common grace

[billwald]

Was told that most Presbyterians don't accept the principle of "common grace." Is this correct?

 

[Beoga]

is common grace prevenient (sp?) grace?

 

[wsgm]

Was told that most Presbyterians don't accept the principle of "common grace." Is this correct?

There is some disagreement on this subject, but it is not one I have debated to any length. I am interested to hear what some other Presbyterians (and other Reformed people) think about this. The Westminster Confession does not deal with this, by the way. I am a Presbyterian, and I believe in common grace (though it may be a different sort of common grace than that generally believed by Armenians).

I believe that there is a sort of grace that God shows to both the elect and those bound for hell. This includes a restraint of sin in the world (all men do not murder every person they see), but not an ability to do true good. It also includes every good gift. Matt 5:45 says, "For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (ESV). I believe that it also includes life itself. Sinful man deserves to be immediately cast into hell at his first sin. The patience of God that allows sinners to live is grace. I would call anything outside of hell grace. Even suffering on this earth, no matter how severe, is not as bad as the unrestrained, unending wrath of God in hell, and it is therefore grace.

Grace is that which is undeserved. Man deserves to go to hell. Therefore, not going to hell is grace. Not going to hell right now is common grace. Not ever going to hell is saving grace. That's how I look at it. If anyone else hold a different view, I would love to hear it.

Whether or not this common grace was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross is something that I am not sure of either way. I have been taught that it was, but I am unconvinced. It seems that, at least for those who will end up in hell, their own suffering may pay for the grace they received on earth because their rejection of God despite the grace they were shown justifies and intensifies God's wrath (Matt 10:15, 11:24). I haven't heard a solid argument either way on this one, however.

 

[cygnusx1]

The difference between Common Grace and Particular Grace relate to all the Good things that Come from God on Humanity in general (including The Gospel)

Whereas Particular Grace is that alone which saves us!

An interesting study is found here .....




Common Grace

1. The Protestant Reformed Church: Common Grace “Is the grace of Almighty God common to all men, or is it particular and for the elect alone?” This question was the main cause of the split that occurred in the Christian Reformed Church and started the Protestant Reformed Church. The issue was between common grace and particular grace. The controversy all started when Ralph Janssen, professor of Old Testament Studies in Calvin Seminary, was accused of higher criticism by Herman Hoeksema, Pastor of Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church. Rev. Herman Hoeksma was the founding father of the Protestant Reformed Churches. James Schaap, an English professor at Dordt College says the people in the Protestant Reformed Church “write history in a different way than subsequent CRC historians might” so therefore there are different ways that the history is told. Schaap goes on to say, “We are all influenced by our history and biases” (245). Some books say Hoeksema and other pastors left, and other books say they were kicked out. This issue of common and particular (or special) grace was discussed in the Synod of 1924 which split up the church and started the Protestant Reformed church. Then there was the aftermath of the Synod a

1. http://www.directessays.com/viewpaper/106674.html

1. and here ........

1. 1. Name. The name "common grace" as a designation of the grace now under discussion cannot be said to owe its origin to Calvin. Dr. H. Kuiper in his work on Calvin on Common Grace says that he found only four passage in Calvin's works in which the adjective "common" is used with the noun "grace," and in two of these the Reformer is speaking of saving grace. [3] In later Reformed theology, however, the name gratia communis came into general use to express the idea that this grace extends to all men, in contrast with the gratia particularis which is limited to a part of mankind, namely, to the elect. In course of time it became evident that the term "communis" admitted of various interpretations. In Dutch theology it is often regarded as equivalent to "general," and as a result it became customary to speak of "general grace" (algemeene genade) in the Netherlands. Strictly speaking, however, the term communis, as applied to grace, while implying that it is general in some sense of the word, stresses the fact that this grace is communal, that is, possessed in common by all creatures, or by all men, or by those who live under the administration of the gospel. Thus Dr. H. Kuiper classifies the common grace of which Calvin speaks under three heads, namely: (1) Universal Common Grace, a grace that extends to all creatures; (2) General Common Grace, that is a grace which applies to mankind in general and to every member of the human race; and (3) Covenant Common Grace, a grace that is common to all those who live in the sphere of the covenant, whether they belong to the elect or not. It is quite evident that Reformed theologians also subsumed under the term "common grace" a grace that is not general, namely, the external privileges of those who are living under the administration of the gospel, including the external universal calling. At the same time they point out that this grace, in distinction from general common grace, belongs to the economy of redemption. [4] Finally, it should be noted that the term gratia communis is susceptible of, and has actually received, not only a quantitative, but also a qualitative interpretation. It may denote a grace that is common in the sense of ordinary. The ordinary, in distinction from the special, operations of the Holy Spirit are called common. His natural or usual operations are contrasted with those which are unusual and supernatural. This is the meaning of the term "common" in the Westminster Confession X. 4; and the Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 60. W. L. Alexander declares of the common grace enjoyed by those who live under the gospel: "The grace thus bestowed is common, not in the sense of being given to all men in common, but in the sense of producing effects which are ordinary, and may fall short of a real saving efficacy."[5] So understood, the grace of God may be common without being general or universal.

