Growing in the Grace of God #02 - the New Covenant Part 2 — Bob Hoekstra

The New Covenant, by way of introduction on this section, synonyms for the New Covenant. Other biblical terms that really are talking about the same thing from a different direction, we just often don't make the connection.

New Covenant, growing in the grace of God. We're really talking about Christian discipleship, as seen in verses like Luke 9 .23. If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.

Christian discipleship, another synonym for New Covenant living or growing in the grace of God. Spirit-filled living, verses like Ephesians 5 .18, be filled with the Spirit. We talk about the abundant life, John 10 .10.

These aren't all separate things, they're just different perspectives on the same reality of knowing and walking with and in God. Praise God that he says it umpteen different ways. After all, it is a glorious diamond.

In fact, we're going to come to a phrase later about the manifold grace of God, the many faceted aspects of the grace of God. It's like an infinite heavenly diamond. Every place you stand, you get a new perspective.

It's not a different thing you're looking at, you're just standing at a different point. The Scriptures put us at a different place and show us life in Christ. But again, one of the wonderful things of having God speak in so many different directions about the same reality, every perspective gives new understanding of what that reality is.

And personally, I will say that nothing in my own life, in teaching the Word for 29 years now, walking with the Lord, 30 and a half years, 30 years and 9 months. Did you get saved when you were an infant?

Yes! A little grace back for the teacher. A little grace back for the teacher. I got saved when I was 25. Not months either. I wasn't a prodigy convert. In my years of walking with the Lord, though all of these perspectives and some may be yet to understand more, have been helpful and will be, nothing has had a more radical revolutionary influence in my own walk with the Lord and ministry than standing and looking at life in Christ under the terms of growing in the grace of God, which is all about living under the new covenant of grace.

Let's get some biblical perspective on the new covenant a bit now. A little quick survey. Have any among us had an extended opportunity ever to have a topical biblical, not a rambling, you know, related thoughts or study, but a biblical topical study where each issue is anchored in the scriptures on the subject of the new covenant?

Did you see how few hands? Okay, do you know, everywhere I've asked for a show of hands on that, it's been always say less than 5 and as often as not, zero hands. It's amazing, though the term new covenant appears throughout the New Testament and some, you know, teachers, I mean good biblical teachers like Pastor Chuck and others have done some fantastic topical studies like on the Holy Spirit and other things.

And really, Chuck's studies on the Holy Spirit are very much another perspective on the same thing we're looking at here. And he's written a book, a topical book, biblical book on why grace changes everything.

But and in it, we'll even read some quotes about the new covenant. It's not that it's missing from the teaching of the New Testament church in America, but it is amazing how little attention is given to it when you see how much attention is given to it in the scriptures, you know.

And I don't see it missing in Pastor Chuck's teaching or in the Calvary chapels in general, but as an issue of study, it's amazing how unattended it is and how often overlooked. And in many Christians' lives, even the reality of it under any terms is too sadly missing.

So let's get a little perspective on the new covenant. Jeremiah 31, Jeremiah 31, Jeremiah 31, the new covenant promised to Israel eventually. That's our biblical heading of study and we'll see it in these verses.

The new covenant is promised to Israel eventually. We'll see very soon how it relates to us much more personally than a long-term promise to Israel. Jeremiah 31, 31 -34, Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt.

My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.

No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity and their sin, I will remember no more.

The new covenant is promised to Israel eventually. Here it is right here. The days are coming. I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel. This promise of a new covenant will be fulfilled for Israel when Christ returns to the earth at the end of the tribulation.

It's when all remaining Israelites will turn to him, Zechariah, they'll see him whom they have pierced, be mourning and weeping, Romans 11, 26, then all Israel shall be saved. At that time all left on the earth will respond to the Messiah's return and they will enter in as a nation.

But what does it involve? Not when will Israel get it now so much. This is not a class in eschatology or prophetic things really. But what is involved here essentially in this covenant? Three major terms here.

Number one, forgiveness of sin, verse 34, end of the verse. I will forgive their iniquity and their sin, I will remember no more. One of the terms of the new covenant is forgiveness of sin. Second, relationship personally with God, verse 34.

