Equipping Eve: The Discipline of Grace (Part 1)

Striving for eternity and the Bible thumping wingnut are happy to announce the judge not conference

August 11 and 12 in Olmstead Falls, Ohio at Olmstead Falls Baptist Church Speakers include

Phil Johnson, Mike Avendraw, Justin Peters, JD Hall, and Chris Roseborough Also included is a debate at 7 p .m.

On Friday on the topic of the charismatic gifts Continuationism versus cessationism you can register for the judge not conference at judge not conference dot

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Is The church today doing everything it can to provide women a firm foundation of truth in Christ Jesus Well, it's true.

There's no shortage of candy -coated Bible studies potluck fellowships available to ladies, but beyond Sunday morning our

Christian women being properly equipped to stand against the same Deceptions that even enticed

Eve in the garden in an attempt to address the need for trustworthy Biblical resources for women

No Compromise Radio is happy to introduce equipping Eve a ladies only radio show that seeks to equip women with fruits of truth

In an age that's ripe with deception My name is Mike Avendraw and I'm pleased to introduce your host

Aaron Benzinger a friend of No Compromise Radio And a woman who wants to see other women equipped with a love for and a knowledge of the truth of God's Word Well, hello ladies and welcome to equipping

Eve I am your host Aaron Benzinger and This is the show that seeks to equip you with fruits of truth from God's Word So that we can stand strong on that word in an age of deception, right?

We just heard that tagline What does that mean fruits of truth? What are we talking about?

Well, we're talking about God's Word the Bible that would be the 66 books contained in your

Bible 66 I say that for a reason Look it up. Send me an email.

We'll explain that further So fruits of truth, we're not cherry -picking okay, that's really important for us to understand when we study scripture that you don't just go in and Pick out a verse that makes you feel good or a half of a verse

That's even worse and yet so many quote -unquote Bible teachers do that we don't just go in and cherry -pick the truths that we like or the truths that seem to fit our situation if we

Pull them out of context. We take the whole of God's Word, right? The entirety of God's Word is wait for it

God's Word Therefore the entirety of God's Word is true

Why because God is true God is truth Jesus Christ said in John 14 6.

I am the way the truth and the life No one comes to the father, but by through me

The truth God is truth. He cannot lie That has been true from eternity past and will be true for all of eternity.

He is immutable He does not Change and that's marvelous

Isn't it ladies? It's marvelous that our God does not change and because he does not change his word does not change and the truths contained within that word

Do not change they cannot by their very nature because they are the

Word of God and God by his very nature does not change it makes sense

It makes sense if we sit and we think things through logically and rationally

Using the good sense that God was gracious to give us these things make sense and then it makes you wonder why some people so Ridiculously interpret the scriptures

Doesn't it just make you wonder how people can say? Oh, yes This passage of scripture means exactly what it says, but this one over here.

We need to spiritualize it It means something other than what it said it has a deeper more spiritual meaning

No, no No, no, the Bible is pretty clear. God doesn't stutter

He's made the Bible accessible to men. You don't need to be an elite group of Gnostics or Popes or priests to interpret the scriptures and We don't need to look for some hidden meaning that requires a decoder ring to figure out

In order to know what the Bible says. We just need to read it We just need to pray that the

Holy Spirit would illumine The scriptures and open our eyes to see the truth that God has been good to put in those scriptures and to reveal to us

We love the Bible not because we worship the Bible as a book But because the

Bible reveals to us the God who we do worship The Bible reveals to us

Jesus Christ our Savior our only way of salvation

So if you don't love the Bible or you are running around accusing people of worshiping the

Bible because they speak highly of it Oh my friend Please examine yourself

We speak highly of Scripture because it is God's Word and it reveals God to us and it reveals

Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity God in human flesh

Who came and gave his life for sinners?

That is why we speak very highly of the Bible. That is why we love

God's Word now before we get started today,

I Have a book here. I think I've shared a little bit from this book before but I buy these things because they're cheap

Let's be clear. I'm not spending Lots of money on these ridiculous purchases. I only buy them if they're cheap

And I think I've shared an excerpt or two from this in the past But I came across it the other day and thought oh, it's been a while So, let's take a look at this it's called 365 things to do before you go to heaven

So this will keep you busy for a whole year and I did not start on January 1 so I'm behind but I opened this up and Ladies you you need to do this.

You'll need to do this this thing before you go to heaven number 135 Attend the prom or another formal gala

I'm not joking. It says this if you were unable to attend your high school prom.

