Prevenient Grace | Bible Study Notes

Expanded explanation

God always acts first. He created humanity, revealed himself, sent his Son, provided the atonement, and gave the gospel as the means by which he calls people to reconciliation. No one saves himself, and no one contributes merit to Christ's finished work.

Decalvinised affirms this general sense of prevenient grace. But the site does not affirm that humanity is totally unable to respond to the gospel and then require a second grace to overcome that inability. Our depravity makes us in need of the gospel; it does not make us blind to the gospel. The gospel is sufficient, faith is not a work, and people remain responsible to respond to God's gracious call.

Context

The phrase prevenient grace can obscure an important distinction. Many Arminian theologians affirm total depravity and use prevenient grace to explain how humans can get past that condition. Decalvinised does not affirm the Calvinist definition of total depravity in the first place, so it does not need to use prevenient grace as a way to restore an ability that total inability removed.

The relevant biblical questions are what God has already provided through revelation, Christ, the gospel, and the Spirit's witness; whether the gospel call is genuinely sufficient; and how faith can be a real human response without becoming a meritorious work. The term should describe God's priority without importing either the Calvinist or Arminian system into the discussion.

Calvinist Usage

Calvinist theology commonly teaches that humanity's depravity includes total inability. In that framework, the gospel call by itself cannot produce a positive response because sinners must first receive an inward work of regenerating grace. Faith follows that prior work, and the grace given to the elect makes their response certain.

Some Arminian theologians also affirm total depravity, but use prevenient grace to explain how people in that condition can respond to the gospel. Their account treats prevenient grace as an additional work that overcomes the disabling effects of total depravity sufficiently for a person to believe or resist.

Decalvinised Position

Decalvinised affirms God's gracious initiative before conversion, but does not affirm Calvinist Total Depravity or Total Inability. Humanity is depraved, separated from God, and unable to save itself or produce righteousness that earns salvation. That is different from saying that people are unable to respond to the gospel.

Decalvinised also does not use prevenient grace as an additional mechanism that repairs total inability. The gospel of Jesus Christ is God's sufficient means of initiating reconciliation. God did the initial work by revealing himself, providing Christ's atoning work, sending the gospel, and calling people to believe. Faith is a response to God's provision, not a work that takes credit away from Christ.