Reformed or Calvinistic theology uses the word "special grace" to describe how God works in the lives of His elect as He regenerates and reconciles them to Himself. It's "grace" in the sense that it's an undeserved favour; it's "special" in the sense that not everyone gets it.
Common grace, which refers to God's mercy shown to all of creation, is frequently contrasted with special grace. The theory of entire depravity, which maintains that every aspect of man—his mind, will, emotions, and flesh—has been tainted by sin, is related to special grace. We are unable of doing anything to merit salvation because of our depravity. Any person can only be delivered from sin by a unique act of God.
Calvinism holds that the elect are the ones to whom God extends His particular favour. They are only chosen or elected by God's favour and mercy, not because of any merit of their own (Ephesians 1:4–5). Election is "that eternal act of God whereby He, in His sovereign good pleasure, and on account of no predicted merit in them, chooses a definite number of men to be the receivers of special grace and of eternal salvation," according to a well-known Reformed theologian (Berkhof, L., Systematic Theology, Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1996, p. 114).
To protect the exclusivity of salvation via Christ, a distinction between special grace and common grace is made (Acts 4:12). Common grace is the cause of feelings like regret over sin or admiration for God's creation that are common to many people. These insights cannot save anyone on their own. An individual cannot be saved from their sins apart from faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9). And God's particular grace is what bestows that faith upon us.
One method to express the truth that no one can save themselves and that everyone must rely on God's grace for salvation is through the idea of particular grace. It plays a crucial role in Calvinist soteriology. According to the idea of special grace, God's blessings are experienced by all of His creatures, but He also takes special action when He calls His elect to place their faith in Christ. Everyone shares in God's blessings to some extent, yet not everyone is given the gift of salvation (Matthew 5:45).
Whatever their theological preferences, all Christians should be reminded that their salvation is wholly God's gift through the Reformed understanding of special grace. Because it is "not by works, no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:9).
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