Grace - the unmerited favor of God

bloodygrace

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In Romans 4, belief or faith is contrasted with working to pay off a debt. Grace that is received by faith is wholly unmerited by the sinner and this is where the ‘unmerited grace of God’ is defined by scripture. Grace goes against everything we have ever been taught by the world. In the world if I want something I have to work hard and earn money to pay for it but not so with grace which is often likened to a gift. A gift is free to the recipient but not so with the giver who bears the expense. The free gift of grace was purchased by the Son of God who shed his holy blood on a Roman cross and rose from the grave for our justification. Catholics and Protestants have so many understandings of grace that it would be beneficial to go thru some of the major ideas. Saving grace is the grace that saves an individual or redeems them and is only applied to believers. Prevenient grace is the Arminian understanding of grace that precedes conversion. This grace precedes any human decision. Cooperating grace is another Arminian grace that is given at conversion and involves some kind of cooperation between God and the individual. This grace is resistible. Irresistible grace is the Calvinist understanding of grace that is given to the elect. This grace cannot be resisted and is sometimes called efficacious grace. Common grace is a grace that is common to the whole human race. It benefits everyone without distinction to unbelievers and believers. Cheap grace is seen by many as a profession of faith without any fruit or benefit in the life. When we boil this all down there are really only two types of grace being common and saving. Common grace is given to every person who comes into the world. The purpose of this grace is to lead sinners to Christ and his gospel. Now we know that the vast majority never come to Christ or repentance so grace can be resisted. But for those who are led to conversion they receive saving grace. The only real difference between the two is in quantity. Saving grace is a hundred fold increase over common grace by the power of the Holy Spirit and enables the babe in Christ to grow to maturity.
 
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BobRyan

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Not much to debate against -- pretty much agreement on most points. One question comes up -- do you believe in OSAS?

My guess is that we agree that if someone hands you a million dollars and you reach out your hand to accept it - that act of reaching out your hand is not 'earning a million as wages' it is 'accepting a million as a gift'.

But then comes the changed life - the walk of faith - and even Calvinists will admit to the Bible doctrine of "perseverance of the saints"
 
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bloodygrace

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I do not believe in once saved always saved but I do believe in some form of eternal security. God gives us a probationary time period to accept or reject the gospel and after this we either come to repentance or are hardened in sin. Mature Christians don't fall away.
 
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