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In Western Christian theology, grace has been defined, not as a created substance of any kind, but as "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it",〔(Our Wesleyan Theological Heritage )〕 "the condescension or benevolence shown by God toward the human race".〔(John Hardon, ''Modern Catholic Dictionary'' )〕 It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man – "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" – that takes the form of divine favor, love, clemency, and a share in the divine life of God. It is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of sinners. Christian orthodoxy holds that the initiative in the relationship of grace between God and an individual is always on the side of God. In Eastern Christianity too, grace is the working of God himself, not a created substance of any kind that can be treated like a commodity. The question of the means of grace has been called "the watershed that divides Catholicism from Protestantism, Calvinism from Arminianism, modern () liberalism from () conservatism."〔Ryrie, Charles C. ''The Grace of God.'' (Chicago: Moody Press, 1963), pp. 10-11.〕 The Catholic Church holds that it is because of the action of Christ and the Holy Spirit in transforming into the divine life what is subjected to his power that "the sacraments confer the grace they signify": "the power of Christ and his Spirit acts in and through (sacrament ), independently of the personal holiness of the minister. Nevertheless, the fruits of the sacraments also depend on the disposition of the one who receives them."〔(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1127-1129 )〕〔(Catholic Education Resource Center, "The Holy Spirit in the Sacraments" )〕 the Sacred Mysteries (sacraments) are seen as a means of partaking of divine grace because God works through his Church. Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Protestants agree that faith is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8; "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God". Protestants almost universally believe that grace is given by God based on the faith of the believer. Lutherans hold that the means of grace are "the gospel in Word and sacraments".〔(Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, "The means of grace" )〕〔(The Means of Grace )〕 That the sacraments are means of grace is also the teaching of John Wesley,〔(What is a sacrament? )〕 who described the Eucharist as "the grand channel whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God".〔John Wesley, "Sermon on the Mount—Discourse Six", III.11, quoted in ("This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion" )〕 Calvinists emphasize "the utter helplessness of man apart from grace." But God reaches out with "first grace" or "prevenient grace" that each person may accept or reject. The Calvinist doctrine known as irresistible grace states that, since all persons are by nature spiritually dead, no one desires to accept this grace until God spiritually enlivens them by means of regeneration. God regenerates only individuals whom he has predestined to salvation. Arminians understand the grace of God as cooperating with one's free will in order to bring an individual to salvation. According to Evangelical theologian Charles C. Ryrie, modern liberal theology "gives an exaggerated place to the abilities of man to decide his own fate and to effect his own salvation entirely apart from God's grace." He writes that theological conservatives maintain God's grace is necessary for salvation.〔 ==Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible== "Grace" is the English translation of the Greek χάρις (''charis'') meaning "that which brings delight, joy, happiness, or good fortune."〔Roetzel, Calvin J., PhD. ''The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary,'' Paul J. Achtemeier, General Editor. HarperCollins, 1996. P.386-387〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Grace in Christianity」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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