Scope of God's Grace Beyond Salvation

The concept of God's grace is central to Christian theology, extending beyond the realm of salvation to encompass various aspects of God's interaction with humanity. According to Charles Hodge, the plan of salvation is termed a "covenant of grace" because it originates in God's mysterious love for sinners who deserve only wrath and curse ^[5].

Biblical Foundations

The biblical basis for understanding God's grace is multifaceted. The Scripture speaks of election to office, to honor, and to eternal life, with the latter being grounded in God's good pleasure (Eph. 1:5, 11; Matt. 11:25, 26; John 15:16) ^[1]. The grace of God is abundantly displayed in redemption and forgiveness of sin through Christ's blood (Eph. 1:7, 8) ^[3]. This grace is not limited to the elect but is also seen in God's providential dealings with all humanity.

The Scope of God's Grace

The Reformed tradition, as represented by Charles Hodge, emphasizes that God's grace is not restricted to the salvation of the elect. It is also evident in the universal offer of salvation, the provision of sufficient means for all to come to faith, and the blessings bestowed upon all people regardless of their spiritual state ^{[7, 11]}. Hodge argues that the work of Christ secures for all people the promise of salvation on the condition of evangelical obedience and obtains for all enough measures of divine grace to render such obedience practicable ^[7].

Common Grace and Its Implications

The concept of common grace is crucial in understanding the scope of God's grace beyond salvation. According to Hodge, common grace refers to the blessings and benefits that God bestows upon all people, believers and unbelievers alike. This includes the restraining of sin, the promotion of morality, and the advancement of civilization ^[8]. While the extent and efficacy of common grace are debated among Reformed theologians, its reality is affirmed as a manifestation of God's gracious character.

Contrasting Views on the Extent of God's Grace

Different Christian traditions have varying views on the extent of God's grace. The Reformed tradition, as seen in Hodge's works, emphasizes the sovereignty of God in the application of grace, particularly in salvation. In contrast, other traditions may stress the universality of God's grace, suggesting that it is available to all people without exception ^{[7, 8]}. John Gill, representing a Baptist/Reformed perspective, highlights the abundance of God's grace toward believers, emphasizing its role in redemption and forgiveness ^{[3, 9]}.

Historical and Theological Development

The understanding of God's grace has developed throughout Christian history, with significant contributions from the early Church Fathers, the Reformers, and subsequent theologians. The Reformed tradition, in particular, has emphasized the gratuitous nature of salvation and the centrality of God's grace in the Christian life ^{[2, 4, 6]}. The doctrine of grace has been shaped by controversies and debates, such as those surrounding Arminianism and the Remonstrants, which have led to a deeper understanding of its implications ^[7].

The doctrine of God's grace, in its various aspects, remains a cornerstone of Christian theology, influencing not only soteriology but also the understanding of God's character and providence. As such, it continues to be a subject of theological reflection and debate, with its implications extending far beyond the realm of salvation to touch upon the broader human experience ^[10].

