is<\/em> \u201cgrace?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nYou might ask, what kind of Christian would ask something like that? Uh, that would be me.<\/p>\n
No doubt due to lack of diligence, I was unable to concretely and succinctly define this essential element of the Christian Faith for the group. This is not to say that I have not experienced it. (I could offer 40 definitions, mind you, but not just one.) And, as those in the group pointed out, I often use the word, grace<\/em><\/strong>, in teaching and preaching \u2014 so why couldn\u2019t I define it? It\u2019s used throughout the New Testament.<\/p>\nSo, what is it?<\/p>\n
One popular and quick response refers to \u201csaying Grace\u201d before meals. Where does that come from? Most likely, the answer lies in the Latin \u2014 gratias agere<\/em> \u2014 for \u201cgiving thanks\u201d as in \u201cGratias Deo agamus\u201d (\u201cLet us give thanks to God\u201d). Yet, thanking God and\/or asking His blessing upon food at meal times does not answer the question. Other quick responses involved words such as graceful<\/strong><\/em> and gracefully<\/strong><\/em> \u2014 as in, she\u2019s a graceful dancer or he sure fell down gracefully. These words, which refer to beauty and form, still do not answer the Bible Study question: What is grace?
<\/em><\/strong>
Since our Bible Study group uses the Orthodox Study Bible, here\u2019s the definition from the OSB:<\/p>\nGRACE:<\/strong> The gift of God\u2019s own presence and action in His creation. Through grace, God forgives sins and transforms the believer into His image and likeness. Grace is not merely unmerited favor \u2014 an attitude of God toward the believer. Grace is God\u2019s uncreated energy bestowed in the sacraments and is therefore truly experienced. A Christian is saved through grace, which is a gift of God and not a reward for good works. However, because grace changes a person, he or she will manifest the effects of grace through righteous living. [pp. 799-800].<\/span><\/p>\nIt turns out that there are several meanings of the word, grace, in the Scriptures:<\/p>\n
1)<\/strong> signifying the general mercy of God (I Peter 5:10)<\/span><\/p>\n2)<\/strong> referring to the grace of Christ and the whole economy of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9)
<\/span>
3)<\/strong> referring to the gifts of the Holy Spirit which have been, and are being, sent down upon the Church for the sanctification of Her members<\/p>\nIt is this third understanding of grace (in Greek, charis<\/em>) which the Apostles so often write about and its use is identical with dynamis or power.<\/p>\nSt Symeon the New Theologian warns us that a Christian:<\/p>\n
1)<\/strong> who does not bear in his heart the conviction that the grace of God, given for faith, is the mercy of God \u2026<\/p>\n2)<\/strong> if he does not labor with the aim of receiving the grace of God, first of all through Baptism, or \u2026<\/p>\n3)<\/strong> if he had it and it departed by reason of sin, to cause it to return again through repentance, confession, and a self-belittling life; and \u2026<\/p>\n4)<\/strong> if, in giving alms, fasting, performing vigils, prayers and the rest, he thinks that he is performing glorious virtues and good deeds valuable in themselves \u2014 then he labors and exhausts himself in vain.<\/p>\n(Forgive me \u2026 Writing this on vacation, I lack sources.)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nThus, [I concluded] grace is a strengthening \u2014 given by the Holy Spirit in His mercy and love to aid us in our struggle toward the Kingdom. We participate in grace by submitting our wills to God\u2019s will, by trusting in Him. We commune with God through prayer and in the grace-filled sacraments of His Church.<\/p>\n
Now here\u2019s the kicker \u2026 I summed all this up for the superb walking encyclopedia otherwise known as Fr Daniel Griffith of All Saints, Salina, Kansas and asked: \u201cSo, whaddya think?\u201d<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cYou\u2019re not gonna like it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTry me,\u201d I said. I went on to tell him how two astute Bible Study members had defined grace. He shook his head.<\/p>\n
He said simply: \u201cGrace IS<\/em><\/strong> the Holy Spirit \u2026 Period.\u201d<\/p>\nPeriod?<\/p>\n
\u201cPeriod,\u201d he said. \u201cI think so.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, dear reader \u2026 Your thoughts?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When our Tuesday morning Bible Study group decided to tackle St Paul\u2019s Epistle to the Romans, the question came up: What, exactly, is \u201cgrace?\u201d You might ask, what kind of Christian would ask something like that? Uh, that would be me. No doubt due to lack of diligence, I was unable to concretely and succinctly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1691,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a>W<\/span>hen our Tuesday morning Bible Study group decided to tackle St Paul\u2019s Epistle to the Romans, the question came up: What, exactly, is<\/em> \u201cgrace?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n