Grace in the Holy Trinity
GRACE and Trinity Sunday
( Before I talk about this subject, I want to share with you something that was written by a Christian I know and you all know very well. It touched me deeply because this is also somewhat my own experience....)
"Good article.
I was raised by atheists, but was baptized (in the Presbyterian church!) when I was four. I speculate it was done because my grandmother probably wouldn't stop nagging until they said, O all right, if it will get her off our backs. But I don't know why they did it with any certainty. Anyway, they did. There was no follow up. My Father refused to go to church even for my sister's or my wedding, simply because they were in church. I never knew what a church was through my childhood. It was not until my late teens that I found my own way to church, with no guidance, let alone encouragement, from anyone. As a result, my theology of baptism has been clear: I can trust the Father who works effectively his will through water and the Word, administered by weak human vessels, and with effects that take a long time (I have learned from many things that God is much more patient than I am). Leithart is right: it isn't faith vs. sacraments, or even specifically faith in sacraments, but faith in the God who works through sacraments, because among other things, sacraments are a lot more reliable than both the people who administer them and the people who try end runs around them.
So, yes, maybe we are on the same wavelength after all as RC, Anglicans, Lutherans, Orthodox, even some Reformed. Told you so."
Blessings
+Win " You know him as Bishop Mott. The article he commented on is here:
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2016/05/ministering-sacraments-by-faith
Today I wish to talk about the greek word charis, or grace. What is grace? I do not want to take the slogan road today, God's Riches At Christ's Expense or it is not earned or deserved. These things may be certainly true, but they are rather shallow at the depth of the word and the concept.
The word charis or grace is used in the morning prayer reading , I Peter 1:1-12 for today. It is used 2x. Peter says to those he is writing, " Grace unto you and peace be multiplied." Who are these people or more appropriately, what are they? " Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers (elect)scattered throughout....elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ"
What does the word grace or charis mean? I like what Luther said , " Ye have now peace and grace, but still not in perfection; therefore, ye must go on increasing until the old Adam be dead" [Luther]." Grace is literally kindness or a gracious work. It is also favor, gift , a concession. It is blessing also.
I like the use of the word in Luke 2. Our Lord Christ grew in wisdom and the "grace of God was upon Him." A form of the word charis is used in Luke 1:28 " Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee." ( of Mary) Here there is the idea of being endowed with grace. Of course this grace or favor is from God.
Today point 1 and there will be only one more today is that God's favor, or kindness is shown to us in granting us His elect love or grace. It is also in another vs in I Peter: " Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you." 1:10
Point 2 is that if we have been given the grace /love/ favor of God in Christ through faith in Him. "
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" Romans 3:24 , then we are to be graceful people. Colossians has this charis as well 4:6-" Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."
Strongs says it this way, " From chairo; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) -- acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace(- ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy).
see GREEK chairo"
Conclusion- our lives are full of God's grace, that is to say, His action of favor as Christians. We have been blessed, given life ( spiritual and physical) to be His light in the world. " Shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life." Philippians 2:15
As our Bishop said, " : it isn't faith vs. sacraments, or even specifically faith in sacraments, but faith in the God who works through sacraments"
( Before I talk about this subject, I want to share with you something that was written by a Christian I know and you all know very well. It touched me deeply because this is also somewhat my own experience....)
"Good article.
I was raised by atheists, but was baptized (in the Presbyterian church!) when I was four. I speculate it was done because my grandmother probably wouldn't stop nagging until they said, O all right, if it will get her off our backs. But I don't know why they did it with any certainty. Anyway, they did. There was no follow up. My Father refused to go to church even for my sister's or my wedding, simply because they were in church. I never knew what a church was through my childhood. It was not until my late teens that I found my own way to church, with no guidance, let alone encouragement, from anyone. As a result, my theology of baptism has been clear: I can trust the Father who works effectively his will through water and the Word, administered by weak human vessels, and with effects that take a long time (I have learned from many things that God is much more patient than I am). Leithart is right: it isn't faith vs. sacraments, or even specifically faith in sacraments, but faith in the God who works through sacraments, because among other things, sacraments are a lot more reliable than both the people who administer them and the people who try end runs around them.
So, yes, maybe we are on the same wavelength after all as RC, Anglicans, Lutherans, Orthodox, even some Reformed. Told you so."
Blessings
+Win " You know him as Bishop Mott. The article he commented on is here:
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2016/05/ministering-sacraments-by-faith
Today I wish to talk about the greek word charis, or grace. What is grace? I do not want to take the slogan road today, God's Riches At Christ's Expense or it is not earned or deserved. These things may be certainly true, but they are rather shallow at the depth of the word and the concept.
The word charis or grace is used in the morning prayer reading , I Peter 1:1-12 for today. It is used 2x. Peter says to those he is writing, " Grace unto you and peace be multiplied." Who are these people or more appropriately, what are they? " Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers (elect)scattered throughout....elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ"
What does the word grace or charis mean? I like what Luther said , " Ye have now peace and grace, but still not in perfection; therefore, ye must go on increasing until the old Adam be dead" [Luther]." Grace is literally kindness or a gracious work. It is also favor, gift , a concession. It is blessing also.
I like the use of the word in Luke 2. Our Lord Christ grew in wisdom and the "grace of God was upon Him." A form of the word charis is used in Luke 1:28 " Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee." ( of Mary) Here there is the idea of being endowed with grace. Of course this grace or favor is from God.
Today point 1 and there will be only one more today is that God's favor, or kindness is shown to us in granting us His elect love or grace. It is also in another vs in I Peter: " Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you." 1:10
Point 2 is that if we have been given the grace /love/ favor of God in Christ through faith in Him. "
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" Romans 3:24 , then we are to be graceful people. Colossians has this charis as well 4:6-" Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."
Strongs says it this way, " From chairo; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude) -- acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace(- ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy).
see GREEK chairo"
Conclusion- our lives are full of God's grace, that is to say, His action of favor as Christians. We have been blessed, given life ( spiritual and physical) to be His light in the world. " Shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life." Philippians 2:15
As our Bishop said, " : it isn't faith vs. sacraments, or even specifically faith in sacraments, but faith in the God who works through sacraments"
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