Dr. Bob Gonzales
Puritan Board Junior
"Common Grace" in 1988 revision of 1689 London Baptist Confession
I realize the OP asked for a simple definition. But for anyone interested in the topic of common grace, here are several paragraphs that constituted part of a proposed revision to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith. These were appended to chapter 6 "Of the fall of man ..."
I realize the OP asked for a simple definition. But for anyone interested in the topic of common grace, here are several paragraphs that constituted part of a proposed revision to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith. These were appended to chapter 6 "Of the fall of man ..."
[6. Although the original creation, through human sin, was subjected to vanity, ruined and slated for destruction, and even though no sinful man merits any good thing from the Lord but only deserves judgment and eternal damnation,[1] nevertheless, the good Lord is pleased to demonstrate his general benevolence and favor,[2] usually called his common grace, both to man and beast alike,[3] to the righteous and wicked alike,[4] in this life until death, [5] according to his own good pleasure[6]]
[7. The Lord's common grace consists of every expression of his good will and favor, of whatever kind or degree, falling short of salvation from sin, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world receives from the hand of God; but it is primarily expressed by the perpetuation and abundant multiplication of human life,[7] by the restraint of his curse upon the earth,[8] by his provision for the sustenance, protection and enjoyment of life,[9] by his restraint of sin through government, conscience and providence,[10] and by his postponement of the final judgment;[11] and its ultimate expression is his sincere and benevolent offer of mercy and salvation from sin through Jesus Christ, made to sinners indiscriminately, to elect and reprobate sinners alike, through the Gospel.[12]]
[8. This common grace flows out of the Lord's kindness, goodness, benevolence, forbearance, and mercy,[13] even to unthankful and evil men, [14] so that God's genuine and stated purpose for showing this favor to his enemies is a benevolent one, to lead them to repent and seek after God;[15] nevertheless, this divine favor often tragically results, through the carnal presumption of sinners and their despising of his goodness,[16] in their increased culpability, hardening and ruin,[17] which result God also purposed and decreed;[18] whence arises an apparent (but not real) contradiction in the will and purpose of God, between reprobation and common grace,[19] irreconcilable in and through human logic, but to be embraced and confessed through humble submission to and faith in all that God has revealed in his Word.[20]]
[9. God's common grace is ordered, certified, and increased through his covenants,[21] complements and furthers his saving grace,[22] and will continue to be shown until the day of judgment, for as long as the earth remains.[23]]
[10. This doctrine of common grace, though it involves us in mystery, tension, and apparent contradiction, nevertheless is most important and necessary to our holiness; since it calls us to imitate the kindness of God and guards against ungodly harshness towards our enemies,[24] since it teaches us to attribute any common decency in sinful men to God's grace and power and guards against carnal pride in human virtue and achievements,[25] and since it sanctifies all the good gifts which God gives us richly to enjoy and guards against a morbid and ascetic outlook on life.[26]]
[1] Rom. 8:20; Gen. 3:17-19; Ps. 130:3; Rom. 3:9-20.
[2] Gen. 6:8,19; Gen. 9:1,8-10.
[3] Gen. 6:19; Gen. 9:8-10; Ps. 145:15,16; Matt. 6:26.
[4] Matt. 5:44,45; Luke 6:35,36.
[5] Heb. 9:27; Luke 16:25.
[6] Ps. 115:3; Ps. 135:6; Dan. 4:32,35; Eph. 1:11.
[7] Gen. 9:1,7; Acts 17:25.
[8] Gen. 8:21; Gen. 9:2.
[9] Gen. 9:3,4; Ps. 145:15,16; Acts 14:17.
[10] Gen. 9:5,6; Rom. 13:1,4; Rom. 2:14,15; Gen. 20:6.
[11] Gen. 8:22; Gen. 9:8-17; 2 Pet. 3:7-12.
[12] Matt. 11:28-30; John 5:34; Ezek. 18:23; Ezek. 33:11; Rom. 3:21-24; Rev. 22:17.
[13] Matt. 5:44,45; Luke 6:35,36; Acts 14:17; Rom. 2:4.
[14] Matt 5:45; Luke 6:35.
[15] Acts 17:25-27; Rom. 2:4; John 5:34.
[16] Eccles. 8:11-13; Rom. 2:4.
[17] Eccles. 8:11; Matt. 11:20-24.
[18] Matt. 11:25,26; Rom. 9:17,18; Eph. 1:11.
[19] Rom 9:14,19,20.
[20] Rom. 11:33-36; Deut. 29:29.
[21] Gen. 9:1-17; Gen. 15:15-20; Heb. 6:4-6.
[22] 1Tim. 2:2-4.
