Grace is More Than Its Definition

[Arial]

Grace has a definition. As do all words we use. And it is defined as unmerited favor. But then, nothing we do or think can merit favor from God. Can even faith merit His favor? No, for then it would no longer be grace. We can reduce the meaning of favor in this context and begin to apply it merely to earthly blessings from Him that are given because we have faith. But if we do that we have also reduced grace. And if we say the faith that saves is our own, that it was found within us and we exercised it unto salvation, and then God saves us, we obviously have a contradiction even within the definition of grace.

Grace is a characteristic of God, just as much (equal to) His other attributes. He is grace. He is the very fountain of grace, it comes from nowhere else, even when we are extending grace to our fellow humans in a matter. We have the capacity to give grace only because we are created in the image and likeness of God.

Therefore, when we read the passage in Eph 2 "It is by grace you have been saved through faith. And that is not of yourselves, if is a gift of God" I put forth the possibility that we could substitute any of the attributes of God with the word grace that has been so reduced as to not be able to grasp beyond its definition, and that in doing so, just for the exercise of it and not to change the scripture, it might hit us a little deeper.

For by Love you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Justice you have been saved through faith. And that is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omnipotence you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Sovereign One you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omniscience you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omnipresence you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Holy, Holy, Holy you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Son you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Holy Spirit you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Glory you have been saved through faith. And this is not our doing; it is a gift of God.

Can we see more clearly now, that it is all of Him, by Him, and for His glory and the faith must come from Him also? And that grace is who God is and the fountain from which it comes through Christ, and that is why it is never merited by any man?

 

[Rufus]

Grace has a definition. As do all words we use. And it is defined as unmerited favor. But then, nothing we do or think can merit favor from God. Can even faith merit His favor? No, for then it would no longer be grace. We can reduce the meaning of favor in this context and begin to apply it merely to earthly blessings from Him that are given because we have faith. But if we do that we have also reduced grace. And if we say the faith that saves is our own, that it was found within us and we exercised it unto salvation, and then God saves us, we obviously have a contradiction even within the definition of grace.

Grace is a characteristic of God, just as much (equal to) His other attributes. He is grace. He is the very fountain of grace, it comes from nowhere else, even when we are extending grace to our fellow humans in a matter. We have the capacity to give grace only because we are created in the image and likeness of God.

Therefore, when we read the passage in Eph 2 "It is by grace you have been saved through faith. And that is not of yourselves, if is a gift of God" I put forth the possibility that we could substitute any of the attributes of God with the word grace that has been so reduced as to not be able to grasp beyond its definition, and that in doing so, just for the exercise of it and not to change the scripture, it might hit us a little deeper.

For by Love you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Justice you have been saved through faith. And that is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omnipotence you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Sovereign One you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omniscience you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omnipresence you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Holy, Holy, Holy you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Son you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Holy Spirit you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Glory you have been saved through faith. And this is not our doing; it is a gift of God.

Can we see more clearly now, that it is all of Him, by Him, and for His glory and the faith must come from Him also? And that grace is who God is and the fountain from which it comes through Christ, and that is why it is never merited by any man?

As a wise man once said, "Christ is all" (Col 3:11).

 

[grace2]

As a wise man once said, "Christ is all" (Col 3:11).

May I ask a question?

 

[grace2]

Grace has a definition. As do all words we use. And it is defined as unmerited favor. But then, nothing we do or think can merit favor from God. Can even faith merit His favor? No, for then it would no longer be grace. We can reduce the meaning of favor in this context and begin to apply it merely to earthly blessings from Him that are given because we have faith. But if we do that we have also reduced grace. And if we say the faith that saves is our own, that it was found within us and we exercised it unto salvation, and then God saves us, we obviously have a contradiction even within the definition of grace.

Grace is a characteristic of God, just as much (equal to) His other attributes. He is grace. He is the very fountain of grace, it comes from nowhere else, even when we are extending grace to our fellow humans in a matter. We have the capacity to give grace only because we are created in the image and likeness of God.

Therefore, when we read the passage in Eph 2 "It is by grace you have been saved through faith. And that is not of yourselves, if is a gift of God" I put forth the possibility that we could substitute any of the attributes of God with the word grace that has been so reduced as to not be able to grasp beyond its definition, and that in doing so, just for the exercise of it and not to change the scripture, it might hit us a little deeper.

For by Love you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Justice you have been saved through faith. And that is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omnipotence you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Sovereign One you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omniscience you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omnipresence you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Holy, Holy, Holy you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Son you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Holy Spirit you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Glory you have been saved through faith. And this is not our doing; it is a gift of God.

