We are following God’s rescue plan for sinful humanity. In his mercy he calls us by his grace. Grace is multifaceted in Scripture. Most relevantly for soteriology, it is the foundation of God’s good news of salvation.

So together let’s study what it means.

I.. Definitions in Hebrew

A.. Brief intro.

Mounce in his Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words teaches us about the Hebrew words.

B.. Noun

1.. The Hebrew noun ḥen (pronounced khain)

It “describes that which is favorable or gracious, especially the favorable disposition of one person to another” (p. 302). God is disposed to be gracious to every person, but will the person repent and receive it?

In Hebrew, ḥen corresponds to charis in the LXX (see below, in the NT section) (Dictionary of New Testament Theology, p. 602). The LXX stands for seventy, after (supposedly) seventy scholars who translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek in the third-to-second century BC.

So let’s look at ḥen more closely. When it denotes the activity of God “it is mostly in the sense of God’s undeserved gift by election” (Dictionary, p. 602). Noah was chosen by grace (Gen. 6:8). God showed his mercy in the context of judgment–and mercy and grace are allies. Moses reminded the LORD of his gift or electing Israel when he was almost going to abandon them and start over (Exod. 33:12-13a) (Dictionary, p. 602).

God shows favor to the weaker person: Ruth was weaker than Boaz (Ruth 2:2. 10. 13). Joseph was weaker than the Egyptians (Gen. 47:25). Jacob was weaker than Esau (Gen. 32:5). In these cases, the stronger one showed ḥen to the weaker. God did the same in his special interventions, in supplying ḥen to the weak (Gen. 39:21; Exod. 3:21; 11:3; 12:36). (DNTT, p. 602).

And so it is with us. We are weak, and we need his ḥen to save and sustain us.

2.. ḥesed (pronounced khesed)

Mounce’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words says that the Hebrew word ḥesed (pronounced khesed) “is one of the riches, more theologically insightful terms in the OT. It denotes ‘kindness, love, loyalty, mercy,’ most poignantly employed in the context of relationship between God and humans as well as between human and another—the former relationship using the word three times as often as the latter” (p. 426). Then he goes on to highlight the covenant relation God has with Israel. So ḥesed means “covenant love,” which further means he is totally committed.

C.. Verb

The verb in Hebrew is ḥanan (pronounced khanan) and means to be gracious, “to show mercy favor, be gracious” (Mounce, p. 302). God is full of mercy and grace and calls out to humanity to receive salvation through his Son, Jesus Christ.

II.. Definitions in Greek

A.. Brief intro

BDAG is considered by many to be the authoritative lexicon of the Greek New Testament. It is named after the four main editors: Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich. Let’s see what it says (edited to fit this format).

B.. The noun is charis (pronounced khah-ris)

1.. “A winning quality or attractiveness that invites a favorable reaction, graciousness, attractiveness, charm, winsomeness” (Luke 4:22; Col. 4:6).

2.. “A beneficent disposition toward someone, favor, grace, gracious care / help, goodwill (Luke 2:40; Ac 11:2; 14:26; Ro 3:24 compare 5:15a, 20 following; 6:1; 11:5; 6abc; Gal. 1:15; Eph. 1:6 following; 2:5, 7, 8; 2 Thess. 1:12; 2:16; 2 Tim 1:9; Tit 2:11; Heb. 2:9; 4:16a; Ro 4:4, 16; beneficence or favor of Christ: Ac 15:11; Rom 5:15b; 2 Cor 8:9; 1 Tim 1:14).

3.. “Practical application of goodwill, (a sign of a favor, gracious deed / gift, benediction” (Acts 24:17; 25:9). “On the part of God or Christ, the context will show whether the emphasis is upon the possession of divine favor as a source of blessing for the believer or upon a store of favor that is dispensed or a favored status (i.e. standing in God’s favor) that is brought about or a gracious deed wrought by God in Christ or a gracious work that grows from more and more … God is called the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5:10, God, who is noted for any conceivable benefit or favor”… “Those who belong to him receive the fullness of his grace” […]

4.. “Exceptional effect produced by generosity, favor” (2 Cor 8:1; 9:14) … The grace of God “manifests itself in various charismata” [gifts] Rom. 12:6; Eph. 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:10. In some context is is hardly able to be distinguished from power (dynamis) (2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Cor. 15:10c 2 Pet. 3:18). Stephen is said to be full of grace and power (Acts 6:8).

