This belief is rooted in the Old Testament, where a relationship with God was conditionally based upon behavior.
The Hebrew words translated as ‘favor’ are ‘ratson’ and ‘ratsah.’ The word ‘ratson’ is translated as favor, goodwill, acceptance, desire, pleasure. It most often represents God giving His blessings (Deuteronomy 33:16; Isaiah 49:8, 58:5, 61:2). It is also used for what a person bestows upon another (Genesis 33:10; Proverbs 11:27, 14:35).
The Hebrew word ‘ratsah’ means to be pleased with, accept favorably, be delighted, to satisfy. It is often translated as pleased and delighted to reflect deep pleasure (Isaiah 42:11; Psalm 44:3; Proverbs 3:12). ‘Ratsah’ is also used in the sense of "to pay for" or "to satisfy a debt" (Leviticus 26:34; Isaiah 40:2).
In the New Testament, two Greek words are translated as “favor.” The first is ‘charis’ as in the word ‘charismatic,’ and means grace in a person, being gracious, and unlimited favor given to another in kindness (Luke 1:30, 2:52; Acts 2:47, 7:10,46, 24:27, 25:3,9). A person is saved by “charis” (Ephesians 2:5).
The other Greek word is ‘charitoo,’ and means to freely bestow upon; to make acceptable or cause one to find ‘charis’ (Luke 1:28; Ephesians 1:6).
The English word “favor” means to find approval for something deserved or worked for by supporting something/someone or helping another as an act of kindness. The New Testament Greek words for “grace/favor” is a free gift and cannot be worked for or ever rescinded. No matter how hard a person tries, they can never receive God’s eternal favor based upon their works.
Discipline?
The idea that God will withdraw His favor when a Born-Again Christian sins is based on a works-based karma theology and not the Bible. A person may ‘feel’ God has withdrawn from them, but feelings are unreliable - only the Bible is reliable. God does not change, and the written Word says His promises and favor remain forever (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; James 1:17).
It is an unavoidable fact that God “disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:6, ESV). When a blood-bought child of God falls into sin, or cataclysmic events happen in their life, it can feel like God is a million miles away and removed His favor.
A Born-Again Christian can never lose God’s favor. However, He will discipline His children. Many believe that at the very least, this means He will withdraw His favor or even punish, scold, or spank with the rod of correction such as sickness, financial troubles, or such as getting passed over for a promotion.
The root word in discipline is “disciple.” A disciple is a student. When God “corrects,” it is to redirect one's path by making course corrections as they travel on the road of salvation. Sometimes it can even be a complete paradigm shift.
The Bible says that the Born-Again Christian is not to:
“make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?” (Hebrews 12:7-11 NIV)
The words “discipline” and “chastening” are Greek words 'paideia' and ‘paideuo.’ Their primary meaning is tutoring, educating, training, or nurturing. The fundamental context of the Hebrews passages listed above is that God is a GOOD and LOVING Father who educates and trains His children by nurturing them in love. The Bible admonishes earthly fathers not to provoke their “children to wrath but bring them up” (nourish them) in the nurture” (Gk: paideia) “and admonition” (mild reproof) of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). God does not use corporal punishment as a way to discipline His Bride or remove His grace/favor. That would be saying He will leave and forsake us, which he promised never to do (Hebrews 3:5).
These passages in Hebrews teach that God’s way of disciplining is by not supernaturally intervening on a person’s behalf when they step over into darkness by walking in pride and refusing to learn or rejecting His training. The person initiates their discipline by opening up windows of opportunity for the enemy to gain strongholds. God is ready and waiting to supernaturally pull them out of the darkness the instant they repent.
Suffering?
Tragic events, the effects of sickness and disease, and the death of loved ones will often bring times of feeling terrible loneliness that cuts to the very core of one's being. Doubts come, flooding the heart and mind like a raging storm causing a person to question their beliefs and God's goodness.
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4 NIV)
Jesus was sinless, yet He was not free from problems and hardships. He “learned obedience from what he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). While taking upon Himself the sins of the world as He was dying on the Cross, Jesus cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:47; Mark 15:34 ESV) Jesus was NEVER out of favor with God the Father, and the Born-Again Christian will never be out of His favor. They are God’s child and His heir, and a co-heir with Jesus and will “share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17 NIV).
It is imperative to understand that suffering is a part of discipleship and should be counted as the cost of surrendering one’s life to Jesus. And yet “present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18 NIV). Suffering is as a part of this life as air and water because we live in a sinful world.
The heavenly Father does not put suffering into the life of a Born-Again Christian to punish or teach them a lesson. Nor does He promise to deliver them from the suffering of this world. Suffering is inevitable while living on this planet. The point of living in this world isn’t comfort but training and preparation. This life is just a rehearsal for eternity. The primary teacher and trainer of every child of God is the Holy Spirit, not sickness, suffering, or disease (Luke 12:12; John 14:26).
The announcement of Godly favor is upon everyone who accepts Jesus as their Savior. Every Born-Again Christian is highly favored due to their relationship with Jesus! God shows His favor through mercy.
