This theology question is kind of short, but would love your thoughts. I am not going to tell you which one I believe because that is not important. And really the outcome is not important, it does not effect salvation. This is just thoughts on God’s grace.
Common grace is defined as grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings that are not part of salvation. This type of grace is not restricted to just believers, but to all people. Common grace DOES NOT SAVE. Saving grace, saves.
In this household one person believes that because of God’s common grace, God does sometimes answer the prayers of unbelievers. Each of us breathing, is considered common grace. All Science and technology carried out by non-Christians is a result of common grace. Rain for fruitful crops is a result of common grace. He has no obligation to answer them, but demonstrating his mercy and goodness (Ps 145:9; Luke 6:35) But let me reiterate, common grace does not save.
Another person in this household believes it is all part of God’s plan. There is no common grace, the good things that happen have nothing to do with His grace, but it is part of his “big plan”. The first prayer of an unbeliever He hears is the prayer of salvation. If he does answer the prayers of a non-Christian then that was part of the plan because down the road that person has a role in God’s ultimate plan. Grace does not play a part in that. Grace is for the the believers.
So is there such thing called common grace?
PS-Mom email me, I would like your thoughts also and lets see if you can figure out who believes what =))
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmm. I would say at first glance that I don’t really think there is such a thing as “common grace.” However, I will be interested in what others say, especially if there are more applicable Bible verses/stories.
I have to agree with you Laurel, that this is not a dividing debate–and the outcome most certainly is not important.
Hmmmm!
Well, when I get questions like this that I don’t always know the answer to, I answer with this:
God is God and I am not. He knows the answer!
Seriously, I tend to believe it is all God’s plan, which can and often does involve blessing an unbeliever. I mean, how many women come to know God through feeling their unborn baby move within them? Is that not a blessing if there ever was one?
Life itself is a blessing, that we’re not deserving of.
He’s got a plan. Nothing good happens anywhere to anyone apart from God. If any good happens at all, even to an unbeliever, it is because of His Mighty plan.
I’m going with that.
Well, I’d have to think about this further. I’m not familiar with this term so would need to study it out before agreeing or disagreeing.
But I disagree that the first prayer that God hears from a person is their prayer to be saved based on what was told to Cornelius in Acts 10. The angel told him in verse 4 “Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” He wasn’t saved until later when Peter came.
This one fits in with the old Arsenio Hall bit…”Things that make you go, “hmmmmmm”. I must say that I graduated from Bible College (many moons ago) with a degree in Bible Theology, and the idea of common grace is new to me. I DO know that God sometimes uses people, believers or not, to accomplish His will. Also, if the first prayer God hears is the one for salvation, does that mean that when our children pray before they have asked Jesus into their hearts, that He doesn’t hear them? I can’t imagine that to be true. And, what about people who pray for God to show them that He is real? I believe He does if we ask. So I guess I would have to go with “God is God” and “His grace is His grace”, there are no “levels” or “types” of grace. However, the idea of God’s perfect will and His permissive will is a whole different thing!
This is probably one of those things that I figure one day, when we get to heaven, we’ll just say, “Oh, now I see!” and until then…not so much!!!
By the way, I’ve been by here before, but never commented. But I figured that since we’re all blog-partying and all, I should leave a comment this time! Wow, what a topic I stepped into!!!
Just stopped by for the blog party and wanted to say hey! So, “HEY!” I’m having a party, too, so stop on by anytime. As you can see, we stay up late around here! I like what Lindsey said about God blessing with children and I think that God blesses everyone, they just don’t know that it is a true blessing from Him if they are not saved!
I’ve never considerd this before, nor heard the term. Scripture says “he works all things together for good”, it also says that he desires that none perish, so is it possible that he’s answering the prayers of an unbeliever, prayer all along the journey to himself, and what about those prayers of an unbeliever that are to the benefit/protection, etc. of a believer. Say an unsaved mother praying for a saved child? Complex question! I do think he knew, in his plan, I would come to him, and he cared for me all along, well before I made that step, and he works through unbelievers’ lives, so why not through their prayers also. Not a definite answer from me, just some musings.
I’d like to plagiarize Blessed Beyond Measure’s answer and make it my own.
It is a complex question! I need to give it more thought.
Me either~never heard of common grace. I did think of the scripture (and of course I can’t find it) that talks about God sending rain on the just AND the unjust. But is it because the unjust prayed for it?
I come from the school that says God said it and I believe it. I’m not highly educated and tend to think too much knowledge is not a good thing.
I’ll find out all the answers when I go home!
I see it more as God with holding His wrath …He is slow to anger and just in every way.
I think it is a matter of words. Whether you call it common grace or His plan it doesn’t matter, they mean the same thing though anything He does is working towards His glorification and our recognition of Him so I would all it His plan more than common grace which would indicate a less active and involved god than the God we serve.
John Piper says, of “common grace” :
“It is the same grace that makes the sun come every day on the good and the evil and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:43–47). It is the grace that keeps a society from sinking into anarchy. And when God sees the work of his own common grace holding the world back from premature ruin, and giving at least some outward expression to His purposes of justice and honesty, He delights in what He sees.”
Yeah. What he said.
I lean toward believing that it is all of God’s big plan. But I know one thing for sure about grace, it’s a GOOD thing, and I lift my hands in praise for it!!!!
It is chilly, so I’m doing my happy dance. AND I checked you out at CWO. You rock, my friend!
Girl, your throwing some really hard questions at us (okay - ME)…Is there common grace? God answering prayers from an unbeliever? I have to search Scripture about that. How about the household of Cornelius (SP) in the book of Acts? Didn’t Cornelius pray to God to send someone to his house before he and his family were believers in Christ? The believe God though. I don’t have my Bible here right now, but I will get back to you on that one…
Great question!
Blessings to you and yours.
I’m going to give you my “quick” answer and then think a little more about it. I have never heard that term common grace. I believe the first pray that is answered is the prayer for salvation. I believe that God works His will and His plan. He may orchestrate events in someone’s life to bring them to Himself. He has already written the book of our life’s story before we were even born (Ps. 139).
I don’t know if that’s an understandable answer or not. I believe God’s grace is extended to everyone. When we cry out to Him for salvation it is ours.
Cornelius was considered, pre-salvation, what was called a ‘God-worshipper’. They were not orthodox Jews in that they did not adhere to all of the law or circumcise but they did believe in Israel’s One True God. Lydia is another example of one to whom God sent the message of His Son even though she was worshipping Yahweh only in the terms she currently understood. Though you all may have conflicting examples, I don’t believe God leaves searchers searching. Ultimately, the desire to search comes from Him and does He not say we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart?…
Does God answer a prayer pre-salvation? Sure. If it agrees with what plan God already set in motion. HOWEVER, can we agree those who remain in unbelief after a seemingly answered prayer have no concept of such? Why would they credit a God in whom they do not believe with any good thing?
Boy, I hope ya’ll aren’t as confused as me now..:)
And Laurel, you rock! I didn’t know you were in school too! I’m taking a NT Survey class now…Which is really what I should be doing instead of blogging! :)))
I don’t even know.
I struggle with some of these things too. Recently I saw some childrens Bible material for teaching lessons, and in one lesson I read it actually said God doesn’t even HEAR the prayers of unbelievers.
WHAT? I am no theologeon (I can’t even spell it) but i don’t think He doesn’t hear their prayers. Then how can you pray to Him and become His child?
Anyway, you can “reply” to this comment via email because I have it set up to go directly to my email.
I just don’t know what to think. What do you think about what I read?