Multiplied Grace — Phil Beach Jr.

I'd like to write on the board, multiplied. It's very easy to recognize that there's a difference between numbers that are added and numbers that are multiplied. For example, 10 plus 10 equals 20. But now, what's 10 times 10?

100. If you're going to be the recipient, which would you choose, that which you get as a result of adding or that which you get as a result of multiplication? Well, it's not unreasonable to say that most of us would choose multiplication.

Why? Because we would get a whole lot more than if we're recipients of that which was the product of addition. I'd like to bring your attention to a scripture in 1 Peter. This is the foundation to this particular message this morning, which continues in this grace series that we cannot seem to get away from.

Grace and Peace Multiplied

Now, let me say something first before I read this scripture. It is my belief that most Christians are living unto God the provision of addition, not multiplication. And it's because we just have not grasped to see how an eager God is to teach us the joy of living unto him by the law of multiplication.

And I hope that at least one thing is accomplished this morning, that we will leave this auditorium recognizing that we are no longer going to believe or expect God to give us that which is added, but rather that which is multiplied.

1 Peter chapter 1. Multiplied, the figures are obvious. 10 plus 10 equals 20, or 10 times 10 equals 100. Beginning in verse number 1, Peter, an apostle, a sent one of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect, that is, chosen, according to the foreknowledge of God.

That is, God foreknew those he would choose to save. God foreknew. Before the foundations of the world, the Father threw sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Grace unto you, and peace multiplied, multiplied. Grace and peace be multiplied was the sum. As opposed to grace and peace, there is a provision in the heart of God for you and I that takes us from living by the equation of grace and peace be added to us into the equation of grace and peace be multiplied to us.

And the two sum totals are as vast as 10 plus 10 equals 20, and 10 times 10 equals 100. Are you interested in knowing how to have grace and peace multiplied to you? Turn your Bibles, if you would, please, to Ephesians.

This can be entitled Grace and Peace Multiplied. Ephesians, in chapter 2, and you, hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we are had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, now we're going to begin to touch on how you can begin to live by the multiplication of grace and peace and be delivered from the smallness of living in the equation of grace and peace simply added.

Most Christians would like God to add His grace into their life, but few Christians are begging God for the multiplication of grace and peace in their life. And the essential reason why is because those who are only seeking to live by the adding of grace and peace are there because they simply have not yet seen the full extent to which they need mercy and grace and peace.

You see, because this yields a small number, and this multiplication yields a large number. And so therefore, what determines where you're at in relation to receiving mercy and grace and peace is your recognized need.

And as we read the scriptures and the Holy Spirit awakens our heart and awakens our mind, we discover what we have been discussing for 10 weeks now, that it is by grace alone that God visits us. Notice what the scripture says.

But God, who is rich in mercy, He's so rich in mercy, He's willing to multiply it into our lives. Who is rich in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved us. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.

By grace, ye are saved, and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

For by grace are ye saved. For by grace are ye saved. For by grace are ye saved. Grace, favor, and kindness, and benevolence of God, by grace are ye saved. May I add, as we will read on, by grace are ye kept alive unto maturity.

And so as we look into the scriptures, we're discovering that there's something that God's got that is imperative, that is essential for our salvation, and then our continued salvation, and then our spiritual perfection.

It is grace. God's got it, and it's something that is imperative. Now, as we see that more and more, it helps us to leave the realm of faith where we're just believing God for adding, and we come into the realm of, God, you said that you want to multiply your grace and your mercy toward me.

And I pray this morning, as we read the scriptures, that we will be awakened to see that God wants to multiply in our lives grace and mercy. For by grace are ye saved through faith, to trust Him, to lean heavenly upon.

He wants us to have the goodness and kindness and mercy of another person. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. Our salvation does not come out of, out from, something that we do.

It comes by grace, something that is freely given to us. Not only does our initial salvation come by grace through faith, but the keeping of our soul and the word of spiritual maturity also is by grace through faith, through depending upon the finished work of Christ.

And we'll see that as we read these scriptures. We're a testimony this morning of the Holy Spirit in relation to the grace and mercy of God, all the songs that were sung in unison. Wasn't there an incredible witness of the Spirit of God testifying and confirming that it was the Holy Spirit's desire for us to glory in the grace of God, to exalt the grace of God, to praise the God of all grace?

