Our topic is still grace and free will. It is a complex topic.  The idea that we are responsible for our behavior, for our actions, and even our thoughts is a nearly universally held idea. It is the basis of most civil, criminal and even religious or moral laws. But grace comes along and intersects…

We are talking about grace—what it is and what it does. Last time we met we took a look at grace and free will in the garden of Eden. We asked: What actually is free will? Does it mean the same as consequential decision-making or are they different things? And how “free” is free will…

Today I’d like to introduce the rather sticky concept of grace and free will. I say “sticky” because, if you think about it, grace and free will don’t go together very well. Philosophers, theologians, and clerics have wrestled with this issue for centuries. I’m not so foolish or naive to believe that we will be…

We’re continuing our study of grace, forgiveness, the law, obedience and the path to salvation. Last week we talked about grace and forgiveness. In what way are they related? In what way are they the same? In what way are they different? We touched on a related question, which we’re going to talk about today:…

We’ve been talking about the subject of grace, the law, or obedience, and the way to salvation. We’ve seen that obedience is really doing things God’s way. And when we do things God’s way, we have a more centered, a more foundational, life; but not necessarily a life free from pain and struggle—recall the story…

The more we delve into the concept of grace, the more complexity we see, and the more we discover how easily grace can be misunderstood. Examining the parable of the talents last week, we saw new aspects of grace which I think we need to explore further. Here is the parable again: For it is…