"God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV)
The Freedom of Favor
With the freedom of salvation that grace has given every Born-Again Christian comes the responsibility to respond to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit - who dwells in them - and to express the will of God for their lives as they "Work out” their “own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12 NIV). Christians are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!” (2 Peter 3:18 NIV)
Through grace, the new life given needs to be developed and nurtured. Jesus commanded His followers to be “perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48 NIV). The word “perfect” comes from the Greek word 'teleios', which means to be complete, mature, or functional. It does not mean to be without a spot or wrinkle. As shown in the "Parable of the Prodigal Son," God is always there to welcome those who have struggled, stumbled, or fallen into disobedience and unfaithfulness, because He is the God of second chances (see Luke 15).
Grace empowers the Born-Again Christian to stand before a holy infinite God without shame or fear of punishment. It is grace that is constantly at work to heal the pains and scars of the past.
Christians are to yield to the wooing of the Holy Spirit and be ready at a moment’s notice to share the great news of the Gospel to those they come in contact with, whether it is by words spoken or actions taken. Christians have been freely given the gift of grace so that they can show His grace freely to others.
If a person needs a touch or guidance from God, they should pray that the person receives whatever spiritual gift is necessary at the time because they are gifts of grace! Christians should treat every person as if they were a fellow Christian.
The Gift of Favor
God’s grace offends the fallen nature of humanity because it is a gift from Him that cannot be worked or bargained for. The evidence that the Holy Spirit has indeed taken up residence and begun to work within a person is faith and good works - which is ultimately the result of the faith and work of Jesus. Trusting-faith leads to visible transformations in lifestyle and growth in holiness over time (Galatians 5:6, 19-24; James 2:14-26; 1 John 3:4-10).
“Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit" (Matthew 7:16-18 KJV).
If a person claims to be a Christian and does not do the “will of God," their faith has no foundation. Trusting-faith moves them to do good works. Faith without works is dead, and yet no one is saved by their work because it is the gift of God (James 2:17, 18). The working of faith is trust. Good works are evidence of genuine professed faith but not proof of it. The work of Jesus alone saves the Christian, not the other way around. It is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to finish the work within them (Philippians 1:6).
No matter what one believes about ‘good works’ or receiving ‘rewards’ in Heaven, it is God’s loving grace that should be the only motivating factor to walk in holiness and obedience to His commands, not a desire for extra rewards, or a position of authority in the kingdom of Heaven. The humility of love must be the only motivation for pleasing God.
Resist
“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." (James 4:4 NIV)
The word "resist" means to take up full battle armor and stand in an offensive position. When a Born-Again Christian walks in pride, God actively resists them, and they will not experience the favor of His peace and the pleasure of His presence in every situation (See Exodus 33:13-14). When they walk in holiness and humility, submitting themselves to God, He lifts them so that they will be able to resist the devil who has to flee from them. By living in the "meekness and gentleness of Christ," they find the "divine power to demolish strongholds" of "arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God." Humility is what can help them "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:1-5 NIV).
When feeling the pressure of temptation, Christians are to:
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." (1 Peter 5:6-9 ESV)
Submitting to God means to lay aside personal agendas and aspirations to do His will. By submitting, the Christian is, in essence, surrendering all to Him. They are saying, 'You know what is best for me,' and, "Not my will, but Yours be done."
Spiritual authority is given to those who commit their lives to holiness.
"Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!" (2 Peter 3:11-12 ESV)
Humility
Nothing does more to block the enemy's advancement than the praise and worship of a thankful heart walking in humility. The enemy is always trying to distract and ensnare. He wants to lure people away from worshipping God. His primary method is through the pride of unforgiveness.
Humility is the most potent weapon there is to fight against the enemy because it is the exact opposite of him. The Born-Again Christian overcomes the enemy "by the blood of the lamb" through humility and their "testimony" by living a life of repentance and laying down their life for others; "for they did not love their lives but laid them down for him" (Revelation 12:11 TLB ). When they humble themselves before God in prayer, repent of their sin and seek His face, He "will hear from heaven"… "and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14-16 NLT).
If one is not submitted and obedient to the Lordship of Jesus in their life; if they are leaning on their understanding and strength, and they attempt to resist and drive out the enemy, the only response they will get is the sound of satan's laughter echoing through the halls of hell.
It doesn't matter what someone has done to another or why something happened to them. What matters is how they respond to it. Even in those times of suffering, one "should commit" themselves to their "faithful Creator and continue to do good" (1 Peter 4:17-19 NIV). They will never be able to "resist the devil" and have complete victory unless they surrender themselves totally and entirely to the will of God. The enemy finds much pleasure when Christians don't forgive and when there is no reconciliation with those who have hurt them or those they have hurt.
Conclusion
At the moment of salvation the Born-Again Christian received a righteous person's reward and became a child of God, immediately enjoying His family favors (See Matthew 10:41; John 1:12). It is a full and complete reward because only those in Christ are righteous. The favor of God is NOT some special affection of God towards a person so that they will influence others to like or cooperate with them. The favor of God does not vary because all who are in Christ are perfect and without fault before Him. Because the guilt of sin is removed, their works are then perfect.
The definition of grace is essentially 'unmerited favor of God.' A 'merited' favor would be the results of good works - not grace - because it would be a debt that God owes for work done (See Romans 11:6). God will never remove His favor from the Born-Again Christian.
