David M. Williams |
| Grace By David M. Williams (davidmwilliams@oocities.com) |
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INTRODUCTION
In the Old Testament the word "grace" is one of two words used to translate the Hebrew word chen, the other being "favour" (Snaith, 1950b, p. 100). Here, "grace" means kindness and graciousness in general, with no particular relationship between the parties concerned. Further, it is shown by a superior to an inferior, without obligation to show this. The inferior party has no right to expect any such favour (Snaith, 1950a, p. 80).
In the New Testament the word for "grace" is xarij which signifies that which gives pleasure, and stands for both that which gives pleasure, and the pleasure that is given, the kindness shown and the gratitude created in the giving (Snaith, 1950b, p. 100; Thayer, 1981, p. 665-666; Vine, 1981, p. 170). It is this use of the word that is found in Luke 4:22, for example, and in the greetings at the beginnings and ends of the Epistles.
However, the evangelical standpoint sees that the main and characteristic New Testament use of xarij is of God's redemptive love that is always active to save sinners and maintain them in a proper relationship with Him.
The connection with the Old Testament use of "grace" is found in the idea that God's favour is entirely free and wholly undeserved and that there is no obligation of any kind that God should be favourable to His people. This is the soteriological meaning of grace and it is so profound that it influences all other aspects of soteriology.
Just as the covering of the Ark in the Tabernacle was the place where God's forgiving mercy was shown, so now the cross of Christ is the place where His saving mercy has been manifested.
DEPRAVITY AND REGENERATION
Human depravity and frailty directly reveal God's grace by the work of Christ.
The state of man is one of separation from God through sin (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Evangelicals use the term "depravity" to signify that every part of man has been corrupted by sin in some way. This corruption is such that in the natural state man can never be pleasing to God, prompting Jesus to declare, "Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Without a whole new nature one cannot even see, let alone enter, God's kingdom. At the moment of conversion God grants such a new nature, which is solely a gift of God's grace (Ezekiel 36:26). Evangelicals know this as the "new birth", or "regeneration".
CALLING
Without grace, there would be no Biblical record. The first record of Noah after the introduction of his name and genealogy is that "Noah found grace [chen] in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8). The favour is necessarily independent of any covenant between God and Noah since the Noahic covenant was not yet made. This makes all the more clear that the establishment of the covenant itself was due in the first place to God's favour which was both undeserved and unconditioned.
This particular favour is bestowed upon each of the patriarchs in turn, and by God's grace He led forth from Egypt the people He had redeemed (Exodus 15:13). God's calling of Israel is repeatedly expressed in Deuteronomy as being entirely from grace and irrespective of any merit on Israel's part (Deuteronomy 7:7; 8:14-18; 9:4-6).
The New Testament provides the full revelation of God's plan of grace. The grace formerly manifest in God's dealings with Israel have been made manifest in the life and work of Christ. Paul emphasises that he is very sure that even his own response to the Gospel message was due to God's good pleasure and that he was called through the grace of God (Galatians 1:15).
In a similar fashion, God has called all believers to Himself. The primary Greek word for calling, klesij, means to be called or invited, Vine (1981, p. 165) and Thayer (1981, p. 350) adding that it is "always used in the N.T. of that calling the origin, nature and destiny of which are heavenly". "Calling" thus explains the invitation of sinners to accept the salvation offered in Christ, with this invitation arising solely from the grace of God and from His initiative.
ATONEMENT AND PROPITIATION
Through pity for sinful men, Christ left His state with God in heaven and voluntarily underwent the hardships and miseries of human life. By His sufferings and death He procured salvation for mankind (Acts 15:11; II Corinthians 8:9; Romans 5:15; Galatians 1:6; Titus 3:7; John 1:14, 17).
Christ bore the full penalty of sin that was due to mankind, and hence made atonement. He suffered in man's place and His death was vicarious, totally for others (Pecota, 1994, p. 342). Christ died in man's place and thus one may be justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that came by Christ (Romans 3:24).
