Is God's Grace More Than Theology?

The church of Jesus Christ has become very adept at defining and explaining the word “grace”. Unmerited favor is sometimes proffered as a definition of God’s grace, but anyone who has been changed by that grace knows full well it cannot be captured in human words. And when we think about the cross upon which our Savior died and gave His life, we are again confronted with a grace that must be defined by a speechless worship. Words sometimes detract from that which is fathomless in God’s grace to us.

Every good and orthodox believer knows and appreciates that salvation through Jesus Christ is by grace and grace alone. There are no works, no good deeds, no good intentions, and no religious ceremonies that could ever earn God’s favor much less God’s grace. The word “grace” itself is at odds with any supposed righteousness from our point of view because if it is by works it is not grace. Grace stands alone as a pristine gift of God, untarnished by anything else. It is offered with no strings attached because, again, that would not be grace. Grace does not demand works either before salvation or after.

If grace demands works in any element of its offer it is not grace. And of course sinners, saved and lost, have a difficult time embracing a grace without works because our pride desires some way to be approved or saved or even substantiated by the fruit of our own hands. We wrestle with the words “it is finished” by the mouth of Christ concerning His death upon the cross. We want to elbow our way in to that redemption somehow by something we can do, even if it is extremely small and insignificant. And yet we have nothing, absolutely nothing, that could even be considered helpful to the grace of God through His Son. Anything we have is not only useless, it is counterproductive in any part of this redemption by grace. We should, we must, stand without one plea in our own defense, in an utter and complete need of God’s grace.

And when we have come to that place of admission, and when we have by faith been made a partaker of that grace, we are saved and we are changed. The works and discipleship that follows is not a part of grace, it is because of grace. The change in our lives was not a precondition for God’s grace, it is a visible manifestation of an internal effect of God’s grace in a believer’s life. The expanse and reach of such grace is immeasurable, and that grace empowered by love has reached the vilest of sinners and has wrought a metamorphosis that leaves the wisdom of this world confounded. How could salvation complete with eternal life be offered by grace, free and full, simply by faith? It is the mystery of eternity.

But now that we have discussed the theology of grace, let us examine how a living recipient of God’s grace can exhibit and share that same grace practically with others. This is not as easy as it would seem, and much of the church has lost any sense of being a beacon of grace. Of course some claim they are exhibiting grace, but it is nothing but compromise and goes against the teaching of Scripture. But much of the church walks with an air of self righteousness and looks down upon many who are either brothers in Christ or sinners for whom Jesus died. How do we who contend that we live for Christ show grace in this world, even to those who are walking in darkness or compromise? That is a spiritual discipline which continues to be out of vogue in this generation.

Showing and speaking in grace toward others is never an easy adventure since grace is not in our nature, we are always much more comfortable with our old friends - self righteousness and judgment. Even when it comes to friends we have a short grace fuse, however as it pertains to those enemies or doctrinal combatants we seem to have very little grace indeed. Is it not curious that those who stand by grace alone have so little to share with fellow gracians? Troll the internet and ingest the different posts and comments and you may well come away with a head scratching perspective. You may get the feeling that believers are out to consume each other by means of harsh and demeaning words not meant to convey a perspective but aimed to destroy those of a different view. Should we not speak words with some grace even to those who have strayed significantly?

So is grace a theology that belongs in our statement of faith and systematic theology but disappears when we enter the real world? Someone once said that what we do is what we believe, everything else is just religious talk. And so it is with grace. We seem to show favor to those we believe have earned it in our estimation, not those who similarly do not merit it in our estimation. I find Jesus showing head scratching grace to many who absolutely did not deserve or merit it. Peter himself denied the cross right in front of the Savior, and later denied he ever knew the Lord, and yet Jesus saw fit to allow him to preach the first New Testament sermon. Such grace.

If grace is predicable and measurable, it is not God’s grace. If you can see a reason for grace, it again is not the grace of God. Watch how quickly people run to show grace to their doctrinal yokefellows and how quickly they run with law to those with whom they disagree. How disgusting it is to see followers of the Gracious One project self righteousness when indeed they have no righteousness of their own, only that which was given freely upon the dead body of Jesus who gave Himself in infinite grace. Whatever is not of humility is not of grace. Biblical doctrine without humble grace is not Biblical. Truth without humble grace is not truth. And Christ without humble grace is not Christ.

Showing grace does not come without difficulty and sacrifice. We are trained to respond with a selfish defense and a caustic retort aimed at disarming and even demeaning our brother or sister in Christ. Sharing an iron sharpening dialogue about doctrine often leads to the flesh, but when we are attacked personally we will respond in like kind and many times with graceless invectives that reveal what is truly in our hearts. Are we willing to endure untruths and unkindnesses for His sake? Are we further willing to avoid responding to personal attacks on our character? And further still, are we willing to show grace to those who have despitefully mistreated us, and said many untruths about us, and even used harsh and unchristian verbiage against us? Are we willing to close our ears to the choruses of our friends to respond, and to be questioned by our silence? Are we willing to bless those who curse us and be considered weak and not standing for truth? Are we willing to be criticized for not defending the faith once delivered to the saints? Are we willing to be labeled a compromiser? Are we willing to stand humiliated in front of everyone, unjustly?

He did.