CHAD:  As long as there is a "condition" present, the relationship
between the Creator and Creature is one of merit and justice, not grace
because grace has no conditions.  The moment there is any condition is
the moment grace ceases to be grace. . . It is recognizing the fact that
grace never has conditions.  This is precisely the error of the New
Perspective because it presumes grace where there are conditions.

MARK:  I don't know where you got that information concerning grace, but
it is explicitly WRONG.  The Scriptures know nothing of grace being only
unconditional.  Unmerited, yes.  Unconditional only, no.  I'll quote from
John Piper's book, Future Grace, pg. 78-79: "However, free doesn't always
mean unconditional.  Many of God's acts of grace are conditional.  For
example, when Paul says, "Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus
Christ with a love incorruptable" (Eph. 6:24), he means that there is
grace that comes to those who love Jesus, but does not come to those who
don't.  This grace is conditional.  And when James says, "God gives a
greater grace...God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the
humble" (Jam. 4:6), he means that there is a grace that comes to those
who are humble, but does not come to the proud.
        But unconditional grace is not earned grace.  It is not merited. 
"Earned grace" is an oxymoron.  Grace cannot be earned.  The very meaning
of grace is that one receiving the grace does not deserve it -- has not
earned it.  If a philanthropist pays $80,000 for your college education
on the condition that you graduate from high school, you have not earned
the gift, but you have met a condition.  It is possible to meet a
condition for receiving grace and yet not earn the grace.  Conditional
grace does not mean earned grace.  How can this be?
        The part of the answer that needs to be said here is that when
God's grace is promised based on a condition, that condition is also a
work of God's grace.  This guarantees the absolute freeness of grace. 
The philanthropist mentioned above may even become the presonal tutor for
a failing high school student to insure that he does get his diploma and
so meets the condition for the $80,000 grant.  A biblical example would
be that repentance is the condition we must meet in order to receive the
grace of forgiveness.  "Repent therefore and return that your sins may be
wiped away" (Acts 3:19).  But repentance itself is a gift of God's grace.
 "God has GRANTED to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life"
(Acts 11:18; cf. 5:31).  "God may GRANT them repentance leading to a
knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 2:25).  John Calvin quotes Augustine in
this regard: "Man's good will precedes many of God's gifts, but not all. 
The very will that precedes is itself among these gifts."  God's freedom
is not reduced when he makes some of his grace depend on conditions that
He Himself freely supplies.  Grace responding to grace is still grace."

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