The Case for Hyper-Grace

Unpacking "Hyper-Grace": Beyond Measure, Beyond Doubt, All Because of Christ's Finished Work

Someone asks the question:

"Is this new 'hyper grace' movement OK?"

Mmmmm, well, firstly, let's establish that the concept of abundant grace is certainly not new; it's as ancient as the Gospel itself! The term "Hyper-Grace" is a modern label, often used to describe teachings that emphasize God's grace to such an extent that critics sometimes argue it neglects other biblical truths (denominational and religious dogma) like personal responsibility, repentance for believers, or the pursuit of holiness. However, when understood biblically, "hyper-grace" simply points to the immeasurable, overflowing, and radical nature of God's favour given to us in Christ. It is God’s Gift from which we cannot subtract, nor add to make our salvation and position in Christ even better.

So, let's see. We know that Grace is God's unmerited, unearned favour. It's the divine kindness extended to humanity, not because of what we do, but because of who God is and what He has done for us. In the New Testament, the primary Greek word for grace is χάρις (charis). This word signifies God's benevolent disposition and the divine enablement that empowers believers. It is in Jesus Christ that we see Grace personified and perfectly demonstrated!

Hyper? A Biblical Super-Abundance

The prefix "hyper" (ὑπέρ, hyper) in Greek literally means "over, beyond, in behalf of, above measure." So, if we are to speak of "hyper-Grace" as grace that is "beyond measure" or "super-abundant," then it is not only scriptural but deeply reflective of God's character and the magnitude of His salvation in Christ.

Does Scripture actually say this kind of grace exists? Absolutely!

Paul, the apostle of grace, declares in Romans 5:20-21:

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace [χάρις, charis] did much more abound [ὑπερπερισσεύω, huperperisseuō]: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness [δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosynē] unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

This passage is a foundational truth of the finished work of Christ. The Law's purpose was to expose the pervasive nature of human sin, making it "abound." But in response to this abounding sin, God's charis (grace) did not just abound; it super-abounded! The Greek word ὑπερπερισσεύω (huperperisseuō) is incredibly powerful. It means "to exist beyond measure, to abound exceedingly, to overflow, to enjoy abundantly, to superabound." It’s grace to an exponential, overwhelming degree!

Grace doesn't merely counteract sin; it overwhelms it. It doesn't just forgive; it swallows up the offense. This is the finished work in action: Christ's sacrifice was so complete, so perfect, that it provides an infinite reservoir of grace that utterly surpasses the finite impact of sin.

Grace Enthroned: Reigning Through Righteousness

Notice how Romans 5:21 continues: "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."

Grace doesn't just exist; it reigns! And it reigns "through righteousness." This righteousness (δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosynē) is not our own earned merit, but the perfect righteousness of Christ that is imputed to us through faith in His finished work. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." This is the core of the Gospel – God declaring us righteous not by our effort but by Christ's perfect obedience and sacrifice.

This powerful reigning of grace through righteousness means that our access to God, our standing before Him, and our eternal life are all secured, guaranteed, and sustained by Jesus Christ, our Lord.

How Does This Hyper-Abundant Grace Present Itself?

Grace truly abounds in hyper-form, as demonstrated by the use of ὑπερπερισσεύω (huperperisseuō). It's an overflowing, an exceeding abundance, a boundless supply. This is why the modern theological criticisms surrounding "hyper-grace" must be carefully weighed against the biblical emphasis on the magnitude of God's grace. The usual concern often raised is that people may interpret this super-abundance as a license to live carelessly (ἀνομία, anomia, lawlessness) and then they quote Jude 1:4: "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."

But the context of this quote in Jude must be further looked into.

HyperGrace: A licence to Sin?

The anti-Grace preacher will almost always quote Jude The appeal in 1:4. And let me just add this-the newer translations of this verse (not direct translations) render it even more dubious. So, we’ll focus on the most direct English translation we can get, the KJV.

Jude 1:4 (Jude, likely the half-brother of Jesus) is saying to his readers that "ye should earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 1:3). The immediate context is the infiltration of the early Christian community by dangerous false teachers that mixes up the truth with suggestions of their own making. The emphasis is exactly this - content for your faith, Jesus!

Jude, originally writing about the "common salvation," felt compelled to shift his focus to address this urgent threat. His short letter uses vivid Old Covenant and extra biblical examples to illustrate the severe judgment awaiting those who pervert God's truth, Jesus (Grace).

When Jude later on in his letter refers to “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this” on Old Covenant examples, his aim is exactly to show that YHVH had always been the same, in spite of a global prevention of who He really is.

Let's break it down our verse above:

"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation …"

• "Certain men": Jude doesn't name them, but he describes their character and actions throughout the letter. These were internal threats, people who had "slipped in" or "crept in unnoticed" (the Greek is παρεισδύω, pareisdyō, meaning to "slip in stealthily" or "worm their way in"). This implies they were deceptive, not openly declaring their perverted teachings, but subtly influencing believers from within, not unlike what we have today.

