Grace Excludes Boasting - Wednesday get_app

The Baptist Faith & Message also says,

“[Election] is the glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.”

I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but we have to recognize that God is the one who saves. It is by God’s grace that we are regenerated, justified, sanctified, and glorified.

Read Romans 11:5-7.

• How was the remnant of Israel chosen?
  (by grace)
• According to verse 6, can there be a basis of grace and a basis of works?
  (no; Paul even says “otherwise grace would no longer be grace”)

Just as the remnant of Israel was chosen by grace, excluding any boasting based on works, we too are chosen and saved by grace apart from works.

Read Ephesians 2:1-9.

• According to verse 1, what state where we in before we were united with Christ?
  (we were dead in trespasses and sins)
• Just to clarify, what do dead people do in order to come to life?
  (nothing, they’re dead!)
• Who makes dead people come to life?
  (God; he made us alive together with Christ)
• According to verse 7, why did God choose to graciously save his people?
  (to show the immeasurable riches of his grace; to display his own grace and sovereign goodness)
• According to verses 8-9, how are we saved?
  (by grace through faith, and not by our own doing, but it is a gift of God excluding all boasting)

Close in prayer. Thank God for his sovereign goodness and gracious election that bring salvation to his people. In humility, thank God that our salvation depends on him alone, and is not the result of works so that we can boast only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 6:14).