CHARISMA: The Unmerited Merited Favour

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all. – Tit 2:11

We usually say that “Grace” means “unmerited favour”. But strictly speaking, charis (the Greek word which we translate as “grace”) means a whole lot of things of which “favour” is just a part. Many of its meanings do not even sound like “grace” in English. Charis means “thanks”, “pleasure”, “liberality”, “benefit”, “gift”, “joy”, “acceptable”, the list goes on. And that’s just how the New Testament writers use it; (see Act 24:27; 2Cor 1:15;2:14; 8:4; Phm 1:7; 1Pt 2:20; etc.); its meaning gets even broader in normal Greek usage. Interestingly, even when charis is used as “favour”, it does not automatically mean the favour is unmerited. A good example of this is found in Lk 2:52 where Luke says that “Jesus increased... in FAVOR (charis) with God and men,”. Of course that “favour” Jesus had was NOT ‘unmerited’. He earned it through His complete obedience, (Heb 4:15; 5:8; 10:5-9).

This is the area where the concept of “unmerited favour” comes in. The apostle Paul is actually the one who used the already existing term charis to explain the concept of the Gospel in his epistles. Natural languages are not likely going to have a word for “unmerited favour” since that concept is alien to us; so Paul used the closest word, and restricted its meaning – a restriction that has now overshadowed all the other meanings today.

The charis that we’re talking about in this series, is therefore, Paul’s unmerited merited favour. That is, Jesus did the required action for the favour to be made available, and we who are in Him then receive it. This understanding is important. Because some persons have a hard time believing that we can receive favour that’s not merited. Well, the favour is NOT unmerited; it was earned for by someone else, Jesus. But He didn’t need to merit that favour! Jesus is God, so it would be pointless to try to earn His own favour. That is the whole essence – and blessedness – of the Incarnation.

2Co 8:9 is one of the best summarisations of this truth:

 “For you know the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.”

HALLELUJAH!!!

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN