God’s Grace, Not Saving Grace
While I was at a pastor’s retreat recently, I attended a seminar on grace, which seems to have become an all-too familiar and mundane word in Christian communities.
Yes, we are saved by the saving grace of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for our sins. We know.
I think one could really spend their whole life trying to truly grasp and understand this saving grace.
But what was really impactful to me about this seminar by Wayne Anderson, was his emphasis on God’s grace, as separate from the saving grace we find in Jesus.
An interesting point he makes in his presentation is, “...for most believers, the beginning, middle, and end of grace is initial salvation....they say, ‘Yes, I’m saved by grace, but not it’s up to me to live the Christian life.’”
A lot of the preaching we here in Christian churches today is, “Do better in the Christian life. Do more service, give more, etc.” But, as Wayne points out, “God has not primarily saved us for service, but for fellowship.”
There are over 120 times where the word “grace” shows up in the New Testament. I don’t know why I had never realized this next fact, or even thought about it, but it has truly intrigued me: most of those 120 times grace is mentioned, it does not refer to becoming a Christian, but rather living the Christian life.
Here are a couple of examples:
Luke 2:39, 40 - “When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.” {Jesus’ saving grace didn’t even exist yet, as he was still a child!}
Acts 4:32,33 - “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. {grace was upon them as they continued to live together as Christians; not after they were first saved or believed.}
So if many of these uses of “grace” don’t refer to saving grace, what is this other “general” grace we receive from God? Anderson defines it as, “God’s unmerited favor and blessing upon His people,” and also as, “the enabling power of God.” “Grace is giving someone what they need, instead of what they deserve.”
As I continue along my spiritual journey I have become more aware of this “other” grace that God gives me every day. I don’t deserve much of what I receive, and that, is grace. An interesting new perspective for me. Ever thought of it that way? Maybe this is pretty obvious and I was just so consumed with saving grace, I never could step back and understand this other grace (even though it is the grace which is the sustaining power behind all of our lives).
Wednesday, April 30, 2008