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"Grace is God as heart surgeon, cracking open your chest, removing your heart— poisoned as it is with pride and pain— and replacing it with His own. Rather than tell you to change, He creates the change. Do you clean up so He can accept you? No, He accepts you and begins cleaning you up. His dream isn’t just to get you into heaven but to get heaven into you. What a difference this makes! Can’t forgive your enemy? Can’t face tomorrow? Can’t forgive your past? Christ can, and He is on the move, aggressively budging you from graceless to grace-shaped living. The gift-given giving gifts. Forgiven people forgiving people. Deep sighs of relief. Stumbles aplenty but despair seldom." - Max Lucado
Ephesians 2:5 "χάριτί ἐστε σεσῳσμένοι" "by grace you have been saved"
Luke 6:32-34 ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; "what benefit is that to you?", ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; "what benefit is that to you?", ποία ὑμῖν χάρις [ἐστίν]; "what credit is that to you?"
Greek New Testament, 4th edition, Dictionary "χάρις" grace, favor, kindness, mercy, goodwill (ἔχω χάριν πρὸς have the goodwill of 2:47; ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; "what credit is that to you?" (what's interesting is the ESV has the first two as "what benefit is it to you?") Luke 6:32, 33, 34); a special manifestation of divine presence, activity, power or glory; a favor, expression of kindness, gift, blessing (κατὰ χάριν as a gift Romans 4:4, 16; ἵνα δευτέραν χάριν σχῆτε in order that you might be blessed twice/ a second time II Corinthians 1:15." The one translation expression of kindness, reminded me of Romans 2:4 "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" But it do not have "χάρις or χάριν", in it. John 1:17 "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." So grace came through Jesus.
Yes it can mean power but the overall meaning is favor, kindness, benefit or credit. When ever someone make a whole sermon about one word and it not being what it's been translated as, is 99.99999999% of the times wrong. Here's a good rule of thumb, "if it's new it's not true, if it's true it's not new"
Luke 6:32-34 ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; "what benefit is that to you?", ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; "what benefit is that to you?", ποία ὑμῖν χάρις [ἐστίν]; "what credit is that to you?"
Greek New Testament, 4th edition, Dictionary "χάρις" grace, favor, kindness, mercy, goodwill (ἔχω χάριν πρὸς have the goodwill of 2:47; ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; "what credit is that to you?" (what's interesting is the ESV has the first two as "what benefit is it to you?") Luke 6:32, 33, 34); a special manifestation of divine presence, activity, power or glory; a favor, expression of kindness, gift, blessing (κατὰ χάριν as a gift Romans 4:4, 16; ἵνα δευτέραν χάριν σχῆτε in order that you might be blessed twice/ a second time II Corinthians 1:15." The one translation expression of kindness, reminded me of Romans 2:4 "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" But it do not have "χάρις or χάριν", in it. John 1:17 "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." So grace came through Jesus.
Yes it can mean power but the overall meaning is favor, kindness, benefit or credit. When ever someone make a whole sermon about one word and it not being what it's been translated as, is 99.99999999% of the times wrong. Here's a good rule of thumb, "if it's new it's not true, if it's true it's not new"
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"The Apostle Paul…never disassociates God's grace from God's crucified Son. Always the two are found together, organically one and inseparable." - A.W. Tozer
"Paul thinks of grace acting dynamically upon men. It is Christ acting in person. Charis is never adjectival on the lips of Paul, but always dynamic. Grace is the transcendent Christ in gracious and forgiving and enabling motion." - T.F.Torrance
"Paul thinks of grace acting dynamically upon men. It is Christ acting in person. Charis is never adjectival on the lips of Paul, but always dynamic. Grace is the transcendent Christ in gracious and forgiving and enabling motion." - T.F.Torrance
“The New Testament word charis, from chairein, “to rejoice,” denotes first of all a pleasant external appearance, “loveliness,” “agreeableness,” “acceptableness,” and has some such meaning in Luke 4:22; Colossians 4:6. A more prominent meaning of the word, however, is favour or good-will, Luke 1:30; 2:40, 52; Acts 2:47; 7:46; 24:27; 25:9. It may denote the kindness or beneficence of our Lord, II Corinthians 8:9, or the favour manifested or bestowed by God, II Corinthians 9:8 (referring to material blessings); I Peter 5:10. Furthermore, the word is expressive of the emotion awakened in the heart of the recipient of such favour, and thus acquires the meaning “gratitude” or “thankfulness,” Luke 4:22; I Corinthians 10:30; 15:57; II Corinthians 2:14; 8:16; I Timothy 1:12. In most of the passages, however, in which the word charis is used in the New Testament, it signifies the unmerited operation of God in the heart of man, effected through the agency of the Holy Spirit. While we sometimes speak of grace as an inherent quality, it is in reality the active communication of divine blessings by the in working of the Holy Spirit, out of the fulness of Him who is “full of grace and truth,” Romans 3:24; 5:2, 15, 17, 20; 6:1; I Corinthians 1:4; II Corinthians 6:1; 8:9; Ephesians 1:7; 2:5, 8; 3:7; I Peter 3:7; 5:12.”
