The Global Graces

Grace and judgment are fundamental religious concepts with deep theological significance. They play a crucial role in shaping moral and ethical perspectives across the five major faiths—Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. In this first of two talks, I discuss grace. Judgment will follow next week. (You have been warned! 😉 )

Global Views of Grace

All five faiths recognize grace as the free and unmerited favor or benevolence of a divine being—a gift from God of forgiveness, mercy, love, or salvation, that has not been earned or merited by our actions and deeds. That seems to be the universal definition of grace. But there are some differences between the perspectives of the five faiths, and one question I want to ask you is: Are these differences major, or minor? Are they differences that make a difference?

In Christianity, grace is central to the doctrine of salvation. Christ’s mission was essentially a mission of grace, of saving sinners. Jesus was (is) God’s gift of salvation.

In Islam, grace is an attribute of Allah. His name is often followed immediately by the term: “The Most Gracious.”

In Hinduism, grace is the benevolence shown by certain deities towards humans in helping them to achieve liberation from the mundane (I would say vicious) cycle of death and reincarnation. I think that liberation amounts to what we call salvation.

In Buddhism, grace is the compassion of enlightened beings—humans who have found the truth about life and thus can stop being reborn because they have reached Nirvana. This is apparently pretty much the same as the Hindu view, except that there is no deity behind it. 

In Judaism, grace is God’s favor and mercy. It coexists in balance with justice and righteousness.

So what does this have to do with the good people of Peoria or Peking or Dubai or Delhi or Yalta or Yangon? In fact, the concept of grace underpins moral and ethical behaviors of all of them, in all religious traditions. It provides a universal framework for understanding human nature and divine nature and the relationship between the two. 

Despite their differences, in essence all faiths view grace and judgement as moral, social, and spiritual guides: 

First, it is a Moral guide to what is “ethical behavior.” It is the carrot of forgiveness and redemption that rewards and thereby encourages ethical behavior, while the stick of divine judgment punishes and thereby discourages unethical behavior.

Second, grace is a Social guide, inspiring social acts of charity and compassion.

And third, grace is a Spiritual guide that encourages a deeper reflection on one’s life, behavior, and spiritual journey.

In sum, then, grace is not just a dry theological concept but is something deeply intertwined with the moral and ethical fabric of ourselves, our faiths, and our communities, guiding our beliefs, behaviors, and practices.

Again, one question for you all today, therefore, is going to be: If all major faiths are so close in their understanding of grace, why do they fight with one another? Are the differences in their concepts of grace not as minor as they appear (to me) to be?

But first let me go back pick apart the various faiths’ views of grace a little further, to help us decide whether the faiths are in fact as close as they seem (to me) to be, from on high, as it were. I’ll deal briefly with the Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Judaic views before going into greater depth with the Christian view of grace.

In Hinduism, the Mahabharata introduced the concept of Kripa, Sanskrit for ‘pity’ or ‘mercy’ as divine grace that is essential for spiritual growth and liberation from the mundane (I call it vicious) cycle of birth, death and re-birth. It  complements personal effort (Purushartha) in achieving liberation (Moksha) from the cycle of rebirth. This relationship between divine grace and individual endeavor acknowledges and values human efforts or what Christians call “works” and also sees divine intervention as a crucial and benevolent force guiding spiritual progress.

Buddhism does not emphasize divine grace per se but instead focuses on qualities like compassion (Karuna) and loving-kindness (Metta) in humans. These qualities are seen as essential in the journey towards enlightenment, towards Nirvana, and as such they constitute an internal form of grace within the individual. But while the emphasis is on individual effort—on “works”—those efforts are bolstered by community support (Sangha). In that sense, the Buddhist journey towards spiritual awakening is part-individual, part communal.

In Judaism, grace, or Chen, is often associated with favor and mercy. It reflects a divine benevolence that coexists alongside justice and righteousness. The Jewish understanding of grace includes a harmonious balance between God’s merciful nature (the carrot) and His commitment to justice (the stick), suggesting that God has a complex and multifaceted nature—one that “passeth all understanding,” so to speak.

And then we have Christianity and things start to get more complicated. In general, Christianity today seems to focus on grace as an unmerited favor from God that is crucial for salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, 

‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.’ 

This highlights grace as a gift, not earned by human deeds but bestowed by God’s love. So far, so simple. 

