We all make mistakes, with the most common one saying something we should not. I made the mistake of blurting out in one of my classes at Union Presbyterian Seminary that I struggled with the concept of “grace.” My professor, a career Presbyterian pastor and teacher, pounced on me like a cat on a mouse! He was relentless, and I was defenseless. I could only stammer my through why I would make such a statement as a life-long Presbyterian. I thought, “Oh, no, here comes the first grade of ‘F’ in my life.”
But I do struggle at times. It is hard for me to believe that I get something for nothing. That I don’t have to work to achieve God’s love, and His grace. It is counter to all other things we are taught about life. Here on earth we strive to please our parents, our teachers, our bosses, and even our families to get something in return… whatever that something is. We are told time and time again, “Nothing comes free.”
But that’s not true.
In the Presbyterian tradition grace is the unearned, unconditional favor of God. Grounded in Reformed theology, we as Presbyterians believe salvation is entirely a gift of God’s sovereign choice (or “election.”) We are not required to contribute anything. Our response to this gift of grace must only be a lifelong journey of gratitude and faithful service.
We experience and grow in this grace through specific channels known as the “ordinary means of grace.” Those means are reading and preaching the Scripture (“the Word”), Baptism and the Lord’s Supper or communion (“the Sacraments”), and of course prayer. It is through the Word, the physical signs and seals of God’s invisible grace we practice together, and our private and corporate communication with God that makes us who we are.
But grace is the cornerstone.
That professor became my favorite. When I pray for knowledge and discernment as I travel this new path in life, I pray that I will someday acquire his knowledge and wisdom. He forced me to think about a lot of things, but the one thing was how to view God’s grace: That it is given to us freely and undeserved, and that even faith itself is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
We should rejoice every day in what we are given, and our gratitude should naturally follow God’s gift to us.
To thine be the glory.
Jeff Gray