An Examination Of Biblical Grace And Refutation of "Hypergrace", Part One
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"Grace" is a word that the believer is well acquainted with and understands as favour which forms the basis of salvation extended to man by God. it is rightly understood as being a gift, originating in the heart of God and being
freely available to the one that receives it. It has also, in recent years, been misunderstood, misinterpreted and abused much to the detriment of the Church, resulting in rampant and deep seated deception. it is therefore imperative
to scrutinize the SCRIPTURES to study for ourselves what Biblical (vs. 'popular') grace is and to embrace its TRUE attributes while rejecting the erroneous.
To understand true Biblical grace, we must study its Scriptural definition and 'function' while adhering to the limits and boundaries it sets for us. Any teaching which either negates or exaggerates its purpose and outworking is
unbalanced and therefore untrue and must be rejected. In recent years, there has been an undue emphasis on the merits of grace without the accompanying explicit warnings from Scripture to believers that abuse it. The purpose of this
article is to examine from Scripture grace in its purest form and weigh its attributes against the 'grace' taught in much of the Church today, and to emphasize the caveats the inspired authors of the New Testament have laid down.
Strong's defines grace (5485 - xáris) as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, favour, a favour, kindess. it is preeminently used of the Lord's favour - freely extended to give Himself away to people (because He is "always
leaning toward them").
We all recognize Paul, the apostle, the most prolific author of the New Testament, to be the foremost proponent of and authority on grace. He was the recipient of the revelation of the gospel of Christ from Christ Himself and not from man
(Gal. 1: 11-12) and along with it the revelation of the grace that brought about his conversion from Judaism. His mini 'thesis' on the merits of grace (vs. the Law) is profound evidence of this revelation. Indeed, no man could have taught
him this.
Paul was a God-fearing pious Jew who had, prior to his conversion to Christ, observed the Law of Moses blamelessly
(Phil. 3:6). The Law of Moses was given exclusively to the nation of Israel by God through the
hand of Moses in the wilderness and comprised 613
commandments.
The Law was to be kept by Israel in order for them to earn their righteousness: "And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord
our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments
before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us." (Deut. 6:24-25) The Israelites prior to the coming of the Christ, their promised Messiah, were to work to earn their
righteousness by keeping all 613 commandments of the law of Moses. Any Jew who did not adhere to the tenets of the Law was under a curse: "'Cursed is the
one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'" (Deut. 27:26)
It is crucial for us (predominantly) Gentile Christians to understand that Paul wrote from his perspective as a devout JEW having come to faith in Christ. This is why he emphasized and reiterated that believers are saved apart from the works of the LAW.
This was addressed primarily to Jews who were under the Law to whom the gospel of Christ and salvation through faith in Him, apart from the works of the Law, was being preached and presented for the first time. It was an entirely new concept, too good
to be true, and needed in depth exposition, hence the epistle to the Romans.
This is imperative in understanding all that Paul taught regarding righteousness that was to be found in Christ apart from the works of the law. This forms the basis of our understanding as to why Paul taught,
emphasized and reiterated salvation in Christ that was independent of 'works'. God-fearing Jews who observed the Law reverentially as a means of righteousness, now having come to faith in the Christ, the promised Messiah, were now to be imparted
righteousness by faith in Christ, having abandoned the works of the LAW for righteousness by faith in Christ. Paul said this of himself: "though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh,
I moreso: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless." (Phil. 3:4-6)
"Blameless" is how Paul referred to himself with regard to his observation of the tenets of the Law. He then goes on to say:
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted lost for Christ. yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish,
that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, but which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.
(Phil. 3:7-9)
Whenever Paul spoke of righteousness apart from one's own 'works', he was referring to Christ's righteousness being imputed to one apart from the works of the LAW so that one may be JUSTIFIED
in God's
sight:
Therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the
Law is the knowledge of sin. (Rom. 3:20) - See also Rom. 4:24
This, along with the other verses have been erroneously taken to mean that the Christian, now having been 'saved', in the sense of being 'justified' in God's sight, now has no need for any effort, work or diligence in the lifelong PROCESS of
salvation that does not end with justification which is free and independent of works. This is a blatantly false teaching resulting from a deeply flawed understanding of grace and its role in salvation, and which does not take into account the
process of SANCTIFICATION that the believer must play an active role in and which results in eternal life.
GRACE JUSTIFIES, BRINGS ABOUT REDEMPTION and FORGIVENESS OF SINS
Justification is FREE, involves no work on the part of the one seeking to be justified other than the 'work' of faith in Christ and is facilitated purely by God's grace.
EVERY TIME PAUL WRITES THAT WE 'HAVE BEEN SAVED', HE IS SPEAKING OF US HAVING BEEN 'JUSTIFIED', that is, made in the right standing with God and having Christ's righteousness freely imputed to us:
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the free gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)
"Justification", in its simplest form, is the sinner being brought into right standing with God purely on the basis of his/her faith in Christ and having Christ's righteousness imparted to him.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21)
What Paul did NOT mean is that once having been made righteous in God's sight, that the now believer may continue/progress on a path of unrighteous living that God's grace will 'cover', overlook or ignore and that will allow entrance into His
kingdom and assure salvation. NOWHERE in Scripture will we find any text to support this stance. We find the opposite...
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
(2 Cor. 7:1)
Paul is exhorting the Corinthian church to cleanse THEMSELVES from anything that would defile their flesh and spirit to PERFECT HOLINESS in the fear of God. it is the BELIEVER, having been justified by Christ's blood that must CLEANSE HIMSELF from
anything that defiles PERFECT HOLINESS.
But there shall by no means enter it (heaven) anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. (Rev. 21:7)
Nothing that defiles may enter the new Jerusalem except those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, this clearly implying that those believers who practice sin do NOT have their names in the Lamb's Book of Life. Justification in the
name of Christ therefore is merely the BEGINNING of a lifelong process of 'perfecting holiness in the fear of God' and in and of itself does NOT allow entrance into God's kingdom. We are cleansed from former sins when we are JUSTIFIED in God's sight:
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because
in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. (Romans 3:23-25)
Justification is only the initial step of the lifelong process of salvation, it is not the process itself.
It is God who justifies. It is US who must diligently perfect holiness in order to enter the kingdom of God: "Pursue peace with all men and
holiness without which no man shall see the Lord". (Heb. 12:14) PURSUING HOLINESS is a WORK.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness
brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted,
even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. (2 Pet. 1:6-9)
Paul urges the Corinthians:
We then, as workers together with Him, also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: "In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is
the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:1-2)
Faith in Christ brings about justification and peace with God. It also grants us ACCESS into His grace. The grace in which we 'stand' is an ongoing, daily, lifelong event and as we shall see further on,
it is completely possible to 'fall short' of this grace.
Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of
life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. (Rom. 5:18-19)
...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously
committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom. 3:23-26)
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. (Eph. 1:7)