2. The grace of God in the work of redemption. A discussion of the grace of God in connection with the work of redemption again calls for several distinctions, which should be borne in mind.
a. In the first place grace is an attribute of God, one of the divine perfections. It is God’s free, sovereign, undeserved favour or love to man, in his state of sin and guilt, which manifests itself in the forgiveness of sin and deliverance from its penalty. It is connected with the mercy of God as distinguished from His justice. This is redemptive grace in the most fundamental sense of the word. It is the ultimate cause of God’s elective purpose, of the sinner’s justification, and of his spiritual renewal; and the prolific source of all spiritual and eternal blessings.
b. In the second place the term “grace” is used as a designation of the objective provision which God made in Christ for the salvation of man. Christ as the Mediator is the living embodiment of the grace of God. “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us ... full of grace and truth,” John 1:14. Paul has the appearance of Christ in mind, when he says: “For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,” Titus 2:11. But the term is applied not only to what Christ is, but also to what He merited for sinners. When the apostle speaks repeatedly in the closing salutations of his Epistles of “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,” he has in mind the grace of which Christ is the meritorious cause. John says: “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ,” John 1:17. Cf. also Ephesians 2:7.
c. In the third place the word “grace” is used to designate the favor of God as it is manifested in the application of the work of redemption by the Holy Spirit. It is applied to the pardon which we receive in justification, a pardon freely given by God, Romans 3:24; 5:2, 21; Titus 3:15. But in addition to that it is also a comprehensive name for all the gifts of the grace of God, the blessings of salvation, and the spiritual graces which are wrought in the hearts and lives of believers through the operation of the Holy Spirit, Acts 11:23; 18:27; Romans 5:17; I Corinthians 15:10; II Corinthians 9:14; Ephesians 4:7; James 4:5, 6; I Peter 3:7. Moreover, there are clear indications of the fact that it is not a mere passive quality, but also an active force, a power, something that labors, I Corinthians 15:10; II Corinthiand 12:9; II Timothy 2:1. In this sense of the word it is something like a synonym for the Holy Spirit, so that there is little difference between “full of the Holy Spirit” and “full of grace and power” in Acts 6:5 and 8. The Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of grace” in Hebrews 10:29. It is especially in connection with the teachings of Scripture respecting the application of the “connection with the teachings of Scripture respecting the application of the grace of God to the sinner by the Holy Spirit, that the doctrine of grace was developed in the Church.”
Excerpt From: Louis Berkhof. “Systematic Theology.” iBooks.
2. The grace of God in the work of redemption. A discussion of the grace of God in connection with the work of redemption again calls for several distinctions, which should be borne in mind.
a. In the first place grace is an attribute of God, one of the divine perfections. It is God’s free, sovereign, undeserved favour or love to man, in his state of sin and guilt, which manifests itself in the forgiveness of sin and deliverance from its penalty. It is connected with the mercy of God as distinguished from His justice. This is redemptive grace in the most fundamental sense of the word. It is the ultimate cause of God’s elective purpose, of the sinner’s justification, and of his spiritual renewal; and the prolific source of all spiritual and eternal blessings.
