Grace is a supernatural gift from God aimed at helping us achieve eternal salvation. It’s not something we can earn or deserve; it’s freely given by God out of His love for us. This article dives into the types of grace, focusing on actual grace—God’s temporary assistance for specific actions leading us towards salvation.
What is Actual Grace?
Actual grace is a temporary divine intervention that helps us perform actions beneficial to our eternal salvation. Unlike habitual grace, which is a permanent state of being in God’s favor, actual grace comes and goes with the actions it supports.
The Nature of Actual Grace
To understand actual grace, we explore its definition and how it operates. It’s a supernatural push or encouragement from God, enabling us to think, desire, and act in ways that align with our salvation. This grace is not something we can hold on to; it’s present only during the action it inspires.
Key Properties of Actual Grace
Necessity: We need actual grace because our nature, weakened by sin, can’t achieve salvation on its own. This grace doesn’t force us but supports our freedom, allowing us to choose the good.
Gratuity: God’s grace is a free gift, not something we can claim as a right. It’s given out of God’s love and mercy, without any merit on our part.
The Relationship Between Grace and Freedom
This complex topic discusses how grace works with our free will. Even though grace is essential for any move towards salvation, it doesn’t override our freedom. Instead, it empowers and heals our will, enabling us to choose what is right.
Grace’s Reach and Availability
God offers grace to everyone, without exception. This universal offer underscores His desire for the salvation of all. Whether we accept this grace and cooperate with it is up to our free response.
In Conclusion
Grace is an essential concept in understanding our journey towards eternal life with God. It’s not about earning God’s love but responding to the love He freely gives. Through grace, particularly actual grace, we’re given the help we need to perform actions that lead us closer to God, all while maintaining our freedom to choose. This divine assistance is available to everyone, reflecting God’s universal will for salvation.
