For something so central to our faith, grace has been one of the most debated topics throughout history. Arguments abound about its role in the Christian life, sometimes becoming a catalyst for divisiveness. Some hold that grace is unmerited, while others argue that it is conditional upon certain aspects such as repentance and good deeds. Such arguments have already been there since the time of Paul and Peter, where the argument was whether Gentile Christians needed to conform to Jewish customs to receive God’s grace. It is imperative Christians understand what grace is.

 

 

There’s no better way to start than to look at what Scripture says about grace. What is grace? We know that it is the saving power that gifts eternal life to Christians. But beyond that, we also know that it is a central attribute of God Himself. In the New Testament, grace is equivalent to all that God has done to eliminate the penalty of sin and restore humanity to its proper relationship with God. 

This is what grace is, and it is also what sets our faith apart. Grace is foremost a central factor in the story of redemption. Grace and redemption cannot be separated. Without both grace and redemption, there is no salvation. So there must also be an element of something that needs to be redeemed. It brings the stark reality of the separation of Mankind from God and the problem of sin and corruption to the forefront and highlights it. But the amazing thing is that it also highlights an Almighty God that loves us so much He reaches down to us even when we turn our backs on Him.  

 

 

In the original language, grace translates to the Greek word charis, which is similar to the common greeting among ancient Greeks. But in the apostle Paul’s letters to the churches, charis is both greeting and goodbye, and between them, forms the very content of the gospel he preached, signifying the arrival of new things and the passing of old things. The Bible also tells us that it is a gift from God, given to us without any merit on our part. 

 

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

Grace is God’s unmerited favor directed to all people and centered on the work of Jesus Christ. Through Christ’s death, the penalty for sin has been paid. Now salvation is the free gift of God to all who trust in Christ. God’s grace is directed in the Bible to creation, to the needy, to sinners, and to all who believe. Grace blooms, as it were, as people respond to God’s Word in faith. Grace guides one’s entire life so that God is pleased and life is full (1 Corinthians 15:10). Paul knew from hard personal experience that grace did not mean a free ride. Trouble and an undefined ailment were Paul’s constant reminders that the flesh is weak, but grace is strong and grows stronger, in the face of human weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

 

 

Grace, a common word and name (even the name for prayer before meals), denotes a most amazing reality. While scientists may look at a nature void of purpose and politicians may clash swords over abstract rights and traditional legal rules, the Bible tells of a universe made, loved, and redeemed by God. John the apostle, even in old age, did not forget the startling difference grace makes. He urged readers: Look.. see.. (where did this come from? Who would have guessed? Isn’t this amazing?)… that God loves (1 John 3:1). Grace means that the vast expanse of space is not a universe of mere gas and mass and that the tragedies of human existence are not merely bad luck. By grace God created, and by grace, God redeemed and will restore all that has been lost.

The most startling moment of grace, however, is God taking human form in Jesus Christ, dying to save humanity from the consequences of sin, and rising from the dead in demonstration of supreme goodness and power. Then, by grace, God invites all to join His family (2 Corinthians 4:15). 

 

 

The Bible uses several terms related to grace. Mercy is often coupled with it. Loving kindness is a common Old Testament equivalent. Kindness and love are used as descriptions of grace in Titus 3:4, which leads to the simple declaration, “He saved us” (Titus 3:5). God’s act of “saving” is the life transformation that grace desires and achieves.

The Bible’s emphasis on grace as undeserved favor, freely given, led some new Christians early on to imagine that following God’s law had become passe. However, Paul countered this notion by indicating that grace is transformative. Receiving grace changes a person’s inner life and motivations (Romans 6:1-2). The grace-filled believer is not a prude who paints the world gray but, instead, is a person raised, as it were, from death to a new life (Romans 6:4). Thus grace is descriptive of both God’s character and the transformative power God provides for people who ask for it. Grace enables healthy relationships, human good will, and gratitude.

 

 

It is appropriate then, to welcome one another as Paul does: “Grace and peace to you” (Romans 1:7). Defining oneself as called, set apart, and belonging to God by grace, the first and right response is always one of gratitude: “I thank my God” (Romans 1:8). This astonishing grace, a gift given “before the beginning of time” (2 Timothy 1:9), turns every darkness and fear into power, love, and capability (2 Timothy 1:7). 

 

 

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