It's not too late Oh goody sign up to be a chaperone at your local high school or attend a gala that requires formal attire

If you don't own the outfit you need borrow it or rent it

And that sounds scary and get your hair done and rent a fancy car or limousine if you can afford it

It doesn't give a reason why you should do this, but apparently you should do this before you go to heaven Okay Let's see.

What else do we have here? Oh This is nice Become one with nature for at least an hour today appreciate the warmth of the

Sun the scent of the flowers the shade of the trees the melody of the birds really listen see smell and feel what

God reveals about Himself to the world. He created and renews every year hmm

You know, I was one with nature today I was sitting outside this morning trying to enjoy a little bit of the early morning sunshine my coffee and When I came inside I realized

I was so one with nature that I was covered in bug bites So that was joyous.

So God has revealed Not about himself, but about his creation that creation has fallen and hence mosquitoes and other biting gnats exist

So that's what I learned today from my time in nature. I think I'll stay inside now So here's another fun one and then we can move on unless I find another fun one ride a motorcycle

Drive if you dare ride behind an experienced driver Enjoy the wind on your face the feel of the road the nearness of the neighborhood notice things you do not see from a car

Remember how much you're saving on gas and don't forget to wear a helmet and hang on tight Really?

This is supposed to be my priority before I die That's no because if I get on a motorcycle, let me tell you that will be the day

I die because guaranteed I Would not last That would just be awful

Here beside the ocean write a prayer for peace in the sand watch the tide come in and take your words out to sea

Imagine the waves delivering your prayer to beachcombers thousands of miles away. Well, that's dumb.

First of all, that's just stupid sounding and also Now I'm depressed because I don't live anywhere near the ocean and let me tell you

I would love a vacation What is that? By the way, my co -workers keep taking this thing called vacation. I don't know what that is

Listen if I am on the beach I'm just going to enjoy being on the beach and enjoy the sound of the ocean and and the smell of the saltwater and all

That wonderfulness. I'll be one with nature not getting bit up by mosquitoes because those aren't there on the ocean.

So anyway before we digress too terribly far Let's get started on our topic for today.

So that was your Dose of nonsense for the day don't buy that book 365 things to do before you go to heaven

Don't buy it. If you need some daily nonsense, let me know and I can I can

Email you some from the book. So this I think I had trouble finding the author before Oh Contributing writers

Christine Dahlman Deanna deck Lydia Harpert and Carol sticker. They're all women. I'm shocked

Shocked anyway moving on moving on. What do we talk about today? well,

I have been thinking a lot lately about About a lot of things but my thoughts have turned quite often to and Providentially, I've come across blog posts and scripture and my scripture reading and sermons

Not even looking for them. They're just the sermons that I'm hearing a lot about grace,

I Have just been thinking about that balance. That is so necessary in our

Christian life between law and grace and I've put a little bit of this on my blog at do not be surprised calm

Which by the way is one way you can find me Equipping Eve. We do have a website equipping Eve comm or org

They should both still take you there and you can contact me at either of those. We're on Twitter We're on Facebook.

Just do a little search and you'll find us and anyway So I put a little bit of this on the do not be surprised blog

So if you follow that maybe you saw a little teaser and it's just really been in my mind lately because God has been good to give me a lot of different experiences over the years when

I was a false Christian I spent time in secret churches. I mean Hardcore secret driven churches.

I attended Willow Creek. Okay, so you don't get much more secret driven than that so, um

Let me tell you I Now see and I'm sure I will continue to see for the rest of my life how

God used those Experiences how he used my past as a false Christian and my experiences there and even my experiences after being saved

I've seen how he's used them and how he's taken his truth and he's just illuminated those experiences even more and glorified himself in that and how

I've been able to see his truth and and one of the things that I've seen along the way is Both ends of the spectrum, you know, let us sin that grace may abound and also

You need to be holy. You need to be holy as your father is holy. You need to be righteous and here's 16 ,000 ways you can do that and you better get started and If you don't get started soon, you're going to be in trouble.

