common grace and saving grace

caleb has raised a number of very interesting points about common grace and will no doubt develop them even further over the next few days. his blog is here and his post on common grace is here.

common grace refers to 'God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature' (Romans 1:20, NIV), while saving grace refers to 'the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile' (Romans 1:16, NIV). saving grace is found in Christ - 'the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation' (Colossians 1:15, NIV) - through faith in Christ alone.

this post is an attempt to provide a philosophically and theologically sound alternative to the calvinist position on common grace and saving grace.

the calvinist position on common grace and saving grace is as follows:

1. common grace does not have the power to save.
2. saving grace has the irresistible power to save.
3. all are given common grace.
4. all reject common grace.
5. some are given saving grace.
6. some are not given saving grace.
7. those who are given saving grace are irresistibly saved.
8. those who are not given saving grace are not saved.
9. those who are not given saving grace are nevertheless responsible for not being saved, because all have rejected common grace in the first place.

however, if only saving grace has the irresistible power to save, then those who are not given saving grace are not responsible for not being saved. the fact that all have rejected common grace in the first place is besides the point.

my position on common grace and saving grace is as follows:

1. common grace does not have the power to save.
2. common grace has the resistible power to point towards saving grace.
3. saving grace has the resistible power to save.
4. all are given common grace.
5. some accept common grace.
6. some reject common grace.
7. those who accept common grace are enabled to accept or reject saving grace.

God ensures that those who accept common grace will hear the gospel within their lifetime.

8. those who reject common grace are not enabled to accept or reject saving grace.

God ensures that those who reject common grace will either not hear the gospel within their lifetime or be blinded to the gospel if they do hear the gospel within their lifetime.

9. those who accept common grace and accept saving grace are saved.
10. those who accept common grace and reject saving grace are not saved.
11. those who reject common grace are not saved.

links: more on common grace and saving grace (18 may 09), even more on common grace and saving grace (23 jun 09)