He was reaching down into our lives this morning, seeking to turn our attention from anything and everything, but to His marvelous grace that is in His Son, Jesus Christ. For the soul that is captured by a vision of the grace of God is a soul that becomes secure, a soul that becomes secure, no matter what that soul goes through.

And this is essential, not only for our initial salvation where we experience forgiveness of sin, but for our daily Christian life. It is essential that the soul's eyes learn to gaze upon Christ alone, from which cometh all that we have need of.

For by grace are you saved through faith in that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. It is the gift of God. Now, a gift is not something you give to someone because they've worked for it. You owe them.

It is by desire to give you something unrelated to what you've done, purely out of the goodness and mercy and kindness of my own heart. It is the gift of God, not of works. Why is God careful to make a salvation program from beginning to end that is not of works?

What's the next few words? Lest any man should boast. A special precaution to prevent us from boasting. Is it possible that we are very inclined to do that? Is it very possible that the thing that we as earthly creatures are most inclined to do, which would result in our spiritual ruin and decline, is that we would try and find a reason to be able to boast before God and claim to possess something in ourselves that can add to the glorious work that Christ accomplished on Calvary?

Isn't there something that we could be able to claim before God and have Him have to say, Oh, that's pretty good. Isn't there something that we do, something that we can do, something along faithfulness to the reading of the Bible or praying or fasting or sending our money to third world nations?

Isn't there something that we can do that we can be able to boast? It is the gift of God, not of works. Verse 10,. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The good works that follow the believer are good works that originate out of the grace of God that they have become partakers in. So those works, by virtue of their origin, the grace of God, cannot be something we boast in.

There's something that God frees. My God. So my whole Christian life is dependent upon a continued influx in grace and mercy and truth. My whole Christian life is contingent upon God's kindness continuously being demonstrated to me.

If that's not enough to get you to move out of addition to multiplication, I don't know what is enough. Have you seen the truth that every bit of the Christian life that we are called to demonstrate necessitates continuous grace and mercy and truth and the Holy Spirit's empowerment?

Every step that we take requires the kindness and grace of God working in our life, lest any man should boast. Let's turn our Bibles to the book of Titus. Hallelujah to God. Hallelujah. Verse number 11, chapter 2.

Grace Teaches Believers to Deny Ungodliness

Titus, verse number 11, chapter 2. For the grace of God. Oh, I am hoping that the Holy Spirit will give you such a love and such a passion and such a desire for the grace of God to come in multiplication into your life.

How many feel that it's possible that up to this point you've known the grace of God, but you've not known it in multiplicity? Well, today that can all change. Today you can walk out of here being lavished with a yield that is the result of multiplication rather than addition.

I tell you, I want us to be Christians that live from the yield of multiplication. I want us to be able to wake up in the morning and say, Oh my God, I am abounding by grace. It is flowing out of every cell of my body because I've entered into the multiplicity of God's provision and I've left just the addition of it.

Help us. Help us. Help us, Lord. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. But I believe it's safe to say that the grace of God has appeared to all men. Not all men are experiencing the multiplication of grace and mercy in their life.

And it's the failure to live in the yield of multiplication of grace that constitutes our lasting struggles. Because notice, it is the grace of God that teaches us. So the grace of God is a teaching grace.

No one can ever know the grace of God in a multiplication way without being taught by God. He that sayeth, I know the grace of God, but has not begun to be taught by God, has not begun to hear the teaching of God, doesn't really know his grace.

Because the grace of God that comes teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. I can say unequivocally with no doubt, no question, and no forethought of possibly being in error, that the sum total of our ability to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts lies in the provision of grace that comes to us.

And it is the abundance of grace, the multiplication of grace in our life that enables us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. How many fear that from time to time it's difficult to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts?

You'll never be able to experience the power to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts that live in the flesh as well as that which permeates this society if you're living in the realm of addition. You'll always come up short, always.

From addition to multiplication we begin to discover an influx of grace and mercy that teaches us and enables us and empowers us to deny and disown ungodliness and worldly lusts. And so therefore, if I'm successful in denying worldliness and ungodliness, can I then boast and then say, Oh, righteous I am!