• "who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men": This suggests that their character and ultimate fate were decided by themselves outside of God’s Grace. It was predetermined standing against God's divine plan, likely referring to their subscription to Old Covenant prophecies, law propagation and rebellion against the finished work of Christ. Promoting the traditions, laws and prophecies of the Old Covenant, along with the denial of Christ’s finished work, their message was also one of divine judgment (e.g., the Israelites in the wilderness, fallen angels, Sodom and Gomorrah, mentioned later in Jude). Their message centered around the certainty of impending doom.

"ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ ..."

• "Ungodly men": This highlights their fundamental nature and behavior as anti-God, wicked. They lacked the knowledge and reverence of who God is and what He did, and they lived in defiance of His Grace and character.
  
  

• "turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness": This is a core accusation and a direct counter to the true understanding of grace as revealed through Christ and His finished work.
  
  

• Grace (χάρις, charis): As discussed, this is God's unmerited favour. It is the basis of our salvation and our ability to live a new life in Christ.

• "lasciviousness": The Greek word here is ἀσέλγεια (aselgeia), often translated as "licentiousness," "unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence sensuality," or "wantonness." It signifies a brazen, unbridled indulgence in immoral religious messages and acts, characterized by a lack of shame or moral restraint. Therefore, it is a total disregard of Grace Himself.

• The Deception: These false teachers twisted the glorious truth of God's Grace, Jesus. Instead of understanding grace as that which rescues us from sin and empowers us to live righteously, they perverted the Gospel message and mixed it up with their own interpretations and additions. 

• From the perspective of Christ's finished work, His sacrifice on the cross does indeed provide complete forgiveness for all sin (past, present, and future) for those who believe. However, if we experience His Grace, we’ll realise that it is not a licence to sin (to miss the mark), the way that the mix-grace teacher promotes his anti-Grace message. Rather, it is a licence to live righteously (having had the mark hit for us). This forgiveness is not a bondage of sin-awareness but a liberation from sin's power. The finished work secures our justification and imputes Christ's righteousness to us, simultaneously initiating our consciousness of sanctification (being made holy) by the Holy Spirit. True grace, established by Christ's blood, leads to a transformed life, not a sin-awareness life to continue in (Romans 6:1-2: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?").
  
  

"... denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."

• "denying … our Lord Jesus Christ": This is the second major charge. Their immoral doctrine was inextricably linked to a denial of Christ's authority.

• Lord God (δεσπότης, despotēs): This word denotes a "master" or "absolute ruler," and even “a husband,”one who possesses supreme, unchallenged authority, particularly over those under him or her. It highlights Christ's ultimate ownership and control - all power in heaven and earth.

• Lord (κύριος, kyrios): This is the most common New Testament term for "he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding" or “the possessor and disposer of authority.” In many contexts, especially when applied to Jesus, it carries the weight of the Old Covenant divine name YHWH, signifying His deity and absolute authority.

• The Denial: The denial is a denial of the power and authority along with His absolute and complete accomplishment. To show this, those who slipped in deliberately and explicitly rejected Jesus, in bringing their own doctrine loosely aligned to Grace but favouring their own aselgeia. 

Jude 1:4 is a powerful warning for those who are “called out from amongst” (ekklesia) to be aware of those who twist the glorious truth of God's grace, revealed through the finished work of Christ. Jude’s message exhorts us to stay true to the Gospel message without supplements, enhancers, flavourants, colourants, preservatives or any other artificial additives. It underscores that authentic faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice and leads not to lawlessness, but to a glorious rest in Him.

Back to Hyper-Grace

True biblical charis, especially in its hyper expression, always leads to holiness, not away from it. It's the very power that enables us to live for Christ. As Titus 2:11-12 says: "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live focussed on the finished work of Jesus, sanctified and righteous in Him even if those who mix-up the Gospel with our own works slip in amongst us." It teaches, empowers, and transforms, all flowing from the finished work.

Paul also explicitly links this overwhelming grace to other spiritual realities:

"And the grace [χάρις, charis] of our Lord was exceeding abundant [ὑπερπλεονάζω, hyperpleonazō – another Greek word conveying super-abundance] with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 1:14)

This isn't just a theological concept; it's a living reality for the believer. This exceeding abundance of grace is interwoven with the faith we receive to believe in Christ's finished work, and the love that pours into our hearts from God, empowering us to love Him and others.

Aren't you so overjoyed that you have received a cloak of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10)? This is not a righteousness earned by our own ἔργον (ergon - works), but a righteousness freely given through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Aren't you so glad that you received favour and love and blessings...

... in what quality and quantities?

Beyond measure! Super abundantly! In hyper amounts and sizes!

This is the glorious reality of the New Covenant believer. The grace poured out through Jesus' finished work is not just enough; it's more than enough. It's an overflowing, conquering, transforming grace that secures our eternal life, empowers our daily walk, and establishes our perfect standing before God, all because of what Christ has definitively accomplished.

Aren't you so overjoyed that you are in His Hyper-Grace? It's not a modern fad, but the ancient, eternal, and glorious reality of God's immeasurable favour poured out through Jesus Christ, our Lord!