But then it gets messy. In the 13th century, the Christian theologian Thomas Aquinas left us with five categories of grace. They are detailed in his work Summa Theologica, or Summary of Theology. They can be summarized as follows: 

First, Sanctifying Grace—an habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul to enable it to live with God and act by His love. (ST Part I-II, Question 110, Article 2.)

Second, Actual Grace, which refers to God’s interventions, whether at the beginning of conversion (to belief in Jesus Christ, I assume) or in the course of the work of sanctification. (ST Part I-II, Question 109, Article 9.)

Third, Sacramental Graces, which are conferred through the sacraments, each sacrament bestowing a specific grace, like the grace of baptism and the grace of penance, and so on. (ST Part III, Question 62, Article 1.)

Fourth, Special Grace or Charisms, which are graces intended for the common good of the Church. They include prophecy, healing, and speaking in tongues. (ST Part I-II, Question 111, Article 4.)

And fifth, Gratuitous Grace, which is given for specific tasks or ministries, not necessarily for the sanctification of the person receiving it. (ST Part I, Question 111, Article 1.)

And to stir the pot even further, other Christian theologians and scholars have since mixed in. They include:

Augustine of Hippo (St. Augustine), who wrote (actually, in the 4th century, so preceding Aquinas by 800 years) about grace in the context of original sin and free will. Augustine emphasized the necessity of divine grace for salvation. (See his “On the Spirit and the Letter,” “On Nature and Grace”, ”Confessions” and “City of God”)

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Martin Luther contributed another influential concept—that of sola gratia (grace alone), the belief that salvation comes by divine grace or “unmerited favor” rather than by sola scriptura—adherence to scripture alone). (See his “The Freedom of a Christian.”)

In the 16th century, John Calvin taught about predestination and the sovereignty of God’s grace. While acknowledging “common” grace as undeserved grace bestowed by God, Calvin argued there is a special or “saving” grace given only to a select few whom God has chosen to redeem. According to Calvin’s “doctrine of election” God predestined some people to salvation while, apparently, leaving the rest to hope for common grace. (This is as I understand it. I could be wrong.)  (See his “Institutes of the Christian Religion.”)

In the 18th century John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, distinguished between three aspects of grace: 

Prevenient Grace: This is the grace that “goes before” or precedes the individual’s decision to believe. Wesley believed that prevenient grace enables humans to freely respond to the Gospel. It’s a kind of divine nudging, bringing people to the point where they can choose to accept or reject God’s salvation.

Justifying Grace: This is the grace received through faith in Jesus Christ. It involves forgiveness of sins and being made right with God. Wesley saw this as a pivotal moment of conversion or rebirth, where one’s relationship with God is fundamentally transformed.

Sanctifying Grace: This refers to the grace that works in believers after conversion, helping them to grow in love and holiness. Wesley emphasized the process of sanctification, where believers are progressively transformed to be more like Christ in their thoughts, words, and actions.

Wesley’s emphasis on the transformative power of grace is a key feature of Methodist theology and its focus on personal and social holiness.

In the 20th-century, theologian Karl Barth (who died in 1968) reinterpreted grace (and judgment) in light of the challenges posed by modernity. He emphasized God’s grace as the central theme of the Christian gospel. (See his “Church Dogmatics.”)

And finally, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (died 1945) was a Lutheran pastor and theologian known for his resistance to the Nazi regime. He developed the concept of “cheap grace” versus “costly grace.” His proposals seem to me to very relevant in light of our discussions on grace and the parables, so he is worth quoting at some length. He wrote: 

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock.

Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.” (See “The Cost of Discipleship.”)

Bonhoeffer lived up to, and died by, these beliefs. He was sent to a concentration camp and eventually executed by the Nazis.

So to summarize: In general, while the concept of grace varies across religions, universally it represents a form of divine kindness and benevolence that enriches human spiritual experience. Whether through salvation, mercy, liberation, or enlightenment, grace forms a foundational element in the relationship between the divine and the human across faith traditions.

So my first question is: What is there to fight about? Why don’t we all practice the grace we all preach? Do we have to be as brave as Bonhoeffer? Second: Do the different faith perspectives on grace represent major, or minor, differences? Do these differences make a difference? And third: Is there a better perspective on grace? Is it conceivable that all the great faiths, and the great Christian theologians, have missed the point? I count about 10 varieties of grace in Christianity alone. One has to wonder: Have too many cooks spoiled the broth of grace?

