Common Grace
Recent discussions among biblical counselors have focused on common grace. While common grace is an important issue in biblical counseling, it is simplistic to limit these discussions to common grace.
More Than Common Grace
When thinking through a theology of what the Bible says about extra-biblical literature, we need to develop a robust theology of at least the following issues. I list them in no particular order—other than the foundational importance of the final theological category):
To understand what the Bible teaches about the use of extra-biblical sources, we need to theologically think through:
- God’s Sovereign, God-Glorifying Common Grace: The Bible’s teaching on the noetic effect of common grace, along with the God-glorifying purpose of God’s sovereign common grace. We do not “pit” common grace against saving grace.
- The Noetic Effect of Sin/Total Depravity: How does the noetic effect of common grace interact with the noetic effect of sin?
- Natural/General Revelation: Creation reveals the fingerprints of God and His ordering of the cosmos (Genesis 1-2, Psalm 19, Romans 1).
- Fallen Creation: Creation is groaning and imperfect (Romans 8).
- The Creation Mandate: God’s original command that we subdue, have dominion over, and study His creation (Genesis 1:26-28).
- The God-Implanted Moral Law: Even the unbeliever is unable to fully suppress God’s moral law in their conscience (Romans 2).
- Proverbial Observational Wisdom: God calls us to observe the order within creation and draw wisdom-based conclusions (The Wisdom Books).
- The Bible’s Teaching on Science and Research: See Alister McGrath’s 3-volume set: A Scientific Theology.
- The Unity of God’s Revelation: God’s Word does not “pit” general revelation against special revelation.
- Church History: We are church history-informed, studying what those who went before us believe about these issues.
- The Bible’s Teaching on the Embodied-Soul: Biblically, what does comprehensive ministry to the whole person involve?
- The Sufficiency of Scripture: We examine all of these preceding issues/items through the lens of the sufficiency and authority of Scripture.
Join the Conversation
What other categories would you add?
