"Grace"
is an English word used in the New Testament to translate theGreek
word, [charis], which means "favor," without recompense orequivalent.
If there is any compensatory act or payment, however slight orinadequate,
it is "no more grace" —
[charis].
When
used to denote a certain attitude or act of God toward man it istherefore
of the very essence of the matter that human merit or deserving isutterly
excluded. In grace God acts out from Himself, toward those whohave
deserved, not His favor, but His wrath. In the structure of the Epistleto
the Romans grace does not enter, could not enter, till a whole race,without
one single exception, stands guilty and speechless before God.Condemned
by creation, the silent testimony of the universe (Romans1:18,20);
by wilful ignorance, the loss of a knowledge of God onceuniversal
(Romans 1:21); by senseless idolatry (Romans 1:22,23); bya
manner of life worse than bestial (Romans 1:24,27); by godless prideand
cruelty (Romans 1:28, 32); by philosophical moralizings which hadno
fruit in life (Romans 2:1,4); by consciences which can only "accuse"or
seek to "excuse" but never justify (Romans 2:5,16); and finally bythe
very law in which those who have the law boast (Romans 2:17;3:20),
"every mouth" is "stopped, and all the world becomes guilty
beforeGod."
In
an absolute sense, the end of all flesh is come. Everything has been tried.Innocence,
as of two unfallen creatures in an Eden of beauty; conscience,that
is, the knowledge of good and evil with responsibility to do good andeschew
evil; promises, with the help of God available through prayer; law,tried
on a great scale, and through centuries of forbearance, supplementedby
the mighty ethical ministry of the prophets, without ever oncepresenting
a human being righteous before God (Romans 3:19;Galatians 3:10; Hebrews 7:19;
Romans 3:10,18; 8:3,4); this isthe Biblical picture. And it is against this
dark background that grace shinesout.
DEFINITION
The
New Testament definitions of grace are both inclusive and exclusive.They
tell us what grace is, but they are careful also to tell us what grace isnot.
The two great central definitions follow:
"That
in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches ofHis
grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus"(Ephesians
2:7).
This
is the inclusive, or affirmative, side; the negative aspect, what grace isnot,
follows:
"For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not ofyourselves:
it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man shouldboast"
(Ephesians 2:8,9).
The
Jew, who is under the law when grace comes, is under its curse(Galatians
3:10); and the Gentiles are"without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel,
andstrangers
from the covenants of promise, having no hope, andwithout
God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12).
And
to this race God comes to show "the exceeding riches of His GRACEin
His kindness toward US," "through CHRIST JESUS."
The
other great definition of grace is:
"But
after that the kindness and loveof God our Saviour toward man
appeared" — the positive aspect;
"Not byworks
of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercyHe
saved us"
—
the negative aspect.Grace, then, characterizes the present age, as
law characterized the agefrom Sinai to Calvary.
"For the law was given by Moses, but grace andtruth
came by Jesus Christ." And this contrast between law as a methodand
grace as a method runs through the whole Biblical revelationconcerning
grace.
It
is not, of course, meant that there was no law before Moses, any morethan
that there was no grace and truth before Jesus Christ. The forbiddingto
Adam of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil(Genesis
2:17) was law, and surely grace was most sweetly manifestedin
the seeking, by the Lord God, of His sinning creatures, and in Hisclothing
them with coats of skins (Genesis 3:21) —
a beautiful type ofChrist "made unto us ...
righteousness" (1 Corinthians 1:30). Law, inthe sense of some
revelation of God’s will, and grace, in
the sense of somerevelation of God’s
goodness, have always existed, and to this Scriptureabundantly
testifies. But "the law" as an inflexible rule of life was given byMoses,
and, from Sinai to Calvary, dominates, characterizes, the time; justas
grace dominates, or gives its peculiar character to, the dispensationwhich
begins at Calvary, and has its predicted termination in the rapture ofthe
Church.
LAW
AND GRACE DIVERSE
It
is, however, of the most vital moment to observe that Scripture never, inany
dispensation, mingles these two principles. Law always has a place andwork
distinct and wholly diverse from that of grace. Law is Godprohibiting,
and requiring (Exodus 20:1,17); grace is God beseeching,and
bestowing (2 Corinthians 5:18,21). Law is a ministry ofcondemnation
(Romans 3:19); grace, of forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7).Law
curses (Galatians 3:10); grace redeems from that curse(Galatians
3:1). Law kills (Romans 7:9,11); grace makes alive(John
10:10). Law shuts every mouth before God; grace opens everymouth
to praise Him. Law puts a great and guilty distance between manand
God (Exodus 20:18,19); grace makes guilty man nigh to God(Ephesians
2:13). Law says, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for atooth"
(Exodus 21:24); grace says, "Resist not evil; but whosoever shallsmite
thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matthew5:39).
