Bible Truth Foundations
Part 3 of 3: Serving in Christ
Please begin by answering this question honestly in your own words.
When you fail, is your instinct to try harder to make up for it, or to run straight to God? What does that instinct reveal about what you actually believe about grace?
Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Read this slowly before moving on. Notice what breaks sin’s dominion here: grace, not effort.
The central idea of this lesson
Grace is not merely forgiveness for past failure; it is God’s unearned, undeserved favour and ability, freely given, that replaces performance as the basis of standing with Him.
Grace is defined plainly as the unearned, undeserved favour and ability of God, not a reward for effort, but a gift that precedes and enables it.
Ephesians 2:8-9
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.
Attempting to earn divine favour through flawless performance is, in this lesson’s own image, like trying to defy gravity: it cannot be sustained no matter how sincere the effort.
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Christ’s sacrifice did not merely reduce the penalty for sin; it removed it entirely, providing His own righteousness as a gift.
Romans 5:17
For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
A believer’s focus on personal failure, rather than on Christ’s finished, redemptive work, quietly weakens faith rather than strengthening holiness.
Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
Caution
Being "not under law but under grace" does not grant license to sin freely. Grace removes sin’s dominion by changing the basis of the believer’s identity and empowerment; it does not excuse indulging in what it has freed you from.
Work through these on your own before your group meets. Type your answers directly into the table below. Your answers are saved automatically in your browser.
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| Question | My Answer | Group Discussion Notes |
|---|---|---|
| How would you define grace in your own words, using "unearned, undeserved favour and ability" as your starting point? | ||
| Why does the lesson compare earning God’s favour through effort to "defying gravity"? | ||
| Romans 6:14 says grace, not law, breaks sin’s dominion. How does that differ from simply trying harder not to sin? | ||
| Where in your own life do you tend to focus more on personal failure than on Christ’s finished work? What would shifting that focus look like? |
These questions are designed for open conversation at any level of experience. There are no trick questions and no single correct answer.
Grace is not only pardon for what is past; it is ability for what is ahead. Lean on it deliberately this week.
| Context | How I Apply This |
|---|---|
| Personal life | Notice any moment you try to "earn" a sense of God’s favour through effort, and consciously return to grace instead. |
| Church community | Practise Proverbs 4:23 deliberately: when a failure comes to mind, redirect your focus to Christ’s finished work rather than dwelling on the failure itself. |
| Difficult seasons | When guilt threatens to define a hard season, study Romans 5:17 and 6:14 together and let them reshape your understanding of grace as favour plus ability, not just pardon. |
| Scripture to carry | Memorise Romans 6:14: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." Let it be your answer the next time guilt tries to reassert control. |
Tap each card to reveal the answer.
What has dominion over a believer under grace?
Romans 6:14
"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
Romans 6:14
What are believers made through Christ’s obedience?
Romans 5:17
Believers "receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness" and "reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ."
By what means are believers saved, according to Ephesians?
Ephesians 2:8-9
"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."
Ephesians 2:8-9
What happens to grace if it is mixed with works?
Romans 11:6
"And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace."
Romans 11:6
What should be guarded above all, according to Proverbs?
Proverbs 4:23
"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life."
Proverbs 4:23
On what basis did God save us, according to Titus?
Titus 3:5
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us."
Titus 3:5