BY THE ALLIED REPORT (STAFF) • 20 JANUARY 2026

Man in Rain (Wix Stock Image)

If the Creator is holy and the creature is rebellious, why does the sun continue to rise on the wicked? Why are they healed from illness? Why does a man who denies God feel the warmth of a summer rain or the deep affection of a child’s embrace? Many wonder why a righteous Judge delays His sentence and instead provides for His enemies. These questions probe the very heart of the character of God and the framework of human history. The answer lies in a specific Biblical reality that governs every moment of life on this planet. This reality is the doctrine of common grace: the framework that accounts for the universal benevolence, kindness, and restraint of evil that God extends to all of humanity.

The Definition and Scope of Divine Benevolence

So what is common grace? Common grace is the manifest kindness of a Creator toward His creatures. It does not possess salvific intent and is by no means the same as saving grace. Instead, it represents the riches of His kindness as described in Romans 2:4. This kindness is shown to all mankind to facilitate the continuation of human society and to reveal the glory of God in the ordinary. Scripture defines this benevolence through several key markers.

A first marker is divine sustenance. God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and "sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45). This provision is not earned. It is a gift granted to all of creation. A second marker is temporal preservation. "We have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers." (1 Timothy 4:10) This denotes a temporal and preserving salvation. It is a divine forbearance that "pushes out" or forestalls immediate judgment. A third marker is the restraint of sin. Through the Holy Spirit and the institution of the civil magistrate mentioned in Romans 13:4, God restrains human depravity so that society does not descend into total chaos. "For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain, for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil." (Romans 13:3-4)

The Linguistic Necessity of the Term Grace

An understandable point of contention often arises regarding the use of the word grace for the non-elect. Some critics argue vehemently that grace is a precious word that should be reserved strictly for those who receive eternal life. They suggest that applying the term to the unredeemed attacks the unchanging nature of God. However, this objection fails to account for the actual definition of grace as unmerited favor. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary gives these pertinent defintions of the term: 

• a temporary exemption: reprieve

• benevolence, goodwill

• God-given help or kindness

(Ref. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grace)

Al Mohler also addresses this concern by noting that any kindness shown to a sinner who deserves immediate judgment is, by definition, unmerited favor. Mohler explains that "kindness in creation is still unmerited favor" and that "the very fact that we exist, that is also by God’s unmerited favor." (Mohler, The Briefing Q&A, https://albertmohler.com/2021/10/01/briefing-10-1-21). Without the category of common grace, it is impossible to speak rightly about the good gifts that exist in a pagan world. Where else would they come from? To say they do not come from God is a grave error. And yet, the joy of marriage, the love of children, and the success of work are all gifts that the unredeemed do not earn. Therefore, these gifts are acts of grace given by God. Mohler concludes that the term common grace is necessary to a Christian conversation because "it is a language without which we really can’t think well or rightly about these things".

Divine Compassion in Common Grace

The doctrine of common grace reveals the compassionate character of God through the life of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament illustrates God as merciful and kind, these attributes were never illustrated as clearly as in the life of Jesus Christ. This compassion is not a secondary attribute but part of the essential nature of God. It is visible in the way He provides for the physical needs of those who have not yet believed.

In his analysis of the feeding of the five thousand, John MacArthur points out that this event is "a miracle of sympathy, a miracle of compassion" (MacArthur, Divine Compassion in Common Grace, https://www.gty.org/sermons/42-117/divine-compassion-in-common-grace). He notes that Jesus did not discriminate based on faith when providing this sustenance. MacArthur writes, "This is a miracle of common grace.  But it was common grace that He healed everybody.  It was common grace that He fed everybody.  He didn't put out surveys to have people check off whether they believed in Him or not to determine who got fed.  He didn't evaluate anybody's motives.  He just pitied everybody.  He understands human life.  He understands human hunger.  He understands the delight that food can bring."

The Distinction Between Common and Saving Grace

While both common grace and saving grace flow from the unmerited favor of God, they serve different purposes. Common grace is universal and temporal. It provides the physical and social necessities of life to all people. Saving grace is particular and eternal. It provides for the redemption, reconciliation, and justification of the elect. The orthodox Christian tradition maintains this distinction to avoid theological confusion. Common grace explains why a non-believer can be a good parent or a law-abiding citizen. Saving grace explains how a sinner is made new in Christ.