Donald: It seems to me that something pivotal in this conversation is the word repentance. What is the role of repentance? Is repentance actually to change my behavior, or is it to have God change His behavior toward me? If I don’t repent, does that change God’s grace toward me? No! If I don’t feel the need to repent, what’s the role of repentance?

Don: I would respond to that question by going back to the story of the prodigal son. He has an elaborate repentance rehearsed in his mind. He sees the Father and begins his repentance story. And the father cuts him off completely, doesn’t even allow him to finish his repentance, and invites him back to the house for a party. 

So it speaks to our need to somehow actuate God’s grace—we just can’t let God be gracious. Is it a common theme in the various different views of grace between and within the world’s major faiths that we feel compelled in some way to actuate, to effectuate, to make active and make real God’s grace; that somehow there’s something that we have to do? May that’s the difference in the various religious approaches to grace—how much we have to do versus how much is God’s prerogative.

Michael: Most religions have very similar definitions of grace and seem to think that you have to do something to earn it. Bonhoeffer said that even if grace is a gift, you still have to ask for it, continually. You have to do something, and that’s the predominant Christian view. But do you really have to ask for grace?

David: It’s interesting that the father rejected his prodigal son’s attempt at repentance. He just didn’t care about repentance. “Shut up and let’s party! We’re just so happy to have you back!” he says. But look at all the churches with billboards outside saying, “Repent!” Christianity makes a big deal about repentance. But in the prodigal son parable, the father (God) doesn’t give a fig about it.

Carolyn: Don’t you think that God reads our hearts? In the parable, the son had repented within his heart; God had read it fully. The simple fact that the prodigal son came home was a sign to the father that he had repented. It doesn’t have to be a verbal repentance.

C-J: I think it also implies an understanding that repentance is just a word saying, “I’m sorry, I did this.” But I think the prodigal son understood that sin produced the scars that it left on him. His lessons were hard-learned and I think that when we truly repent, we don’t look back. We are so grateful for the grace. 

I agree with what Carolyn said. It doesn’t have to be a verbal act; you have a depth of understanding of what those choices produced, that separates us from God.

Donald: Where a pastor at the end of the sermon makes a call, is that repenting? Or is that joining? What’s the role of the church in that? In fact, quite often, it’s a call toward baptism or rebaptism. I guess, rebaptism would be repentance. So that is a situation where they visually want people to stand up in front of someone else and witness your repentance. (Just to make it even more complex!)

Don: But there’s something quite reassuring about repenting. The idea of some kind of consequence for bad behavior is deeply rooted in our psyche. There’s a compelling need to do something. The idea that we could get something for nothing, get a gift without asking for it, is so difficult for us to understand and embrace, and that’s what makes grace such a difficult concept to get our minds around. 

Perhaps that is one of the reasons why we convolute it so much, making it into something that it’s not. The notion that we have to do something in order to be the recipient of God’s grace is deeply rooted in our soul.

Donald: According to ChatGPT, the role of repentance is acknowledgment of wrongdoing, regret and sorrow, acceptance of responsibility in an attempt to change.

David: God didn’t care about any of those things in the prodigal son story. The prodigal son didn’t come home to the Father simply because of repentance. He came home because he was suffering. He was hurting, he was starving. He came home to get food and shelter. It was not because he felt so sorry he just had to apologize to his dad. It was, “I need to go home because I’m in trouble. I need help, and home is where the help is” Whether or not he repented was completely irrelevant to God. I don’t believe repentance is necessary. 

I do agree with Carolyn that there repentance may be felt in the heart. But what I think God is looking for in the heart is not so much repentance as it is the recognition that we’re at the end of our tether, that we can’t do this alone anymore. To me, that’s not repentance. That’s not apologizing. Apologies don’t matter anymore when you’re about to die anyway. There’s no point in apologizing. The only thing left to do is to accept grace.

Donald: This has been quite a trying year for my family. Without other people’s support, it would have been a difficult year. It doesn’t seem that their generosity is based on spiritual things—they are just being good friends and neighbors. Where does all this goodness come from if it’s not based on spirituality? I just don’t get that. We tend to wrap the two together.

C-J: I think that the Spirit of God is present in those people who do good things. When you consider the motivation, they don’t appear to be aligned with a particular belief system, but that is the Spirit of God. I believe that there are many players on the stage. God gives us what we need, even if we don’t realize it, through circumstance, genetics, and place in time. 

