Beulah United Methodist Church

8261 Columbus Rd.,Mt. Vernon (Bangs), OH 43050 PO Box 740-397-6936 Church 9:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Pastor: Thom Fowler

A Theology of Grace

What does it mean to love one another?  At Beulah United Methodist Church, we believe in a theology of grace.   

The Apostle Paul wrote: 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
   Galatians 5:1

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.
   Ephesians 2:4-9

Why do we believe so strongly in a theology of grace?

GRACE is the one thing that separates Christianity from every other religion in the world.  In the Gospel of John we read that Jesus is “the one who is full of grace and truth.” All other religions seek to help humanity find ways to reach up to God, to purify and improve ourselves by acts of goodness. But Christianity teaches that God first reaches out to humanity; that God came to us in the person of Jesus Christ and that by relying only on Him, instead of ourselves, we can know God.

For many, being a Christian can mean the pressure to perform, to measure up, to live a good life in hopes of being “good enough.” Such efforts often lead only to failure after failure -- a feeling that we will never be able to please God, even though we feel we should keep trying.

Dr. James Bryan Smith, a noted author, professor and speaker, has written and taught extensively throughout the United States about the grace of God. According to Smith, many Christians today are only living with part, not the fullness, of the Gospel message. He believes many people have forgotten, or simply never understood, that God can free us from condemnation and guilt.

Did you know that God loved you first…and loves you still today?

“The Gospel is all about God’s love. His love is not given in response to anything we’ve done, but given in spite of all we have done. This is the basic message of grace,” Smith says. “In I John 4:10 we read, ‘In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.’

“We’ve somehow come to the mistaken conclusion that God’s love is contigent upon our actions. We say, ‘God loves me, IF I go to church.’ Or, ‘IF I confess, then God will forgive me,’” Smith says. “But Scripture is clear! ‘God proved his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.’ (Romans 5:8) So, he loved me, even when I was still sinning. That’s the amazing part of grace! God ALWAYS loves us first. The heart of God is always to be loving, ahead of us, in spite of us, no matter what!”

What Is the Gospel Message?
by Dr. James Bryan Smith

Principle One
By the grace of God you are loved, and you can do nothing to change that love. (All you need to do is accept it.)

Principle Two
By the grace of God you are forgiven, and you are forever free from condemnation. (All you need to do is receive it.)

Principle Three
By the grace of God, and because of your trust in Jesus, you have been resurrected with Him and filled with His life and power. (All you have to do is count on it.)

Principle Four
By the grace of God, and because you have been risen with Christ, Jesus now dwells in you and you are a new person, with a totally new identity. (All you have to do is live from that identity.)

Principle Five
By the grace of God, and propelled by the new awareness of who you are in Christ, you are now called to live a life of godliness and purity. (All you have to do is follow the leading of the Spirit.)

Why Beulah United Methodist Church?

So many people crave to be more spiritual, but have found the church lacking.  Churchgoers, instead of being open and accepting that everyone has fallen short of God’s expectations, are too quick to criticize and become judgmental. 

At Beulah United Methodist Church, we believe in putting our faith into action.  We recognize the wondrous creatures that God has made each and everyone of us.  We are a beacon of hope, acceptance, and agape love in a world that seems to go too fast to care.  If the church can do one thing, it’s to spread the message that God loves us, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, whether rich or poor.  God made you special and loves you.