They all shall know me, all who are under this covenant, all of God's people, the Israelites, chosen nation under this covenant, from the least of them to the greatest of them says the Lord. So forgiveness of sins, a personal relationship with the Lord, and third, this is an area we'll spend a lot of time on in this course, an internal working of God enabling and changing their lives.

Verse 33, I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people. Not God's holy righteous will carved in stones for them to look at externally.

That's the old covenant. This new covenant, God writing it inside in our thinking and in our heart, in our desires, motivations, goals, in the very character of who we are and it will cause this to come to pass.

I will be their God and they shall be my people. Our emphasis in this course will be on this third area, God's internal working by His grace to grant us new life, growing life, abundant life, a life of service and fruit and abundant labors.

Now all of this is a promise to Israel someday. So yeah, what does that have to do with us? Well here's the amazing thing. What is promised to Israel someday, the basic characteristics of the new covenant has already been inaugurated for the church now.

Hebrews 8, one place that shows us that. New covenant, promised to Israel eventually inaugurated for the church now. Already in place for the church now. Hebrews 8 verse 8, let's start with verse 6. But now he, Christ, has obtained a more excellent ministry inasmuch as he is also mediator of a better covenant, shifting off from looking at the high priest under the old covenant to Christ under the new, which was established on better promises.

We'll come back to this verse near the end of the course and see why the new covenant is a covenant of better promises, no comparison, exceedingly great and precious promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, that is without lack, then no place would have been sought for a second.

Because finding fault with them, he says, because God saw in them something lacking, not surprisingly to God, but knowingly, there would be something missing from the old covenant of law. Because finding fault with them, he says, behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I disregarded them, says the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their mind, write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people.

None of them shall teach his neighbor and none his brother saying, no, the Lord for all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, their sins and their lawless deeds.

I will remember no more. In that he says a new covenant, he has made the first, the old, obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. You recognize these verses quoted here?

Exactly the same verses we read in the promises to Israel. Now he's quoting them to the church and someone might say, yeah, but these are Hebrew Christians. You know all that means is they would have more quickly an understanding and more earnestly a need to hear this.

There is no Jew or Gentile in Christ. There is no male, female, east or west. Hebrews is not just for Hebrew Christians. It was written to Hebrew Christians who desperately needed to hear it. But everything promised to them is for everyone that's in Christ.

And now the new covenant is being read to the church. Quoting the same exact passage, explaining to them the better covenant. Verse 6, but now he has obtained a more excellent ministry inasmuch as he is a mediator of the better covenant which was established on better promises.

Already starting to use past tense terms about this new covenant. Established on better promises. And it goes a little further. Verse 13 says the new covenant makes the other obsolete. What other? The law.

Covenant of the law. Hebrews 10, look at this. This gets right down to it. Hebrews 10, 16. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days says the Lord. I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds.

I will write them. Then he adds their sins and their lawless deeds. I will remember no more. Does that sound familiar? Same exact verses out of Jeremiah 31. New covenant verses promised to Israel quoted to the New Testament church.

Now same context continues. Now where there is remission of sins or remission of these. There is no longer an offering for sin. When God takes care of these sins this way. There is not going to be animal sacrifices to cover sins.

Verse 19. Therefore in light of this new covenant. In light of this new covenant promised to Israel. But now read and applied to the church. Therefore brethren having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

By a new and living way. That is the new covenant. Which he Christ consecrated for us. Through the veil that is his flesh. When Christ died on the cross shed his blood for us. He consecrated for us this new and living way.

Which he consecrated. What is the which referred to? The new and living way. The new covenant that has been quoted here time and again from Jeremiah. He Jesus consecrated this new covenant for us. He consecrated it.

It could be translated dedicated it. Inaugurated it. Initiated it. Opened it up. Established it. He put it into force for us. Us new testament believers. By his death on the cross. What Israel is awaiting some day.

We are to be walking in now. You know forgiveness of sins. Personal relationship with God. And an inner working of God in our hearts and minds. Our inner being. Bringing us life in Christ from the inside out.

This new covenant is already inaugurated for us. In fact that is one of the major points of the book of Hebrews. That time and time again we don't live under law. With the high priestly system. And one priest passes it on to the next priest.