[23] Gen. 8:22; 2 Pet. 3:7-12.
[24] Matt. 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36.
[25] Rom. 1:24,26,28; Rom. 2:14,15; Gen. 4:6; Jer. 17:5,9.
[26] Eccles. 2:24; Eccles. 3:11-15; Eccles. 5:18-20; Eccles. 9:7-10; Eccles. 11:6-8; Acts14:17; Col. 2:20-23; 1 Tim. 4:1-5.
[7. The Lord's common grace consists of every expression of his good will and favor, of whatever kind or degree, falling short of salvation from sin, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world receives from the hand of God; but it is primarily expressed by the perpetuation and abundant multiplication of human life,[7] by the restraint of his curse upon the earth,[8] by his provision for the sustenance, protection and enjoyment of life,[9] by his restraint of sin through government, conscience and providence,[10] and by his postponement of the final judgment;[11] and its ultimate expression is his sincere and benevolent offer of mercy and salvation from sin through Jesus Christ, made to sinners indiscriminately, to elect and reprobate sinners alike, through the Gospel.[12]]
[8. This common grace flows out of the Lord's kindness, goodness, benevolence, forbearance, and mercy,[13] even to unthankful and evil men, [14] so that God's genuine and stated purpose for showing this favor to his enemies is a benevolent one, to lead them to repent and seek after God;[15] nevertheless, this divine favor often tragically results, through the carnal presumption of sinners and their despising of his goodness,[16] in their increased culpability, hardening and ruin,[17] which result God also purposed and decreed;[18] whence arises an apparent (but not real) contradiction in the will and purpose of God, between reprobation and common grace,[19] irreconcilable in and through human logic, but to be embraced and confessed through humble submission to and faith in all that God has revealed in his Word.[20]]
[9. God's common grace is ordered, certified, and increased through his covenants,[21] complements and furthers his saving grace,[22] and will continue to be shown until the day of judgment, for as long as the earth remains.[23]]
[10. This doctrine of common grace, though it involves us in mystery, tension, and apparent contradiction, nevertheless is most important and necessary to our holiness; since it calls us to imitate the kindness of God and guards against ungodly harshness towards our enemies,[24] since it teaches us to attribute any common decency in sinful men to God's grace and power and guards against carnal pride in human virtue and achievements,[25] and since it sanctifies all the good gifts which God gives us richly to enjoy and guards against a morbid and ascetic outlook on life.[26]]
[1] Rom. 8:20; Gen. 3:17-19; Ps. 130:3; Rom. 3:9-20.
[2] Gen. 6:8,19; Gen. 9:1,8-10.
[3] Gen. 6:19; Gen. 9:8-10; Ps. 145:15,16; Matt. 6:26.
[4] Matt. 5:44,45; Luke 6:35,36.
[5] Heb. 9:27; Luke 16:25.
[6] Ps. 115:3; Ps. 135:6; Dan. 4:32,35; Eph. 1:11.
[7] Gen. 9:1,7; Acts 17:25.
[8] Gen. 8:21; Gen. 9:2.
[9] Gen. 9:3,4; Ps. 145:15,16; Acts 14:17.
[10] Gen. 9:5,6; Rom. 13:1,4; Rom. 2:14,15; Gen. 20:6.
[11] Gen. 8:22; Gen. 9:8-17; 2 Pet. 3:7-12.
[12] Matt. 11:28-30; John 5:34; Ezek. 18:23; Ezek. 33:11; Rom. 3:21-24; Rev. 22:17.
[13] Matt. 5:44,45; Luke 6:35,36; Acts 14:17; Rom. 2:4.
[14] Matt 5:45; Luke 6:35.
[15] Acts 17:25-27; Rom. 2:4; John 5:34.
[16] Eccles. 8:11-13; Rom. 2:4.
[17] Eccles. 8:11; Matt. 11:20-24.
[18] Matt. 11:25,26; Rom. 9:17,18; Eph. 1:11.
[19] Rom 9:14,19,20.
[20] Rom. 11:33-36; Deut. 29:29.
[21] Gen. 9:1-17; Gen. 15:15-20; Heb. 6:4-6.
[22] 1Tim. 2:2-4.
[23] Gen. 8:22; 2 Pet. 3:7-12.
[24] Matt. 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36.
[25] Rom. 1:24,26,28; Rom. 2:14,15; Gen. 4:6; Jer. 17:5,9.
[26] Eccles. 2:24; Eccles. 3:11-15; Eccles. 5:18-20; Eccles. 9:7-10; Eccles. 11:6-8; Acts14:17; Col. 2:20-23; 1 Tim. 4:1-5.
