I was listening to a Christian radio station and heard the statement "Grace sets Christianity apart from other religions". At first I thought, but Islam proclaims that Allah is merciful and compassionate. Some devotional forms of Buddhism believe that only through the grace of a Bodhisatva can someone attain enlightenment. Devotional forms of religion, as opposed to works oriented, usually see the one devoted to as a gracious being.

     However, I took a step back and realized that grace in Christianity is qualitatively different from grace offered in other religions. Christian grace is not primarily a second chance to be better, or even aid to be good. It is true that Jesus (the one devoted to in Christianity) commanded people not to sin anymore, implying a granting of a second chance. It is true that Christians are said to be created for good works (Eph 2:10), implying that there is some sort of aid geared towards the faithful. The works of the non-faithful are akin to filthy rags.

    Christian grace changes the game. It is not like being put in probation. Christian grace is an unconditional change in relationship between God and the one faithful to Jesus. Imagine an employer-employee relationship being transformed to a father-son relationship. The faithful becomes a child of God, not because of anything he does, but his status is attained purely through Jesus. Jesus is grace finished- he gives his body for the forgiveness of sins. This is in reference both to his becoming the sacrifice for sins on the cross and also the Eucharist where his body and blood is given for the forgiveness of sins.  

    Because of its nature, Christian grace can be abused. This is something we Christians need to accept when we feel that other "Christians" are getting away with sinning. We can't qualify God's grace but we must assume that those who profess faith are the child of God. Think about Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. The prodigal who has squandered everything was immediately restored to the father. There was no intermediate status. We may say the son was repentant, but notice that the son never was blotted out of the father's heart despite his sin. Grace was always there. 

      Christian grace can be maddening. It makes us ask "Where is the justice?" That's when we look at the cross where God's justice is spent. Does this make Christianity a licentious religion? On the surface, we must admit that it is a valid perspective. Christian grace seems to contradict biblical injunctions towards righteous living.

     Without the doctrine of the Spirit, there is no way to bridge Christian grace with injunctions towards righteous living. Its that connection between the believer and God that moves him to righteousness. Its the same as that unseen connection between a mother and a son, who even as a grown man still feels the restraining power of his mother. The connection between God and the believer is the Spirit, who is a person who proceeds from the father and (through?) the son. Is the Spirit then an aid to righteousness? Yes, but notice that the aid is also God (not a force from God). There remains the reality that Christian grace is God's condescension, not God's granting men mercy and the chance to make it right. God makes things right, that is Christian grace.