Common Grace

   What are the undeserved blessings that God gives to all people, both believers and unbelievers when Common Grace is rendered. Whats the difference between Common and Saving Grace? How does Common Grace apply to the world  

1. Use the Bible as the Main Source with scriptures to support paper.

2. You can use other sources but you must include the PAGE Reference when quoting the source in the paper

Jan. 13, 2008
Chapter 31: Common Grace

What are the undeserved blessings that God gives to all people, both believers and unbelievers?

I. Explanation and Scriptural Basis
A. Introduction: When people sin, they become worthy of eternal punishment and separation from God
(Gen. 2:17; Rom. 6:23)
Angels experienced separation from God and from all good immediately: 2 Pet. 2:4
But Adam and Eve did not die and go to hell at once. Nor do people who sin today.
Why? How can God continue to give blessings to people who deserve only death and hell?
Answer: common grace
Def.: Common Grace is the grace of God by which he gives people innumerable blessings that are not
part of salvation.
Common grace is different from saving grace in result, recipient, and source.

II. Examples of Common Grace

A. Physical Realm (Matt. 5:44-45; Acts 14:16-17; Gen. 39:5; Ps. 145:9, 15-16).
B. Intellectual Realm (John 1:9; Rom. 1:21; science and technology).
C. Moral Realm (Ps. 81:12; Rom. 1:32; 2:14-15; Luke 6:33; 2 Kings 12:2; warnings of final judgment).
D. Creative Realm.
E. Societal Realm (family – Gen. 5:4; government – Rom. 13:1, 4; other institutions).
F. Religious Realm (Matt. 5:44-45; 1 Tim. 2:1-2, 4; 4:10; Luke 4:40; 6:35-36; Matt. 7:22).
G. Common Grace and Special Grace Influence Each Other.
H. Common Grace Does Not Save People (Rom. 14:23; Matt. 22:37; cf. Rom. 2:4)

III. Reasons for Common Grace

A. To Redeem Those Who Will Be Saved (2 Pet. 3:9-10).
B. To Demonstrate God’s Goodness and Mercy (Luke 6:35; Ps. 145:9; Mark 10:21; Ezek. 33:11).
C. To Demonstrate God’s Justice (Rom. 2:5; 3:19).
D. To Demonstrate God’s Glory.

IV. Our Response to the Doctrine of Common Grace

A. Common Grace Does Not Mean That Those Who Receive It Will Be Saved
(Rom. 5:10; Eph. 2:3; Phil. 3:18-19).

B. We Must Be Careful Not to Reject the Good Things That Unbelievers Do as Totally Evil.
C. The Doctrine of Common Grace Should Stir Our Hearts to Much Greater Thankfulness to God.

To order CD’s e-mail Trent Poling ctpoling@msn.com or talk to Trent in the sound booth before or after class. Trent also
has electronic copies of these outlines starting in about June, 2005, and the outlines are posted on the web site
www.christianessentialssbc.com