Common Grace

 

Common Grace:  is a grace of God that restrains sin in the lives of those who are not his people.   ''From this common grace proceeds all that is good and true that we still see in fallen man. The light still shines in the darkness. The Spirit of God lives and works in everything that has been created. Therefore there still remain in man certain traces of the image of God. There is still intellect and reason; all kinds of natural gifts are still present in him. Man still has a feeling and an impression of divinity, a seed of religion. Reason is a priceless gift. Philosophy is an admirable gift from God. Music is also a gift of God. Arts and sciences are good, profitable, and of high value. The state has been instituted by God.....There is still a desire for truth and virtue, and for natural love between parents and children, In maters that concern this earthly life, man is still able to do much good....Through the doctrine of common grace the Reformed have, on the one hand, maintained the specific and absolute character of the Christian religion, but on the other hand they have been second to none in their appreciation for whatever of the good and beautiful is still being given by God to sinful human beings.   Sin is a power, a principle, which has penetrated deeply into all forms of created life.....It would, if left to itself, have devastated and destroyed everything. But God has interposed with His grace. Through his common grace he restrains sin in its disintegrating and destructive working. But this [kind of grace] is still not sufficient. It subdues, but does not change, it restrains, but does not conquer.''   --Herman Bavinck--    Here are some Scriptures that support this teaching: Genesis 20 (Abimelech's sin restrained in verse 6 & 7). Rom. 1: 24, 26, 28. Rom. 13: 3-4. [ Sin restrained through state law imposed on criminals.] 1 Pet. 2:13-14. 2 Thess. 2:3-10,[v 6-7 speaks of a power that is now holding back the appearance of the man of lawlessness mentioned in v. 3]   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Living Bread: food for life