. Therefore, they have the responsibility to behave like the Holy God’s family (consider 1 Peter 2:5-10).
The “inheritance” is founded on “who you are” as a part of God’s family, not on what you have done to place God in debt to you. A Christian is an heir because he/she is a responsible part of God’s family. Only what God did for us in Christ allows us to be a part of God’s family.
(2) The second reason is the concept of inheritance. If a person is to receive an inheritance, the person (a) is qualified and (b) behaves as a qualified heir. Though behavior does not “earn” the gift of the inheritance, failure to act like an heir can remove the gift. In inheritance, there is a gift combined with the behavior of one who is an heir. Also, there certainly is the understood practice of an heir losing the gift of inheritance because of inappropriate behavior (consider 2 Peter 2:20-22).
An inheritance is an unearned gift that considers responsible behavior.
A Christian obeys God because the Christian appreciates all God has done for him/her. The motivation for any and every act of obedience is NOT a desire to “earn.” No one can be deserving of God’s inheritance of salvation that results in entering God’s eternal kingdom to receive eternal life. The motivation is the desire to say “Thank you!” to God as the person learns how to act like a person who is in God’s family. To respond to God in obedience for all God did/does for those in Jesus Christ is an expression of gratitude, never a human attempt to earn God’s inheritance.
A person does not automatically know how to behave as a family member in the Holy God’s family. A good illustration is found in the fact that we do not know how to act when we are forced to interact with circles of people we never associate with.
Again, the question returns--“Who are you?”
For Christians 2000 years ago, the answer was found in “We are God’s temple.”
For Thought and Discussion
1. What seems to make Christians victims?
We seem to become victims in understanding how to combine God’s work in Jesus with our actions to produce salvation.
2. What two things should Christians understand?
a) What God did for us in Jesus is astounding and incredible.
b) Accepting salvation includes accepting responsibility to show appreciation for God’s gift.
3. What does an incorrect understanding of God’s grace usually do?
It absolves us humans of any responsibility to respond to God and what He did for us in Jesus Christ.
4. Give the general reasoning used to absolve people of any responsibility in salvation considerations.
a) What God did for us in Jesus defies human understanding.
b) What God did is a gift.
c) We cannot earn God’s gift.
d) Therefore, we do nothing to receive God’s gift.
5. What is the question that should be answered from scripture?
The question: Does any concept combine the concept of gift and the concept of responsibility?
6. What did Paul say was the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:19-24?
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
7. Give Peter’s list in 2 Peter 1:2-11.
Peter’s list is faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.
8. What is the concept that combines giving divine gifts and human responsibility?
That concept is to inherit or receive an inheritance.
9. What two reasons exist for referring to salvation as an inheritance?
a) The Christian’s relationship with God as family member (through Jesus Christ).
b) The concept of inheritance.
10. Explain why Christians should obey God.
The explanation should include the concept of gratitude.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 11