He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. … They all ate and were satisfied. (Mark 6:34, 42)
The Bible is so rich, and one of the things I have to do in preparing a message is to determine what to include. It is often difficult to discern what to leave out, since it is always exciting to discover the richness of the Word of God. If I included every detail in a passage, the message would be very hard to follow. Conversely, it is also wrong to present a message that is too simplistic or one that is loosely based on the text.
Last week, we studied Mark 6:30-44, commonly known as the Feeding of the Five Thousand (though the actual number was more like 15,000 to 20,000). While we discussed the power and compassion of Jesus in creating food for the massive crowd, I glanced over the concept of “common grace.” Common grace is a theological term, and as Reformed Christians we make distinctions between common grace and special grace.
Common Grace
Common grace can be defined as the “kindness extended to all persons through God’s general providence.”[1] Since grace is God’s favor bestowed on undeserving sinners, common grace is “common” in the sense that God’s grace extends to everyone. Those who love Him and those who hate Him are all recipients of common grace. Psalm 145:9 says, “The Lord is good to all” (Psalm 145:9).
Matthew 5:45 is an example of common grace: “He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Another example is Acts 14:17: “He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Our text last week, Mark 6:30-44, is also a demonstration of common grace. Jesus taught everyone, cured the ones who needed healing, and fed everyone (“They all ate and were satisfied” [Mk. 6:42]). This is common grace because everyone benefited, just like everyone—believers and unbelievers—benefit from the sun, rain, and much more.
Common grace differs from saving grace in that common grace does not lead us to salvation. Did everyone in Mark 6 become believers after witnessing the miracles and receiving God’s grace? No. In fact, many stopped following Jesus shortly after this miracle (John 6:66). Many recipients of common grace deny and reject Jesus. Their hearts remain hardened with unbelief. This shows how desperate and depraved we are. Romans 3:10-11 says, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God.”
Saving Grace
Briefly, then, let’s end with special grace (or saving grace). Since no one seeks for God, salvation is impossible with men and only possible with God (Mark 10:26-27). God, by His saving grace, draws us to Him: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44). Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God [emphasis added].” Salvation is God’s gift of grace to us. Psalm 3:8 succinctly states, “Salvation belongs to the Lord.”
Conclusion
What sets apart common grace and saving grace is the recipient. Common grace does not discriminate. The good and evil are both recipients of God’s grace—favor bestowed on undeserving sinners. However, saving grace is God’s grace in saving those whom He has chosen—His elect. We should thank God for His grace gift of salvation.
Notes:
[1] John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, eds. Biblical Doctrine (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017), 487.