The origin of that strength came from what? Grace, the gift of grace, lest any man should boast. You see, God's walking in our lives, listen closely, this is prophetic, meaning that it is either happening or it will happen.

God is walking in our life to secure something that is very precious to him, and that is a hard posture in us that prevents us from boasting in anything other than the grace of God. And do you know what oftentimes that road includes?

Failure. A sad state. Until it is determined that it's going to do something right, God lets it go that way in order to fail. So the soul, in all of its hot air, is just blown out, and that soul bows before the presence of God, and the grace begins to awaken, and that soul is able to say, Oh God, oh God, how foolish of me, my strength is in you.

Now that might hurt at first, to be able to say that. I know theologically we all say it, but God's got to walk it in us to where every leaven of temptation to boast in ourself, to brag, to put confidence in something that we've done, only God can do it, and that's what he's doing right now in your life.

That's what he's doing now through the circumstances that you're going through, and it's all because he loves you and I so much that he wants us to be recipients of multiplied grace. But you see, people who don't recognize the need for grace will not be recipients to multiplied grace.

The Bible says you need not a physician, but they that are sick, and theologically we would all say, Oh yes, oh yes, Christ is the physician and I need him. But practically, we're so inclined to do it our way, to trust in our wisdom, and to resist anything that would necessitate having to acknowledge a need for God.

And so God has to bring us back to the place where we realize we're sick, we're in need, we need a physician, we need multiplied grace in our life. That's what he's doing now in our lives. Not only does the grace of God teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, but it teaches us to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world, hoping that you will never equate being able to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and being able to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present age to any kind of inherent goodness or any deeds of righteousness that you're doing.

Because if you equate it to that, then you are missing grace, posing that it is the result of something you're doing apart from grace. Because as long as anything you're doing is the result of grace, you can't boast.

It indicates that you have left grace, you've stepped out of the realm of unmerited favor, and now you're working out of your own self, and then that makes God obligated to reward you. If God, you're obligated to reward me, then God says, all right, I'm going to do exactly what you deserve.

And God help you and me. God gives us what we deserve. Because when you get away from grace and go to works, you're saying, God, I deserve this. I deserve this. Christ gives this to me because I deserve it.

The day comes when you tremble with holy fear at the thought of ever coming to God, claiming that He's obligated to you to do something. You see how deep this is in us? You see how deep this is in us, this tendency?

Oh, the Holy Spirit of God's doing something. Doing something. He's doing something. What does this mean then? Don't works have anything to do with our salvation? Not a thing. Brother Phil, I don't know if I can believe that.

What does that mean then? I just forget about good works? No. Your new brownie points with God. Oh, just a little bit. Isn't there something I can boast in? I mean, look how good I've done this. And look how good I am here, Lord.

And just look how holy and how much self-control I have. And just look how much of the Bible I know. And I look at all my neighbors. And I see they live such unrestrained lives. But I am such a holy person.

I live such a holy life. I don't do that stuff that they do. Work for the grace of God. There go you. But I can't. I won't fall. I'm holy. I'm doing everything right. Therefore, I will not fall. Boy, can we tear that to pieces.

I'm doing everything right. Therefore, I will not fall. Illusion. Actions. In something other than the finished work of Christ. And His blood. And His grace. And multiplied mercy onto something we're doing.

Oh, are you saying then that our works don't matter? I think there's a day when we can move from preoccupation with our works to His finished work. Because when all is said and done, I'm sorry to disappoint you.

Works will not matter. But one work will matter. The mountain slain from the foundation of arms. Glory and honor. Empowering praise. Arms. Remember? Revelation chapter 4 and 5? That I can take credit for.

Yes, you can. The mess your life is in. You can take credit for that. Things you've said and done that have hurt people. Take credit for that. You say you don't want to take credit for that. Well, whose fault is it?

I mean, if you're set on taking credit for something. Because I said somebody in here wants to take credit for something. Now, I don't know who it is. Do that to me. But somebody in here is upset. I want to take credit for something.

Well, if you want to take credit for something, then take credit for all the sin in your life. Preacher. Because of what Jesus has done in my life. Oh, brothers and sisters. God, help us to take our eyes off that perverted gospel.

God, help us to take our eyes off that perverted gospel. That other gospel. The gospel that somehow combines grace and faith and works. Puts it all together and offers it to God. That's the loving. That loving is the whole lump.