Propitiation is the turning away of wrath by an offering. By the atoning offering of Himself, Christ has turned away the wrath of God which man rightly deserved. John explains that the love of the Father is shown in that Christ was sent to be a propitiation for man (I John 4:10). Christ's death was not deserved in any way by man, and nor was it initiated by man. Atonement and propitiation are entirely a product of God's grace.
IMPUTATION
Two aspects of the theological concept of imputation are expressed in Romans 5:18,
Just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life to all men.
Imputation is the reckoning to the account of another, as illustrated by the book of Philemon. Soteriologically, the one sin of Adam was imputed to mankind to the extent that "death reigned" (Romans 5:12-21). All were condemned through Adam. In contrast, the sin of man has been imputed to Christ by the atoning work He performed. Christ carried the iniquity of all (Isaiah 53:4-6) and was made to be sin on mankind's behalf (II Corinthians 5:21).
A third imputation is expressed in Scripture, that of Christ's righteousness to the believer. Christians are declared to be "justified by faith" and declared righteous before a holy God. This divine pronouncement is solely a work of grace, reckoned to the account of the believer as a gift of righteousness apart from human merit or works (Ephesians 2:8-9). As John Owen states, "we ourselves have done nothing of what is imputed to us, nor Christ anything of what is imputed to Him" (Stott, 1989, p. 148).
RECONCILIATION
Scripture is plain that an enmity exists between man and God (Ephesians 2:13-16). A wall of partition exists, and man is considered an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). There is no peace between man and God (Colossians 1:20) but God desires all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:4). Hence, this barrier of enmity must be removed through reconciliation.
Romans 5:10 signifies that until a change of attitude takes place men are under condemnation and exposed to God's wrath. Further, the death of Christ is the means of removal of this condemnation. Paul explains in II Corinthians 5:18-19 that God has taken the initiative to remove the wall of enmity, with Christ being the agent of this reconciliation - "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin our behalf; so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21). Again God's grace is shown in His dealings with man, unmerited and undeserved.
UNION WITH CHRIST
The regenerate believer has been united with Christ as a member of His body and shares in the righteousness of Christ (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:21). The believer is justified, but not because they in any way possess a righteousness of their own (Philippians 3:9) but solely because one belongs to Christ.
CONCLUSION
Grace, more than any other idea, binds the two Testaments together into a complete whole for the Bible is the story of the saving work of God - that is, God's grace.
The grace of God is the determining factor in man's turning to God (Acts 2:18; 5:31; 16:14; Hebrews 6:6). Even that faith which is the condition of salvation is due to the grace of God (Ephesians 1:19; Philippians 1:29). Everything from first to last is by grace, whether of redemption (Romans 5:2; I Peter 2:10) or of sanctification (I Thessalonians 5:23f).
WORKS CITED
Easton. nd. ‘Grace’, in Easton’s Bible Dictionary, BibleWorks for Windows, Hermeneutika Computer Bible Research Software, Big Fork, Montana.
Hoard, J. W. L. 1980. ‘Grace/Favour’, in The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas, Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester.
Parker, T. H. L. 1960. ‘Grace’, in Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, ed. E. F. Harrison, G. W. Bromiley and C. F. G. Henry, Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Pecota, D. 1994. ‘The Saving Work of Christ’, in Systematic Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective, ed. S. M. Horton, Logion Press, Springfield, Missouri.
Snaith, N. H. 1950a. ‘Favour’ in A Theological Word Book of the Bible, ed. A. Richardson, Collier Books, New York.
________. 1950b. ‘Grace’ in A Theological Word Book of the Bible, ed. A. Richardson, Collier Books, New York.
Stott, J. R. W. 1989. The Cross of Christ, 2d. ed., Inter-Varsity Press.
Thayer, J. H. 1981. The new Thayer’s Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament, Hendrickson Publishers, Massachusetts.
Thiessen, H. C. 1979. Lectures in Systematic Theology, rev. ed., Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Vine, W. E. 1981. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, World Bible Publishers, Iowa Falls, Iowa.
Wright, D. F. 1968. In Understanding be Men, 6th. ed, Inter-Varsity Press.
Zodhiates, S. 1992. The Complete Word Study New Testament, 2d. ed., AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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David M. Williams |