Grace (as Bill Beatty Understands It): Introduction

I was asked to do a talk at our confirmation retreat. The subject was Grace. And, since we're a United Methodist Church, the further "refined" subject was Sanctifying Grace... But, I was told, I could do whatever I wanted to do...

SO - I did whatever I wanted to do. No, I didn't explicate the origins of the Wookie race in the Star Wars series...though that might be fun next year.



I still talked about Grace. And I even talked about Sanctifying Grace - but I tried to take on all three major perspectives of Grace that we United Methodists have: Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, Sanctifying Grace.



So - in an unprecedented (at least on this blog) FOUR PART SERIES we present.... Grace - as Bill Beatty understands it...and then again, he might be wrong...



Okay. So - WHAT is Grace?

Grace, she takes the blame

She covers the shame

Removes the stain

It could be her name

Grace, it's the name for a girl

It's also a thought that changed the world

And when she walks on the street

You can hear the strings

Grace finds goodness in everything

Grace, she's got the walk

Not on a ramp or on chalk

She's got the time to talk

She travels outside of karma

She travels outside of karma

When she goes to work

You can hear her strings

Grace finds beauty in everything

Grace, she carries a world on her hips

No champagne flute for her lips

No twirls or skips between her fingertips

She carries a pearl in perfect condition

What once was hurt

What once was friction

What left a mark

No longer stings

Because Grace makes beauty

Out of ugly things

Grace makes beauty out of ugly things

//U2//Grace//All That You Can't Leave Behind//

I think Bono's onto something in that song.

"Grace makes beauty out of ugly things."

Some people use GRACE as an acronym:

GRACE: God’s [Riches, Rewards, Redemption] At Christ’s Expense

The classic definition of GRACE is:
GRACE: Unmerited [or Undeserved] Favor

MY favorite definition of GRACE is:
GRACE: Getting What You Don’t Deserve

I think that's what Bono was saying, I KNOW that's what Paul meant in Romans when he wrote:

But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 NRSV)

So - Grace is a gift. FREE (to us, costly to God).

For the trio of United Methodist Perspectives on Grace I want to use as a framework the relationship of the Godhead - that is, I think that Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace and Sanctifying Grace are interrelated and inseprable - just as is God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let's not go crazy with this, however - it's a FRAMEWORK - a comparison of the personhood of God revealed in the Father, Son and Spirit and the reality and working of the particular perspectives on Grace.

In Matthew 28 Jesus is preparing to leave the disciples and he gives them final instructions:
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 NRSV)

Our identity is tied up in our baptism (though it is not DEPENDENT upon our baptism - our identity is DEPENDENT on our relationship to Jesus Christ). We are children of God (oooo, I'm one of the King's kids - Prince Bill, to you...heh). Anyway, sometimes when we talk about the Trinity, we use different words, words that express the primary FUNCTION (if you will) of the particular person of the Trinity.

Namely, God is Creator (Father), Redeemer (Son), and Sustainer (Holy Spirit). Now if this were a scholarly work (instead of a blog) I'd go through Scripture passages to support just such a notion. But it's a blog... If you want depth of theology - well, that's for another platform...

So: what will follow in the remaining three parts will be expansions on Grace:

• Prevenient Grace - God the Father - God's work in us before we know who He is
• Justifying Grace - God the Son - God's work in us when we come to know who He is
• Sanctifying Grace - God the Spirit - God's continuing work in us as we grow in relationship to Him
  

Whew - that's a lot. I'll be writing some stories out, maybe some song lyrics, maybe some other stuff. Never know...

Grace and Peace