We sing about them, we use them when answering questions, we fire them off during evangelism as though it’s 1950 and we expect our culture to understand their meaning.
Can you define these words? Biblically?
The tragedy of commonality with religious words is that they lose their cutting ability, they become dull in the minds of spiritually lethargic people, like one on one knife training; you duct tape the blade to not injure your buddy.
These words, Grace and Faith, if understood in proper biblical context, will make an unbeliever see red, raise the hairs on his neck, and lose all sense of civility.
DEFINED
Grace=
a Divine changing of the heart/mind/will
Faith=
the fruit of Grace.
Belief and rest foreign to the natural man. All of that which is needed to live a life of godliness is given by God, is called “Faith.”
Knowing this, take time to go to the passages where these words are used and watch your mind come to life.
For example, Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (Ephesians 2:8, NASB)
-for it is by GRACE, a divine changing of your heart, mind, and will, a monergistic (one party involved) act on a person by God, that wakes you up from being dead in sin, “Lazarus, come forth!” … that you have been saved, thru FAITH; the gift of God, given only to all who are born again, at the moment of salvation, the tools needed to live the remaining time on this earth in godliness. This is not from yourself, how could it be? How could a person dead in sin, running from God, at war with God, (Romans 8:7) stop and come to his senses and “make a decision” to follow Christ?
Answer: HE CANT! That’s the point! It’s by GRACE-thru FAITH-and THAT (grace/faith) not of yourselves, it is the what?
The Gift of God.
Take the duct tape off!
Soli Deo Gloria
