Grace Defined

 

Tonight I have been thinking about grace.   I've been listening to the song "Unredeemed" by Selah and as I do so, the word grace keeps coming to mind.  What exactly is grace in Christian theology?  On the website, About.com Christianity, Mary Fairchild defines it in the following way:

"Grace is God's unmerited favor. It is kindness from God we don't deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor. It is a gift from God. Grace is divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration (rebirth) or sanctification; a virtue coming from God; a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine favor."

But that's from a Christian viewpoint.  How does a more secular source such as  Merriam-Webster.com define grace?

• a :  unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification
•  b :  a virtue coming from God
• c :  a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace

Let's think about that a bit.  If a stranger off the street came to you and asked, "What is grace?", how would you answer them?  You don't know if they're Christian or not, so let's see if we can come up with a definition using both the secular and Christian definitions.  Hmmm, there's the word sanctification in there.  It's used in both, so it must be important. Both also talk about it being a virtue (honor) from God. Divine assistance (aid) -- so we can't earn it.  Anything unearned is a gift. But how do we receive this gift?   And by the way, just what is sanctification?

Ok, well let's talk sanctification since both definitions use it.  I'm a Methodist, so I'm using the United Methodist Church's definition of sanctification.  It say on UMC.org

"Salvation is not a static, one-time event in our lives. It is the ongoing experience of God’s gracious presence transforming us into whom God intends us to be. John Wesley described this dimension of God’s grace as sanctification, or holiness. Through God’s sanctifying grace, we grow and mature in our ability to live as Jesus lived. As we pray, study the Scriptures, fast, worship, and share in fellowship with other Christians, we deepen our knowledge of and love for God. As we respond with compassion to human need and work for justice in our communities, we strengthen our capacity to love neighbor. Our inner thoughts and motives, as well as our outer actions and behavior, are aligned with God’s will and testify to our union with God."

Dictionary.com defines sanctify as:

1. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.

2. to purify or free from sin: Sanctify your hearts.

3. to impart religious sanction to; render legitimate or binding:

to sanctify a vow.

4. to entitle to reverence or respect.

5. to make productive of or conducive to spiritual blessing.

Adding the suffix -ation turns the verb sanctify into a noun.  In other words, we become a blessing by becoming an example of what it means to be a Christian.  So how do we become sanctified?  In John 17:14-19 (NIV), Jesus says this:

"I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by^[d] the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."

In other words, once we accept Christ, we become sanctified.  The process of sanctification allows us to continue to grow as Christians.  We don't just accept Christ and that's the end of our faith journey.  Rather, it's only the beginning.  Accepting Christ is a first step toward receiving God's grace.  Christ died on the cross for us, so that we could be saved from our sins.  That's God's gift to us.  There is nothing we could do to earn that kind of grace (favor). But, as Christians, we need to continue to grow in our faith in different ways such as, through Bible study, worship, fellowship with other Christians and helping others, to name a few.  It is what defines us as Christians and sets us apart. 

So what about when bad things happen?  Is grace still there?  Yes, it abounds in all circumstances.   The important thing is to turn it over to God.  You see, God will take your circumstance and  use even the most terrible things for His glory.  There are many examples in the Bible but let's look at Acts 11: 19-21 (NIV), in Antioch, where the disciples were first called Christians; the following happened:

"Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. ²⁰ Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. ²¹ The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord."


Read the sections I have put in bold typeface.  A bad thing happens, yet grace abounds.  People still came to the Lord, despite knowing they too could be persecuted.  Lysa TerKeurst sort of sums it up.  She says, "When to give grace?  I'd rather stand before God knowing I loved others too much rather than regretting that I judged too harshly."  As the song "Unredeemed" says, "Places where grace is..."  Give a listen to it.  Grace is one of those things that is difficult to put into words, yet I think I think this song puts into words the essence of grace.  May it bless you today and fill you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.

"Unredeemed" by Selah

http://youtu.be/N9kMYkYcT6w