You're probably not even saved. You know if you aren't feeling Just Enthralled by reading this

Bible passage. You probably aren't saved and etc, etc So there are two ends of the spectrum here, right and to be clear

I have never heard anyone preach if you don't feel this way you aren't saved but the way that the message comes across that's the implication and That's a place where we have to be really careful and ladies

We're not preaching But we have to be very mindful of how we say things because it if we are sending a message that if you don't do

Or you don't feel a certain way you aren't saved and we're talking to someone who is a

Christian We could be contributing to some major spiritual depression major spiritual funk

But I'm kind of getting ahead of myself here so all of this culminates in Things rolling around in my brain and that's where I've been thinking about this this

Notion this doctrine of grace and I'm not talking specifically about the doctrines of grace those five points if you will

I'm talking about actual The doctrine of grace now all of those five points of course culminate in God's grace

God's mercy God's gospel God's gospel of grace What is interesting to me is that so often those who claim to hold to the doctrines of grace

Actually do not teach preach or live very much grace. Do they do we let me put myself in there?

because I have been there and Pray every day that I would not slip back there

It can tend to be a very spiritually prideful group And I say that as one who has been a member a card -carrying member of the spiritually proud and It's not a good place to be so Let's go back before we before I continue to get ahead of myself, which

I am doing way too much here Let's go back All the way back to the

Old Testament And I want us to consider for a moment ladies the Abrahamic Covenant and I want you to consider this thought that the

Abrahamic Covenant is actually the foundational covenant of the Old Testament.

It is not Sinai it is not the Mosaic Covenant Now if you are still listening

Thank you the law Is not the foundational covenant upon which

God's Old Testament scriptures are built and That truth has major implications for our lives now

I'm going to take a moment and We're going to go off on a trajectory To highlight that by saying this

We are not diminishing the importance or the necessity of the law

I want to be really clear about that because it's all in God's Word and all of it had a purpose and all of it

Continues to have a purpose God's law continues to serve its purpose. I am just saying that we

Perhaps ought to consider and be mindful of the fact that that is not the foundational covenant of the

Old Testament again By saying that the Abrahamic Covenant is the foundational covenant of the

Old Testament. We are not diminishing the law Why do we need the law? We need the law.

Let me say that loud and clear. We need the law We must have the law

Why? The law shows us our sin, right?

Galatians 3 We'll start in verse 19. Why the law then it was added because of transgressions

Having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made

Now a mediator is not for one party only whereas God is only one is the law then contrary to the promises of God May it never be for if a law had been given which was able to impart life

Then righteousness would indeed have been based on law But the scripture has shut up everyone under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe

But before faith came we were kept in custody under the law being shut up to the faith

Which was later to be revealed verse 24 Paul writes Therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ so that we may be justified by faith

The law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ The law serves like a mirror right and we look at the law and we see our sin

Romans 7 verse 7 Ladies turn in your Bible to Romans 7 verse 7 and just a reminder.

I typically use the new American Standard version here I'll try to let you know if I'm using something different if I'm quoting someone else that might be a different version

But I use the NASB So Romans 7 Paul writes verse 7.

What shall we say then is the law sin may it never be on the contrary? I would not have come to no sin except through the law for I would not have known about Coveting if the law had not said you shall not covet but sin taking opportunity through the commandment

Produced in me coveting of every kind for apart from the law sin is dead I was once alive apart from the law

But when the commandment came sin became alive and I died and this commandment

Which was to result in life proved to result in death for me for sin Taking an opportunity through the commandment deceived me and through it killed me

So then the law is holy and the commandment is holy and righteous and good

Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me may it never be

Rather it was sin in order that it might be shown to be sin by affecting my death through that Which is good so that through the commandment sin would become utterly

Sinful the law is good, right? The law is good It shows us our sin.

The law is holy and righteous and good says Paul and I give that a hearty hearty Amen Amen RC Sproul writes the first purpose of the law is to be a mirror on the one hand the law of God Reflects and mirrors the perfect righteousness of God the law tells us much about who

God is perhaps more important the law illumines human sinfulness

Augustine wrote the law orders that we after attempting to do what is ordered and so feeling our weakness under the law

May learn to implore the help of grace The law highlights our weakness so that we might seek the strength found in Christ Hence or here the law acts as a severe schoolmaster who drives us to Christ That's exactly what we see

Paul writing about right? That's exactly what we just saw in Romans 7 so the law is good and holy and righteous and just and necessary and it shows us our sin and Very important it points us to Christ.

It drives us to Christ It drives us to grace that is found in Christ alone and we need the law

We need to have a right understanding of who we are before God, right? Romans 3 verse 10 as it is written.

