Amazing graceJohn Newton’s classic hymn "Amazing Grace" is one of the world’s most loved songs. But grace is more amazing than most know. "Grace" means a favor or gift — something given without being earned. The theological meaning is the undeserved gifts God gives us. Grace is, therefore, not a substance, a quantity of something we collect but God’s attitude which acts on our behalf without our deserving it. That absence of deserving or earning is the central idea of grace.Grace first appears right after the fall, in God’s promise of a redeemer (Gen. 3:15). Later, God almost defines grace when describing Himself to Moses as "the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (Ex. 34:6). In the New Testament, grace takes full expression, embodied in Jesus Christ, God’s promised redeemer (Jo. 1:14, 17). Christ’s death on the cross paid for our sins, clearing the way for God’s grace to be offered without compromising His justice and righteousness (Ti. 3:7, Ro. 3:26).Theologians divide grace into two big categories called common and special. The first is called common because it’s common to all. It refers to God’s universal gifts such as providing basic needs, restraining evil, delaying judgment and maintaining order. Special grace is given only to God’s elect. It speaks of what God does to redeem, sanctify and glorify His people. It includes enlightening their minds to understand the gospel, convicting their hearts of the need to believe it, and quickening their wills to accept it. Theologians look at special grace from four angles. 1) Prevenient grace emphasizes that God’s grace comes first. He initiates without our prompting or merit — the very point of grace. "We love because he first loved us" (I Jo. 4:19), and "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Ro. 5:8). 2) Efficacious grace means it accomplishes what God intended. No one can derail the Almighty’s plan to save. As Jesus said, "All that the Father gives me will come to me … I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish … My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand" (Jo. 6:37; 10:28-29).3) Irresistible grace proceeds from efficacious grace — it cannot be rejected to the end. Despite temporary struggles against God, He woos and eventually wins the elect. Because God gives His people a new heart to know Him, they recognize and respond to His voice and follow Him (Jer. 24.7; Jo. 10:27).4) Sufficient grace means it’s enough to achieve God’s intent of saving those He chose. "Therefore (Christ) is able to save completely those who come to God through him" (Heb. 7:25).Even after salvation His "grace is sufficient for (us)" (2 Cor. 12:9), but once we’re saved, growing in grace is a divine-human partnership. In other words, being saved by grace does not authorize a passive Christian life. Grace excludes merit, not effort. Paul directly said Christians work as God works in us (Phil. 2:12-13). One practical consequence of God’s grace in us is our treating others graciously. We extend God’s mercy and kindness to them whether they deserve it or not. The result is that all who watch us should see God’s grace reflected in us.
