Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 1
The speaker says, “God is waiting for us to do this… ‘now I have to give you this because I promised you this gift’… his grace is something that we do earn, we do qualify ourselves for.” What exactly does he mean by “qualify,” and where do you think the line is between qualifying for grace and turning grace into wages that God owes?
Another way to ask: What does he mean by “qualify” for grace? How can we tell the difference between responding to grace and acting like God “owes” us something?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Based on the speaker’s teaching, “qualify” means responding to God’s promised gifts with willing, earnest obedience—so God gives what he already promised to give to those who truly want it. The line is that we never put God in our debt “from scratch”; we qualify only by cooperating with his grace, not by meriting payment.
- He says God “delights in being vanquished… God is waiting for us… ‘now I have to give you this because I promised you… and you want it.’”
- He immediately guards the idea: “It’s not that we’ve earned it and somehow God owes it to us from scratch.”
- He ties grace to human response: “Grace… is not something… just free and we don’t do anything about it… it’s something we participate in.”
- Titus 2 is his key: grace “has appeared to all men” and “teaches us… deny ungodliness… live soberly.”
- Clement: “God conspires… with willing souls… if they abandon their eagerness, the Spirit… is restrained.”