As a family we have sought to place Scriptural art in every room of our home, both for the benefit of ourselves and for our many visitors.  Because we are seeking to more deeply understand a definition of grace (beyond the cute acronym "God's Riches at Christ's Expense"), in August we purchased large letter tiles which spelled G-R-A-C-E and hung them above the window in our dining room.  Those letter tiles have often resulted in dinner conversation on the topic of grace...what it really is, how it affects us, etc.  Noteworthy, then, was an opportunity to publicly broadcast some of those thoughts.

On 13 September the following article appeared in the Hamilton Press:

What you get, you always deserve
by Mynda Mansfield, teacher writer and spiritual educator
     I was quite startled to discover in the dictionary that one of the definitions of grace is the unmerited favour of God.  I was startled because I believe that this is misleading.  The nature of our relationship to the Divine is that of co-creator, and when we play our part, so does God.  What we receive, we always deserve.
     There is a fine line between assuming a stance of passivity, expecting God to deliver, and doing or being all that you can and then surrendering to divine grace.  It is the act of surrender, once you have done all you know how, that creates the void required to activate the mysterious and invisible workings of grace.
     The void is created as a result of the endeavours of the human beings to resolve issues or to generate constructive situations in their lives and who acknowledge that they need help.  As the Tao Te Ching advocates: "Do your work, then step back."  It really is a matter of meeting the Divine halfway.  Or in simple terms: God helps those who help themselves.
     But to say that grace is "unmerited" implies that it is only bestowed upon those whom God judges to be worthy.  This concept of a judgmental force that would withhold love is created by the human mind.  The longing of God is to fulfil His divine desire to have all hearts and minds return to true function and there is not one aspiring seeker, regardless of the level of consciousness attained, that He would not bless with grace if it was requested.
     As we grow in awareness of our purpose for being on earth, learning to be spiritual beings in a physical body, we grow in our desire to serve -- in ways both secret and seen; we listen, we encourage, we ease the burden, we pray, we bless, we hold people in the light.  And we empower them to take the steps required to create the void that will be flooded with the beauty of Divine Grace. ■

On 3 October the following response appeared in the Hamilton Press.

Grace Never Deserved
by Scott Silsbee, Pastor, Good News Baptist Church
   ...I was quite startled to discover that Mynda was quite startled to discover that the dictionary definition of grace is "the unmerited favour of God."
     The reason that I startled is because this is a good, biblical definition.  There are a number of comments from her article that I would like to respond to.  First, we need to understand that a Christian is saved by God's grace.  Second, salvation is an act of God that is totally unmerited.  Finally, nobody in this world has ever been able to merit God's favour.
     Thankfully, I will not receive what I deserve, because if I did then I would receive eternal punishment.  Instead God gives me grace, which is something I don't deserve.
     Some people seem to think that God's grace runs out the moment one becomes a Christian.  From then on, we tend to base our relationship with Him on our performance rather than on His grace.  For example, do you think of His grace as something that makes up the difference between the best you can do and what He expects form you?  Do you feel you deserve an answer to prayer because of your hard work and sacrifice?  If any of you think this way, then you don't understand God's grace.  Unfortunately, Mynda certainly does not understand God's grace.
     God will still deal with us on the basis of His grace, whether or not we understand it.  It is when we don't fully understand grace we forego the abundant freedoms that come from not having to measure up.
     How do we come to hold such an inadequate view of grace?  Pat of it is our sinful nature, which we all have.  In our pride, we not only hold a better than average view of ourselves, but we like to think of ourselves as self-sufficient.  For example, Mynda said, "God helps those who help themselves".  On top of all that, we live in a culture that generally affirms hard work and rewards us according to our efforts.  In fact, the Scriptures themselves exhort us to do good works and pursue holiness.
     But it still holds true that, unless we understand grace, we stand to miss out almost entirely on what God has in mind for us.  My prayer is that you will search the Scriptures to find just how inexhaustible and generous God's grace really is.  You will never be able to ask for too much, and you will never need too much.  But you should note what the Scriptures say:  "God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble."
     Once the magnitude of that grace begins to capture your imagination, setting you free from all the entanglements of performance and legalism, don't be surprised if you find yourself lost in a love that forever changes the way you go about life.  May Mynda and you come to understand God's amazing grace. ■

Scott's letter resulted in a number of comments from the Hamilton public, several families visiting the church, a letter of thanks from Mynda Mansfield, and spawned several additional published letters.  On 17 October the following response appeared in the Hamilton Press.

Understanding Grace
by S Svengren
    In response to Pastor Scott Silsbee's letter (Hamilton Press, October 3) entitled 'Grace Never Deserved', let me say that the pastor himself is in need of help in grasping what God's grace in fact is.
     Grace, as defined in Pastor Silsbee's dictionary states that it is the "unmerited favour of God".
     Be that as it may, God chooses to endow grace upon his children, regardless of whether or not they are 'deserving' of it -- in truth whether or not they are Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or Calathumpian.
     Grace -- this word that has been much bandied about by Christendom who itself lacks understanding -- is indeed a favour or gift of God provided by a loving, congenial Heavenly Father who knows the needs of His children upon the Telestial earth.
     Grace is extended to the animal, plant and mineral kingdoms additionally...in fact wherever life in all its forms exists there also will you find Grace defined, ie, the conditions provided for all species of life to thrive in their own environment.
     The sun which activates the seed planted in the soil, and the process of photosynthesis whereby the life within the seed reacts and grows to a mature plant able to sustain life, is but one example of the grace of God.
     Without this all-encompassing "unmerited favour of God" there could be no life at all upon this planet.
     The concept of eternal punishment for choosing to come to earth to gain experience is erroneous and needs to be addressed.
     Mistakes are a necessary part of mortality and are not meant to be used for instilling fear and guilt.
     It is true that God helps those who help themselves, for in so doing they become co-creators with God, fulfilling the measure of their own creation and becoming 'gods in their own sphere'.
     The continual condemnation of the offspring of God (the human race) by religious zealouts has done more than its fair share of harm.
     That mindset wherein all are "undeserving, unworthy and sinful by nature" is majorly flawed -- especially considering that this earth was in the beginning created specifically for them (God's offsprings) to come down to for experiential purposes.
     Salvation -- (the act of being saved from spiritual death/separation from God) is a gift from God to his offsprings and all creation who chose to experience physicality upon the earth.
     Simply put, once born upon the physical earth, forgetfulness of former things spiritual ensues (spiritual death).
     Once physical death occurs, however, all memory of former things spiritual is restored (salvation from spiritual death).
     This was a necessary part of the plan of salvation, forged in beginning times and voted on by all who were candidates for eventual earth experiencing.
     There was nothing whatsoever "unmerited" in this.
     Understanding the process whereby world are brought into existence creates a precedent -- and all the creations of God must have a means of being returned to God.
     This was provided for by means of a Saviour God.
     By means of "Role Playing" do all things obtain experience upon the telestial earth.
     To understand all things, one must "act out all roles" -- even prideful, judgmental, mean-spirited and self-righteous roles at time.
     It is wise to remember that you are not the role -- you are just the actor trying to understand all things from all perspectives. ■

Of note is the declared 200 word maximum for letters to be published in the paper.  Clearly, God has intervened.  And another letter must be written.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."  Titus 2:11-15

If interested, you can click on the newspaper images to access the new digital version of the paper which shows these letters in print.