Two Passages in the Bible are notable for their standing. One, Ephesians 2:8-9, says “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” That Passage ties God’s Grace to our faith in Him.
There’s another Passage, 2 Peter 3:9, which says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” No mention of faith in that passage, but His Grace is implied. In fact, commentators says that God’s Grace, as reflected in this Passage, can extend to anyone. Does it not say that He doesn’t wish ANYONE should perish? More to the point, does John 3:17 not say “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Even this Passage does not mention faith in God, rather, the inference is that Jesus was sent on a mission to make the world aware of God’s existence.
In a sense, God’s grace can extend to anyone, whether they’re aware of His Existence or not. As the Heavens declare God’s Glory as said in Psalm 19:1, if having faith in Him is a requirement it is not mentioned here. Be mindful here…not having faith in God is not the same as the denial of faith in God, rather not having faith in God could be the result of one’s ignorance before and until they’re enlightened.
What is faith and grace in the context of the Bible? Paul in Hebrews 11:1–3 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Our faith in God includes the hope that things that have yet to be tangibly realized will be so in a future timeframe.
Unlike faith, there is no clean-cut definition of grace in the Bible, other than, perhaps, to say that grace is something that God gives to a person for their benefit. Conditions for receiving His Grace do not exist; He has the power to confer it upon anyone. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that the receiving of grace is not our doing, in the sense that we cannot order it up like telling the waiter what you want at Lindy’s. God gives His Grace when and where He feels like it. And God’s giving of His Grace extends beyond what is in the Law of the OT, making His Grace unconditional.
Yes, God’s Grace can extend to anyone. Consider the condemned man on the cross next to Jesus in Luke 23:39-43. The condemned man in Verse 41 says to his condemned companion, “And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” What degree of faith could this condemned man have had in God, if his life were devoted to things that went against God? Yet when in Verse 42 he asks Jesus to ‘remember him,’ Jesus, reflecting God’s Grace, says in the following Verse to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” God’s grace was extended to him, although he apparently was on a path which went in an opposite direction.
If the condemned man and Abraham, whose faith in God was counted as righteousness and who received God’s Grace, were to meet in Heaven, what could they start out saying to each other? Would it be Abraham saying, ‘I received God’s Grace through my faith,’ followed by the condemned man saying, ‘I received God’s Grace while on the cross as my punishment’? Potentially strange bedfellows it seems.
There’s another Passage, 2 Peter 3:9, which says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” No mention of faith in that passage, but His Grace is implied. In fact, commentators says that God’s Grace, as reflected in this Passage, can extend to anyone. Does it not say that He doesn’t wish ANYONE should perish? More to the point, does John 3:17 not say “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Even this Passage does not mention faith in God, rather, the inference is that Jesus was sent on a mission to make the world aware of God’s existence.
In a sense, God’s grace can extend to anyone, whether they’re aware of His Existence or not. As the Heavens declare God’s Glory as said in Psalm 19:1, if having faith in Him is a requirement it is not mentioned here. Be mindful here…not having faith in God is not the same as the denial of faith in God, rather not having faith in God could be the result of one’s ignorance before and until they’re enlightened.
What is faith and grace in the context of the Bible? Paul in Hebrews 11:1–3 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Our faith in God includes the hope that things that have yet to be tangibly realized will be so in a future timeframe.
Unlike faith, there is no clean-cut definition of grace in the Bible, other than, perhaps, to say that grace is something that God gives to a person for their benefit. Conditions for receiving His Grace do not exist; He has the power to confer it upon anyone. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that the receiving of grace is not our doing, in the sense that we cannot order it up like telling the waiter what you want at Lindy’s. God gives His Grace when and where He feels like it. And God’s giving of His Grace extends beyond what is in the Law of the OT, making His Grace unconditional.
Yes, God’s Grace can extend to anyone. Consider the condemned man on the cross next to Jesus in Luke 23:39-43. The condemned man in Verse 41 says to his condemned companion, “And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” What degree of faith could this condemned man have had in God, if his life were devoted to things that went against God? Yet when in Verse 42 he asks Jesus to ‘remember him,’ Jesus, reflecting God’s Grace, says in the following Verse to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” God’s grace was extended to him, although he apparently was on a path which went in an opposite direction.
If the condemned man and Abraham, whose faith in God was counted as righteousness and who received God’s Grace, were to meet in Heaven, what could they start out saying to each other? Would it be Abraham saying, ‘I received God’s Grace through my faith,’ followed by the condemned man saying, ‘I received God’s Grace while on the cross as my punishment’? Potentially strange bedfellows it seems.
