What is the Favor of God?

[Lisa Robinson]

I don't know about you, but I have heard this term a lot and have even incorporated it into my prayers. But what exactly is the favor of God? How does it manifest in life? Is it just restricted to our position in Christ - having favor because of spiritual regeneration? Or is it about good stuff happening, e.g. open doors, tangible blessings, etc. or something more?

[joanne guarnieri]

yup!

Raquel said:

The quick answer:
1 Peter 1:3-9

Semi-longer version:
It seems to me that we will define 'favor' according to that which we treasure. The Bible very boldly tells us that to be disciplined is love and that trials bring strength.
In an attempt to not overshoot my point, I want to balance this by agreeing that ALL good things come from God.
The booby trap, though, is thinking that we know what physical things are good and what aren't. (Which speaks to Rey's point.) We don't know. But God does. Which circles me back around to why we ought to treasure everlasting gifts. Those we can depend on.


Amy F said:

Why cant it be both? Thats my view of it atleast. As Lisa said earlier, us experiencing favorable circumstances to me can be both natural and supernatural.


Raquel said:

Amy,
I guess it all comes down to how you see "grace, favour, good-will" as being. If those things are day-to-day then one might see them as physical gifts. If they are eternal, then one might see them as spiritual.

[Kathy]

Thank you Raquel :)

Raquel said:

Well said, Kathy and Joanne.

[Kathy]

Amy, I don't think we are saying that God doesn't bless us with with earthly things. We know that He does. However, the point I think we are trying to make is that to love God - to enjoy the favor of God - is to know that we are secure forever with Him. We seek eternity with God - eternal things. Earthly things in the end are in vain. It doesn't mean we don't acquire them through the mercy and love of God, but the point is - desiring earthly things should not be our focus. James warns us about desiring things we do not have. Desire, when conceived gives birth often to sin....when full grown, death.

So how does one find favor in the sight of God? Acts 7 tells us that David found favor in the sight of God - Luke 2 tells us that Jesus found favor with God and Man - Mary found favor with God in Luke 1 - Daniel reminded the people chap. 9 that they had not found the favor of God, yet in Chapter 1, Daniel himself was given favor by God. Other places like the Psalms (90, etc) ask for the favor of God to be upon us. In other places, favor is used for more temporal things given by God to the people. So, favor can be used in different ways.

Still, I think that David, Daniel, Mary etc....all received the "favor of God" as a gift from God. I think that the favor of God was bestowed on them from the very beginning. God, in His favor, chose them. They in turn loved God with all of their heart - by acknowledging Him as Lord.

In Colossians 1 we are reminded to pray for spiritual wisdom and understanding - to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him - bearing fruit - increasing in the knowledge of the Lord - giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us in the share in the inheritance. He is the one in whom we have redemption.

To me, that is receiving the favor of God :) He qualified us. He redeemed us. We will live with him forever.