Dec 28
2010
Means of Grace vs. Spiritual Disciplines
After reading my previous pastoral word, I realized that I woefully underdeveloped a crucial element in our understanding of the means of grace. Let me first give a brief review. The means of grace are simply public and private activities (such as praying and hearing the Word of God) that are gifts or graces (and not law) from God. When performed in faith, they conform us more into the image of Christ. We stand in grace (Rom. 5:1), not works, and grace flows only through the channels of faith.