Can we see more clearly now, that it is all of Him, by Him, and for His glory and the faith must come from Him also? And that grace is who God is and the fountain from which it comes through Christ, and that is why it is never merited by any man?

May I ask a question?

 

[Arial]

May I ask a question?

Ask away.

 

[grace2]

Grace has a definition. As do all words we use. And it is defined as unmerited favor. But then, nothing we do or think can merit favor from God. Can even faith merit His favor? No, for then it would no longer be grace. We can reduce the meaning of favor in this context and begin to apply it merely to earthly blessings from Him that are given because we have faith. But if we do that we have also reduced grace. And if we say the faith that saves is our own, that it was found within us and we exercised it unto salvation, and then God saves us, we obviously have a contradiction even within the definition of grace.

Grace is a characteristic of God, just as much (equal to) His other attributes. He is grace. He is the very fountain of grace, it comes from nowhere else, even when we are extending grace to our fellow humans in a matter. We have the capacity to give grace only because we are created in the image and likeness of God.

Therefore, when we read the passage in Eph 2 "It is by grace you have been saved through faith. And that is not of yourselves, if is a gift of God" I put forth the possibility that we could substitute any of the attributes of God with the word grace that has been so reduced as to not be able to grasp beyond its definition, and that in doing so, just for the exercise of it and not to change the scripture, it might hit us a little deeper.

For by Love you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Justice you have been saved through faith. And that is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omnipotence you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Sovereign One you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omniscience you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Omnipresence you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Holy, Holy, Holy you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Son you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by the Holy Spirit you have been saved through faith. And this is not your doing; it is the gift of God.
For by Glory you have been saved through faith. And this is not our doing; it is a gift of God.

Can we see more clearly now, that it is all of Him, by Him, and for His glory and the faith must come from Him also? And that grace is who God is and the fountain from which it comes through Christ, and that is why it is never merited by any man?

Are you basing using those verses to come up with your doctrine "your works cannot save you"?

 

[Arial]

Are you basing using those verses to come up with your doctrine "your works cannot save you"?

They do support it but that is not the only place. However, much of it is said by Paul and I already know that you think Paul is a heretic and don't believe a word he said. So there wouldn't be much point in debating the issue with you.

 

[grace2]

They do support it but that is not the only place. However, much of it is said by Paul and I already know that you think Paul is a heretic and don't believe a word he said. So there wouldn't be much point in debating the issue with you.

I can prove without Paul's word to debunk your doctrine.

So your claim is moot.

Christianity is not based on Paul's teaching.

Christianity is Jesus-centered.

 

[donadams]

Is grace the “life of God” given unto us?

 

[Papa Smurf]

Is grace the “life of God” given unto us?

Hello Don, it seems to me that saving grace (e.g. Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-10) is, first and foremost, God's unmerited favor towards us (by which He graciously chooses to save us). Of course, His grace is hardly unmerited, it's only unmerited by us.

So, while God's "mercy" is His choice to withhold from us that which we truly deserve, "grace" is His choice to give us that which we do not deserve.

BTW, I don't believe that God's "grace" should/can ever be considered to be some kind of "stuff" that God gives to us (even the EO, who define grace as the "energies of God", are quick to make that very point).

God bless you!!

--David

 

[Carbon]

Hello Don, it seems to me that saving grace (e.g. Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-10) is, first and foremost, God's unmerited favor towards us (by which He graciously chooses to save us). Of course, His grace is hardly unmerited, it's only unmerited by us.

So, while God's "mercy" is His choice to withhold from us that which we truly deserve, "grace" is His choice to give us that which we do not deserve.

BTW, I don't believe that God's "grace" should/can ever be considered to be some kind of "stuff" that God gives to us (even the EO, who define grace as the "energies of God", are quick to make that very point).

God bless you!!

--David

Awesome!

Amen!

 

[donadams]

Hello Don, it seems to me that saving grace (e.g. Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-10) is, first and foremost, God's unmerited favor towards us (by which He graciously chooses to save us). Of course, His grace is hardly unmerited, it's only unmerited by us.

So, while God's "mercy" is His choice to withhold from us that which we truly deserve, "grace" is His choice to give us that which we do not deserve.

BTW, I don't believe that God's "grace" should/can ever be considered to be some kind of "stuff" that God gives to us (even the EO, who define grace as the "energies of God", are quick to make that very point).

God bless you!!

--David

Yep everything thing is a gift!

1 Corinthians 4:7
For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?