The Case for Gracism

When I wrote my commentary on Romans (SOGBC), I was challenged by the words of Romans 3:28-29:

“For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also.”

What to me is starting like that the opposite of justification by faith is ethnocentrism, ethno-raciality invested with religious capital, and salvation by works of cultural identification. Paul believed that Gentiles come to faith, not via works of the law, that is, without becoming Jewish proselytes. God reaches Gentiles by faith in Jesus without adopting the Jewish way of life codified in the Torah. We might say that Gentiles don’t have to become Jews in order to be Christians.

If that is true, then justification by faith remains one of the clearest tools and testimonies in the Christian tradition for a multi-ethnic church as well as a tool of resistinc ethnic and racial prejudice.

Around the same time as I was writing my Romans commentary, I read a terrific book by David Anderson called Gracism: The Art of Inclusion, where Anderson explains “a biblical model for showing special grace to others on the basis of ethnicity, class or other social distinction.”

For me, justification by faith is not just about denying salvation is by works of merit, it means the practice of grace. As I explained it in the application:

“Gracism means that grace is both preached and practiced toward others. Gracism means that the most ruthless and efficient way to destroy our tribal enemies is by making them our brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Those who treasure the doctrines of grace, need to consider not just the scope and efficacy of God’s mercy, but how God grace calls us to embrace, love, and include everyone from every tribe, language, nation, and people.

If you want to hear more, several years ago, I was on a TGC podcast with Tony Merida where we talked about, inter alia, gracism.