b. In the second place the term “grace” is used as a designation of the objective provision which God made in Christ for the salvation of man. Christ as the Mediator is the living embodiment of the grace of God. “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us ... full of grace and truth,” John 1:14. Paul has the appearance of Christ in mind, when he says: “For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men,” Titus 2:11. But the term is applied not only to what Christ is, but also to what He merited for sinners. When the apostle speaks repeatedly in the closing salutations of his Epistles of “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,” he has in mind the grace of which Christ is the meritorious cause. John says: “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ,” John 1:17. Cf. also Ephesians 2:7.
c. In the third place the word “grace” is used to designate the favor of God as it is manifested in the application of the work of redemption by the Holy Spirit. It is applied to the pardon which we receive in justification, a pardon freely given by God, Romans 3:24; 5:2, 21; Titus 3:15. But in addition to that it is also a comprehensive name for all the gifts of the grace of God, the blessings of salvation, and the spiritual graces which are wrought in the hearts and lives of believers through the operation of the Holy Spirit, Acts 11:23; 18:27; Romans 5:17; I Corinthians 15:10; II Corinthians 9:14; Ephesians 4:7; James 4:5, 6; I Peter 3:7. Moreover, there are clear indications of the fact that it is not a mere passive quality, but also an active force, a power, something that labors, I Corinthians 15:10; II Corinthiand 12:9; II Timothy 2:1. In this sense of the word it is something like a synonym for the Holy Spirit, so that there is little difference between “full of the Holy Spirit” and “full of grace and power” in Acts 6:5 and 8. The Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of grace” in Hebrews 10:29. It is especially in connection with the teachings of Scripture respecting the application of the “connection with the teachings of Scripture respecting the application of the grace of God to the sinner by the Holy Spirit, that the doctrine of grace was developed in the Church.”
Excerpt From: Louis Berkhof. “Systematic Theology.” iBooks.
Grace as a license to sin, this guy really does not know what he is talking about or he does not know what the Bible says about the electing grace of God. Not only that grace came because of Christ's punishment for our sins. If that causes you to sin, after seeing the weight of your sin and the grace of God freeing you from it, you have not been regenerated. Ephesians 2:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,"
"Grace is God's willingness not only to condescend to our creaturely finitude even to the point of assuming our flesh, but to give his life for us "while we were still enemies" (Romans 5:10).......Grace is not self-esteem, moral uplift, ortherapeutic recovery. It is nothing less than God's favor on account of Christ: a new Word (justification) that generates a new creation (sanctification and glorification).....As long as the church keeps muting the strange sound of grace, as if salvation were the result of human decision rather than God's electing grace before time began, our imitation of Christ rather than Christ's unique and vicarious death for sinners, as ifwe are good people who could be better rather than the damned who need to be redeemed, the sort of genuine Christian experience that John Newton proclaimed in "Amazing Grace" will be increasingly rare. " Micheal S. Horton
Charles Finney on God's grace. "Finney's explicitly denies original sin and insists that the power of regeneration lies in the sinner's own hands; rejects any substitutionary notion of Christ's atonement in favor of the moral influence and moral government theories, and regards the doctrine of justification by an alien righteousness as "impossible and absurd,"an offense to our sense of morality (Systematic Theology). Concerning the complex doctrines that he associated with Calvinism (including original sin, vicarious atonement, justification and the supernaturalcharacter of the new birth), Finney concluded, "No doctrine is more dangerous than this to the prosperity of the Church, and nothing more absurd." In fact, "There is nothing in religion beyond the ordinary powers of nature. It consists in the right exercise of the powers of nature. It is just that, and nothing else.... It is a purely philosophical result of the right use of the constituted means-as much so asany other effect produced by the application ofmeans." (Revivals of Religion, pp. 4-5.) Find the most useful methods,"excitements sufficient to induce conversion," and there will be conversion. "God Has Established No Particular Measures" is the subheading of one of his chapters in his Systematic Theology. "A revival will decline and cease," he warned, "unless Christians are frequently re-converted." (Revivals of Religion, p. 321.)" All from, Grace: How strange the Sound by Micheal S. Horton
Finney is the inventor of the so-called alter-call, and his idea that God's grace is dangerous as it is in the Bible's form of doctrine, is the way most believer's think. Look what we have today, many self professing people as to being Christian (Christ-like) with no fruits of repentance, like John the Baptist asked of the Pharisee's when they came to him to be baptized, in Luke 3:8. You see no difference between them and the world, not talking outward appearance, talking inward reality, that has an outward expression in it, love. It shows like Finney had some influence on this guys idea of grace, as it being power. A self promoting salvation, which brings me to what Paul said in,
I Corinthians 4:7 "For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?"
