Faithful on Fridays Blog

Means of Grace- Part One

There’s a phrase that’s been used by the Church for centuries that’s familiar to some and unfamiliar to others: the means of grace. For starters, let’s define grace. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word chesed is translated unfailing love, steadfast love, kindness, or mercy. In the New Testament we have the Greek word charis which is commonly translated grace: God’s unmerited or undeserved favor. This merciful, kind, unfailing, undeserved love that God has for His Church is freely given and impossible to earn. We don’t have to be good enough, attend church enough times, spend enough  time reading the Bible or praying; who decides what’s enough? Do see where I’m going? Grace is a free gift from our heavenly Father and soon coming-King, our Bridegroom Jesus. He desires to bless us in as many ways as a godly husband desires to bless his wife. For those of us who are married, remember those early days; you couldn’t do enough for each other. Even though we may have strayed from those early days, God has not. Grace is poured out on His Church because His love never fails, it’s unchangeable, so unlike us.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 

How does God accomplish this pouring out of His love; how do we recognize grace?Individually it’s easy to see: peace in our hearts, answered prayer, a joyful spirit in the midst of turmoil, to name a few. But what about the Church, the universal, corporate Body of Christ that has existed for over two thousand years? How does the Head of the Body, Jesus, bless the rest of the Body, the Church? It’s called the means of grace. 

This phrase is defined differently by different church denominations, but we all have several ways or means in common. In the Catholic, Orthodox, and Lutheran Churches we have the Word of God and the Sacraments as central to this working definition, therefore, we’ll look at the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, the Lord’s Supper, and Baptism as ways that God blesses and favors His Church. I will also take a Reformed look adding some other ways we receive His grace. 

Let’s get to know our Church Fathers who were sinners, just like us, who came to experience God’s grace personally, became leaders in the Church, and wrote good theology that has existed for two millennium. We’ll take a look, over the next 10 weeks, at these divine ways or methods that God works through the Holy Spirit to benefit the Church showing us repeatedly how much He loves us. The times and culture may have changed, but God continues to show His unfailing love, chesed, throughout the world, in to believers from every nation that honors Him through these means of grace.

… and great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33b ESV