5.. “Response to generosity or beneficence, thanks, gratitude”; mostly we are grateful to God or Christ (2 Tim. 1:3; 1 Tim. 1:12), but sometimes one expresses gratitude to a human (Phlm. 7).

Mounce says charis is: “the acceptance of and goodness toward those who cannot earn or do not deserve such gain” (p. 303).

C.. There are two verbs.

1.. The first is is charitaō (pronounced khah-ree-tah-oh).

BDAG says it means: “to cause to be a recipient of a benefit, bestow favor on, favor highly, bless (Eph. 1:6; Luke 1:28).

2.. Another verb is charizomai (pronounced kha-ree-zo-my),

BDAG says it means:

a.. “To give freely as a favor, give graciously (a common term in honorific documents lauding officials and civic-minded persons for their beneficence.” In other words, ancient documents use the verb to praise someone’s generosity. In the NT, this praise applies to God (Rom. 8:32; Phil. 2:9; Gal. 3:18; 1 Cor. 2:12; Phil. 1:29). One specific example of God’s grace to the unsaved in a storm: God has granted (the verb) everyone sailing with you (Acts 27:24).

b.. “To cancel a sum of money that is owed, cancel” (Luke 7:42). This transitions to the next definition.

c.. “To show oneself gracious by forgiving wrongdoing, forgive, pardon” (Col. 2:13; 2 Cor 2:10a; 12:13; Eph. 4:32ab; Eph. 4:32ab; Col. 3:13ab).

After this foundation, let’s look into theology.

III.. Theological Definitions

A.. J. Rodman Williams

“The grace of God is what God does through Christ, consistent with his holiness, that none of us deserve” (Ten Teachings pp. 56-57)

B.. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology:

“Saving grace refers to the reconciliation of sinners accomplished in and through Christ as well as the consequences of this reconciliation in believers’ lives (2 Cor. 5:18)” (p. 357).

In plain English, God wants us to be reconciled to him or brought in union with his Son. And then through this reconciliation, we can be reconciled with each other in God’s new family, the church.

C.. Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology:

“God’s dealing with humans in undeserved ways; it is simply an outflow of God’s goodness and generosity” (p. 82).

D.. Dictionary of Latin and Greek:

“The gracious or benevolence disposition [nature or character] of God toward sinful humanity and therefore the divine operation by which the sinful heart and mind are regenerated, including the continuing divine power or operation that cleanses, strengthen, and sanctifies the regenerate” (p. 141)

E.. Wayne Grudem:

“God’s goodness towards those who deserve punishment” (p. 1509).

F.. Michael Horton:

“God’s merciful favor towards sinners […] in order to redeem and renew their nature so that it may be ‘created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness’ (Eph. 4:24)” (p. 141).

G.. Louis Berkhof:

“It is God’s free, sovereign, undeserved favour or love for man, in his state of guilt and sin, which manifests itself in the forgiveness of sin and deliverance from its penalty” (p. 427).

H.. John Frame:

God’s “Sovereign, unmerited favor, given to those who deserve his wrath” (p. 244).

Wrath is not an irrational outburst. It is judicial, and it weighs the evidence, very slowly. It flows out of God’s love and goodness and protection (of humankind) and justice.

