Prevenient Grace
This week's been crazy. We're in the middle of Vacation Bible School and painting the house so I'm altogether pretty busy. I'm teaching memory verses and leading some songs. Shelley's doing crafts and puppets as well as working out at the Fort Rob theater. I can't wait 'til the end of the week for things to slow down. Besides that, Pastor Dan is gone, but fortunately I don't have to preach this week. Well, anyway, here's some of my under-developed thoughts on prevenient grace.
Although John Calvin and Jacob Arminius differed in several important areas in theology, they both firmly believed in total depravity of man. In that sense, Jacob Arminius could have been called a 1-point Calvinist. Arminius held that ever since the original sin, the human will was in bondage to a corrupted nature. Thus, if left in that state, man has no interest in genuinely pleasing God.
One crucial area of where Arminius disagreed with Calvin was over the nature of grace. Arminius believed that the Bible teaches that God's prevenient grace enables the sinner to make a free response to the gospel. Later John Wesley did much to develop further this important, but controversial doctrine. But like Chris pointed out, it's important to examine the Bible to see if there is support for such a view.
Let's start with the question, "What is prevenient grace?" It might be clearer to use the term "pre-regenerating grace." Pre-regenerating grace is undeserved favor that God gives to the sinner as he hears the Word of God and experiences the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. This grace does not actually save the hearer. It only enables him to respond freely in faith or to reject the gospel by further unbelief. This grace is not to be confused with common grace, that is universally received. Prevenient grace could not be experienced by those who have never heard the gospel.
What evidence is there in the Bible that actually teaches such a doctrine? Currently, I don't have time to exposit each of these passages, but I believe that the following texts point toward my definition of my prevenient grace.
John 16:5-11
5But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you has asked me where I am going. 6Instead, you are very sad. 7But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Counselor won't come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9The world's sin is unbelief in me. 10Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged (NLT).
Romans 10:17
17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (NIV).
Romans 2:4
4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? (NIV)
Titus 2:11-13
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. (NIV)
Acts 7:51
51"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! (NIV)
I hope that this will prompt further discussion of these texts. I would be happy to explain to why I think that these passages teach prevenient grace.
Although John Calvin and Jacob Arminius differed in several important areas in theology, they both firmly believed in total depravity of man. In that sense, Jacob Arminius could have been called a 1-point Calvinist. Arminius held that ever since the original sin, the human will was in bondage to a corrupted nature. Thus, if left in that state, man has no interest in genuinely pleasing God.
One crucial area of where Arminius disagreed with Calvin was over the nature of grace. Arminius believed that the Bible teaches that God's prevenient grace enables the sinner to make a free response to the gospel. Later John Wesley did much to develop further this important, but controversial doctrine. But like Chris pointed out, it's important to examine the Bible to see if there is support for such a view.
Let's start with the question, "What is prevenient grace?" It might be clearer to use the term "pre-regenerating grace." Pre-regenerating grace is undeserved favor that God gives to the sinner as he hears the Word of God and experiences the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. This grace does not actually save the hearer. It only enables him to respond freely in faith or to reject the gospel by further unbelief. This grace is not to be confused with common grace, that is universally received. Prevenient grace could not be experienced by those who have never heard the gospel.
What evidence is there in the Bible that actually teaches such a doctrine? Currently, I don't have time to exposit each of these passages, but I believe that the following texts point toward my definition of my prevenient grace.
John 16:5-11
5But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you has asked me where I am going. 6Instead, you are very sad. 7But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don't, the Counselor won't come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9The world's sin is unbelief in me. 10Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged (NLT).
Romans 10:17
17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (NIV).
Romans 2:4
4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? (NIV)
Titus 2:11-13
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. (NIV)
Acts 7:51
51"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! (NIV)
I hope that this will prompt further discussion of these texts. I would be happy to explain to why I think that these passages teach prevenient grace.
posted by Daniel | 4:47 PM
1 Comments:
There is a developing article on universal previent grace here:
http://theopedia.com/Universal_prevenient_grace
Thought it might be of interest.
Post a Comment
<< Home