Tri-Annual Singing!
October 17, 2026
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Category: Grace
Subject: Grace
From the Preacher’s Pen: Fairness Goes Both Ways
God is eminently fair. He is both merciful and just. As we acknowledge our salvation is dependent upon His grace, extended in His Son Jesus, we must also note that He rightly requires obedience on our part. That is His right, and it is fair of Him to demand our allegiance.
When rebellious Israel proclaimed God to be unfair in His dealing with them, He replied clearly:
“‘Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,’ says the Lord God. ‘Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,’ says the Lord God. ‘Therefore turn and live!’” (Ezekiel 18:30-32).
While God does not enjoy condemning men, He is fair! Those who do not turn from their iniquity (repent) will be condemned for their sins. We must get a “new heart and a new spirit.” For us, that means being born again! (cf. John 3:3-5).
Fairness goes both ways. God is fair in rewarding those who practice righteousness. He is pleased to grant the godly eternal life. And yet, though it saddens Him, it is fair of Him to condemn the ungodly to eternal death.
God’s Sovereignty and Free Will
Earlier this week I came across a website critiquing the “restoration movement.” This particular author was writing from a Calvinist’s point of view, and was very critical of the three “sects”, The Christian Church, the Disciples of Christ, and the Church of Christ. He accused members as being theistic humanists, because of their “Arminian” belief in “so-called free will.” He claimed that although progress has been made, these denominations still had not discovered the grace of God.
I would like to respond.
Invitation: Wisdom and Grace
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
In Colossians 4:5-6, the Apostle calls for wisdom, and graceful speech.
Sermon: Steps of Salvation
A simple lesson, using a chart for personal work (Slide #2) of the PPTX file. Explains both God’s Part, and Man’s Part in the salvation of any individual.
Mining the Scriptures: Galatians 2:1-5
Paul was continually embroiled in conflict with Judaizing teachers, who he here refers to as “false brethren.” Their view of the Christian faith nullified the grace of God. They viewed Christ as continuing the covenant between Jews and God, and viewed any Gentile Christian as a proselyte.
Circumcision, as a token of the covenant between God and Israel became the point of contention, and Paul was not going to compromise the gospel to appease these evil men. He protected Titus (a Gentile) by refusing to allow him to be circumcised. Paul’s correct understanding of the covenant of grace was that both He (a Jew), and Titus (a Gentile) were spiritual Jews, whose circumcision was not of the flesh, but of the heart! (cf. Romans 2:28-29).
We have liberty in Christ. Our appeal is to God’s grace. An appeal to the Old Law brings men into the bondage of sin.
Sermon: Grace and Obedience
The texts of Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 2:12-13; James 2:14-26 and Luke 17:7-10 are used to describe the relationship of grace and obedience to the salvation of men.
Sermon: Mercy and Truth Have Met Together
Psalm 85:10 expresses an interesting juxtaposition, “mercy and truth have met together.” The lesson explores the concept. Mercy and Truth come together at the redemption of man.
Sermon: Spring 2015 Meeting Sermons – Heath Rogers
Below are the links to the audio and powerpoint presentations from Heath Rogers, who held a meeting at the West Side church on May 9-14, 2015.
Lesson 1: “Whom Are You Seeking?”
Lesson 2: Help in Times of Trouble
Lesson 3: Lessons from Hezekiah’s Prayer
Lesson 4: Making Evangelism a Priority
Lesson 5: The Grace of God
Lesson 6: Mediocrity
Lesson 7: A Man After God’s Own Heart
Lesson 8: Can We Understand the Bible Alike?
Lesson 9: The Second Coming of Christ
Invitation: Crucified With Christ
Invitation delivered by: Josh Jackson
In Galatians 2:20, the apostle Paul expressed his recognition that his salvation was dependent upon Jesus Christ. We too should be crucified with Christ, and have Him direct our lives.
FB: Super Conquerors!
In Romans 8, the apostle Paul expressed a wonderful sentiment when he asked the rhetorical question, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (verse 31). The relationship we have with God guarantees our ultimate victory. Christians have on their side the Creator of the universe – the omnipotent, omniscient, eternal One.
Paul knew this, and wrote, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (verse 37). The phrase “more than conquerors” comes from a single greek term, hupernikao. The prefix huper strengthens the term, and carries the idea of “superior, abundant, exceeding.” The word indicates not only a victory, but that said victory is decisive and complete.
In effect, Paul states that through God and His Son we become super conquerors! Nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of god which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (verse 39).
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FB: Saved by Grace!
We are saved by God’s grace. The term “grace” is properly understood as an undeserved gift. In other words, if any of us obtain salvation, it will not be because we earned it, but because God chose to extend to us that wonderful gift. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Accepting that, we ask the following two questions:
- Does God choose to save everyone? The Biblical answer is no. Some will be saved, and some will be lost. In the day of judgment, some will go to hell, and be separated from God for eternity! (cf. Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; among many others).
- Who does God choose to save? Is His choice arbitrary? Is it made regardless of the behavior of man? The Biblical answer is again, no! Consider Hebrews 5:9, concerning the sacrifice of the Lord, “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”
We can’t earn our salvation. But, the Bible clearly says that God chooses to extend the undeserved gift of grace only to the obedient.
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FB: God Has Not Cast Away His People
In Romans 11, the apostle Paul notes that God has not forsaken His chosen people, the Israelites (vs. 2). However, he emphasizes in the letter that there has been a change in who God regards as chosen! He states in verse 5, “Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Now, the remnant that remains of God’s chosen or elected ones, are those who have obtained grace. As Paul noted in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”
This remnant includes those among the Jews who believe and obey the gospel of Christ, and also those among the Gentiles who do the same. In our text, Paul refers to the Gentiles as “a wild olive tree, …grafted in among them” (vs. 17).
God be praised that whether Jew or Gentile, we all have the hope of heaven if we believe!
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Invitation: A Remnant
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
In Romans 11:5 Paul notes that the remnant saved by God in the New Covenant are chosen “according to the election of grace.”
Sermon: Hagar and Sarah
A discussion of Galatians 4:21-31. To make your appeal to the Old Covenant, you align yourself with Hagar and Bondage rather than Sarah and freedom. As Christians, we are children of the free woman!
