Scripture: II Timothy 2:1-5

C.I.: Our Commitment to Grace

Last Sunday… - Today we will look at the commitment – that grace demands!

I. The Necessity of Commitment

A. Committing Ourselves to God

1. In the Book of Romans God shows how His righteousness is made available to all men…

a. Because of who we were – we are desperately in need of God's (as opposed to our own) righteousness.
1) ( Rom. 3:10, 23-25 ), “There is none R….” – “For all have sinned … being justified as a gift by His
grace thru the redemption that is in C.J.; - whom God displayed publicly as a prop. in His blood thru fa.”
2) So we approach God through the gospel of grace – ( quote Rom. 1:16-17; 8:1 ).

b. After 11 chapters of teaching how - by His grace we are justified by faith – God calls for commitment.
1) ( Rom. 12:1 ), “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies….”
2) ILLUST.: Jewish sacrificial system.
a) This commitment is unlike that of the athlete or soldier (cf. Scripture Reading).
b) They were committed to themselves (either win or stay alive) – our COM. is to God.


2. “Religious” in Jesus day – fell into the trap of being “committed to a lifestyle/set of moral values” – but not God

a. ( Matt. 6:2, 5 ), “When you give alms/pray – do not….”
1) The right actions – but the wrong motives, ( Jn. 12:43 ), “…they loved the approval of men rather...
2) Jesus says this is worthless, ( Matt. 6:1 ), “Beware of practicing your R. before men to be noticed….”

b. Even today Christians need to be sure that their commitment – is totally & only to God.
1) For instance, why are we here today? (Self = “God sees me and is pleased!”) – (Others =
“People can see that I am spiritual.”) – (God = Because of who He is /what He's done – God is
worthy of my best!”)
2) Commitment is seen – when our words & actions – are decisively offered to God, ( Rom. 12:1 )
3) ILLUST.: Little boy who cut his dog's tail only 1”/day instead of all at once!

3. Once we chose to follow Jesus – our commitment to Him must be 100%!

a. Christians who begin allowing exceptions into their relationship with God – will always find exceptions
1) “I will guard my speech (profanity) – unless I'm really angry!” – They are always real angry.
2) “I will be at services unless something real important happens! – Something always happens.
(recently a workshop folks committed to – but people left w/o keeping their commitment.)
3) Always looking forward to stopping a sin = wrong! – Looking back on a sin stopped = good!
4) Until we say “NO!” to sin – there will always be further sin.
5) ( Rom. 6:19 ), “I'm speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. – ust as you
presented yourselves as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, - resulting in further lawlessness, - so
now present yourselves as slaves to righteousness – resulting in holiness.”

B. Specific Commitments and Motives

1. A believer's commitment to God must be specific and measureable…

a. “I want to stop drinking” is not as good as – “I won't have a drink today!”
1) God does not demand a lifestyle of commitment – He is just looking for commitment today!
2) ( Matt. 6:33-34 ), “Seek first… Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry… each day has
3) ( II Cor. 6:2 ), “At the acceptable time I listened to you, & on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold..
4) ( Jms. 4:14 ), “You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. – You are a vapor that is here….”

b. Job was known by God, “…as a blameless & upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil,” ( Job 1:8 )
1) Why? – Because he would single out various temptations – and deal with them specifically.
2) ( Job 31:1 ), “I have made a covenant w/my eyes. – How then could I gaze at a virgin?”
3) As noted last week – Satan uses the same three temptations against us all, ( quote I Jn. 2:15f ).
4) Believers must renew our commitments to God – and then confirm them every day!!!

c. Daniel's temptation came from outside of himself. – Yet he kept them every day.
1) ( Dan. 1:8 ), “Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food – of
with the wine which he drank.”
2) Daniel was young and far from home – yet he lived up to his commitment all his days.
3) ( Dan. 1:16 ), “So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink,
- and kept giving them vegetables.”

2. “Where is the ‘GRACE' in this lesson? This sounds a lot more like legalism?!”

a. Lets return to God's appeal for our practical appeal of following Him.
1) ( Rom. 12:1 ), “I urge your therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God.. .!!!”
a) It is God's mercy (which He graciously bestows) – that is the motive for our sacrifice
b) So, because of what He has graciously done for us – He now calls for our
commitment to Him!!!

b. Therefore, our commitment is due to what He has already done – not because of what He will do.
1) This is the point being made in ( Eph. 2:8-10 ), “For by grace you have been saved …For we are His
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that we should walk in them .”
2) So when we commit ourselves to God – we truly are committing to His GRACE!!!
a) HOW we are committed to live – ( Rom. 6:13 ), “Do not go on presenting yourselves as
instruments of unrighteousness; - but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, -
and your bodies as instruments of righteousness to God.”
b) WHY we are committed to live as we do, ( Rom. 6:14 ) “For sin shall not be master over
you, - for you are not under law, - but under grace .”