When I was
first determining the order in which I wanted to "tackle" the
articles of faith, I found it strange that prevenient grace came after
atonement. In many ways, I think
prevenient grace should come just after the articles about God, because I think
prevenient grace is actually a part of God's nature. Without it, I do not believe we understand
who God is (not that we completely comprehend this, there is room for mystery to
be sure, but grace is essential because it is such an enormous component of
love). I'd like to explore that further,
but in regard to the articles, I think I "get it" now. Perhaps this order was chosen to highlight
the belief that there is only one way, in the Church of the Nazarene, to attain
atonement. And it requires prevenient
grace.
VII.
Prevenient Grace
7. We believe that the human race’s creation in Godlikeness included ability to choose between right and wrong, and that thus human beings were made morally responsible; that through the fall of Adam they became depraved so that they cannot now turn and prepare themselves by their own natural strength and works to faith and calling upon God. But we also believe that the grace of God through Jesus Christ is freely bestowed upon all people, enabling all who will to turn from sin to righteousness, believe on Jesus Christ for pardon and cleansing from sin, and follow good works pleasing and acceptable in His sight.
We believe that all persons, though in the possession of the experience of regeneration and entire sanctification, may fall from grace and apostatize and, unless they repent of their sins, be hopelessly and eternally lost.
(Godlikeness and moral responsibility: Genesis 1:26-27; 2:16-17; Deuteronomy 28:1-2; 30:19; Joshua 24:15; Psalm 8:3-5; Isaiah 1:8-10; Jeremiah 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18:1-4; Micah 6:8; Romans 1:19-20; 2:1-16; 14:7-12; Galatians 6:7-8
Natural inability: Job 14:4; 15:14; Psalms 14:1-4; 51:5; John 3:6a; Romans 3:10-12; 5:12-14, 20a; 7:14-25
Free grace and works of faith: Ezekiel 18:25-26; John 1:12-13; 3:6b; Acts 5:31; Romans 5:6-8, 18; 6:15-16, 23; 10:6-8; 11:22; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; 10:1-12; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 4:10a; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 3:12-15; 6:4-6; 10:26-31; James 2:18-22; 2 Peter 1:10-11; 2:20-22)
Wait. What?
Prevenient grace is not what I thought it was. At least, not by this definition. Can I be honest? That's stressing me out just a little bit.
I have often heard prevenient grace
defined as, "the grace that goes before". With this thought in mind, I would have
considered prevenient grace to be the kind of grace that we explored, last
week, as a modifier to efficacious atonement.
It is the grace that covers those who cannot be held morally
responsible. I'm not sure that's what
we're saying here, though...
I have often heard prevenient grace
defined as, "the grace that draws us to God". With this thought in mind, I would have
considered prevenient grace to be the nudging toward recognition of our
lost-ness. It is the grace that
desperately calls to us even when we're not listening. I'm not sure that's what we're saying here, either...
As I re-read this article, this is
what it said to me. Here's a recap. All people are morally responsible, since we
have been made Imago Dei (in the image of God) and all. And depraved.
We're all depraved (because, you know, that's really Imago Dei). But don't
worry. There's grace for that... if you
want it... which is really unlikely, since you're wicked. It could
happen though, since grace exists. If it
does, seriously watch your step, because if you slip and fall, it's over. Eternal damnation. That's prevenient grace.
Maybe I'm cynical... or jaded... or
fallen. Heaven knows I've been accused
of all three. But I just wasn't
satisfied with this definition, so I did a very little bit of research. Thankfully, as it turns out, both Wesley and
Arminius seem to have had better definitions.
As a side note, why do we do this?
If the original definition is a good one, why do we change it? Am I doing that right now? If I am, please feel free to let me
know. But I digress...
Prevenient grace, according to
Wesley,
elicits, "the first wish to please God, the first dawn of light concerning
His will, and the first slight transient conviction of having sinned against
Him" ("On Working Out Our Own Salvation", Sermon #85). The grace that draws us in...
According to Arminius,
"Free
will is unable to begin or to perfect any true and spiritual good, without
grace.... This grace [prœvenit] goes before, accompanies, and follows;
it excites, assists, operates that we will, and cooperates lest we will in vain"
(The Works
of James Arminius). The grace that goes
before... and with... and after.
To be fair, I think we
have one really important line in our article about prevenient grace. "But
we also believe that the grace of God through Jesus Christ is freely bestowed
upon all people, enabling all who will to turn from sin to righteousness,
believe on Jesus Christ for pardon and cleansing from sin, and follow good
works pleasing and acceptable in His sight" (Article VII). I don't think our line is as succinct as that
of Wesley or Arminius, but it is probably sufficient to describe the grace that
goes before, particularly in light of the word "enabling", although I
think that same word is too passive to describe a God who seeks and draws.
But the rest of the article? Even if we believe it to be true, how is this
even related to prevenient grace? If
these words belong anywhere, the early ones belong in article V, and the later
ones belong in article XVI. Do we really
want to conflate sin and
judgment with prevenient grace? Just
think about that. It doesn't even make
sense.
I think I'll send a resume
to someone who's hiring for desert mothers now.
I already know how this discussion is going to end.
L.