And one man goes in once a year to the very presence of God. It is like that was all just shadows. And we will look at that issue also. We have a better covenant. Better promise. Better high priest. And the better covenant is the new covenant.

And it has been inaugurated for us now. The essence of it. You can find in the promises through the prophets. There are other things. The land they are going to get. You might say well the land is not promised to the church and to Gentiles.

No but interesting thing in the kingdom. We will enjoy the land just as much as Israel does. In fact in the millennium we will be part of the administration over the whole earth. You know. So even that aspect of it we will benefit from.

But the essence of the new covenant. The relationship with God. Not just him fulfilling his word to faithfully give that land to those he promised it to. And he will keep that promise. He will. But the very essence and character of the new covenant.

Forgiveness of sins. Personal relationship with God. And an internal working of God. That essential characteristic of the new covenant. It is already inaugurated for us now. That is why we read earlier 2 Corinthians 3.

We are servants of the new covenant. New covenant. We are right now already servants under the new covenant. So this new covenant. Promised to Israel eventually. Inaugurated for the church now. Yes. Can I ask a question?

Sure. Oh okay.

Only if I have an answer. Oh okay. No I am basically talking about the new covenant. The reason why it is better in a sense. That we are under the new covenant. Yes. Is it because of the Holy Spirit? That in other words because Jesus has descended.

We will probably. It will probably take 12 weeks to answer that question. So I think we will wait on that. The reason it is. The reason it is. The reason it is better. Is because of all the things we are going to look at for these 12 weeks.

It is not just that. Though you mentioned a critical aspect of it. Okay. Definitely what you said yes. That is why it is better. But that is not the only reason it is better. That is just one. See it is so much better.

It is not like it is this much better. Or this much better. It is not like it is this much better. It is this room. It is out of sight. The Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean. That is right. That is right.

I think you will even get a flavor of that. In the closing verses in just a little while. Sure welcome. It is a covenant that is promised to Israel eventually. Inaugurated, established, instituted. For you and me now.

And it is provided. Next heading. Provided by the blood of Christ. Let's go back to Luke 22 .20. Which we read quickly at the start. Luke 22 .20. Likewise he also took the cup after supper saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is shed for you.

This cup. The communion cup. Every time we take communion. It is an opportunity to reflect on the new covenant. How many times have you heard it? Someone reads the scripture. The church is gathered. This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is shed for you.

We have heard it. We have heard it. We have heard it. We have done it. We have participated. That cup is speaking about basically in symbolic simple form. Everything we are talking about in this course.

And I tell you. When God began to open my eyes and fill my heart with the significance more and more of the grace of God. The communion table just exploded in greater significance and richness. Remember we looked at being servants of the new covenant.

2 Corinthians 3 .5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything. It says. As coming from ourselves. But our sufficiency is from God. Who made us sufficient as servants of the new covenant.

Think of the implications of that covenant. See not only forgiveness of sins. Not only relationship with God. But what a relationship. One in which we do not have to consider anything in the kingdom life will come from us.

How much are you trying to produce in your Christian life? I want to be good. I want to be better. I want to be godly. I want to be like Christ. How are you doing? How hard are you trying? Sucking wind.

How much of it is coming from you? If there is real Christ likeness there. How much of it is coming from God to you? Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to consider anything coming from ourselves.

But our sufficiency is from God. Is that a covenant or what? What kind of covenant is that? Sounds like grace to me. It is so liberating. It is so encouraging. We do not have to look to self to manufacture any of the Christian life.

We know where to look to find it. And that is what we will be doing in this class all along the way. Yes. We will spend a lot of time in John 15 .5. Right on target. Exactly. Right on target. Exactly.

Amen. This cup is the new covenant. It speaks of that kind of relationship with God. Forgiveness of sin. Relationship with God. And inner working of God's resources applied to us from the inside out. The very life of Christ shared within us.

It is, in human terms, unbelievable. Because God is the one telling us these things, they become believable. In fact, it is as we believe we walk in them. The just shall live by faith. This cup is the new covenant.

