Reflection Paper: Grace and God’s Power
Introduction
The present paper discusses grace and God’s power in a Christian context. Power is an English construct that stands for authority or might. In human relationships, power refers to the authority that one person holds over another. In many cases, however, the Bible uses “power’ in relation to God’s authority. God’s power refers to His sovereign nature over all that exists, such that no one can resist His will or thwart His purpose. It means that He has absolute authority over creation. Grace, on the hand, is closely associated with favor and mercy. Through grace, we gain acceptance, approval, and blessings. In Psalm 84:11, a person who leads a godly life, such as Noah in the Book of Genesis, receives grace and honor from the Lord.
Part 1: God’s Power
The Greek term exousia translates “power,” in the King James Version, but most modern versions translate it “authority.” Power, among the ancient Greeks, represented a major cosmic principle. They viewed the cosmic principle and God as equivalent. They rarely spoke of the “power of God” because they equated power with God. The Bible, however, considers God as a person and not merely a power. The phrase, “the power of God” takes on new meaning because a person with such power controls the universe. In addition, the biblical deity creates the world and distributes power to people in order to achieve His historical purposes.
Biblical Foundation
The New Testament, Romans 1:20, states that power is inherent in God. Psalms 33:6 states that God’s almighty and creative will, His breath, is the prior cause of everything that exists (Murray, n. d.). God’s power is also evident in the virgin birth of Jesus. In His ministry, Jesus demonstrated the derived and intrinsic aspects of God’s power. In John 5:27, Jesus proclaimed that He derived His power and authority from the Father.
Practical Application
Paul, in the New Testament, considered the Christian life as an empowerment from God. Christ delivers the believers from the power of sin and introduces them to the power of His resurrection. In addition, salvation and godly living provides Christians with God’s power. Paul viewed the gospel as God’s power conveyed through His message. When presented to the world, the gospel brings salvation to the believers. Paul views the idea of spiritual power as the key to the Christian living. In First Corinthians 15, he noted that unless empowered, the believers could not please God. In Second Peter 1:3, Peter states that God’s divine power gives us the things we need in order to live godly lives. Peter views God’s power as the motivation to pursue virtues that manifest a productive Christian living. Human weaknesses such as fear, unbelief, and disobedience, however, limit God’s power in our lives. We should overcome such weaknesses, through prayers, in order to manifest God’s power in our experiences. In addition, we should follow God’s teachings, in the Bible, at all times in order to enrich our lives with His power.
Part 2: Grace
‘Grace’ in the biblical context describes all the activities of God towards man. It may also refer to only one segment of that activity, for example, His blessings. The most common and accurate definition, however, describes grace as the unmerited favor of God towards man. The Hebrew word chen, in the Old Testament, and the Greek term charis, in the New Testament, get translated into the English word ‘grace’ (Bible Research, n. d). In the social context, grace refers to the favor of one person towards another.
Biblical Foundation
The concept of Grace or favor first appears in the Book of Genesis. The Lord feels grief as a result of the human wickedness (Genesis 6:5) but Noah finds favor in His eyes (Genesis 6:8). The statement about God’s antipathy towards humanity leads to His promise of wiping them out. In the Bible, the idea of judgment for the wicked and salvation for the righteous reoccurs often in connection with grace. The rest of the references to grace in Genesis, however, describe favor in the eyes of man. In Genesis 32:5, for example, Jacob begs Esau’s favor. Among the Old Testament passages, the unmerited favor of God is evident in Exodus 33 as God converses with Moses. In the passage, Moses finds favor with God five times. In First Samuel 2:26, the boy Samuel grows in stature and favor with both God and men. The statement is significant because it describes the growth of a child in God’s favor. In the Book of Esther, Esther finds favor in the eyes of the King and obtains the freedom of her people. The parables that Jesus used in His ministry manifested grace. The parable of the profligate son, for example, demonstrates the unconditional aspect of grace.
Practical Application
The suffering of the present Christian life links to the grace from God. In Second Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul speaks of asking to have the thorn taken from him, but receives the answer that God’s grace is sufficient for him because God’s power becomes perfect during weakness. The statement equates grace with the power to live the Christian life and perform ministry in the name of Christ. Paul, therefore, delights in the hardships of the ministry. Titus 2: 11-14 describes grace as teaching Christians to avoid worldly passions and ungodliness. Instead, it encourages them to live self-controlled lives and wait for the blessed hope. Often, the bestowal of God’s favor is the result of people’s prayers as they cry out for mercy. Human favor arises from efficient and faithful service. In Ruth chapter 2:2-13, for example, Ruth gained favor from the wealthy Boaz because she was kind to Naomi, her mother-in-law. Because of sin, God demands sacrifices in order to make propitiation and restore His grace. Christ’s death on Calvary presented the perfect sacrifice that allows the believers to enjoy God’s favor.
Conclusion
God’s power refers to His authority over the universe. God manifests His power in the life of a Christian. On the other hand, Grace is the favor shown by God towards believers or the favor shown by one person towards another. Human beings receive God’s grace due to their righteous living. In other cases, God’s favor depends on His good pleasure or our prayers. Grace, in the Christian context, means that the Christian life depends completely on God through Christ. The Bible teaches that we should rejoice in the Lord because His grace is adequate for us and our weaknesses perfect His power. The Kingdom of Heaven, therefore, belongs to the believers who look to God in loving confidence for benefits such as God’s grace and power.
Grading Rubric
References
Bible Research (n. d). Grace. Retrieved from http://www.bible-researcher.com/grace.html
Murray, J. (n. d.). The Sovereignty of God. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Retrieved form http://www.opc.org/cce/sovereignty.html
