Just looking over some notes from church not too long ago. Our pastor talked about God giving two kinds of grace - Common and Efficacious.
Scripture passage
Romans 5:17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18. So then as through onetransgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all me. 19. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20. The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21. so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
One of the things said was that no matter what man does, God promises and assurances are fact. God's grace can overcome mens lack of grace.
The interpretation of each I got were that "Common" grace is given to me simply because I live in this world. As he put it, the measure of good that comes in life regardless of my relationship with God. The "Efficacious" grace that God says to me " I want you to know Me", and understanding of who I am in Him. His effective grace. With His efficacious grace, I'll become more and more irristable in my life. He ended saying that grace is not an obligation on God's part but because of us.
The whole theme was about jus as God gives us grace, we should extend more grace to people too.
So, all you biblical scholars, care to add more depth and clarity here. Life applied examples where you can.
How about when a Doctor gives you an antibotic to take, say 12 pills to take one very day. That bottle of pills is like God's grace that He gives to you for praying or attending church or for just walking in His Light -- for whatever reason God wants to give it to you.
That is Common Grace. If you just store that Grace away in your Spiritual Cupboards it does not become Efficacious Grace. It is still God's Grace and you are better for it, but you have to Use That Grace -- for it to become an Efficacious Grace!
Just as you would have to "use" those pills to be cured -- having them sit in your cupboard does you no good -- so too do you have to "use" the Grace God gives you.
By using , I mean being The Light Grace makes you and The Salt and The Sword and anything and everything that God's Grace brings out in each and everone of us. By doing we turn that Grace into an Efficacious Grace.
We also "exercise" and infuse our Spirtual Muscles with that Grace by using it.
It is this Efficacious Grace that we use to wield The Sword of the Spirit in Battle against the dark one.
Just my OpInIOn.
Peace
Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Thank you for expanding on this Archimedes. I can see, given the common grace applied becomes efficacious grace. One derives or leads or points to the other.