You can't boast of glory. But I'm obedient to God. Jesus said you're still an unprofitable servant. After you have done everything that has been commanded of you. What did Jesus say in the parable? You are still an unprofitable service.

You know what that word unprofitable means? Worthless. But I'm obeying God. So. So. If it's obedience that God accepts, it's only because of the grace that's working in your life. And so trace it. Trace the obedience.

To where? Grace. How can you boast in something that's traced to a free gift? Titus chapter 3 verse 3. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy and hateful and hating one another.

Mercy, Regeneration, and the Rejection of Works-Righteousness

But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared. What changed everything? The kindness and love of our Savior and God. And then as we read on it says in verse 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done.

Works of righteousness which we have done. Righteousness which we have done. But. According to his mercy. Do you know what happens? Man's justice. Mercy answers. If mercy didn't answer, what would justice do for you and I?

Justice's verdict be in your life or my life. Is there any. Please can I be open my heart. Is there anybody in here this morning that actually believes that if justice. If God's justice was exercised in your life.

That the verdict would be favorable for you. Is there anyone in here that believes that? Mercy you're depending on justice. And if you're depending on justice. Then what you're saying to God is this. God.

Do what is just. To me. Do what is just. Stay in. Didn't we just sing songs. About transgressions. Who would stand. That's justice. Justice is this. Alright. I'm going to judge you. Is there anything worthy in you.

That needs to be punished. Because it's not like me. On the basis of justice. Don't come to God. On the basis of law. And obedience. And Lord I've done this. So you do that. Because you're out of grace then.

You're out of mercy. You're out of trusting in the Lord. To Christ. And you're standing on the ground of your goodness. And when you stand there. To fall. This is life changing isn't it? If we get a hold of this.

It will change your life. I have a few more scriptures to read. So bear with me. To his mercy he saved us. By the washing of regeneration. And renewing of the Holy Ghost. Which he shed on us abundantly.

You know what the Greek word there actually is? Richly. I'll tell you something. You're not going to get rich. With adding. But I'll tell you. You're going to get quick rich with multiplication. Plus a hundred.

Two hundred. What's a hundred times a hundred? Two hundred and ten thousand. Same two numbers. Multiplied. Between two hundred and ten thousand. In the church today. Instilling within God's people. The desire for wealth.

Wealth, Temptation, and True Riches in Christ

Riches. Money. Lucre. To make anyone wealthy that he wants to. But I do not believe God. Supports Christians desiring wealth. Because the word of God says. Not to desire wealth. Such things fall into many kinds of temptations.

And lusts that drown men into perdition and ruin. I think it was Norman. Who preached a month ago. On these lines. Desiring anything that God forbids. How many preachers get up and encourage the church.

To pursue fornication? What else? That God's people are being encouraged. To follow after. That God forbids. Except wealth and money. Going through. And see if there's not something really wrong. You want to become the true wealth?

You want to become the true riches? Discover the meaning of verse number six. Titus chapter three. Abundantly. Richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. That being justified by his grace. We should be made heirs.

According to the hope of eternal life. Hallelujah to God. Brothers and sisters. This is a foundation. That must be laid in our life. If we're going to pursue on to spiritual maturity. Because the greatest snare in spiritual maturity.

Is beginning to walk right. And thinking it's because of what you're doing. And being able to take credit for it. And you get an attitude like you're a little bit more spiritual than the one next to you.

You know because they don't read as much as you. Or they don't pray as much as you. And they don't understand things like you. How can you boast. Of the condition that you might possess. If that condition is by grace.

We've got to take the wind out of our sails. Before he really pours his spirit out. Because when he does. The first thing we're going to do. Is think it's got something to do with our righteousness and our goodness.

I've been praying for months that God would send a revival. But I'm qualifying it now. I'm saying God send a revival in this area. That absolutely forces all men to deny. That it has anything to do with what they're doing.

So that when this meal of God comes. There's not one preacher. One church. One group of people that can stand up and say. Well it's because of what we've done. Get that out of my nostrils God says. And even if you did repent.

And even if you did pray. And even if you did weep. It's because grace got a hold on you. It's not because you decided out of the goodness of your own heart to do it. Watch this. Verse 1 chapter 4 Romans.

