Systematic Theology, by Louis Berkhof - New Leaven

gifts and operations. The richest manifestation of it is seen in those gracious operations
of God which aim at, and result in, the removal of the guilt, the pollution, and the
punishment of sin, and the ultimate salvation of sinners. But while this is the crowning
work of the grace of God, it is not its only manifestation. It appears also in the natural
blessings which God showers upon man in the present life, in spite of the fact that man
has forfeited them and lies under the sentence of death. It is seen in all that God does to
restrain the devastating influence and development of sin in the world, and to maintain
and enrich and develop the natural life of mankind in general and of those individuals
who constitute the human race. It should be emphasized that these natural blessings are
manifestations of the grace of God to man in general. Some prefer to say that they are
expressions of His goodness, kindness, benevolence, mercy, or longsuffering, but seem
to forget that He could not be good, kind, or benevolent to the sinner unless He were
first of all gracious. It should be borne in mind, however, that the term gratia communis,
though generally designating a grace that is common to the whole of mankind, is also
used to denote a grace that is common to the elect and the non-elect that are living
under the gospel, such as the external gospel call that comes to both alike, and that
inner illumination and those gifts of the Spirit of which we read in Heb. 6:4-6. It is
understood, however, that these privileges can be called common grace only in the
sense that they are enjoyed by the elect and the reprobate indiscriminately, and that they
do not constitute special, in the sense of saving, grace. In distinction from the more
general manifestations of common grace they, while they do not constitute a part of the
grace of God that necessarily leads to salvation, are nevertheless related to the
soteriological process. They are sometimes called “special” grace, but then “special” is
not equivalent to “saving.” In general it may be said that, when we speak of “common
grace,” we have in mind, either (a) those general operations of the Holy Spirit whereby He,
without renewing the heart, exercises such a moral influence on man through His general or
special revelation, that sin is restrained, order is maintained in social life, and civil righteousness
is promoted; or, (b) those general blessings, such as rain and sunshine, food and drink, clothing
and shelter, which God imparts to all men indiscriminately where and in what measure it seems
good to Him.
The following points of distinction between special (in the sense of saving) and
common grace should be noted:
a. The extent of special grace is determined by the decree of election. This grace is
limited to the elect, while common grace is not so limited, but is granted to all men
indiscriminately. The decree of election and reprobation has no determining influence
on it. It cannot even be said that the elect receive a greater measure of common grace
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