A Word from my sponsor

"I Guess I should warn you, if I turn out to be particularly clear, you've probably misunderstood what I've said"

Gentle Reader,

Thank God for a backup I found what I was looking for in my back up. But before I go on to talk about my favorite subject I want to mention one thing (Christians, and those who fear God if your not being feed in the church, synagogue or Bible fellowship run don’t walk to the nearest exit) as to what is happening is what you can read about in 1 Timothy Chapter 4.

Now on to the subject at hand That is Grace and

Perceptions and/or Misconceptions about Grace

Consider the following situations as they relate to Grace and its ramifications:

A driver commits a traffic violation by exceeding the speed limit, and is pulled over by a police officer. The driver is guilty, does not have a bona fide excuse, and is without a doubt "caught." Yet, the officer, for no particular reason, does not issue a citation. Is that Grace? Would it not be "unmerited favor," and therefore fit the common definition?

What if asking to not receive a citation was necessary. Would that be Grace? Then would it not be merited, if only slightly? What if the officer had a "reasonable" reason, such as the driver’s having no previous record of citations? Would that be Grace? What if the driver had a bona fide alibi, such as an emergency? Would that then not make it an example of Grace, since the driver, in fact, had a "right" to violate the law but, yet, the officer also had a "right" to issue the citation?

Is it Grace only if justice is withheld for no reason, but not if there is a valid reason? If Grace is favor, is withholding justice the only means of showing Grace? Do we most often think of Grace as not getting what we deserve, or do we think of it as receiving something we didn’t earn? Or are they the same?

A student may ask for "grace" regarding a grade. Perhaps he is lacking the few extra points to achieve an "A" and is effectively asking for those points to be added to his score. If the instructor simply added the necessary points, would that be Grace? Is not this "unmerited favor"? What if the instructor granted the points because the student had much "good effort," or because of outside family discord. Would it now not be Grace, because the points are now "merited"? What if the student were given the opportunity to "make up" the work, did so, and now the points are added. Would that be Grace, since, in a sense, he "earned" the points? Would it be the proper thing to do? What if you were the parent of the student? Would you encourage the grade increase, or would you discourage it? What if you were a fellow student, who worked hard and just barely, but honestly, earned your "A." Would you protest?

In the case of the traffic violation, the question is:

"Can we get the offense subtracted from our account, and can we somehow not receive what we really deserve?" In the case of the student, he did nothing wrong, and there was no violation. He just came up short. So the question is: "Can we get something added to our account; can we somehow receive what we do not really deserve?" Is not the general perception of salvation that Hell is subtracted from our account (which we really do deserve) and Heaven is added to our account (which we don’t really deserve)?

Can Grace in some way be earned? If it can be earned, even in the slightest manner, how can it still be Grace? Just how "pure" is the Grace of salvation? Do we not say that we are saved by pure Grace? Yet, if it is not earned or deserved, does it then become cheap, become taken for granted, become trampled on, become, in essence, worthless? After all, do we not cherish and protect more things that we have earned and worked for, rather than things that are freely given to us? It has been said: "That which we receive too easily, we esteem too lightly."

If we are late on a payment due, and are not charged a financial penalty, is that Grace? It is, after all, called a "grace period." Is it Grace if the delay is given only under "extenuating" circumstances?

Does Grace require a "line" to cross, or a "level" to achieve? What if neither existed? What if completely and unexpectedly, and for no reason other than you just happen to be there at the time, someone walks up and hands you fifty dollars. Is that Grace, or is it foolishness?

Does Grace require a law? If there is a law, must that law be broken for the exercise of Grace? Did the law set the stage for Grace to be expressed? Conversely, can Grace be given where there is no offense?

What if Adam had not sinned, if sin were not an issue? Would God be able to show Grace? Would He "need" to? Would He be confined to not being able to show Grace at all?

Is Grace Unmerited Favor ?

On a personal note, when growing up, I was taught that "Grace equals the unmerited favor of God." Of course, as is common-place, this definition was never really questioned. Now, given my understanding of this great theme, the author would not use it again. However, in some sense, it is right. Yet, in a very real sense it is at the least incomplete and, at the most, wrong. Consider yet more questions.

If Grace is indeed "unmerited," are there absolutely no conditions on the part of the recipient? Are there conditions to be met before Grace can be given? How about conditions/obligations that must be met after Grace is given, in order to maintain our "Grace status"? Is it truly and absolutely "unmerited"? Does that mean Grace is given purely randomly and without reason? Concomitantly, does that mean Grace is given despite the reaction of the recipient? If not, then it becomes merited, at least in some sense, does it not?

Can Grace be rejected, or is it extended regardless? If it is not merited, then how can it not be extended? Is it an action based solely on the giver, one that is determined within the giver’s own mind and counsel? Is it a gift? Must it be received? Does not even the necessary act of receiving it attach merit to it, even if so very minuscule? Must the receiver know he has received Grace? Must he be thankful? Acknowledgeable? Must he respond accordingly? If so, can it truthfully be called "Grace"?

If there is absolutely no merit, what does that make God? Does it not make Him irresponsible and reckless with His favor? Will He not be "taken advantage of"? Does it not cheapen His favor, make it perhaps even worthless? Yet, if there is merit in even the slightest degree, then can we really call it "Grace"?

Next time: Grace and Human Relations