I think the tapestry that God weaves for each of our lives is unique for His purpose and intention in our life. I’m grateful for those people who don’t just wait to be asked for help, like lifting the other end of a log, but instead notice a need and offer help. Then there are other people who are very solitary. They don’t ask for much. In fact, they’re almost invisible when they walk by, and they seem content. 

People need community; they want to be social beings. So it’s a whole array of actors on the stage, and each of us influences the other, some quietly, some loudly, some in a gentle way, some in a harsh way.

Reinhard: We repent and ask forgiveness from another individual in human relationships because we did something wrong. We feel guilty, maybe make a public confession, a family confession. In church, if we go against the church guidelines, there’s a need for repentance in the church. I think people return to God not because they are hungry. We ask repentance from God for all kinds of actions we commit against the rules and the law toward God. We feel sorry or guilty, we come to God for repentance. 

The idea of “costly” grace does not resonate much with me, because, as the Bible says: “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23); and “by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8); and: “Let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Revelation 22:17). 

Salvation is the most important thing in our life for the future. The free gift of God, forgiveness, is very cheap. Yes, it cost the crucifixion of God on the cross, so we feel guilty and repent. We turn away from the bad habits that go against God’s will. 

Judgment is very much related to this topic. Paul wrote, “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” because when we do something wrong, we are judged accordingly and there would be consequences if not for: “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” and “those who walk not in the flesh, but in the Spirit of God.” 

We humans still do actions that cause offense to God. But when God was asked by his disciple, how many times should we forgive our fellow men, he replied “77 times.” So God continues to forgive us even though we continually fall short in the things we do in life. If we walk with the Spirit of God, we don’t worry about condemnation. We don’t worry about judgment. Once in God’s hands, we don’t have to worry about what we do as long as we walk in the Spirit.

Michael: There are many similarities in the definitions of grace between different religions. But the grace we talk about in this class is different from all of them. I’m not sure that the categorizations of grace are that important. Thomas Aquinas liked to put things into categories, but I’m not sure how relevant that is. 

Our definition of grace in this class seems different. It’s not the same as in any of the religions, even in Christianity.

David: I agree that our discussions on grace have given us another perspective on grace. Which is why I asked the question: Have the various faiths and theologians all got grace wrong? Is there a perspective we’re missing? Is grace something we haven’t yet really understood? Maybe, at least in this class, we’re starting to get a handle on it.

Carolyn: If we became more like little children, as the Bible advocates, what would be our perspective on grace through the eyes of a child?

C-J: Children can be pretty cruel. I think grace is about meeting a person where they are. So if you’ve had a bad day, you give them grace. If they’re venting, hurting, needy, dealing with mental illness, struggling with addiction, whatever it is, you meet them where they are at that moment in time. You try to be a part of that, letting God operate within us to be that healing balm. To lean in and step aside, and let that spiritual thing that Donald was saying, just the goodness, God’s residence in each of us, come through. 

Usually, anger is just pain. It’s not that they are angry; it means they are very sensitive. They don’t feel they can trust and they don’t feel safe. But I think grace, when we overthink things, like what I’m hearing Carolyn say, we overthink things. You know, if a child is crying and an adult picks up their child and comforts them, the child doesn’t really care so much about who it is. “I’m hungry, I’m scared, I’m alone. Can you help me?”

Donald: Like a child, the concept of grace would be getting away with something. “I got away with that.” They’re not thinking, “Well, they were nice to me.” If I deserve something and then I didn’t get it, “Well, I got away with that one.” It depends on the age, certainly, but the idea of grace from a child’s perspective sounds pretty complex to me. Grace seems like an adult conversation.

David: I beg to differ on this. To me, the life of a child is very, very simple compared to that of the adult. Children are easily terrified; they’re frightened, even of hunger. Their cry from hunger sounds (to me, when I was a parent of babies) like, “If I don’t get fed, I’m going to die!” It’s a primordial cry. 

Grace comes when they’re swept up into their mother’s arms, and their suffering ends. The baby is no longer near the end of its tether. The fear is gone. It’s simple. I agree with Carolyn. That’s what being born again is about. Being like a little child.

C-J: I think grace can be taught to children. Like with a kitten, if you’re playing with it and the kitten decides to bite you or scratch you to get away and play with something else, the child cries. I’m like, “Well, that wasn’t nice. I’m mad at that cat.” But if you can teach the child that it wasn’t about them, the cat was just being a cat, you know? And then the cat comes back, curls up in your lap, and purrs, and you go, “Well, what’s that about? I’m not ready for this. I’m still bleeding.” I think that grace is something we can and should teach children.

