But For The Grace

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Come Now; Let Us Reason Together

Many of you who are reading this article can finish the title sentence with the words “… there go I.” This phrase “But for the grace of God, there go I” is triggered by a person witnessing or hearing of an unpleasant condition of another human being. From their position of safety, they acknowledge that they also could have been the one suffering that same misfortune. However, God exercised grace—by showing mercy—toward them and spared them the misfortune. Therefore, the phrase is spoken by a person who is thankful to God. So far; so good.

However, if we define grace as an unmerited favor granted to us by God, then we may run into a doctrinal difficulty. We must keep in mind, that grace is the means in which mercy is given. If I received grace (unearned favor from God, not based on my conduct), then why doesn’t everyone receive it all the time? For God to pick and choose who to give His grace would make God unfair or unjust; right? You may say that God gave grace to a person because of some good he finds in that person. However, if that were true then grace was not needed; God could have acted by merit to bless the good person. Unmerited is define as an antonym to merited. To merit something is to receive something based on your intrinsic value, quality, or ability. Therefore, if you receive an unmerited gift, it was not based on your value, quality, or ability. The truth is, no one is good. Once, there was a young man who addressed Jesus as Good Master. Jesus questioned the salutation and stated, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:18). Therefore, even though we are grateful that God chose to give us grace and show us mercy, we may have a difficult time grasping the fact that God chooses not to exercise grace to the one suffering. The same God who rescues one person is the same God that chose not to rescue another person. Also, if God did this by grace, then the one rescued cannot say they earned it, nor can the one who did not receive grace say they were unjustly treated. Both, being sinners, do not deserve anything but the wrath of God.

Confused? Hang on; it gets more complicated. Let’s look at some additional biblical text that deepens the dilemma. The apostle Paul wrote what many scholars agree to be the magnum opus of the New Testament, in the book of Romans. In the biblical letter, Paul lays out the Gospel in a masterful and meticulous manner. Many Christian use several select scriptures, affectionately called the “Romans Road”, to lead people to salvation in Christ. Those scriptures are drawn from within the first six chapters and jump to chapter ten for its conclusion. However, in avoiding chapter nine, those subscribers to the Romans Roads avoid an essential point of the historic Christian Faith. It is within the ninth chapter where the topic of God’s grace by sovereign election is best explained (revised from my previous version in which I stated "are introduced").

Paul begins the section of his letter with a sentence that would normally appear at the beginning of ones’ writing. He writes, "I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—" (Romans 9:1, ESV). Paul understands that the topic he is about to discuss will take the readers by surprise. He is preparing them for a paradigm shift in their thinking. The

required shift is from their false belief that salvation is the result of DNA (being a descendent of Abraham). Paul writes,

"For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring." (Romans 9:6-8, ESV)

Paul continues to build his argument of salvation by grace alone. He writes one of the most un-preached set of verses in all scripture. He writes, “And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”” (Romans 9:10-13, ESV)

No scholar, worth his credentials, will dispute the correct translation of those verses. However, the interpretation of those verses not only has ramifications to how a person receives salvation, but also what is the character of God. Paul anticipates the next question by asking and answering it himself. "What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." (Romans 9:14-16, ESV)

Paul offers the historical example of Pharaoh. "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills." (Romans 9:17-18, ESV)

Paul, once again, anticipates the next question. He writes, “You will say to me then, “Why does he [God] still find fault? For who can resist his [God’s] will?” Paul’s answer is critical to understanding the character of God and God’s plan for mankind to understand God’s holiness and experience God’s Glory. Paul writes; “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—" (Romans 9:19-23, ESV)

This may shake your present view of the character of the Apostle Paul, the book of Romans, the Bible, or even the character of God. If you are like me, you went many years without knowing this was in the Bible, or you had some loving Christian explain it away with other biblical scriptures, even from scriptures within the book of Romans.

This article was not written to answer in great detail all questions about the doctrine of election or predestination. However, there are many great resources that argue different points of view on this subject. Since the most common viewpoint is that we choose God by accepting Jesus as our savior and that God chooses us based on foreknowledge of us accepting Jesus, I suggest a book that counters those positions. Although there are many books on this subject, I recommend Dr. R. C. Sproul’s book titled “What is Reformed Theology?” The book is an excellent overview of the Reform view of salvation and is written in laymen’s term. Please note that “Reformed Theology” is not new and is not reformed for what is popular today. Reform Theology was established as a protest of the theology of the Catholic Church in the 16 Century. Therefore, the reformed view was considered the correct Biblical doctrine .

I end this article with some questions for your consideration. If God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscience (all knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere present at the same time), then how did he not know that Adam and Eve would sin and plunge all humanity into sin? Why did He not prevent this from happening? If we have a free will of choice, then why did God create us with the free will to disobey if we choose? If there is no one that is good or seeks after God, then how could we choose good (choose Jesus as Savior and Lord) if we do not have a good heart or mind?

Answers to these questions are found in a proper understanding in the nature and character of God as revealed in the Holy Bible. Seek, and you shall find.

But For The Grace of God . . .

What is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics