In one of our following lessons we’re going to talk about what grace is not, and what it is. For the moment, if it’s “not of works, lest any man should boast,” does man have any part at all to play? Well, what did the Lord say?—“if you abide in My Word.” There’s the possibility that we might not abide in that Word. Is it important that we do abide? Definitely! Otherwise, there would be no discipleship. What about John 13, verses 33 to 35? “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if”—(there’s that condition again)—“you have love one for another.” What about 1 John 1, verses 8 and following? “If we say we have not sinned, we’re wrong, but if we confess our sins”—(there’s another “if”)—“He’s just and faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The Bible speaks about Christ as a Son over His Own house, whose house we are if we hold fast”—(there’s another condition)—“if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end,” Hebrews 3, verse 6. We’re “partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm [steadfast to the end],” Hebrews 3, verse 14.

Hebrews 10:23says: “Let us hold fast our profession of faith without wavering.” It is possible for us to waver. What did Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “be steadfast”? Why that admonition if it really doesn’t matter? If grace solves everything, then why that admonition to be “steadfast”—be “immoveable”? The implication is, you can be moved, and the implication is you might not remain faithful, you see. What about John 15, verses 5 and 6? If a man “abide in Me and I in him, the same bears much fruit.” But if a man “does not abide in” Him, he’s cast forth as a branch, withered, cast into the fire and burned. The “if.” In John 13:17, there’s a double “if.” “If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.” Sort of like James 1:22, “Be doers of the Word, not hearers only.” But didn’t the Lord say, “not of works, lest any man should boast”? Didn’t He say, “it’s not of ourselves”?

When the Lord said “by grace are you saved through faith,” that brings man into the picture, because faith is not what God has. God has knowledge; man alone has faith. In Hebrews 4:2, the Bible said that, “the Word preached did not profit some, because it wasn’t mixed with faith on the part of them that heard.” So, faith is very important and “without faith it is impossible to please God,” Hebrews 11:6. And Jesus said, “except you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins,” John 8:24. “He that believeth not shall be damned,” Mark 16:16. Do these passages contradict each other? “By grace have you been saved through faith, that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” And yet faith definitely is something that man does, you see.

We’re going to mention later, and go into more detail, that grace involves three things. It’s something that cannot be earned; it cannot be deserved; and it cannot be repaid. Anything that can be earned is not grace. Anything that can be deserved is not grace. Anything that can be repaid is not grace. But when the Lord said, “by grace are you saved through faith,” faith doesn’t earn grace or it wouldn’t be grace. Faith doesn’t deserve grace, or it wouldn’t be grace. Faith doesn’t repay grace, or it wouldn’t be grace. And yet, here is man’s way of accepting what God provided. It’s still by grace, and if it weren’t by grace, then it wouldn’t matter how much faith, or what man has—nothing else would matter. But you see, by faith, we accept that grace. So when the Lord said, “if you abide in My Word”—man’s part—that doesn’t mean we earn it. We can’t. We don’t deserve it. We cannot repay it. No—it’s by grace. But there is something for man to do.

Tonight, the Lord willing, we’ll talk about “why aren’t all saved?” In other words, people get the idea that grace has done everything, so let’s all “sit back” and “don’t worry” about this thing, this salvation. What about those suicide bombers? What about the atheist? What about all those people? We know that isn’t the case! So any time what you believe the Bible teaches is contradictory to something else you believe the Bible teaches, then something is wrong with the instruction you’re putting upon a passage. The Bible said the Holy Spirit will guide these men [men inspired by the Holy Spirit to write the Words of God] “into all Truth,” John 16:13. “All Truth” runs in parallel lines. No one Truth can contradict any other Truth. No one Truth can go against any other Truth.

Now, today there are things being said even in our brotherhood that are very disturbing. In a book recently, a person wrote—“Some of these commandments are important and some of them are not.” Now which one is not? Is there any unimportant commandment that the Lord ever gave? When the Lord said, “if you love Me, you will keep My commandments” [John 14:15], which ones should we keep, and which ones do we not keep, if some are more important than others? Don’t misunderstand: I grew up on the “red-letter” edition of the Bible, but, in a sense, I wish they had never done that! Because, you see, from childhood, in my mind, if Jesus said it, it was a lot more true than if the Holy Spirit revealed it through somebody else [inspired writers]! That isn’t the case! The Truth is Truth, regardless of who said it. So if Jesus Himself said it, is it any more true—is it any more important—than the Holy Spirit moving Paul (or James or John or another inspired author) to say or write the Word of God? No! Pay attention to this because this is very vital. NO! All of it is important!

What did the Lord mean when He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” Matthew 4:4? And the Holy Spirit tells us that He has given us “that which is able to furnish us unto all good works,” 2 Timothy 3:16 and 17. The Bible said we have “all that pertains to life and godliness,” 2 Peter 1:3. So that means every Word is important!