A reminder of the new covenant. Drinking it is a confession of this new arrangement for living with God. The new covenant, in my blood, which was shed for you, for all of us, for every follower of Jesus Christ and those who are being invited and awaiting this wonderful blessing.

What was the price paid for the new covenant? The shed blood of Jesus Christ. Think of the amazing and effective price paid to establish this covenant. No wonder it offers such amazing and effective provisions.

When you think of the price paid, no wonder it provides what it provides. The price is measureless. What it provides is unsearchable. What a covenant. And, our last heading, all of this is related to the grace of God.

All of this is related to the grace of God. Let's track a little bit of that together. Let's go back to Jeremiah 31 and then kind of flip back and forth between the Jeremiah passage and New Testament elaborations on it.

Jeremiah 31. Jeremiah 31, 31. Well, let's go to verse 34, speaking of the initial work of the grace of God. The forgiveness of sins. For I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more.

The forgiveness of sin, the basic fundamental initial work of the grace of God in the new covenant. The initial work of the new covenant. If God is going to build a relationship with people, their sins must be forgiven.

The sins must be washed away. They must precede that developing of relationship. Which is followed by, accompanied by the internal work of God. But that first promise of the new covenant, forgiveness of sins.

First in sort of theological sequence, in spiritual reasoning. What starts in forgiveness of sins, a relationship with God, an internal work of God. The preceding issue has to be the forgiveness of sins.

Well, hold your hand there and look at Ephesians 1 .7, which talks about the forgiveness of sins in the New Testament terms. Forgiveness of sins is the subject from Jeremiah 31, terms of the new covenant.

Ephesians 1 .7 talks about forgiveness of sins this way. In him we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins. According to the riches of his grace. Forgiveness of sins. What's that all about?

Where does it come from? How is it measured? What is it like and according to? It's according to the riches of his grace. The riches of his grace. There are such great treasures here in the grace of God to explore together in this course.

Our initial introduction to them is the forgiveness of sins. It's according to the riches of his grace. But the riches of God's grace are not exhausted when he forgives us. Many Christians, myself included, generally make a major mistake at this point.

In thinking that the forgiveness of sins and the grace of God are identical to each other. I started out that way. People talk about the grace of God. Oh, yes, my sins are forgiven. People talk about the forgiveness of sins.

Oh, yes, the grace of God is so great. Wonderful to make a connection between the two. Major mistake to make them identical to each other. Grace of God, forgiveness of sins. One, they're both glorious.

But one is far greater than the other. Which is the greater? Grace. Forgiveness is just according to the riches of his grace. It doesn't exhaust the riches of his grace. It's just the first dip into that rich grace.

It's where we all taste deeply unto life everlasting. It's starting out with God, forgiveness of sins. It's according to the riches of his grace. The riches of his grace, oh, there are treasures there to explore.

In fact, the whole Christian life ought to be. Seeing the riches of his grace unfolded in daily growth, relationship, fruit, service, abounding good works. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, remember? For by grace you have been saved through faith.

That not of yourselves, it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest anyone should boast. By grace we're saved. Through faith, not of us, it's God's gift. That also talking about starting out with God. Initial salvation, forgiveness, new birth.

It's promised in the Old Testament in the New Covenant promises. When the New Testament explains forgiveness of sins, it links it in to the grace of God. Our heading is that all of the New Covenant is related to the grace of God.

The easiest to see is this. The initial work of God's grace. Forgiveness, justification, new birth. All kind of all anchored right there at the start of the Christian life. How are you justified? By grace.

How are you born again? By the grace of God. How are your sins forgiven? Grace of God. All those initial workings of God at the start, it's his grace. Every believer knows that. You know why we know every believer knows that?

Because if they don't know that, they're not a believer. It's so simple. If anyone thinks you can get new birth, everlasting life, sins forgiven, anyway by the grace of God, that person is not a follower of Jesus Christ.

They're not a believer. They're maybe a religiously interested person, religiously motivated and active, maybe striving to earn heaven, all kinds of things. But they're not a believer in New Testament terms.

So every believer knows of this. But you know what? We're going to spend very little time in this course on that. Because every believer knows that. We're going to spend most of our time where far too many of us don't know that the grace of God is to apply.