There is none righteous. Not even one. There is none who understands There is none who seeks for God all have turned aside together

They've become useless. There is none who does good not even one. Their throat is an open grave with their tongue

They keep deceiving the poison of asps is under their lips Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood

Destruction and misery are in their paths in the path of peace. They have not known there is no fear of God before their eyes

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law so that every mouth may be closed and All the world may become accountable to God Because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight for through the law comes the knowledge of sin we need the law and so I want to make that really clear because I foresee

Someone taking my words out of context which we Say not to do about scripture, but we do it with people all the time

Don't we and I can see someone taking my words out of context saying that I am running around saying

Let us in that grace may abound grace grace. There's No need for righteousness holiness, whatever now, they're really gonna take that sound bite aren't they?

and Aaron's gone completely off the rails and She's crazy and she's just telling you to run around and sin so that grace may abound no

No, we need the law. God gave us the law. It is good. It is perfect It is holy. It is just but it cannot save you newsflash

When was the last time you kept the law perfectly you never did you didn't nope

Nope, you didn't I didn't none of us did none of us can there's only one who did it was

Jesus Christ And so the law shows us our weakness as R .C.

Sproul writes that we just quoted I'd say it doesn't even just show us our weakness

It just shows us our utter depravity and inability, right? our total depravity our total inability the first tea the tea and tulip the first doctrine of grace there and It shows us.

Oh, oh, I Need help I I can't keep this law.

So how Shall I be saved well That's where grace comes in, right

That's where grace comes in, but if we only preach sanctification We ultimately will lose the gospel of grace

And it is the gospel of grace, isn't it? Acts 20 24 I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself so that I may finish my course in the ministry which

I Received from the Lord Jesus to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God It is a gospel of grace

And so that's why it's important for us not to forget the Abrahamic Covenant when we're looking at who

God is You know, God is not just a God of the New Testament. The Old Testament is the same

God It is exceedingly relevant to our lives today. Even as New Testament believers and the

Abrahamic Covenant ladies. Oh It is grace. It is grace

Turn with me to Genesis 15 Genesis 15 we're going to read through this chapter

Moses writes After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision saying do not fear

Abram I'm a shield to you your reward shall be very great Abram said Oh Lord God what will you give me since I am childless and the heir of my house is

Eleazar of Damascus and Abram said since you have given no offspring to me one born in my house is my heir

Then behold the word of the Lord came to him saying this man will not be your heir but one who will come forth from your own body he shall be your heir and He took him outside and said now look toward the heavens and count the stars if you are able to count them

And he said to him so shall your descendants be Then he

Abram believed in the Lord and he the Lord reckoned it to Abram as righteousness and he said to him

I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess it He said

Oh Lord God, how may I know that I will possess it? So the Lord said to Abram bring me a three -year -old heifer and a three -year -old female goat and a three -year -old ram and a turtle dove

And a young pigeon Then he brought all these to him and cut them in two and laid each half opposite the other but he did not cut the birds

The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses and Abram drove them away Now when the

Sun was going down a deep sleep fell upon Abram and behold terror and great darkness fell upon him

Mmm sounds to me like he was in the presence of the Lord Verse 13

God said to Abram know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land That is not theirs where they will be enslaved and oppressed for hundred years

But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve and afterward they will come out with many possessions as for you

You shall go to your father's in peace. You will be buried at a good old age Then in the fourth generation, they will return here for the iniquity of the

Amorite is not yet complete It came about when the Sun had set that it was very dark and behold there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch

Which passed between these pieces on that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying to your descendants

I have given this land from the River of Egypt as far as the Great River the River Euphrates the

Kenite and the Kenazite and the Kedmonite and the Hittite and the Parasite and the Raphaim and the Amorite and the Kenanite and the

Girgashite and the Jebusite Okay, God made a covenant with Abram this is the

Abrahamic Covenant Aptly named right the word covenant means to cut and so that's why the covenants were

Symbolized by these animals being cut in two and of course the birds.

They're too small We don't cut them So cut them in two you put them here and then two people of two men were making a covenant with one another they would walk through the pieces and you're essentially saying may the same be done to me that has been done to these animals if I Am to break this covenant

But what's fascinating about Genesis 15 and about this Abrahamic Covenant Abram did not walk through The carcasses did he?