Al Mohler clarifies that while both the redeemed and the unredeemed enjoy a meal or a sunset, the Christian has the added gift of thankfulness because they know the source of the gift. "The saved and the unsaved, the redeemed and the unredeemed, the regenerate and the unregenerate enjoy some of the same pleasures, some of the same goods, enjoy a meal in the same way. Except for Christians, of course, there’s more. There is thankfulness, for we know the meaning of these things. We know the source of these good gifts. That comes ultimately by saving grace." Both graces are expressions of God’s goodness, but only one leads to eternal life. This distinction ensures that the unique, redemptive work of Christ is by no means diminished by the general kindness God shows to the world.

Misunderstandings and Rejection

Opposing views often rely on the error of conflation. These perspectives mistakenly assume that all instances of grace must have a redemptive end. Such a view limits the character of God by suggesting He holds only hatred for the non-elect, yet this contradicts the explicit command and character of God found in Luke 6:35: "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil." If God is kind to the ungrateful and the evil, it is a grave theological error to claim He possesses no favor toward them.

A second flaw in these opposing views is the functional denial of the Imago Dei. To disparage the natural virtues or affections of the unredeemed is to deny that the image of God remains in them. While that image is marred by the Fall, it is not erased. James Montgomery Boice addresses the weight of this reality regarding mankind’s accountability to God, noting that "an element in being created in the image of God is morality. Morality includes the two further elements of freedom and responsibility" Boice went on to state that "the freedom which men and women possess is not absolute. Even in the beginning the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve, were not autonomous. They were creatures and were responsible for acknowledging their status by their obedience." This moral capacity is a gift of common grace that allows for the persistence of human affection and societal order.

John MacArthur further clarifies that the presence of the Imago Dei serves as a witness against the sinner, stating, "Realizing that we are created in God’s image brings with it a sense of honor but also the realization of grave accountability. Our inherent morality doesn’t vouch for our morals. Rather, it convicts us of our failure to behave morally" (MacArthur, "Telling the Truth About Man", https://www.gty.org/blogs/B180117/telling-the-truth-about-man). To reject common grace is to reject the Biblical explanation for why the world is not as evil as it could be. It ignores the restraining hand of God and His sincere kindness toward His creation, which persists even in a fallen state.

A Framework for Ethics

The doctrine of common grace is inextricably linked to a Biblical understanding of creation, eschatology, and the divine patience that bridges them. To alter the definition of grace by restricting it solely to the elect is to shift one's entire interpretation of the world’s origins and its ultimate fate. This connection is rooted in the character of God as Sustainer; as Psalm 145:9 declares, "Yahweh is good to all, And His compassions are over all His works." By sustaining the world, God is not merely managing a mechanical postponement of judgment but is expressing the "the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience" (Romans 2:4) intended to lead the lost to repentance. This goodness is the necessary theological bridge between the original "very good" of creation and the finality of the end times. Consequently, recognizing God's maintenance of the world as a direct expression of His mercy, rather than mere indifference, is essential for Christian ethics. It provides the tangible foundation for sanctifying "Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15), ensuring our defense of the hope within us is grounded in the same benevolence God shows to all His image-bearers.

When a believer recognizes that God is favorably disposed toward the lost in a benevolent sense, that believer maintains a heart for evangelism. Conversely, if one were to believe that God feels only hatred for the non-elect, they would lose the motivation to invite them to Christ. Such a view could even deconstruct into a denial of the Great Commission, for common grace is the manifestation of the goodness of God that points the unredeemed toward the only Savior. This theological framework ensures that the magnitude of the Gospel is protected and that the character of God is represented with Biblical accuracy, compelling the believer to obey the final charge of Jesus Christ: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19–20).

You spreadst a table in my sight; 

Your saving grace bestowing; 

and oh, what joy and true delight 

from your pure chalice flowing!

The King of Love My Shepherd Is

(Sir Henry Baker)