Theology of Grace

Here are some brief thoughts concerning a theology of grace over what I have found to be the more commonly accepted theology of grace and law (law being what we are required to do as Christians).  

As I have come to understand it, the scriptures and the tradition of the Church speak to a theology of grace alone by faith alone and this grace and this faith come to us through the mediation of Jesus Christ alone.

This is a difficult teaching for most people because we desire so much to retain some control over our lives.  Once we accept the grace of God through Jesus, we feel the need to go out and do something more.  No matter how much we hear about free grace, we cannot help but insist that there is more to be done.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.” (Eph 2:8-10, italics mine)

This is from the Epistle reading for the Fourth Sunday in Lent.  It is clear in just these few verses (and I promise you will find this same message throughout the whole of scripture) that our salvation and righteousness have nothing to do with us, but solely by the free gift of God, that even our good works after we receive this gift are not of ourselves, but prepared by God for us to live into them. Who we are as Christians has nothing to do with what we do and everything to do with what God has already done. 

It is hard for us to receive things freely.  Even gifts are most often exchanged and rarely given expecting nothing in return. We are much better and paying for what we get, even when it comes to gifts.  Just think about how you felt the last time someone offered to buy your coffee or lunch when you were out.  What is your first inclination?  I know mine is always about buying their coffee or lunch the next time, in other words, to repay them.  We don’t even think about it.  Our instinct is always to repay and we are flustered by our inability to repay God. This leads us to work and work toward living a “good Christian life,” which does not exist.

In this life, there is only the “Christian life,” and it is neither “good” nor “bad.” The message of the gospel is that despite our best efforts to be bad, God declares us good. We were unable to live up to the standards of God before faith in God and it is the same after that faith is given to us.  Christians remain helpless to live up to the standards of God, but despite our efforts God saw fit to have mercy on us, to declare us saints while we were still sinners.  Thanks be to God!