David: That’s judgment.

C-J: We do judge, indeed. In order to preserve life, we do judge. But when we’re talking about grace, well, the grace comes in by saying, “I know that you are just a cat. It’s part of your nature. I can’t expect you to bark like a dog. You’re a cat.” Or whatever it is, grace is acceptance. It’s looking at what you’re dealing with and allowing the lesson to reveal itself.

David: I find it very difficult to accept the notion that grace can be taught.

C-J: Well, okay. It’s a gift without strings. If we’re talking about Christian grace. But I’m talking about teaching an understanding of acceptance of where we are, and moving to understanding.

Don: I don’t get the sense in the stories of grace that we think about in the scriptures, that there is a great deal for mankind to do. I mean, take the story of the manna, which is a metaphor for grace. When we try to help God out by saying, “You don’t need to give us manna every day. You can give it to us once a week, and we’ll keep the leftovers,” the stuff rots; it’s toxic. The only thing that happens when we try to mess with God’s grace is to make it toxic, corrupt. Thus, the idea that we have something to do is a very difficult concept, both to understand and to accept.

Donald: How do obedience and grace fit together?

Don: It’s an excellent question we’ve struggled with before, and continue to struggle with, because the notion that we can get something for nothing is really a foreign concept to us. It’s what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls “cheap” grace. But my contention is that cheap grace is grace that we feel we have to do something for God in order to make His grace somehow effective in our lives. And I think that’s a concept foreign to God.

C-J: I think obedience is tied to boundaries that keep us safe. Not in bondage, but obedience implies discipline, a sense of responsibility to others, a commitment. So it’s not just about a list of no’s. It has many layers to it. But I like the idea that once we put our hand to what grace really is, God loves us from the beginning, from the foundation of the world. And it was good. Until, metaphorically, humans decided that we wanted control, and we messed it up. We need those boundaries. We need that relationship. And it isn’t by our design, it’s God’s love.

Donald: Imagine you are reaching out your hand to God and God is reaching out his hand to you. Can you imagine something between those two hands that prevents them from touching each other? I cannot. Nothing can stop that relationship; God will reach down and touch.

Don: As Paul said in Romans 8, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come…”…this is pretty comprehensive, and goes to what Donald is saying… “…nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So, I think that concept of separation is a foreign concept.

Michael: Could the principles taught by our religions or cultures or upbringing stand between those two hands reaching out to each other? Or is it adulthood?

Donald: It’s as if we put a glove on our hand, separating ourselves from that relationship. We do it through religion, through judgment, and all the rest. The two fingers should be able to meet without any interference, but we insist on wearing a glove.

Don: I’d go one step further and say that even if you don’t touch God, He still touches you.

Donald: That’s the crux. That’s the essence of this conversation.

Carolyn: Don’t you think it’s about the acceptance that God is God? We accept Him as a personal being in our lives. He realizes that, and that’s when He can demonstrate His grace. His grace is all there, but once we’ve accepted Him as our King and our Savior, all in all within us, you can never take that away. 

That’s where confession comes in—to keep it clean, so we have a full relationship, talking with each other, just like we went back to the Garden of Eden. Once the relationship was broken, Adam and Eve had to do something to alleviate the pain that came from the cutting off of that wonderful, wonderful time when there was nothing between God and Adam and Eve. But it fractured and we’re trying to repair it. But I think the grace is there, and once we realize who is giving the grace and accept Him, you can’t take that away. It’s always there. We may fall, but that’s where we have to forgive and ask for forgiveness.

Reinhard: Nobody can take away the grace of God except ourselves. That’s the responsibility we have. We have to have discipline to keep the grace. Don mentioned the metaphor of manna. I think grace is given to us, but we cannot abuse it. The Israelites in the exodus from Egypt tried to do what they wanted, keeping the manna, even after God told them not to. 

The same with grace: It’s available just like manna, but we have a responsibility to handle it properly. It’s free, and those who claim it will receive it. But there are rules and regulations in everything, as in worship. The responsibility of this is, to me, tied in with the freedom of choice. We cannot just put everything in God’s hands; we have to accept the responsibility that comes with the freedom of choice. 

The choice  is about love, involving two parties, humans and God. If we violate the covenant between us and God, we are on the wrong side. God never violates the covenant; it’s us. So if we stray from the path, we’re going to get punished. Yes, God’s forgiveness is always available, but it’s up to us to ask for it. 