Abraham, Faith, and Righteousness Apart From Works

What shall we say then. That Abraham our father as pertaining the flesh hath found. For if Abraham were justified by works. He hath to glory but not before God. For what saith the scripture. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.

Verse 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward. Not reckoned of grace but of debt. Do you understand? Do you understand that? To him that worketh is the reward. So we're talking about a reward. But if the reward is the result of works.

Then it is not grace but debt. If Kurt worked for me. And then came to me. And said you owe me this. I can't say to Kurt. No I'm just going to give you a gift of grace brother. Kurt will say I don't care what you call it.

But I worked for it. You call it a gift of grace. You can call it benevolence for your taxes. But the fact is. Kurt has a sense of. I deserve this because I worked for it. Let me tell you this. Levin is all in the church today.

Watch this. What liberating truth. To him that worketh not. That justifies the ungodly. His faith is counted for righteousness. To him that worketh not but believeth. His faith is counted for righteousness.

Because it is by grace. That that faith stands in the work. Even David describes the blessedness of the man. Unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. Saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven.

And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man for whom the Lord will not impute sin. That word impute means to put into someone's account. Blessed is the man that is free from the Lord putting to his account sin.

How do we come to this condition? By working? And then telling God how holy we are? No. By believing. I shared it. I spoke it from the prophet. And it was a prophetic word. He said there is a move of the spirit coming to the body of Christ.

And it is going to take the attention of the church from all their works. And going to place their attention on my work. Say it for the Lord. My work. The work of the son. The work of Calvary. The work of the spirit.

The work of grace. The work of mercy. The work of truth. One more scripture and we will close. 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Verse number 26. Went for a 45 minute run this morning. And I sweat.

But I'm sweating more now. So I got a double workout today. Oh Lord. Is it hot in here or is it a little warm? So it's really not that bad if you're not moving around? Okay. That's what it is. Listen to this.

God Chooses the Weak So No Flesh Can Boast

This is the end of this part of this message which we're going to continue on. I don't know if we're ever going to get out of it. It's so rich. It's because it's being multiplied. For ye see your calling.

Verse 26. 1 Corinthians chapter 1. How that not many wise men after the flesh. Not many mighty. Not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty.

And both things of the world. I remember David shared with me last Sunday. Remember David? When the Lord was teaching me about the greatest sin or deception in the churches. Wanting the work of God to look good in the eyes of men.

What would happen if God let the work of God look good in the eyes of men? We would begin to boast in it. Oh yeah. We would begin to say. Oh isn't this nice. Oh doesn't this look good. Where would Jesus go?

He'd go out the back door. Because we wouldn't need him anymore. Eyes hath God chosen. Yea. And the things which are not. To bring to naught things that are. Listen. Acting like this. It's to what? That no flesh should glory in his presence.

That according as it is written. He that glorieth. Let him glory in his sister's being. Stop what you think. And to others. Such stringent rules and regulations. When if God ever held you on those. It would tear you apart.

It would kill you. Revelation 4. Revelation 5. I won't read it though. We'll start on that next time. Pray. Let's pray. We sing a song. Only by grace. Whatever. Something. Let's pray. Father I thank you and praise you.

Prayer to Trust in Christ's Work and Grace Alone

For the Holy Spirit this morning. I thank you Lord. For this life transforming word. That's in the word. That will release you into our lives. And Father I'm simply desiring to commit this word. Into your hands.

Cause it to prosper. In our hearts. And let us become children of grace. Let us trust in the gospel of grace. Lord help us. Help us Lord to see. The works. Of Christ alone. As that which is worthy of our attention.

Help us to get our eyes off our own works. We are creatures prone. To want to look at what we're doing. And every time we look at what we're doing. My God. You know the angels beloved. In Isaiah chapter 6.

They covered their face. Cause they didn't want any woman from them. Face. Things he's doing in our life need to be covered. So that we don't look at him. There's too much looking. My God is the spirit of God.

There's too much looking. And there's not enough looking. At what Christ has done. Our face. Keep our eyes from the good things we're doing. Keep us from boasting. Keep us Lord. Help us to see our rewards.

Will not be that which God owes us. But that which God gives freely. Because of the works in Christ. That were there in us. Commit this into your hands. By your grace this morning. As we sing this song.

Just reach out. And receive. In Jesus name.