The Grace of God
Greek charis
khar'-ece
From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine
influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
God is a Gracious God, a Merciful God, a God that bestows Favour, a God that gives benefit.
There are two aspects of Grace. (Grace and Mercy).
While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not the same. To summarize the difference: mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve, and grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it.
Mercy is deliverance from judgment. Grace is extending kindness to the unworthy.”
1. God does not give us what we do deserve.
2. God gives us what we don’t deserve.
An acronym of the word grace:
G. God’s
R. Riches
A. At
C. Christ’s
E. Expense
Grace is the unmerited, or undeserved favour of God. We can do nothing to merit God’s favour. Grace comes from God alone.
Grace is free. God chooses to bestow Grace or Mercy on those He wills.
Grace is a gift from Heavenly Father given through His Son, Jesus Christ. The word grace, as used in the scriptures, refers primarily to
enabling power and spiritual healing offered through the mercy and love of Jesus Christ. ... The grace of God helps us every day
I.e. Ephesians 2:8 By Grace are you saved through Faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God lest any man should boast.
Grace is the gift of God, it cannot be earned, we cannot bring it about of ourselves, if we could then we would have something to boast about.
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
The concept first occurs in Genesis 6:8. Noah finds "favour (grace) in the eyes of the Lord." The context is that the Lord was grieved at "how great man's wickedness on the earth had become"
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
God decided, because of man’s sin, to completely destroy him, because of his anger at their condition.
Noah is then described as having found favour (grace) in the eyes of the Lord.
The themes of judgment and salvation, in which the vast majority of humankind are condemned to destruction, while God finds favour or pours grace on a few (Noah and his family) reoccurs often in connection with the idea of grace. Hence, concepts of election, salvation, mercy, and forgiveness are all linked in this first illustration of grace in the Old Testament.
This account of Noah’s salvation is a foreshadow of New Testament salvation, where God by grace and mercy chooses to save his chosen people out of an evil world. Noah and his family are a type of the elect of God, (the remnant of the church), all those that are born again of the Spirit of God.
Grace is most often associated in Paul’s epistles with other terms having to do with salvation.
We see it related to Election: (being chosen)
Eph 1:3-6 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
We see it related to the Gospel:
2 Col 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ;
Col 1:5-6 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,
6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;,
Tit. 2:11“For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men” .
This cannot mean that every soul will be saved. Such a conclusion would contradict numerous other passages.
We know this from other scriptures that only a remnant will be saved. The church, the bride, the sheep.
We know from scripture that there is broad road that leads to destruction and many there be that find it.
That there is a narrow way and few there be that find it.
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Without the grace of God, we could never come to know Him.
The Apostle Paul tells us.
Tit. 2:11-12 “For the grace of God hath appeared . . . instructing us”.
Jesus told us.
Jn. 6:45 “It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and has learned, comes unto me”.
Before we could come to Christ, God had to regenerate us, to quicken us to life. He spoke to us by the Word of God. We heard the Word and He made it possible for us to respond to the Gospel.
Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.
We see Grace related to Justification .
Romans 3:23-26 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
We see Grace related to Sanctification
Romans 5:2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
Grace comes from God alone,
Out of His loving kindness, He gives grace.
James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Continuing in Grace
As Christians we are recipients of God’s grace through Christ. We receive grace to walk in Christ.
The state of grace must be embraced continuously; We are what we are because of God’s grace.
1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain;
We were saved by grace, we must continue in grace.
Act 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who,
speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
We are not under law but under grace.
Without the Grace of God we could not grow in Christ.
John 1:16, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace."
We need the grace of God in our lives as we walk the Christian walk.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Christ apportions grace to each one of us according to our needs.
Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
We must not depend on ourselves, in the same way we do not depend on ourselves for salvation, we must continuously depend on the grace of Christ in our daily walk.
Romans 6:13 - 15 Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.
14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? Certainly not!…
Grace and Mercy are freely available to us in Christ.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
By Mercy, upon our confession and repentance, God forgives our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness and refrains from giving us what we truly deserve.
Psalm 103:10-11 “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.”
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
By Grace, God gives us what we don’t deserve, which is cleansing and a new start.
Psalm 103:12 “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
God gives to us Peace which passes all understanding, knowing that we have a loving heavenly Father who wants what is best for us.
Because of God’s grace we can go to the Lord with confidence.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We were once a people separated from God and through Christ we have been reconciled to the Father.
From the foundation of the world God wanted to have an intimate relationship with us. That is unimaginable that the God of the universe would wait in anticipation for us.
Why does he want to be with me?
God wants to fellowship with us. God wants us to come and expect forgiveness. God wants us to come and expect Him to answer your
prayers.
God is delighted as your heart turns in His direction.
Grace allows us to communicate with the living God and not only that but it allows us to wrestle with the living God in prayer. Grace allows our prayers to be answered even when we feel like we least deserve it.
We should strive to allow nothing to stop us from approaching God and drawing on the grace of God daily.