And that is the ongoing grace of God in our daily living as Christians. Let's go back to Jeremiah. Now hold your hand here in the New Testament. Go back to Jeremiah 31, verse 33. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these days, says the Lord.

For those days I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people. God working internally to make the reality of a people of God coming forth.

I will put my law, my holy standards, my righteous realities in their minds, inside their thinking. And write it on their hearts. You know how important it is to have God write the character of Himself on our hearts?

If He didn't do that, there could never be any true Christ-likeness. There would just be cheap mimicking by religious people. Jesus said, guard your heart. For out of it flow all the issues of life. There could be no godliness if God did not write it on our hearts.

It has to start inside, it has to start inside work of God on the heart. But that's what's promised in the New Covenant. Well, that New Covenant is already inaugurated for us. It's available. That internal working of God, we have access to it every day.

Now, that's the Old Testament promise of it. Now, when the New Testament talks about it, it links it to grace. Like Hebrews 13 .9. Hebrews 13 .9. Hebrews 13 .9. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.

Well, what a good warning that is for this day and age. This was given in the first century. If the apostle was writing this again, he'd probably want to say, give me that pen. I want to write it in very large letters.

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. There's such a variety of strange doctrines, teachings in the church world today. Perhaps the strangest variety that's ever hit is this unholy laughter thing.

This Toronto cursing. I mean, how strange. Now, I'm not saying no one into it is possibly a believer. Maybe many are. I'm not their God. I don't know their heart. I'm just measuring their practice by the Scriptures, and it's strange.

And the message of the teachers, the way to be abundant in life and mighty in spirit, is let's gather and see how many of us can fall on the floor and laugh uncontrollably for a couple of hours. You know what I say about that?

That's a strange doctrine. And here's a stranger addition to it. You can graduate from that, and you can get into barking and howling, and you can go home looking like you're drunk. What a strange teaching.

What a strange teaching. Jesus didn't teach it. The apostles didn't teach it. No one in the Bible exemplified it. Oh, but it's the latest, greatest revival. Listen, the flesh can get revived too. The flesh can have a hootin', hallelujah, hollerin' religious time.

Now, I don't mind getting excited about God. I do get excited about God. But I want it to be by the work of His Spirit, not the work of my flesh. Why is it so important to not get carried about with various and strange doctrines?

The next sentence explains it. For it is good that the heart be established by grace. Because rolling on the floor laughing and growling doesn't establish the heart. It exercises the flesh. The heart is the inner man out of which all the issues of life flow.

It's the new creature in Christ. It's the real you and me. And it's out of that center of our being that God wants to do a great work and let His reality come forth. Why is it many Christians, their experience is hot and cold, off and on, up and down, here and gone, because their heart isn't established.

Because what is in the heart will come out in the life and walk. We all need stabilized inner life. We need our hearts established, grounded, made steady, anchored in the realities of the kingdom of God.

That's what produces a stable, mature, growing, developing Christian life. Well, what is it that establishes the heart? It is good that the heart be established by grace. Now see, this verse has nothing to do with justification.

Justification isn't the establishing of a heart. Justification is the giving of a heart. New birth, new life. This verse is not about getting born again. It's about growing up. It's not about getting declared innocent, having a new heart within.

It's about having that new heart made solid, mature and strong. This is the arena this class concentrates on week after week after week. And we could do it more, weeks after weeks after weeks. Because it's all over the scriptures once you see it.

How many Christians? This would recount their Christian experience. Either ignoring God or trying to strive for heaven religiously, one way or another, they saw by the work of the Spirit of God, it's by grace you're saved through faith, that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, lest any man should boast.

And by the grace of God they entered the kingdom of heaven. Now they're born again. They're alive in Christ. They have a new heart. And pretty soon they begin to think, hey, the key to this thing is how hard you try.

And they pick it up from each other. Hey, they're doing better because they're trying harder. You know? I'm trying as hard as I can. Maybe there's a knack that you learn. And we'll talk about a bunch of these along the way.

And just like that, so many of us went from birth by grace to growth by law. No wonder so many in the body of Christ are not growing in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

This is a critical issue. It's a difference between victory, defeat, fruit and barrenness, joy and frustration, witness and shame. I mean, it's a radical issue. It's good for the heart to be established by grace.

