From Our Library: Grace by John Reisinger

Recommended by: Rayburne Winsor

I believe John Reisinger’s handbook entitled Grace is one every Christian should read because there is so much confusion today, even among Christians, as to the meaning of biblical grace.

Dr. Reisinger explains succinctly and biblically that true, biblical God-given, God-honouring grace has three different aspects or meanings in Scripture.

• Grace is “an attitude in the heart of God that shows undeserved favour to hell-deserving sinners.”  In this sense, grace is identified with sovereign election or electing grace and “is the one and only reason anyone is ever saved.”
• Secondly, grace is “a spiritual power that flows from God into a sinner and effects a genuine change (spiritual transformation of heart and life) in that sinner”- the only source of power for either regeneration or sanctification. “In this sense, grace is almost synonymous with the Holy Spirit”.
• Grace is also “the response, in terms of gratitude, worship and service that flows out of those who receive grace”. We work out what God works in through the power of the Holy Spirit.  “In this sense grace demonstrates and proves who really is a child of God or recipient of God’s grace.  Grace that does not affect true worship and holy living is not biblical grace.

Dr.  Reisinger further explores the biblical meaning of grace against the background of sin, contrasting the righteousness/grace/faith/life motif of New Covenant theology, especially Paul, with the law/works/death motif of Old Covenant law and emphasizing that biblical grace must be understood as “the total antithesis of law”.  All of salvation (election, effectual calling, regeneration, justification, sanctification, glorification) is 100% of God’s grace as opposed to law, and by (through) 100% faith as opposed to works.

As Dr.  Reisinger points out, we don’t fully understand the awesome power of grace until we truly see and comprehend the power of sin and death that held us in spiritual bondage and depravity to our sin nature.  Only then do we (Christians) fully understand the awesome power of amazing grace that set us free from the bondage, guilt and shame of sin to live holy and righteous lives to the praise and glory of God.

Yours through the riches of His amazing grace,

R.F. Winsor

P.S.  Because many, especially Christians, confuse “being born again from above” with “being saved” they are not the same thing but both are essential to conversion.  I would highly recommend people read John Reisinger’s handbook entitled, The New Birth:  A Study of Irresistible Grace in conjunction with his book Grace.

I hope this proves helpful, as we walk with our precious Lord in dependence upon His grace to live holy and righteously in His sight to the praise and glory of His name.

God bless.

Scriptures to check:  Eph. 1:4-5; 2:1,5; Phil 1:6; 2Thess 2:13-14; Acts 13:48; 16:14; Psalm 65:4; John 10:26, 27-29; 6:44,63,65; 17:2,6,9,11-12,20,24; Rom. 4:1-16; 6:1-21; 8:30; Rom. 8:1-17; 28-39, and many more.