God never does wrong. We are the ones who violate His law, so it is who must come back to Him. But He is always available. Grace is available all the time.

Don: The prodigal son gets punished, but not by God. His punishment is that he is foolish. He doesn’t recognize what he’s given up. But it’s not the father who is punishing him. The father welcomes him back. 

We have much more ground to cover on this topic of grace and judgment. Obedience and confession are key concepts that I think need to be sharpened in our thinking.

* * *

Postscript

After class ended and most people had left, the conversation was picked up again by Anonymous, who gave the following moving testimony:

Anonymous: I think of the story of Uzza, who tried to touch the Ark of the Covenant and was stricken dead. It’s something like this that shows God is saying, “Don’t even come close. Don’t try to do anything; I know how it works. I know how to reach people with grace, and start seeing fruit in them. But don’t ever put a finger to that.” Because really, we cannot do anything. 

And this talk about obedience and church and all the ramifications we talked about: They come later. They come after we open our eyes to grace and recognize that it’s been there all the time. Maybe the only thing we can control is how to react to this grace, and even that is not 100% under our control. It’s God who, as soon as He realizes some acceptance in our hearts towards His grace, starts the work. He does it. He makes us obedient, loving, everything He wants. 

In the beginning, and in the end, it’s not about us, except for this one thing: How do I choose to respond to this grace? Maybe the book of life in heaven, when we get there and it’s opened, is going to tell those who refused it, “Remember that day when I gave you my grace, and you recognized it? But look how you responded! I tried with you, I gave you more grace and more grace, and you kept refusing it. And that’s why your name is not here. Not because you did anything, not because you are disobedient, not because you didn’t read your Bible, not even because you’re a murderer, but because you refused my grace.” 

The prodigal son didn’t even have to come back to his father. Regardless of his motive, whether he realized how much he lost, or he really felt bad for the way he behaved, he just felt he needed to come back. God’s grace was always with him. When the father every day went out, looking towards that horizon, hoping he’d show up, that he’d come home. And before the prodigal even came back, the Lord knew his heart. When he started to recite his repentance, the Father stopped him, basically saying: “Don’t worry. I always accepted you, even when you took off from home. But I’m glad you’re coming back, so you can see my grace. Before, you didn’t see it. Maybe you’re coming back not for my sake, but for your food and dress in your comfort in my home. But I accept you because now I can show you my grace.” The grace was always there all the time.

When my daughter was a teenager, she drove me crazy. She was rebellious, a troublemaker. Yet out of nowhere, she would come and act as if she’s pure, like an angel, like she’s never done anything wrong. She came back expecting me to love her, to agree with her, to do whatever she wants, and to be nice to her. And I would say, “Wait, we need to talk about what happened.” And she would turn against me. 

Maybe she knew grace better than me, by forgetting and putting behind her the things that stood between me and her. But I, being ungrateful, had to resort to judgment. I had to go over her story with her, point out her mistakes, try to teach her lessons from it. Maybe I was so judgmental and she was so graceful. Today, I was thinking that maybe this is how God expects us to be. No matter how bad we are, no matter how far we get away from Him, His grace will always guarantee His acceptance. “Come back. You don’t have to tell me you’re sorry. Let’s party. Let’s be happy.”

It’s so broad, so wide, so big, so overwhelming, so deep. We cannot just wrap our minds around it. It’s through God’s grace that we even have a world. Grace is leading us to salvation, to eternal life, to repentance, to forgiving, to everything good. We could never get to this point as believers if it wasn’t for that.

Until just a few years ago, I did not know anything about grace. I was a believer, a churchgoer, I read my Bible, cried, prayed, tried it all. But if God had given up on me before I knew about grace, I would have still been a mix of sin and grace. I discovered what grace really is not through talk, or examples, or learning, or preaching, but through experience. Without experience, I would never have understood what grace is, and I would never have been changed from the inside out. 

So, there was nothing on my side to do. I never did anything. What is my responsibility? What am I to do? I simply respond to His grace, and He shows me how much more work I need to have Him do in my life. There’s a lot more, and I’m thankful for every inch of progress, for every event, for every circumstance, for every story He leads me through to see His grace better and to make me better. 

Every now and then, He shows me something bad I’ve been living with unknowingly. But because of His grace, because He loves me, He wants to get me to a better position, a better understanding, to become more like Him. There’s nothing on my part that I’m doing now. He’s doing the whole thing. But I’ve learned how to respond to His grace.