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Election of Grace — The Scripture speaks (1) of the election of individuals to office or to honour and privilege, e.g., Abraham, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, were all chosen by God for the positions they held; so also were the apostles. (2) There is also an election of nations to special privileges, e.g., the Hebrews (Deut. 7:6; Rom. 9:4). (3) But in addition there is an election of individuals to eternal life (2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2; John 13:18). The ground of this election to salvation is the good pleasure of God (Eph. 1:5, 11; Matt. 11:25, 26; John 15”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 23: the wrath of God in the first instance. The inward transformation of the soul into his likeness is provided for by other means. In the sixth place and finally, the fact that we are saved by grace proves that the ground of salvation is not in ourselves. The grace of God, his love for the unlovely, for the guilty and polluted, is represented in the Bible as the most mysterious of the divine perfections. It was hidden in God. It could not be discovered by reason, neither was it revealed prior to the redemption of man. The specific object of ”
Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:8: Wherein he hath abounded toward us,.... That is, in the grace which is so abundantly displayed in redemption and forgiveness of sin, through the blood of Christ: in all wisdom and prudence; this may be understood, either of the aboundings of grace in the Gospel; which may be called all wisdom and prudence, because it is the wisdom of God; it is the product of his wisdom, and a display of it; the doctrines it contains are full of wisdom, and are the means of communicating it to men, and of making them wise unto salvation; and it may be so called, to set forth the e”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 26: He provided a substitute for sinners, and that He spared not his own Son, but freely gave Him up for us all It was a matter of grace, i.e ., of love to sinners, to the ungodly, to his enemies, that the eternal Son of God became man, assumed the burden of our sins, fulfilled all righteousness, obeying and suffering even unto death, that we might not perish but have eternal life. It is of grace that the Spirit applies to men the redemption purchased by Christ; that He renews the heart; that He overcomes the opposition of sinners, making the”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 70: blessings. Hence, all the fruits of the Spirit in believers are called graces, or unmerited gifts of God. (3.) The word grace often means the supernatural influence of the Holy Ghost. This is preëminently grace, being the great gift secured by the work of Christ, and without which his redemption would not avail to our salvation. In all these senses of the word the plan of salvation is properly called a covenant of grace. It is of grace because it originated in the mysterious love of God for sinners who deserved only his wrath and curse. S”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 23: sinner is pardoned and restored to the favour of God, this again is declared to be of grace. If of grace it is not founded upon anything in the sinner himself. Now as the Scriptures not only teach that the plan of salvation is thus gratuitous in its inception, execution, and application, but also insist upon this characteristic of the plan as of vital importance, and even go so far as to teach that unless we consent to be saved by grace, we cannot be saved at all, it of necessity follows that the doctrine of subjective justification is co”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 70: the Spirit’s influence, and the grace of the gospel above the standard adopted by the Remonstrants. The two systems, however, are essentially the same. The work of Christ has equal reference to all men. It secures for all the promise of salvation on the condition of evangelical obedience; and it obtains for all, Jews and Gentiles, enough measures of divine grace to render such obedience practicable. The salvation of each individual man depends on the use which he makes of this sufficient grace. 4. The Lutherans also hold that God had the ”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 13: nature, hold that God gives sufficient grace, or an inward supernatural light, which, if properly cherished and followed, will lead men to salvation. But this is merely an amiable hypothesis. For such universal and sufficient grace there is no promise in the Scripture, and no evidence in experience. Besides, if admitted it does not help the matter. If this sufficient grace does not actually save, if it does not deliver the heathen from those sins upon which the judgment of God is denounced, it only aggravates their condemnation. All we ca”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 103:15: But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,.... In opposition to the frailty of man, the stability and duration of the mercy of God is observed. This reaches from one eternity to another; it is from everlasting in the heart of God: it appeared in the choice of the vessels of mercy; in the covenant of grace, which is founded upon it, and filled with it; every blessing of which flows from it, and therefore are called the "sure mercies of David". And it appears in time in the regeneration of God's elect, which is according to h”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 66: dispensations of his providence. The consistent opponent of this doctrine must, therefore, reject the truths even of natural religion. As Augustinianism agrees with the facts of providence it of course agrees with the facts of Scripture. The Bible declares that the salvation of sinful men is a matter of grace; and that the great design of the whole scheme of redemption is to display the glory of that divine attribute, — to exhibit to the admiration, and for the edification of the intelligent universe, God’s unmerited love and boundless be”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 73: § 5 . The Covenant of Grace. In virtue of what the Son of God covenanted to perform, and what in the fulness of time He actually accomplished, agreeably to 363 the stipulations of the compact with thu Father, two things follow. First, salvation is offered to all men on the condition of faith in Christ. Our Lord commanded his disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The gospel, however, is the offer of salvation upon the conditions of the covenant of grace. In this sense, the covenant of grace is formed w”

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