Doctrine of the Fifth Part

Doctrine of the Fifth Part

1. Man gains through grace: This applies to the believer who is wronged and puts the matter in the Lord's hands. Such a believer becomes the gainer. "Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord'" (Rom. 12:19).
2. Man gains more by salvation than he lost in the Fall: In his Fall, man was lower than angels, but through salvation, with God's justice, he became positionally higher than the angels (Heb. 1:14).
3. Application: Man also gains by the cross. "How will He [God the Father] not also with Him [Jesus Christ] freely [graciously] give us [believers] all things?" (Rom. 8:32b).
4. Illustration: When wronged through sins of the tongue, the believer becomes the gainer when he leaves judgment to God (Matt. 7:2).
5. Gain through rebound: The believer who rebounds gains blessing. Even if his suffering continues, the cursing of discipline is turned to blessing (Rom. 8:35–37).
6. Cursing turned to blessing: The added one-fifth in the rebound offering denotes the replacement of cursing with blessing. On the cross, Jesus Christ removed our curse and substituted blessing (Rom. 8:31).
7. Conclusion
   1. The believer who understands grace is not disturbed by the instabilities of mankind.
   2. The believer who lives by grace always gains, even though he appears to be losing (Rom. 8:35).
   3. Grace cannot lose in sin, adversity, suffering, or prosperity.
      1. Grace in phase one: salvation (Ps. 103:8–12; Rom. 3:23–24; 4:4; 5:20; 2 Cor. 8:9; Eph. 2:8–9; Titus 2:11; 3:7; Heb. 2:9)
      2. Grace in phase two: the spiritual life, provision, and sustenance (1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 6:1; 12:9; 2 Tim. 2:1; 1 Pet. 5:12; 2 Pet. 3:18); greater grace to the spiritually mature (Heb. 12:28; James 4:6)
      3. Grace in phase three: eternity (Eph. 2:7)