GRACE

Romans 5:20– “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”

ROME SAYS

In the Catholic Encyclopedia, we find the following statement concerning grace:  Grace (gratia, Charis), in general, is a supernatural gift of God to intellectual creatures (men, angels) for their eternal salvation, whether the be furthered and attained through salutary acts of a state of holiness.  Eternal salvation itself consists in heavenly bliss resulting from the intuitive knowledge of the Triune God, who to the one not endowed with grace “inhabiteth light inaccessible” (1 Timothy 6:16).  Christian grace is a fundamental idea of the Christian religion, the pillar on which, by a special ordination of God, the majestic edifice of Christianity rests in its entirety.  Among the three fundamental ideas–sin, redemption, and grace–grace plays the part of the means, indispensable and Divinely ordained, to effect the redemption from sin through Christ and to lead men to their eternal destiny in heaven.

Before the Council of Trent, the Schoolmen (Theologians) seldom distinguished between actual and sanctifying grace.  But, in consequence of modern controversies regarding grace, it has become usual and necessary in theology to draw a sharper distinction between the transient help to act (actual grace) and the permanent state of grace (sanctifying grace).  For this reason we adopt this distinction as out principle of division in our exposition of the Catholic doctrine.

Sanctifying grace– Since the end and aim of all efficacious grace is directed to the production of sanctifying grace where it does not already exist, or to retain and increase it where it is already present, its excellence, dignity, and importance become immediately apparent; for holiness and the sonship of God depend solely upon the possession of sanctifying grace, wherefore it is frequently called simply grace without any qualifying word to accompany it as, for instance, in the phrases “to live in grace” or “to fall from grace”.

Some additional comments concerning sanctifying grace are found in the book Catholic Prophecy and Doctrine which bears the Imprimatur (official seal) of the Catholic Church.  Sanctifying grace is a perfect imitation of God that is effected in us by divine infusion.  It produces in the soul a likeness to God that infinitely transcends that which is had in the purely natural order.  It is that grace which confers on our souls a new life, that is, a sharing in the life of God Himself, a participation in the very nature of God.  Sanctifying grace therefore is necessary for salvation because it is the supernatural life, which alone enables us to attain the supernatural happiness of heaven.  he cannot gain any merit for heaven as long as he is not in sanctifying grace, what is termed ‘in the state of grace’.  For without sanctifying grace one is an enemy of God, and cannot enter His kingdom.

1. First, sanctifying grace makes us holy and pleasing to God.  When we are in possession of sanctifying grace, we are free from mortal sin; the two cannot dwell together.  However, although free from mortal sin, we do not, with sanctifying grace, become free from the consequences or effects of sin.  So, even the Saints feel the human inclination to sin, against which the struggle is life-long, and from which we should gain merit.  This human frailty is imbedded in our flesh, and is present in our souls as a result of original sin.  Sanctifying grace, however, although it does not cure us of the weakness of the flesh, strengthens our will, so that for us the war against sin becomes easier.
2. Second, through sanctifying grace, we become children of God by adoption.  with sanctifying grace, the Holy spirit enters our soul; we are led by His Spirit, and are therefore His children (Rom. 8:14).
3. Third, it makes us temples of the Holy Spirit.  Sanctifying grace brings the Holy Spirit to dwell in us as in a temple (2 Cor.6:16).
4. Fourth, it gives us the right to heaven.  When we are in sanctifying grace, we are inspired to do good works.  the Holy Spirit does not sleep within us, but expands our heart with His grace, and urges our will to do good.  And as we are adopted children of God, such actions become meritorious for heaven.

Finally, the Catechism of the Catholic Church adds the following concerning grace:  819-Christ’s Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic church.  All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to “Catholic unity.”  834-Particular Churches are fully catholic through their communion with one of them, the Church of Rome “which presides in charity.”  “For with this church, by reason of its pre-eminence, the whole Church, that is the faithful everywhere, must necessarily be in accord.”

THE BIBLE SAYS

From strictly a theological standpoint, the word grace simply means God’s unmerited favor.  Not one human being ever deserved grace; rather our sin demands eternal separation from a holy God.  In Genesis chapters 1-3, we find the events of creation and see Adam and Eve in the the garden of Eden.  God gave them just one commandment:  “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:  for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)  Adam and Eve disobeyed God and plunged the entire human race into sin (Romans 5:12)  A holy God would have been completely justified in allowing Adam and Eve to die in their sin and spend eternity separated from Him in hell..  However, God, because of His great love for His creation, provided salvation for Adam and Eve.  God’s first act of grace is exhibited by His provision of the skins of an animal to cover their nakedness.  He shed innocent blood to deal with the sin of Adam.  He further made a promise to Adam as recorded in Genesis 3:15-“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between the seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  This is the first promise of the Messiah.  Hebrews 9:22- “and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

Sanctifying grace is an invention of the Roman Catholic Church.  Grace in the Bible is God’s free gift to man.  The word Grace is used in the Bible in the sense of God giving to us as a result of His great love for us.  God’s Word teaches us that there are three types of grace.  The first is the grace necessary for salvation.  In Romans 6:23, we read the following, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  To further explain this free gift of grace, we see in Romans 5:15, “But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.  For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”  Also in Romans 3:23-24, we read, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”   We could site many other verses but will use just one more passage.  In Ephesians 2:8-9, the following is noted, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  We conclude then that saving grace in the Bible refers to all that God freely does for mankind because of what Christ did on Calvary when “he who knew no sin became sin for us.”  Mankind is unable to produce any acceptable works and therefore receives the benefits freely bestowed by God.  Through saving grace, man has received the gift from God that he in no way deserved.

The second type of grace mentioned in the Bible is living grace.  Once a person has experienced salvation by grace through faith alone, God graciously gives living grace.  That is the grace necessary to live the Christian life.  Contrary to the teachings of Rome, man cannot lose grace just because he is in a state of sin.  There is no big or little sins; no mortal or venial sins. God’s grace is unconditional.  The Lord provides believers with the capacity to grow as Christians and to live a life that is pleasing to Him.  Christians are commanded to grow in grace.  “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”  (2 Peter 3:18)  God’s grace is abundantly available for the believer.  God’s grace is always available for the believer.  God’s grace is sufficient for every problem.  The Lord told the apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for thee:”  (2 Corinthians 12:8)  Grace is greater than our sin- But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”  (Romans 5:20)

The third type of grace is dying grace.  For believers who are in the dying stage of life can rest assured that “he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  (Hebrews 13:5)  Dying grace enables the believer to enjoy dying even though he might be having great physical pain.  In Psalm 23:4, we read, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:  for thou art with me; thy rod and staff they comfort me.”

While we agree that the Holy Spirit dwells in the soul of all believers, sanctifying grace has absolutely nothing to do with it.  We become children of God by trusting in His finished work on Calvary and by being saved by grace through faith plus nothing.

Finally, we totally disagree that grace resides only in the Catholic Church.  The Catholic Church does not teach salvation by grace through faith alone and therefore knows absolutely nothing about God’s true grace.