Divine Grace by Jim Fowler
“Grace” is a fuzzy, nebulous, ethereal, ambiguous word and concept among many of God’s people. The most popular definition is “the undeserved favor of God,” but that is as intangible and undefinable as grace itself and quite inadequate to explain the all-encompassing action of God in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Grace is not an event in time, but grace was inaugurated, and the action of grace commenced in the event of the incarnation of the Son, Jesus Christ. “Grace and truth were realized in Jesus Christ” (John. 1:17). Grace is not a personal experience, but grace was active in the experience of our personal regeneration and salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8,9). Grace is not a benefit that man can ever control, but the church has historically attempted to do so by determining certain ecclesial actions, such as the partaking of the Eucharist, to be sacramental “means of grace.”
Grace is not some “thing” that we can grasp (physically or cerebrally) or “get a handle on.” Grace is not something we can possess, handle, or control. We can never claim to possess grace. We can never claim to give grace to another, for it can only be given by the divine Giver, as it is only and always the action of God in Jesus Christ by His Spirit. Grace is technically not the Person of God (not Father, Son, or Spirit), but it is the character of the Triune God in action giving Himself (for that is all He has to give) to mankind through the Son and by the Holy Spirit.
Grace is the Triune God giving His life and character to mankind. Grace is the free flow of God doing what He does, because He IS Who He IS. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John. 3:16). But as with all giving, it must be received. The action of God’s grace is received by faith, the human receptivity of God’s activity.
Jim Fowler is a cherished and respected friend of Plain Truth Ministries, a wonderful brother in Christ, having served in a variety of capacities, on our Board of Directors, as a theological consultant and as an author and editor. He continues to write, with his latest being “Manifesting the Life of Jesus” available on Amazon. Jim is a treasure to the body of Christ, a Christ follower who faithfully reflects God’s grace in Jesus, as our risen Lord lives his life within him.
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