See, God's grace is not only His willingness and provision to forgive us, it is also His heavenly dynamic to grow us and transform us. There are all kinds of pictures like this in the Word of God, where that which God used to save us is that which He uses to grow us.

Like, the Word of God is the seed of life. Peter said we're born again through the living and abiding seed of the Word of God. And you go to chapter 2 and you're born again and the seed becomes milk to grow on.

Well, what is it? Seed or milk? Birth or growth? Yeah. You got it. It's both. Well, what is grace? Now, come on. Do you get saved with it or grow with it? Do you get justified or sanctified? Yes. It's for both.

It's critical that we see it. Otherwise, we're just bound, we're chained to a Christian life of self-effort, measured by the law of God, which leaves you in condemnation and a sense of alienation, a sense of defeat, and a sense of God must really be mad at me.

No, He'll never again be mad at us, His children. He took out all of that mad, that holy righteous wrath on His Son. Now, His force will never be against us. He's sad for us. He's holding out His arms.

Come to me, weary and heavy laden ones, and I'll give you rest. Ah, Lord, I'm too busy working for you. Saved by grace, struggling to grow and serve by living through flesh resources under the law of God.

Critical issue. It is a plague around the world in the church. Yes. It's by His grace He brings things into our lives that force us upon His grace. But boy, we'll fight against Him, won't we? I know this is 40 ,000 tons, but I'll carry it.

I just need to learn how to brace better. Or just smash flat. Just as lifeless and dead. No, no, no. Just give me four more steps on how to carry the earth. I'll be a victorious Christian. It is good that the heart be established by grace, strengthened, made stable, steady, immovable, maturing, mighty.

By grace. By grace. Not just a willingness to forgive, but a resource to transform. What is the grace of God? It's often called unmerited favor. And it is. But all of these sayings, they're not really definitions, they're more descriptions.

It's too big to define. But you can describe it, and it's good to describe it. That's a good description, unmerited favor. God's favor that we don't deserve. But for years I've been asking the Lord to give me more and more descriptions of His grace.

So that my understanding and appreciation and desire for it might grow. Maybe you've heard this one. It's an acrostic. It takes grace and makes five words out of it. You know, G-R-A-C-E. This is a good one too.

God's riches at Christ's expense. That's even better than unmerited favor, you know. That one really gets more into it. What is grace? God's riches at Christ's expense. God's riches for us that Christ paid for.

We couldn't buy, couldn't earn, couldn't deserve, couldn't muster them up on our own. That's a good one. Let me give you a much more cumbersome one. Mine. This is one of my latest attempts. You know, it's not for public consumption.

It's for my edification and understanding and asking the Lord to let me appreciate His grace. But I'll share it. You'll be gracious and not throw things at me. The grace of God involves God freely providing for us.

God freely providing for us through the person and work of His Son. As we humbly put our trust in His Son. All that we would need. All that we would yearn for. All that we are commanded to walk in and become.

But could never deserve it. Could never earn it. And could never produce it on our own. It's grace. It's grace. I was actually reading Ephesians 2, 4 -10. The day I kind of wrote that down. Ephesians 2, 4 -10.

Yes. Let me read these verses and I will. We're on the same page. Ephesians 2, 4 -10. But God. This is after dead and children of wrath and all that. But God who is rich in mercy. Because of His great love with which He loved us.

Even when we were dead in trespasses. Made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. And raised us up together. And made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come.

He might show the exceeding riches of His grace. In kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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.

For we are His workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus for good works. Which God prepared beforehand. That we should walk in them. The grace of God. Let me read my own feeble description. God freely providing for us.

Through the person and work of His Son. That is through who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. As we humbly put our trust in His Son. All that we would need. All that we would yearn for. All that we are commanded to walk in and to become.

But could never deserve it. Could never earn it. And could never produce it on our own. The grace of God. 2 Peter 3 .18. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.

Amen. We want to grow. There is something about life. It is designed to grow. God made it that way. Once we are birthed. There develops this yearning to grow. And we hear along the way. Yeah, we should be like Christ.