The Gospel of Grace in CHARTS
in the New Testament
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Master GRACE CHART GUIDE (all 27 New Testament books accenting God's Grace in this Chart)
Paul wrote his letters to Believers. Most of the New Testament is written to Believers. This context is basic to understanding the New Testament.
This Chart (below) is also framed in the context of a Believers life. This must be kept in mind to properly understand the key verses inserted from the various Book-Charts of the New Testament, in the pages to follow, that depict the Biblical story of the Grace of God in the life of a Believer.
But each of us was born in Unbelief. We all began with only one nature—a sin nature— separated from God—lost without Jesus. Therefore the Biblical story of God's Grace in the Life of a Believer provides a compelling witness to the Grace of God and Salvation in Jesus Christ for all who will Believe in Him.
This Chart aids in understanding our new nature in Christ. Key verses inserted into the Chart's 'contextual-framework'— now seen in their proper context— reveal the wondrous assurance the Believer has when the distinction between Justification and Sanctification is Biblically understood.
The GRACE CHART is built around a FRAMEWORK VERSE, Ephesians 5:8; (and Eph 5:11, 4:22) That verse spells out the New Testament teaching—
as a Believer—This is WHO YOU ARE in Christ; now, WALK LIKE WHO YOU ARE in Christ (the basic message of EVERY Epistle ! )
Follow the FRAMEWORK-VERSE by number, 1-4—Key verse=Eph 5:8; (& 5:11)
"...for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (Eph 5:8)
"...And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness..." (Eph 5:11; 4:22)
#1 Above— Ephesians 5:8a — Who You Were (as an Unbeliever)
Shows The Way Of Death—on the Chart above
1. All men (mankind) descend from Adam as a Natural Man, born into sin.
2. They only have one nature, what the Bible calls the Old Nature.
3. As such, being separated from God's Holy Nature, they can only walk in sin. Apart from Salvation their life-path is the Way Of Death—eternal separation from God.
#2 Above— Ephesians 5:8b — Who You Are (as a Believer)
Shows The Way Of Life—on the Chart above
1. When a person is Saved, it only happens one way—Believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who paid for our sins by His death on the cross, and sealed our Salvation by His resurrection from the dead.
2. This occurs as a gift from God by Grace-Alone, through Faith-Alone, in Christ-Alone. The "Saving" act was finished at the cross (John 19:30). The application of that Salvation to a person occurs at the instant they Believe in Jesus.
3. At the very moment of Belief a person becomes a child of God— instantaneously and irreversably. They "pass out of death into life". (John 5:24) Their Relationship as a child of God is set forever. This equates to "The Everlasting-Moment of Salvation!"
4. Therefore, in the act of Believing God renders His Final Verdict—the new Believer is declared Not Guilty (Justification) before God, through Christ our Savior, forevermore.
#3 Above— Ephesians 5:8c — Walk Like Who You Are
(a Believer & a child of God in Christ)
The Way Of Life—on the Chart above
1. Born-again into an unbreakable Relationship with God, the Believer is gifted with a New (sinless) Nature by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Yet they still retain their Old (sinful) Nature.
2. Having two natures, their Fellowship with God their Father can be glorious (Walk as His child by their New Nature), or that Fellowship can become weak (Walk by their Old Nature in defiance of their Father).
3. If the Believer walks as the child of God he now is, he walks as a Spiritual Man, empowered by the Holy Spirit to do works of love in his New Nature. As a result, in Heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ, he receives Rewards and a greater Inheritance.
#4 Above—Ephesians 5:11—Don't Walk Like Who You Were
(a Natural, lost child; an Unbeliever)
Shows The Way Of Death—on the Chart above
1. To the degree the Believer walks in his Old Nature, as the Natural Man he once was but no longer is, he walks as a Carnal Believer. As a result, in Heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ, his Reward and Inheritance is reduced (but his Salvation in Christ & Relationship as a Child of God remains Secure)
2. The Natural Man, left unsaved, reaps Eternal Judgment. But the moment he Believes in Christ, he too is Saved Eternally!
3. The Believer, when he sins & walks as a Carnal Man, may be disciplined by God for his good, or even reap Temporal Judgment (sickness or physical death)— again, for his ultimate good. But Being a Child of God, he remains eternally Secure in the Family of God. The Holy Spirit calls the Believer to repent & be restored to Fellowship with God by forgiveness of his sins done in his Old Nature.
SUMMARY REVIEW of the Above
GRACE CHART Quick-Guide: the focus is on the Believer; follow the Numbers (1-4),
The NUMBERS—based on Ephesians 5;8 (& 5:11);
#1) The Everlasting rejection of an unrepentant Unbeliever;
#2) The Everlasting-Moment of a Believer's Salvation;
#3) The Walk of a Faithful Believer in the Will of God:
#4) The Walk of an Unfaithful Believer in the Way of the World:
NOTES:
Key—GRACE GOSPEL GUIDE Ephesians 5:8,11
…you were formerly darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord;
walk as children of light…
1) Who You WERE– “you were formerly darkness”
2) Who You ARE—” but now you are light in the Lord”
3) WALK like Who You ARE—”walk as children of light”
4) DON’T WALK like Who You WERE—”do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness”
References: (Dispensational Distinctions)
Freely By His Grace, Hixson, Whitmire, Zuck, eds. , Grace Gospel Press, Duluth, MN, 2012, pp. 502++)
1) Spiritual, Natural, Carnal Man = 1 Co 2.14-3.3
2) New Nature & Old Nature = Cl 3.9-10; Ep 4.22-24; Ro 6.4-6
3) In Adam, In Christ = Ro 5.12-21
4) Gospel = Ro 6.23
5) Saved by Grace/ Rewards thru Works = Ep 2.8-9/1Co 3.11-15
6) Relationship/Fellowship = Ro 8.16-17/ 1 Jn 1.3; 2.3
7) Eternal Judgment/ Temporal Judgment = Ma 25.46/ He 12.5-11; 1Co 11.29-32