It's still from God and nothing you did to earn it!
"Grace is God's willingness not only to condescend to our creaturely finitude even to the point of assuming our flesh, but to give his life for us "while we were still enemies" (Romans 5:10).......Grace is not self-esteem, moral uplift, ortherapeutic recovery. It is nothing less than God's favor on account of Christ: a new Word (justification) that generates a new creation (sanctification and glorification).....As long as the church keeps muting the strange sound of grace, as if salvation were the result of human decision rather than God's electing grace before time began, our imitation of Christ rather than Christ's unique and vicarious death for sinners, as ifwe are good people who could be better rather than the damned who need to be redeemed, the sort of genuine Christian experience that John Newton proclaimed in "Amazing Grace" will be increasingly rare. " Micheal S. Horton
Charles Finney on God's grace. "Finney's explicitly denies original sin and insists that the power of regeneration lies in the sinner's own hands; rejects any substitutionary notion of Christ's atonement in favor of the moral influence and moral government theories, and regards the doctrine of justification by an alien righteousness as "impossible and absurd,"an offense to our sense of morality (Systematic Theology). Concerning the complex doctrines that he associated with Calvinism (including original sin, vicarious atonement, justification and the supernaturalcharacter of the new birth), Finney concluded, "No doctrine is more dangerous than this to the prosperity of the Church, and nothing more absurd." In fact, "There is nothing in religion beyond the ordinary powers of nature. It consists in the right exercise of the powers of nature. It is just that, and nothing else.... It is a purely philosophical result of the right use of the constituted means-as much so asany other effect produced by the application ofmeans." (Revivals of Religion, pp. 4-5.) Find the most useful methods,"excitements sufficient to induce conversion," and there will be conversion. "God Has Established No Particular Measures" is the subheading of one of his chapters in his Systematic Theology. "A revival will decline and cease," he warned, "unless Christians are frequently re-converted." (Revivals of Religion, p. 321.)" All from, Grace: How strange the Sound by Micheal S. Horton
Finney is the inventor of the so-called alter-call, and his idea that God's grace is dangerous as it is in the Bible's form of doctrine, is the way most believer's think. Look what we have today, many self professing people as to being Christian (Christ-like) with no fruits of repentance, like John the Baptist asked of the Pharisee's when they came to him to be baptized, in Luke 3:8. You see no difference between them and the world, not talking outward appearance, talking inward reality, that has an outward expression in it, love. It shows like Finney had some influence on this guys idea of grace, as it being power. A self promoting salvation, which brings me to what Paul said in,
I Corinthians 4:7 "For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?"
It's still from God and nothing you did to earn it!
Woe! You are getting your information on the definitions and meanings of important Biblical words from a blog?? A blog????
That entire blog was full of misinformation, conjecture, and re-writing Biblical Greek. There was NO proper exegesis!
Please, find some reputable scholars, and read what they have to say. Anyone can post a blog to push whatever they want. That doesn't mean they are right.
This blog was extended so far beyond what Greek and the Bible actually say, it was ridiculous. It was pushing a particular doctrine, making a lot of false assumptions and twisting the meanings of the words!
Learning to be more discerning, and IMHO, stop googling words from the Bible, and seeing what falls into the net. Sometimes, there are some accurate things being said on the Internet. Learn what the reputable sites are, and who the best scholars are. Eliminate the rest as a waste of time.
If you were really serious, you could take Greek, learn the grammar, syntax and things that connect to the word. Get the good
Greek tools, like Bauer, and Wallace, Mounce and some newer authors. Buy some Greek commentaries. Published books, but a recognized publisher, and you will know it has been checked over and over, not just for definitions, but for correct theology. But, stop looking at no name blogs and thinking you are going to find anything worthwhile!
