Restored by Grace What’s Amazing About Grace – Part 3 of 6

“Restore us, O Lord, and bring us back to You again. Give us back the joys we once had.” (Lamentations 5:21)

What Causes Believers to Fall Away?

1. .

Peter: “Everybody else may stumble in their faith, but I will not!” 

(Mark 14:29 New Century) 

“You are wrong to think you are better than others, when you really aren’t.” (Galatians 6:3 CE)

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

“Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”  

(1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV)

“Pride goes before destruction. A haughty spirit before a fall.”

(Proverbs 16:18 KJV)

What Causes Believers to Fall Away?

2. .

Jesus: “Couldn’t you stay awake with Me for one hour?”  

(Mark 14:37 New Century)

Jesus: “Watch and pray so you won’t fall into temptation.”

(Matthew 26:41)

What Causes Believers to Fall Away?

3. .

“Peter followed Him at a distance…” (Mark 14:54)

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap…”   (Proverbs 29:25)

Jesus: “If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words I will be ashamed of him before the holy angels and My father in heaven.” (Mark 8:38)

What Causes Believers to Fall Away?

4. .

“Peter followed Jesus from a distance. Then he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.” 

(Mark14:54 NIV)

“There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

(Romans 8:1)

Why Doesn’t God Reject Believers When We Sin?

1. Because His love is .

“God’s compassion never ends. It is only His mercies that have kept us from complete destruction.

(Lamentations 3:22 Living Bible)

Why Doesn’t God Reject Believers When We Sin?

2. Because my is based on God’s .

“It doesn’t depend on man’s desire or effort but on God’s mercy.”​ 

(Romans 9:16)

“He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of His mercy.” (Titus 3:5 New Living)

Why Doesn’t God Reject Believers When We Sin?

3. Because Jesus has already taken my .

“Jesus doesn’t need to offer sacrifices each day for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He offered a sacrifice once for all, when he gave himself.” (Hebrews 7:27 Contemp. Eng.)

“…Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s Cross.”    

 (Colossians 2:14 The Message)

“Some godless people have wormed their way in among you, saying that God’s forgiveness allows us to live immoral lives… and distorting the message about the grace of our God in order to excuse their immoral ways and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

  (Jude 4 NLT/GN)

“When Jesus served as a sacrifice for our sins, He solved the sin problem for God, not only ours, but the whole world’s.”    

 (1 John 2:2 The Message)

Why Doesn’t God Reject Believers When We Sin?

4. Because Jesus understands my .

“He (Jesus) understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same temptations we do, yet He did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

Why Doesn’t God Reject Believers When We Sin?

5. Because God doesn’t hold on to .

God will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does He deal with us as we deserve. He is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. (Psalm 103:9-13 New Living)

God: “Come back to Me, you unfaithful children, and I will forgive you for being unfaithful.” (Jeremiah 3:22)

What Should I Do When I Sin? !

God: “If you return to Me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve Me.” (Jeremiah 15:19)

“No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow.” (Isaiah 1:18 Living Bible)

God: “…With great compassion I will take you back.”

(Isaiah 54:7 Living Bible)

David: “Restore to me again the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” (Psalm 51 NLT)

All scripture verses in New International unless otherwise noted.