Law says, "Hate thine enemy;" grace, "Love your enemies, blessthem
that despitefully use you." Law says, do and live (Luke 10:26,28);grace,
believe and live (John 5:24). Law never had a missionary; graceis
to be preached to every creature. Law utterly condemns the best man(Philippians
3:4,9); grace freely justifies the worst (Luke 23:24;Romans
5:5; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Corinthians 6:9,11). Law is asystem
of probation; grace, of favor. Law stones an adulteress(Deuteronomy
22:21); grace says, "Neither do I condemn thee"(John
8:1,11). Under law the sheep dies for the shepherd; under gracethe
shepherd dies for the sheep (John 10:11).
The
relation to each other of these diverse principles, law and grace,troubled
the apostolic church. The first controversy concerned theceremonial
law. It was the contention of the legalists that converts fromamong
the Gentiles could not be saved unless circumcised "after themanner
of Moses" (Acts 15:1). This demand was enlarged when the"apostles
and elders" had come together at Jerusalem
to settle thatcontroversy
(Acts 15:5,6). The demand then made put in issue notcircumcision
merely, or the ceremonial law, but the whole Mosaic system."That
it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them tokeep
the law of Moses" (Acts 15:6).
The
decision of the council, as "it seemed good to the Holy Ghost,"negatived
both demands, and the new law of love was invoked that Gentileconverts
should abstain from things especially offensive to Jewish believers(Acts
15:28,29).
But
the confusion of these two diverse principles did not end with thedecision
of the council. The controversy continued, and six years later theHoly
Spirit, by the Apostle Paul, launched against the legalistic teachersfrom
Jerusalem the crushing thunderbolt of the
Epistle to the churches inGalatia.
In
this great letter every phase of the question of the respective spheres oflaw
and of grace comes up for discussion and final, authoritative decision.The
Apostle had called the Galatians into the grace of Christ (Galatians1:6).
Now grace means unmerited, unrecompensed favor. It is essential toget
this clear. Add never so slight an admixture of law-works, ascircumcision,
or law effort, as of obedience to commandments, and "graceis
no more grace" (Romans 11:6). So absolutely is this true, that gracecannot
even begin with us until the law has reduced us to speechless guilt(Romans
3:19). So long as there is the slightest question of utter guilt,utter
helplessness, there is no place for grace. If I am not, indeed, quite sogood
as I ought to be, but yet quite too good for hell, I am not an objectfor
the grace of God, but for the illuminating and convicting and death dealingwork
of His law.
The
law is "just" (Romans 7:12), and therefore heartily approvesgoodness,
and unsparingly condemns badness; but, save Jesus of Nazareth,the
law never saw a man righteous through obedience. Grace, on thecontrary,
is not looking for good men whom it may approve, for it is notgrace,
but mere justice, to approve goodness, but it is looking forcondemned,
guilty, speechless and helpless men whom it may save throughfaith,
sanctify and glorify.
Into
grace, then, Paul had called the Galatians. What (Galatians 1:6)was
his controversy with them? Just this: they were "removed" from thegrace
of Christ into "another gospel," though he is swift to add,
"which isnot
another" (Galatians 1:7).
There
could not be another "gospel." Change, modify, the grace of Christby
the smallest degree, and you no longer have a gospel. A gospel is "gladtidings";
and the law is not glad tidings."What things soever the law saith,
it saith to them who are underthe law; that every mouth may be stopped, and
all the worldbecome
guilty before God" (Romans 3:19),and surely that is no good news. The law,
then, has but one language; itpronounces "all the world" —
"good", bad, and "goody-good" —
"guilty".
But
you say: What is a simple child of God, who knows no theology, todo?
Just this: to remember that any so-called gospel which is not pure= unadulterated
grace is "another" gospel. If it proposes, under whateverspecious
guise, to win favor of God by works, or goodness, or "character,"or
anything else which man can do, it is spurious. That is the unfailing test.But
it is more than spurious, it is accursed —
or rather the preachers of itare (Galatians 1:8,9). It is not man who says
that, but the Spirit of Godwho says it by His apostle. This is unspeakably
solemn. Not the denial ofthe Gospel even, is so awfully serious as to
pervert the Gospel. Oh, thatGod may give His people in this day power to
discriminate, to distinguishthings which differ. Alas, it is discernment
which seems so painfullywanting.
If
a preacher is cultured, gentle, earnest, intellectual, and broadly tolerant,the
sheep of God run after him. He, of course, speaks beautifully aboutChrist,
and uses the old words redemption, the cross, even sacrifice andatonement
— but what is his Gospel? That is the crucial
question. Issalvation,
perfect, entire, eternal, — justification,
sanctification, glory, — the alone work of
Christ, and the free gift of God to faith alone? Or doeshe
say: (Dr. Abbott) "Character is salvation," even though he may add
thatChrist
"helps" to form the character?