It was very dark and behold there appeared a smoking oven and flaming torch which passed between these pieces

On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram. Abram was in a deep sleep The Lord passed between the pieces

Meaning This is binding for the Lord There is nothing that Abram must do for the

Lord to keep his promise. Do you see that ladies? Do you see and I'm sure many of you are already aware of this

But it behooves us to go back to the basics quote -unquote if you will behooves us to go back and look at these

Marvelous truths of Scripture again, and do you see here in the

Abrahamic Covenant how this is grace? How God has made these amazing promises to Abraham I'm going to give you this land.

I'm going to give this land to your descendants. It's going to be a while But they will get this land.

I Will give them this land now on a side note this covenant and this truth has remarkable implications on other aspects of your theology such as your eschatology

Because if God was not being true to this promise and will not fulfill it in the future because it has not yet been fulfilled then we

Are all in trouble because that means that God is not a God who keeps his promises He is not a God of his word, and we are in a great deal of trouble, but we'll come back to that so do you see how this is an example of grace because Think about it, and I heard this in the sermon

So and I will actually link to that sermon, so I am copying this this little bit here

But I think about it. What if Abram had said to God okay? God, but you know what if my descendants end up becoming crazy idolaters

And they hate you and they they do everything you tell them not to do and then what if my descendants even further down the line

Actually end up crucifying your son and refusing to believe in him and submit to him and and claim him as Their as their own

Lord and Savior and instead they just crucify him and murder him what then God then

I guess this Covenant isn't valid anymore is it? Well, no

That's not that's not what happened is it? Because that actually did happen the

Israelites did become idolaters The Israelites did crucify Jesus Christ and yet God's Word still stands why?

Because man's disobedience cannot nullify the promises of God it might delay the blessing

But it does not negate God's promises We have to realize that ladies

We have to realize that because if we don't we will become so spiritually depressed that we will be

Useless and let me tell you there is nothing that Satan would love more than a whole bunch of depressed

Useless Christians who are busy dwelling on their sin.

I'm not saying we don't think on our sin We don't mortify our sin. We don't grieve over our sin

We don't strive for holiness ask God to to grow us into more and more

Christ -likeness I am NOT saying we don't do those things But I am saying if you sit around and just dwell on your sin and what a horrible

Hopeless useless person you are because you're such a sinner Instead of turning your eyes to Christ who died for your sin

Let me tell you Satan's gonna love that. He's gonna love that more than he loves

Guys like Stephen Furtick running around preaching craziness. He's gonna love it more

If a true Christian is Absolutely Paralyzed Because they have forgotten the promises and the grace and mercy of God That's why

I love looking at this Abrahamic Covenant Because we see

That this unilateral covenant made by God God's promises to Abraham.

We see that in spite of all that Israel did over the Generations God's promises are not nullified.

They they've not been completely fulfilled, but they will be Market, they will be

Man's disobedience cannot nullify the promises of God might delay the blessing

It cannot undo God's promises That is really

Really good news for us ladies Really good news This is a picture of grace

Do you see that?

Let me end with this quote ladies and we're going to come back to this topic in the next show This quote is from Jerry Bridges his little booklet called sins

We accept Jerry Bridges writes quote as we struggle to put to death our subtle sins We must always keep in mind this twofold truth

Our sins are forgiven and we are accepted as righteous by God because of the sinless life and sin -bearing death of our

Lord Jesus Christ There is no greater motivation for dealing with sin in our lives than the realization of these two glorious truths of the gospel

But he goes on we must learn to rely on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit Remember it is by the

Spirit that we put to death the sins in our lives We're going to come back to this next time ladies, but think on this

Regardless of how much we grow says bridges. We never get beyond our constant need of the enabling power of the

Holy Spirit Yet while depending on the Holy Spirit we must at the same time recognize our responsibility to diligently pursue all practical steps for dealing with our sins

We have a vital part to play we are responsible to put to death the acceptable sins in our lives

We cannot simply lay this responsibility on God and sit back and watch him work at the same time We are dependent.

We cannot make one inch of spiritual progress apart from his enabling power and We'll come back to this ladies, which

I've said three times now in the last 30 seconds We'll come back to this because we're not done talking about this because it's amazing

God's grace is amazing and marvelous and wonderful and glorious and fantastic and Undeserved that's the very definition, isn't it?

unmerited favor Think on that until next time ladies and be in your

Bibles Be on your knees so that you

Can be equipped Thanks for listening You've been listening to equipping

Eve a no -compromise radio production If you'd like to get a hold of Erin you can reach her at equipping

Eve at gmail .com Or you can check out one of her two websites. Do not be surprised calm or Equipping Eve org.