Are There Conditions On God’s Grace?

According to the Bible, amazing grace seems to be conditional. Grace is free, but it’s not unconditional.
“God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God . . .” (1 Peter 5:5-6)

Another Condition On Grace? Does the Bible teach that our receiving God’s grace is conditional on our forgiving those who have wronged us? It sure looks that way to me.

Perhaps you can fail (life’s greatest personal failure) to receive God’s grace by holding on to bitterness. “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” Hebrews 12:15

“Jesus taught us to pray this: “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In other words: “God forgive me like I forgive others — if I refuse to forgive others, then don’t forgive me.”

Grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” By that definition (see Titus 2:12), there sure doesn’t seem to be much grace around nowadays!

About Steve Simms

I like to look and think outside the box. In college I encountered Jesus Christ and I have been passionate about trying to get to know Him better ever since. My wife and I long to see the power and passion of the first Christ-followers come to life in our time. I have written a book about our experiences in non-traditional church, called, "Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible--Ekklesia." If you need encouragement, search for: Elephants Encouraging The Room and/or check out my Amazon author page. Thank you!

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5 Responses to Are There Conditions On God’s Grace?

2trakmind says:

June 6, 2013 at 1:47 pm

I usually agree with your take on things, Steve, but I have a different take on this one. First, when it is said that “God gives grace to the humble,” I don’t hear Peter speaking in terms of the grace given on the cross, but grace that God lives out through us as we “humble,” or yield ourselves to Him. Grace (salvation/forgiveness) has been given to everyone, freely, and it is only for us to receive it. It’s not based on what we “do,” or don’t “do.” The second point is similar. When Jesus told the disciples how to pray, they were all still under the old covenant, and Jesus was a teacher of the old covenant. At that time, God’s mercy was still very much dependent upon a person’s actions. They had reason to ask God to forgive them. However, the cross changed all of that and now forgiveness is based wholly on the finished work of Christ; forgiveness that has already been given; past, present & future! There is nothing we can do to change that, or lose it.

The old covenant was all about what I do and don’t do. The new covenant is all about what He DID and my acceptance of it. The power of grace isn’t in anything that I do, but only inasmuch as I allow Christ to do IN and THROUGH me. Grace can only be realized in me through the power of the One who is The Giver of grace. Just my take,

God bless!

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