49. How does God save us?
By his preventing [or prevenient], convincing, justifying, sanctifying, and glorifying grace.
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The catechism introduces us here to John Wesley’s way of parsing out the ways in which God, out of the abundance of his generous kindness (his “grace”), is at work reconciling us to himself, rehabilitating us, and realigning us with his righteousness and holiness. The emphasis on “grace” from start to finish keeps before our eyes the fact that our deliverance is always the consequence of God’s initiative and empowering. Our new life in God is, therefore, never a cause for pride in ourselves—or for disdain toward others!—but only a cause for giving God our grateful praise and adoration.
The terms name what Wesley perceived to be a series of stages in God’s intervention in our lives. “Preventing” or “prevenient” grace (the terms are used interchangeably) denotes God’s lifting all people high enough from the depths of our fallen state so that our ability even to hear his overtures to us and sense his drawing us back to himself is restored. “Convincing” or “convicting” grace denotes God’s bringing home to us the reality of our condition apart from him and our very great need for his redemption. Justifying” grace names God’s act of pardoning us in Christ as we, empowered by God, respond in faith to the good news in Christ. “Sanctifying” grace speaks of the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, restoring God’s image in us, bringing our hearts and our lives back into alignment with God’s righteousness, holiness, and, above all, loving character. Finally, “glorifying” grace speaks of our hope in Christ—to attain to “the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come.”
As we encounter terms like “justifying grace” and “sanctifying grace,” we need to bear in mind that these are not things in themselves, as if grace were some kind of spiritual substance that is applied to us like a medicinal ointment. These are, rather, ways of talking about how we encounter God investing himself in our deliverance and working for us, in us, and with us for our good. While important concepts, “justifying grace” is an unfortunately impersonal way of talking about God, in the person of the Son, reconciling us to himself and setting aside our offenses and our rebellion against him. Similarly, “sanctifying grace” is an unfortunately impersonal way of talking about God, through God’s Holy Spirit, making us holy and fitting us for his presence forever. They do, however, bear witness to how God readies his people for himself.
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For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11–14)
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Phil. 2:12–13)
But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. (Phil. 3:20–21)
See also Rom. 2:14–16; 3:21–26; 5:15; 6:14; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:21; Eph. 2:8–9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:4–7; Heb. 10:22; 1 Peter 4:10; 5:10; 1 John 3:9
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This is an excerpt from Christian Faith and Doctrine: An Annotated Catechism for the Global Methodist Church. Seedbed is pleased to partner with The Global Methodist Church to offer this companion resource to A Catechism of Christian Faith and Doctrine for the Global Methodist Church.
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