I’ve occasionally heard people in church say, “I’m a grace guy.” I’ve knocked around different Christian circles long enough to know they mean that they give grace to others instead of judgment. In that sense I suppose we should all be “grace guys.” But some who use the term mean something more theological. Many assert our holiness before God is imputed rather than imparted. Not only are we sinners when we are saved, we remain sinners—and our only holiness is that which is imputed to us through Christ. The holiness of Jesus covers our sinfulness—he is holy so we don’t have to be. Many think this view of holiness as only imputed, and never imparted, is a high view of grace. But I believe it is opposite.
Whether imparted or imputed, the grace to be holy is still given by God. No man can boast either way. But the assertion that holiness is only imputed suggests that the grace of God is too weak to actually make us holy; it covers our sin with the righteousness of Christ but is too weak to remove it. Such a view claims to elevate grace, but it really robs grace of the power to make us new creatures in Christ.
This “high view” of grace is weak because it is one dimensional—it is only grace to justify us before God. The declaration that we must sin in thought, word, and deed daily exalts the power of grace to justify while denying its victory over sin. When someone celebrates grace, we need to ask, “Grace for what?” Grace only for justification or grace also for transformation? Emphasizing one dimension of grace to the exclusion of others prevents us from experiencing the full work of God’s in our lives.
Yes, I am justified only by the grace of God—but that grace is strong enough to give me victory over sin. Some of the ways grace are taught make us too comfortable in our sins. God gives us grace to live holy. Like those praying for rain on a desert island, we need something to catch the rain when it falls. It would be silly to say, “I am a grace guy; I don’t put out buckets; it sounds like salvation by works. I am just going to enjoy the free gift of this sweet rain!” All the spiritual disciplines of prayer, obedience, Scripture study, fellowship, generosity, worship are just buckets to catch God’s grace for holiness. Our buckets don’t make the rain; but they testify to our faith that it is going to rain. It is still all grace.
