There is a teaching found in the Scriptures to which the Church has given the name “common grace.” What this refers to is the biblical evidence that God expects us to love our enemies and “do good” to those who might even hate us because this is how God acts toward those who hate him. Jesus teaches that God “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” As Jesus says, if we love only those who would love us back then we are not acting any differently than the wicked. Even they do this. But we are held to a higher standard: the actions of our heavenly Father. As his servants, we are to be God’s agents of grace on the earth even if the recipient does not respond with thanksgiving or praise to God.
Such grace (unmerited favor or undeserved kindness), since it is expressed to saint and sinner alike, is called “common.” Not because it is of little value but because it is common to everyone. This is to be distinguished from the biblical doctrine of “special” or “saving” grace which is the grace extended to the elect that results in eternal life (Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 11:5-6). While the two are not unrelated they are not to be confused. The one is for everyone, the other for the elect.
Common grace in action is the parable of the “Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25-37). The one whom the Samaritan is helping is to be understood as being a Jew. That is to say, that had the one who had been hurt been conscious he would most certainly would have refused the help of the Samaritan and probably offered a few expletives to go along with it. For “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (John 4:9). But the Samaritan, who knows the Jew hates him, nonetheless offers help and as such, Jesus declares, fulfills the command to “love our neighbor as ourselves.”
The parable teaches that such acts of kindness done on behalf of even an unrepentant sinner are sufficient in and of themselves. They may lead to an opportunity to “witness” but they do not need the “witness” to justify our having done them. There is no verbal exchange in the parable. There is only a soul acting as God does in heaven, and he receives the highest approval rating of Jesus: he is the model to be followed.
Common grace should spur us on and broaden our understanding of what it means to minister to the world around us. It is a good thing to do things that are good for others. It pleases God and brings him glory.
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