Correlating Means of Grace with Doctrines of Grace in Battling Unbelief
The "means of grace" refer to the institutions God has ordained as ordinary channels for conveying His grace to humanity [1, 5]. These are traditionally identified as the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer [1, 5]. In a broader sense, the term can also encompass spiritual exercises such as hearing the Gospel, reading Scripture, meditation, self-examination, and Christian conversation [1].
Grace itself is a multifaceted concept in Scripture, denoting favor, kindness, and friendship (Genesis 6:8), God's forgiving mercy (Romans 11:6), the Gospel as distinct from the law (John 1:17), spiritual gifts like prophecy or tongues (1 Corinthians 15:10), and Christian virtues (2 Peter 3:18) [2]. The New Testament encourages believers to "draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16) [4].
The doctrines of grace, particularly within Reformed theology, emphasize God's sovereign role in salvation. John Calvin, for instance, argues that faith and constancy in enduring persecution are unmerited gifts from God [7]. He stresses that all aspects of salvation originate outside of humanity, leaving no room for human boasting or reliance on works [10]. This perspective aligns with the idea that God "worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13, cited in [6]). Augustine similarly emphasizes that humanity would not love God unless God first loved them and enabled that love, underscoring the divine initiative in grace [9].
One significant doctrine of grace is the perseverance of the saints, which posits that believers, once justified and regenerated, will neither totally nor finally fall away from grace but will certainly persevere to everlasting life [3]. This doctrine is supported by passages such as John 10:28-29 and Philippians 1:6 [3]. The efficacy of the means of grace is understood to be tied to the supernatural influences of the Holy Spirit [5]. Charles Hodge notes that the sacraments, for example, are not merely symbolic but are intended to signify, seal, and apply the benefits of Christ's redemption to believers [8].
The correlation between the means of grace and the doctrines of grace lies in the understanding that while God's grace is sovereignly given, He typically uses specific channels to impart it. These means are not merely human efforts to earn favor but are divinely appointed instruments through which the Holy Spirit works to sustain and strengthen believers in their faith and perseverance [5].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Grace, means of — An expression not used in Scripture, but employed (1) to denote those institutions ordained by God to be the ordinary channels of grace to the souls of men. These are the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer. (2.) But in popular language the expression is used in a wider sense to denote those exercises in which we engage for the purpose of obtaining spiritual blessing; as hearing the gospel, reading the Word, meditation, self-examination, Christian conversation, etc.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Grace — (1.) Of form or person (Prov. 1:9; 3:22; Ps. 45:2). (2.) Favour, kindness, friendship (Gen. 6:8; 18:3; 19:19; 2 Tim. 1:9). (3.) God's forgiving mercy (Rom. 11:6; Eph. 2:5). (4.) The gospel as distinguished from the law (John 1:17; Rom. 6:14; 1 Pet. 5:12). (5.) Gifts freely bestowed by God; as miracles, prophecy, tongues (Rom. 15:15; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 3:8). (6.) Christian virtues (2 Cor. 8:7; 2 Pet. 3:18). (7.) The glory hereafter to be revealed (1 Pet. 1:13).”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Perseverance of the saints — Their certain continuance in a state of grace. Once justified and regenerated, the believer can neither totally nor finally fall away from grace, but will certainly persevere therein and attain everlasting life. This doctrine is clearly taught in these passages, John 10:28, 29; Rom. 11:29; Phil. 1:6; 1 Pet. 1:5. It, moreover, follows from a consideration of (1) the immutability of the divine decrees (Jer. 31:3; Matt. 24:22-24; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:30); (2) the provisions of the covenant of grace (Jer. 32:40; John 10:29; 17:2-6); (3) the ato”
- Hebrews “Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. -- Hebrews 4:16”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 53: CHAPTER XX. THE MEANS OF GRACE By means of grace are not meant every instrumentality which God may please to make the means of spiritual edification to his children. The phrase is intended to indicate those institutions which God has ordained to be the ordinary channels of grace, i.e ., of the supernatural influences of the Holy Spirit, to the souls of men. The means of grace, according to the standards of our Church, are the word, sacraments, and prayer.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: and curb them by the bridle of modesty, while yet fighting bravely. And it is plain, from the context, that this was the Apostle’s meaning, since he states, as the ground of fear and trembling, that it is God who worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure. In the same sense must we understand the words of the Prophet, “The children of Israel” “shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days,” ( Hos. 3:5 ). For not only does piety beget reverence to God, but the sweet attractiveness of grace inspires a man, though ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 9.5: that the Philippians may know that they have been called to the faith of Christ on this condition — that they endure persecutions on his account, as though he had said that their adoption can no more be separated from the cross, than Christ can be torn asunder from himself. Here Paul clearly testifies, that faith, as well as constancy in enduring persecutions, 91 91 “ Les afflictions et persecutions ;” — “Afflictions and persecutions.” is an unmerited gift of God. And certainly the knowledge of God is a wisdom that ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 57: § 4. The Efficacy of the Sacraments. Zwinglian and Remonstrant Doctrine. According to the doctrine of Zwingle afterwards adopted by the Remonstrants, the sacraments are not properly “means of grace.” They were not ordained to signify, seal, and apply to believers the benefits of Christ’s redemption. They were indeed intended to be significant emblems of the great truths of the Gospel. Baptism was intended to teach the necessity of the soul’s being cleansed from guilt by the blood of Christ and purified from the pollution of sin by the ren”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 56.--GOD GIVES MEANS AS WELL AS END.: Wherefore if I am unwilling to appear ungrateful to men who have loved me, because some advantage of my labour has attained to them before they loved me, how much rather am I unwilling to be ungrateful to God, whom we should not love unless He had first loved us and made us to love Him ! since love is of Him,[6] as they have said whom He made not only His great lovers, but also His great preachers. And what is more ungrateful than to deny the grace of God itself, by saying that it is given to us according to o”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 69: of the divine goodness may be fully displayed. When we see that all the parts of our salvation thus exist without us, what ground can we have for glorying or confiding in our works? Neither as to the efficient nor the final cause can the most sworn enemies of divine grace raise any controversy with us unless they would abjure the whole of Scripture. In regard to the material or formal cause they make a gloss, as if they held that our works divide the merit with faith and the righteousness of Christ. But here also Scripture reclaims”