Recognizing Our Need for Grace and Its Impact on Kindness
Grace, in its theological sense, refers to the unmerited favor and kindness bestowed by God upon humanity [9]. The term "grace" carries multiple meanings in Scripture, encompassing favor or kindness, God's forgiving mercy, the Gospel itself, spiritual gifts, and Christian virtues [2]. The author of Hebrews 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" [1]. This highlights grace as a source of divine assistance and compassion.
The concept of grace is often linked with mercy, which is defined as compassion for the miserable, with its object being misery itself [4]. Through the atoning sacrifice of Christ, a path is opened for God to extend mercy to humanity, aligning with both truth and righteousness [4].
Recognizing one's need for grace is foundational to Christian thought. John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, argues against the idea that humans contribute a part to their conversion while God supplies the rest, emphasizing that human actions are directed by God [5]. Similarly, Augustine, in his anti-Pelagian writings, asserts that the human will is divinely aided in the pursuit of righteousness. one tradition states that beyond free will and instruction, individuals receive the Holy Spirit, who instills a delight in and love for God [8]. Thomas Aquinas also addresses the preparation for grace, noting that while human free will plays a role, the gift of grace ultimately exceeds human power and is from God as the Mover [6].
This understanding of grace profoundly impacts the practice of kindness. If kindness is a Christian virtue [2], and grace is the divine enablement for such virtues, then recognizing one's dependence on God's grace fosters humility and a greater capacity for extending kindness to others. Matthew Henry, commenting on 1 Corinthians 13:4, describes charity (love) as an "excellent grace" that is "long suffering," capable of enduring injury and provocation without resentment [10]. This capacity for patient kindness is presented as a fruit of grace. The "means of grace" are traditionally understood as institutions ordained by God, such as the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, which serve as channels for spiritual blessing [3]. In a broader sense, activities like hearing the Gospel, reading Scripture, and meditation are also considered means through which spiritual blessings are obtained [3].
The recognition of receiving undeserved blessing from God's kindness [9] can motivate believers to extend similar kindness to their neighbors. While some theological discussions have debated whether one should love all neighbors equally in affection, the outward effect of charity often prioritizes those connected to us [7]. However, the underlying principle remains that grace received should lead to grace extended.
Sources
- 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”
- 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: 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: Mercy — Compassion for the miserable. Its object is misery. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness (Gen. 19:19; Ex. 20:6; 34:6, 7; Ps. 85:10; 86:15, 16). In Christ mercy and truth meet together. Mercy is also a Christian grace (Matt. 5:7; 18:33-35).”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 41: the others have been voluntary agents in acting, if the Lord Jesus had not directed their hearts? 9. Some, who would be thought more acute, endeavour to evade all these passages, by the quibble, that there is nothing to hinder us from contributing our part, while God, at the same time, supplies our deficiencies. They, moreover, adduce passages from the Prophets, in which the work of our conversion seems to be shared between God and ourselves; “Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hos”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of the Cause of Grace, Art. 3: Article: Whether grace is necessarily given to whoever prepares himself for it, or to whoever does what he can? I answer that, As stated above (Article [2]), man's preparation for grace is from God, as Mover, and from the free-will, as moved. Hence the preparation may be looked at in two ways: first, as it is from free-will, and thus there is no necessity that it should obtain grace, since the gift of grace exceeds every preparation of human power. But it may be considered, secondly, as it”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of the Order of Charity, Art. 6: Article: Whether we ought to love one neighbor more than another? I answer that, There have been two opinions on this question: for some have said that we ought, out of charity, to love all our neighbors equally, as regards our affection, but not as regards the outward effect. They held that the order of love is to be understood as applying to outward favors, which we ought to confer on those who are connected with us in preference to those who are unconnected, and not to the inward a”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 5 [III.] -- TRUE GRACE IS THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST, WHICH KINDLES IN THE SOUL THE JOY AND LOVE OF GOODNESS.: We, however, on our side affirm that the human will is so divinely aided in the pursuit of righteousness, that (in addition to man's being created with a free-will, and in addition to the teaching by which he is instructed how he ought to live) he receives the Holy Ghost, by whom there is formed in his mind a delight in, and a love of, that supreme and unchangeable good which is God, even now while he is still "walking by faith" and not y”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 1:2: 1:2 Paul usually invokes God’s grace and peace on those to whom he is writing. Grace is undeserved blessing that comes from God’s kindness; peace is a sense of well-being and contentedness rooted in the Good News and brought about by the Holy Spirit (see Gal 5:22). Both are gifts from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (see Rom 5:1-2).”
- 1 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 13:4: The apostle gives us in these verses some of the properties and effects of charity, both to describe and commend it, that we may know whether we have this grace and that if we have not we may fall in love with what is so exceedingly amiable, and not rest till we have obtained it. It is an excellent grace, and has a world of good properties belonging to it. As, I. It is long suffering - makrothumei. It can endure evil, injury, and provocation, without being filled with resentment, indignation, or revenge. It makes the mind firm, gives it power over the angry”