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"Grace, indicates the unmerited favor or help of God. One writer defined grace as “God giving us what (blessings) we don’t deserve.”
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Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God
resisteth the proud, and
giveth grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5
Here seems to be a condition for grace so it must not mean his favor is "unmerited".
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” The Apostle Peter said to grow “in” grace, and the Greek word used there could be translated for/because of; in other words we grow because of grace. Grace is the fertilizer that causes us to grow as we learn of Christ and provides protection WHILE we grow. Grace is not a license to sin; rather, it makes sin detestable to us.
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This sounds confusing. The word "charis" the Greek for what we call "unmerited favor" actually means
FAVOR without the "unmerited" part.
We grow in grace because as Gods
FAVOR comes to us in the form of answered prayers, leadings of the Spirit, or other manifestations of his personal reality our faith grows.
Grace provides
PROTECTION from what? Gods displeasure against sin?
It would be interesting to know what is meant by this.
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound ? 2 God forbid . How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ?
Romans 6:1-2
Paul teaches from the time we are baptized into Christ we are dead to sin. We cannot grow as a Christian while there is sin in our lives.
1 Wherefore
laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn
babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby : 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is
gracious.
1 Peter 2:1-3
We grow when we lay aside sin not while we continue in it.
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Grace is not a license to sin; rather, it makes sin detestable to us. Grace replaces a list of rules to be studied and obeyed, with a lifestyle that is lived.
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Again confususion. Grace replaces
WHAT LIST OF RULES? It actually replaces the law of Moses. It is not opposed to the commandments of Christ nor the need to know and study them. One might get the impression Christs commandments need to be taught or studied.
Actually once one is baptized the next step is to teach
ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo , I am with you alway , even unto the end of the world. Matt. 28:19-20
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Holiness is the result of grace, while self-righteousness/condemnation is the outcome of legalism. When we understand grace, it lifts up Jesus Christ and draws others to HIM, self-righteousness and condemnation pushes people away."
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We would really need an understanding of what the writer means by self righteousness/condemnation and legalism. In todays Church world those terms are often used to describe practically anyone who is trying to live and teach Christs commands.
The preaching of grace does draw people to Christ when understood as "favor". Meaning Christ would give blessing to his children.
And who is it that is preaching self righteousness today? Condemnation? How does the writer define it? Is he saying the many teachings of scripture concerning the judgment of God have no meaning?
While I understand grace is a vast topic and cannot be fully understood by a few paragraphs I find this teaching to incomplete in itself to school a young convert with.
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