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“Rethinking Bible Terms”.
Once upon a Sunday morning, a denomination on the corner was singing “Amazing Grace” while at the other end of the block a congregation was singing “Trust and Obey For There's no other way.” Are these two songs antagonistic with one another?
Since the nineteen sixties, an erroneous definition of a much used Bible word has dominated the denominations in America. That word is “grace.” This is a fundamental term describing God’s dealings with His people. It affects the understanding of God's plan of salvation. After discovering the common definition of grace, especially as “favor” with its synonyms of “favor” in Greek and Hebrew dictionaries, the common tendency is to tack on the descriptive term “unmerited” as an “modifier.” This is claimed as being required by its use in such passages as Ephesians 2:8-10. However, a closer look at this passage rejects the interpretation.
This is the error that colors every interpretation of its use in the Bible.
Three basic illustrations destroy an universal use of tacking on of “unmerited” as its definition.
FIRST USE IS WITH NOAH. Genesis 6:8, Yet truly, Noah found grace [χάριν LXX] before the Lord. 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 4
Does
the use of “grace” in the eyes of God for Noah include
“unmerited.” No. If not, then the definition is
not universally applied. SECOND, WITH MOSES. Exodus 33:13, Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace [χάριν LXX]in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. 17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. 18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Considering Exodus 33. There, in the space of six verses, Moses is said to have found favor (grace) with God five times, hen [Hebrew] or χάριν [its Greek, ABP+] being translated either "find favor" or "be pleased with." At the beginning of the chapter, he requests that God teach him his ways, so that he may "know you and continue to find favor with you" (v. 13). God promises to go with him in the next verse because "I am pleased with you and I know you by name" (v. 17).
THIRD, WITH JESUS Luke 2 : 40 “Now the child grew, and he was strengthened with the fullness of wisdom. And the grace of God was in him.” Luke 2:52 “And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and in age, and in grace, with God and men.” Hebrew 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Did Jesus need an “unmerited” favor from God?
Of course not. The word means “favor” without the restriction of an adjective “unmerited.”
FINALLY, THE
SAVED.
Grace is associated through
the faith (Jude 3) and is a result of keeping New Testament's
commands. Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved
through
the faith; and this matter is not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God: 9 not by works, lest any one
should boast.” (Anderson's). Revelation 22:12,
“Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give
to every one as his work shall be. 13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning
and the End. 14
Blessed are those who do his commandments, that
they may have right to the tree of life.”
(Anderson's 1865 New Testament). See also Matthew 28:18-30.
An
argument is made for interpreting God's grace as
“unmerited.” The argument is “GRACE”
has different applications and “nuances” which “allow”
for “unmerited” to be added to the word. I've perused
around 160 verses in the King James translation. Actually, I only found only two
passages that could be possibly used for this: one is in
Romans and another is in Ephesians.
ABRAHAM'S
FAITH
Romans 4:3-8, 3 “ For
what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted
unto him for righteousness.
4
Now to him that worketh
is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
“ [“work”: ergon, action]
The question arises, does “grace” change its meaning because of the use of the context's “work”? The nuance of a word in any context can be influenced by various factors but unless there is cause for a figurative meaning, a word's literal meaning should be accepted. This means the dictionary definition must form the baseline understanding of the word. The surrounding words, sentences, and the situation in which the word is used significantly shape its meaning in its context..
For example, "cool" can mean "cold" or "awesome," depending on the context. But “cool” must include those definitions. “Grace” still does not mean “unmerited.” In our context “work” is used to “shape” grace. So, the question becomes, “What is the nuance of work mentioned?” “Work” (actions) used in this context of the previous chapter is obeying the Old Testament Law commands. Abraham's actions preceded the Law given through Moses.
The nuance of the word “work” affects the use of “grace” rather than the other way around.
“Believing” also has its own nuance of the action word “work.” For example, James 2:17, “ So also faith by itself, if it does not have works , is dead.” Faith has its own peculiar works (actions). So, Romans is contrasting the type of work (action, doing) of the Old Testament Law (Romans 3:28) that the Jews wanted to require of the Gentiles (for example, circumcision, in this context, Romans 3:1,2).
The faith required was in God's power to raise the dead and Abraham's trusted that God delivers even in a dead womb. This was prophetic of Jesus' resurrection. Did Abraham's faith negate his failed attempt to circumvent God's promise by using Sarah's maid? (in the text).
CONCLUSION
Words have been described as
“trucks” for communication according to the
popular Adrian Rogers, Southern Baptist pastor. The truck has to
deliver the correct definition or otherwise, communication is broken
down. The word "grace" means simply "favor". To add or change the meaning is adding to the message, the word of God.
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