Human Grace Versus Divine Grace in Christ

The concept of grace is central to Christian theology, and its understanding varies across different traditions. At its core, grace refers to the unmerited favor of God towards humanity. In the context of Christ, divine grace is a pivotal theme, emphasizing God's initiative in salvation ^[3].

The biblical foundation for the concept of divine grace is evident in several passages. Romans 5:15 highlights the abundance of God's grace through Jesus Christ, contrasting it with the trespass that led to the death of many. James 4:6 also underscores God's grace, stating that He gives more grace to the humble ^{[1, 2]}. The incarnation of Christ is seen as an act of divine grace, where Christ took human nature into union with His divine person ^[5].

Theological traditions have interpreted the nature and operation of divine grace in various ways. According to Aquinas, the grace of union in Christ precedes His habitual grace both in nature and thought. This grace of union refers to the personal being given to the human nature in the Person of the Word ^[7]. In contrast, the Reformed tradition, as represented by Charles Hodge, emphasizes that grace is not given according to human merits, arguing against the idea that human activity can condition or secure grace ^[9].

The distinction between human effort and divine grace is a recurring theme. Galatians 1:10 illustrates this by contrasting pleasing men with being a servant of Christ, suggesting that human favor and divine grace are not aligned ^[4]. The Catholic tradition, as seen in Aquinas' work, discusses the role of grace in the sanctification of individuals, including the Virgin Mary, highlighting Christ as the principle of grace ^[10].

The patristic tradition, represented by Augustine, also emphasizes the gratuitous nature of God's grace. Augustine argues that grace is not given according to human merits, using the example of Christ's birth through the Holy Spirit to illustrate the manifestation of God's grace without antecedent human merit ^[11].

The Reformed and Catholic traditions differ in their understanding of how grace operates. The Reformed tradition, as represented by Hodge, stresses the sovereignty of God in granting grace, while the Catholic tradition, following Aquinas, discusses the various forms of grace, including the grace of union and habitual grace, in the context of Christ's humanity and divinity ^{[9, 7]}.

The biblical concept of grace encompasses various aspects, including God's forgiving mercy, the gospel as distinguished from the law, and gifts bestowed by God. Easton's Bible Dictionary categorizes these aspects, highlighting the multifaceted nature of grace in Christian theology ^[3].

The interplay between human and divine grace in Christ is complex. While human effort is not the basis for receiving divine grace, the traditions agree that divine grace is fundamental to salvation. The abundance of God's grace through Christ is a unifying theme across these traditions, underscoring the significance of divine initiative in the salvation of humanity ^{[1, 6]}.

The historical development of the doctrine of grace has been shaped by various controversies and theological debates. The Pelagian controversy, for instance, highlighted the tension between human merit and divine grace, with Augustine arguing strongly against the Pelagian view that human merit could precede or condition divine grace ^[8].

Sources

Romans “But the free gift isn’t like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. -- Romans 5:15”
James “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” -- James 4:6”
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).”
Galatians “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ. -- Galatians 1:10”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Incarnation — That act of grace whereby Christ took our human nature into union with his Divine Person, became man. Christ is both God and man. Human attributes and actions are predicated of him, and he of whom they are predicated is God. A Divine Person was united to a human nature (Acts 20:28; Rom. 8:32; 1 Cor. 2:8; Heb. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Gal. 4:4, etc.). The union is hypostatical, i.e., is personal; the two natures are not mixed or confounded, and it is perpetual.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Grace — God is the God of all -- 1Pe 5:10. God is the Giver of -- Ps 84:11; Jas 1:17. God's throne, the throne of -- Heb 4:16. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of -- Zec 12:10; Heb 10:29. Was upon Christ -- Lu 2:40; Joh 3:24. Christ spoke with -- Ps 45:2; Lu 4:22. Christ was full of -- Joh 1:14. Came by Christ -- Joh 1:17; Ro 5:15. Given by Christ -- 1Co 1:4. Foretold by the prophets -- 1Pe 1:10. Riches of, exhibited in God's kindness through Christ -- Eph 2:7. Glory of, exhibited in our acceptance in Christ -- Eph 1:6. Is described as Great. -- Ac 4:33. Sovereign. -- R”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Grace of Christ as an Individual Man, Art. 13: Article: Whether the habitual grace of Christ followed after the union? I answer that, The union of the human nature with the Divine Person, which, as we have said above (Question [2], Article [10]; Question [6], Article [6]), is the grace of union, precedes the habitual grace of Christ, not in order of time, but by nature and in thought; and this for a triple reason: First, with reference to the order of the principles of both. For the principle of the union is the Person of the Son assu”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 23 [XII.] --REMARKABLE ILLUSTRATIONS OF GRACE AND PREDESTINATION IN INFANTS, AND IN CHRIST.: But all this reasoning, whereby we maintain that the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord is truly grace, that is, is not given according to our merits, although it is most manifestly asserted by the witness of the divine declarations, yet, among those who think that they are withheld from all zeal for piety unless they can attribute to themselves something, which they first give that it may be recompensed to them again, involves somewhat of a diffic”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 142: III. § ii. pp. 105, 106. On the following page, 543 543 Pages 113, 114. he says, “The Catholic doctrine that there are in fallen men moral and religious powers which do not always sin, and which must in the new birth be called into exercise, gave rise to the idea, that this activity of what is natural in man, was a transition into grace, that is, that the right use of what is natural conditions or secures grace. This would indeed be Pelagian, and the man, not Christ, would merit grace, and grace cease to be grace. . . . . The delicate an”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Sanctification of the Blessed Virgin, Art. 5: Article: Whether, by her sanctification in the womb, the Blessed Virgin received the fulness of grace? I answer that, In every genus, the nearer a thing is to the principle, the greater the part which it has in the effect of that principle, whence Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. iv) that angels, being nearer to God, have a greater share than men, in the effects of the Divine goodness. Now Christ is the principle of grace, authoritatively as to His Godhead, instrumentally as to His humanity: wh”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 40.--CHRIST'S BIRTH THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT MANIFESTS TO US THE GRACE OF GOD.: And, therefore, as one thing may be born of another, and yet not in such a way as to be its son, and as not every one who is called a son was born of him whose son he is called, it is clear that this arrangement by which Christ was born of the Holy Spirit, but not as His son, and of the Virgin Mary as her son, is intended as a manifestation of the grace of God. For it was by this grace that a man, without any antecedent merit, was at the very commencement of His e”

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