Tom
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 4,516
Joined: April 2001
|
|
|
Forums30
Topics7,781
Posts54,881
Members974
|
Most Online732 Jan 15th, 2023
|
|
|
#30152
Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:24 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 428
Addict
|
OP
Addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 428 |
A poll on Common Grace
Common Grace is the same as Providence, but Common Grace is the better term (6%, 1 Votes)
|
Common Grace is the same as Providence, but Providence is the better term (41%, 7 Votes)
|
Common Grace is something more than Providence and can lead to salvation (12%, 2 Votes)
|
Common Grace is a meaningless and undefined term (12%, 2 Votes)
|
Other - please state below (29%, 5 Votes)
|
Grace is not common.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,865
Permanent Resident
|
Permanent Resident
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,865 |
I would say common grace is something other than providence and has nothing to do with salvation.
John Chaney
"having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith . . ." Colossians 2:7
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 428
Addict
|
OP
Addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 428 |
Expound! It is not providence, but it is not salvific....so it is....?
Grace is not common.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,450 Likes: 57
Head Honcho
|
Head Honcho
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,450 Likes: 57 |
Steve,
Due to the limited choices I went with #2 "Common Grace is the same as Providence, but Providence is the better term." But, Common Grace is not synonymous with Providence, but rather a specific outworking of God's providence which deals with God's benevolence upon all men indiscriminately. Providence is not necessarily a better term because it doesn't reflect the specificity of what is historically known as Common Grace. But it is better in the sense that it would tend to circumvent some of the natural misconceptions of the term Common Grace. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
In His grace,
simul iustus et peccator
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,040
Persnickety Presbyterian
|
Persnickety Presbyterian
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,040 |
I chose the second option but I probably should have gone with the last option. It seems to me that "common grace" has a different focus than "providence" in that it relates mostly to God's benevolence towards men, i.e., that he provides sustenance, natural enjoyment, degrees of moral restraint, opportunity for repentance, and so forth. Whereas providence especially concerns His government of the world. So I think "benevolence" is probably a better term for what is meant by "common grace."
Kyle
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 23
Plebeian
|
Plebeian
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 23 |
I like what Kyle wrote. I would probably call it the love of God though, or perhaps the uncommon love of God, which overflows from His heart and manifests in benevolence towards both the elect and the non-elect, for His glory.
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)
“All that may be known of God for our salvation, especially his wisdom, love, goodness, grace and mercy on which the life of a soul depends, are represented to us in all their splendour in and through Christ.” John Owen
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 428
Addict
|
OP
Addict
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 428 |
Thanks Pilgrim. The limited choices were intentional, to get people to actually expand upon their differentiation with Providence and Common Grace.
Grace is not common.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 969
Old Hand
|
Old Hand
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 969 |
Berkhof defines Providence as that continued exercise of the divine energy whereby the Creator preserves all His creatures, is operative in all that comes to pass in the world, and directs all things to their appointed end.
Peter
If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. Augustine of Hippo
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 710
Addict
|
Addict
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 710 |
Please add me to "The Really Bad Theology Page."
Reprobation <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />
Last edited by William; Thu Dec 29, 2005 9:23 PM.
|
|
|
|
0 members (),
93
guests, and
10
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are no members with birthdays on this day. |
|
|
|
|