1. http://www.mbrem.com/calvinism/commongrace.htm

 

[Wilfred of Ivanhoe]

I believe in common grace not because I am a Calvinist or a Presbyterian. I saw it clearly in the scriptures during the 1 year period that I was without a church but clearly a converted Christian. In fact, I believe the first time I recognized common grace in the scripture would be Sunday, February 2, 2003 when I listened to Romans 1 while driving to Austin.

Romans 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26a For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.

Then there is the passage that wsgm referred to in Matthew 5.

 

[ClementofRome]

is common grace prevenient (sp?) grace?

Thanks llittleapologist for that question. From a reformed perspective, we might say that they are the same thing. As you can see from my subtitle, I am a reformed Methodist. John Wesley said, concerning prevenient grace, "the grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is free in all and free for all." The concept of prevenient grace is a Wesleyan concept of grace. Some would want to argue that common grace and prevenient grace are NOT the same thing, but I would respectfully disagree. It is the language that John Wesley used to dance the tightrope between God's sovereignty and human responsibillity. The concept of prevenient grace places the sinner in the position of being "able" to either accept the offer of salvation or reject the offer of salvation. The reformed understanding of common grace and Wesley's understanding of prevenient grace are certainly at odds with one another. So when I say they are the same, I am saying that in my reformed theology, any pre-grace is common grace and not enabling grace.

George Whitefield who was also one of the original "Oxford Methodists" was quite reformed in his theology and that is where he and Wesley parted ways.

I am of the belief that the distinction between common grace and saving grace as is often understood in reformed theology is correct, noting that even all of those in reformed circles may not agree on the concept of common grace.

Blessings

 

[cygnusx1]

what a [pleasent surprise .......... a Reformed Methodist !!!

I never thought I would ever see that , Praise God!

 

[ClementofRome]

what a [pleasent surprise .......... a Reformed Methodist !!!

I never thought I would ever see that , Praise God!

Alas, we are an extinct specie I fear.

But a reformed Beatles and Dylan fan.....ahhhh, we are alive and well!

blessings to you.

 

[cygnusx1]

Alas, we are an extinct specie I fear.

But a reformed Beatles and Dylan fan.....ahhhh, we are alive and well!

blessings to you.

Yes an extict species ........... but God raises up a standard at His will .

Pop into secular music sometime

Greetings Cygnus

 

[ClementofRome]

Yes an extict species ........... but God raises up a standard at His will .

Pop into secular music sometime

Greetings Cygnus

Well, on second thought...since there is one left (me!) and I don't necessarily need another one to procreate (though my wife is somewhat reformed as well)... I can procreate and increase the specie by being who I am among my Methodist brothers and sisters...and in God's good design and will, some may come to the biblicals truths of the reformed faith.

Will check into pop music...I may just surprise you. Ever met a Whitefield Methodist Reformed Deadhead?

 

[billwald]

Thanks for the input.

 

[Schmitty]

what do you define common grace as?.... that's what my question is

I know, all grace is planned out and intended and is recieved without fail.... but don't know what common grace is...

 

[ClementofRome]

I look at it as that grace of God that prevents us from blowing each other to smithereens, or for sin to run unchecked rampant across the face of the earth.

 

[reformedfan]

Every Presbyterian I know believes in common grace. God is good to all- even heathens can have a good marriage, kids that love them, a secure job, etc. But only those with special grace convert, much mo' betta than good families & dough.