grace, the English translation of a Greek word meaning concretely “that which brings delight, joy, happiness, or good fortune.” ¹
Also, a free, unconditional gift of favor that empowers the recipient to be and do what God desires.

One of the important things that set us apart as United Methodists from other denominations is our understanding of God’s grace.  Although there is only one grace, we see it working in three distinctive ways.  Here we’ll look at one of those ways: prevenient grace.

“Prevenient” comes to us from two Latin roots, “pre” (before) and “venio” (that which goes).  Thus, prevenient grace is the divine love of God that “goes before,” preceding any and all of our conscious impulses and actions. This is the initiative of God pursuing a relationship with us, urging us to turn towards God (repent) so that we may be delivered from the bondage of sin and death in order to have abundant life here and now. We need God’s initiative as our human state prevents us from being able to turn to God on our own.

All of God’s grace is prevenient in that God always takes the initiative in offering grace to us.  In fact, God’s grace surrounds us and reaches out to us all the days of our lives!  Here are some Bible passages that help us understand God’s prevenient grace:

• Psalm 23:6  Yes, goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the LORD‘s house as long as I live.  (CEB, italics to show emphasis of Prevenient Grace)

• Psalm 139:  ⁷ Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? ⁸ If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. ⁹ If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. (NRSV)

• 1 John 4:19  We love because [God] first loved us. (NRSV, italics to show emphasis of Prevenient Grace)

• Acts 17:28a  For “In [God] we live and move and have our being”. . . .  (NRSV)

Relation to the Sacraments

As United Methodists, we believe that, ultimately, the sacraments (Baptism and Holy Communion) are outward and visible signs or symbols of what God has done, is doing, and will do within us.  Thus, we are acknowledging God’s work in our lives – not our own work – when we celebrate Baptism and Holy Communion.

• Infant Baptism:  Since we believe that baptism is a symbol of what God has done, is doing, and will do, we practice baptizing infants.  It reminds us that God is already active in the life of that child and that God will never give up on that child – ever – even if the child never consciously accepts God.  Neither life nor death can separate that child from God’s love (see Romans 8:38-39).

• One Baptism:  Since baptism is a sign of God’s work (not our own), we practice only one baptism.  Even if we break our end of the covenant with God, God has always upheld God’s side, even taking the initiative to draw us back in when we have failed.“But I don’t remember my baptism since I was baptized as an infant.  Can’t I be re-baptized?”Can we ever, really, remember all that God has done in our lives since God has always taken the initiative?  What we can remember is our public profession of faith (more on that next month).  We can also re-affirm our commitment to God (see pages 45 and 50 in the UM Hymnal)!

• Open Communion:  The open Communion table, allowing all, Christian or not, to participate goes back to John Wesley himself.  Believing that we receive grace through this sacrament, Wesley understood that there may be times that God’s initiative might finally “break through” to someone, allowing them to accept God’s grace and become Christian.  Besides, who are we to stand in the way of allowing someone to receive God’s grace.

¹  Paul J. Achtemeier, Ed., Harper’s Bible Dictionary (HarperSanFrancisco, 1985), 357.

CLICK HERE to read more about the Distinctive Wesleyan Doctrines of the United Methodist Church.