That entire blog was full of misinformation, conjecture, and re-writing Biblical Greek. There was NO proper exegesis!
Please, find some reputable scholars, and read what they have to say. Anyone can post a blog to push whatever they want. That doesn't mean they are right.
This blog was extended so far beyond what Greek and the Bible actually say, it was ridiculous. It was pushing a particular doctrine, making a lot of false assumptions and twisting the meanings of the words!
Learning to be more discerning, and IMHO, stop googling words from the Bible, and seeing what falls into the net. Sometimes, there are some accurate things being said on the Internet. Learn what the reputable sites are, and who the best scholars are. Eliminate the rest as a waste of time.
If you were really serious, you could take Greek, learn the grammar, syntax and things that connect to the word. Get the good
Greek tools, like Bauer, and Wallace, Mounce and some newer authors. Buy some Greek commentaries. Published books, but a recognized publisher, and you will know it has been checked over and over, not just for definitions, but for correct theology. But, stop looking at no name blogs and thinking you are going to find anything worthwhile!
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
In order to receive grace we have to have faith,and repent,so while it is a free gift,and we cannot get it on our own,we have to have faith,and repent,something we do on our part to receive this free gift.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
In order to receive grace we have to have faith,and repent,so while it is a free gift,and we cannot get it on our own,we have to have faith,and repent,something we do on our part to receive this free gift.
Wait, I thought that God gave grace to people because He knew by looking down the alleged corridors of time that they would choose Him? So then it is merited! (Well according to that fallacious view!)
Or, perhaps Luther is correct (and he is) and those who teach the former are in abject error. Hmmm...
Thank God that He chose us based upon nothing we've done.
Or, perhaps Luther is correct (and he is) and those who teach the former are in abject error. Hmmm...
Thank God that He chose us based upon nothing we've done.
Grace is Christ's blood- which is unmerited favor. The Israelites painted the blood of a perfect lamb on the doorways of their houses, and the angel of death gracefully passed over them, and no death came to their house. In the same way, we paint the blood of the Lamb of God on the entrances to our hearts when we get baptized into His death. And spiritual death gracefully passes over (Passover) us if we also remain faithful until physical death.
"If you sin willfully there no longer remains a sacrifice for your sins." We cannot use Christ's blood as a license to sin. If we do, it will no longer cover us. (No longer means it once genuinely did). We not only need to be baptized into Christ, we must stay in Christ.
What would have happened if one of the Israelites went back out, and washed the blood of the lamb off of their doorway before the death angel arrived?
"If you sin willfully there no longer remains a sacrifice for your sins." We cannot use Christ's blood as a license to sin. If we do, it will no longer cover us. (No longer means it once genuinely did). We not only need to be baptized into Christ, we must stay in Christ.
What would have happened if one of the Israelites went back out, and washed the blood of the lamb off of their doorway before the death angel arrived?
Grace is where I deserve punishment and, I not only receive a pardon, but I also receive God's blessings and love. Jesus is the greatest gift a man never deserved, or can earn, but not only has he payed the price of sins debt on our behalf, He aligns us with His Father to become our own Father made pure. His grace then goes on with our experiences from this position empowering us along life's way; turning out men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ.
So, there are three stages to grace = unmerited, pardoning, and blessings.
So, there are three stages to grace = unmerited, pardoning, and blessings.
“Remember this; or you may fall into error by fixing your minds so much upon the faith which is the channel of salvation as to forget the grace which is the fountain and source even of faith itself. Faith is the work of God's grace in us. No man can say that Jesus is the Christ but by the Holy Ghost. "No man cometh unto me," saith Jesus, "except the Father which hath sent me draw him." So that faith, which is coming to Christ, is the result of divine drawing. Grace is the first and last moving cause of salvation; and faith, essential as it is, is only an important part of the machinery which grace employs. We are saved "through faith," but salvation is "by grace." Sound forth those words as with the archangel's trumpet: "By grace are ye saved." What glad tidings for the undeserving!”
Excerpt From: C. H. Spurgeon. “All of Grace.” iBooks.
Excerpt From: C. H. Spurgeon. “All of Grace.” iBooks.