IV.. Overview of the Scriptures

A.. Joseph

Even when someone is in a moral or literal prison, the Lord can still favor him and deliver him out of his troubles. He did this to Joseph:

²⁰ … But while Joseph was there in the prison, ²¹ the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. (Gen. 39:20)

B.. Moses

Grace enabled Moses to ask for pardon for the people of Israel. God answered his prayers and offered a covenant to the people, by his grace and favor, not because they deserved or earned it:

⁸ Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. ⁹ “O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes,” he said, “then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.” ¹⁰ Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. (Exod. 34:8-10)

C.. King and psalmist David

Favor or grace surrounds him like a shield:

¹² For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. (Ps. 5:12, ratsōn or “favor”)

Yes, God shows momentary anger in both the Old and New Covenants, but in the New, he does not show it to his people except by law enforcement (Rom. 13:4-5). In this Old he showed it to his people, but only for a moment:

⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Ps. 30:5)

These verses reveal God’s heart. He yearns to show his people grace and favor:

¹⁸ Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! ¹⁹ O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. (Is. 30:18-19)

D.. Jewish governor Zerubbabel

After he returned to Jerusalem to rebuild it and the temple, he shouted grace at his problems and challenges. Speaking grace is important.

⁶ Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. ⁷ Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” (Zech. 4:6-7)

E.. The New Covenant

We experience God’s grace and favor through Christ.

Jesus has inaugurated a covenant of grace, not law-keeping to achieve righteousness:

²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Rom. 3:22-24, emphasis added)

God’s grace and love and mercy are connected:

⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. (Eph. 2:4-9)

God’s throne is full of grace, as if to say that his throne is built on it. We can confidently approach his throne in our prayer life and our entire life by being in union with Christ:

¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Heb. 4:16)

V.. Sources of Grace

A.. Grace comes from God.

Ephesian 2:8 says that grace is the gift oof God.

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8)

First Peter 5:10 teaches us that God is the God of all grace. It is one of his attributes. How does his grace manifests? By grace God himself makes us strong, firm, and steadfast.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)

First Corinthians 1:4 teaches that God owns grace and gives it to us when we are in Christ.

⁴ I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. (1 Cor. 1:4)

B.. Grace comes from the Father.

This verse says that every good and perfect gift come down from the Father; grace must be included in the phrase “every good and perfect gift,” just as Ephesians 2:8 says.

¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  (Jas. 1:17)

From Ephesians 1:3 we learn that the blessings of being in Christ come from God and Father. Paul, writing one long sentence, says here in v. 6 that the Father’s attribute is grace. He gives it to us when we are in Christ.

⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Eph. 1:6)

C.. Grace comes from Christ the Son.

In John 1:14 it is not clear, from the Greek, who is full of grace and truth. The context says it is the Son (v. 17, next), but the placement of the phrase, coming right after the Father, says it could be the Father who is full of grace and truth. I conclude that it describes the Son.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:17 says that law came through Moses; grace and truth through Jesus Christ. Truth can be paired with grace. Jesus said he is the truth (John 14:6).

¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

Next, grace is an attribute of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 8:9 means he reached out to us by becoming incarnate. He left the glories of heaven and became a poor human to reach out to us, with a purpose. This is another instance of the Great Exchange. His poverty leads to our riches in him.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9)

D.. Grace comes from the Spirit.

Zechariah 12:10 says that there is the Spirit of grace and supplication (petitioning prayer). In a footnote, the NIV suggests an alternative translation of “a spirit” to “the Spirit.” This verse reminds me of the phrase “God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10). Grace is an attribute of the Spirit.

¹⁰ “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit^[a] of grace and supplication.  (Zech. 12:10)

The Spirit is called the Spirit of grace, thus matching the other two members of the Triunity (Trinity):

[…] “the Spirit of grace” […]. (Heb. 10:29)

VI.. Grace and Faith and Salvation

A.. Grace is the grounds (foundation) of our salvation.

Renewal theologian and Presbyterian ministry J. Rodman Williams explains:

Let us recall Paul’s previous words that “they are justified by his grace as a gift.” Hence, grace is the basis, the source, the origin of our new life. But it is received by faith; thus faith is the means, the channel, the instrument. In Ephesians, Paul puts it very simply: “By grace you have been saved by faith” (2:8). … This does not mean that faith is the source or the condition. It is rather the agent or the means by which justification [God’s declaration of righteousness] comes to man. If it is said to be “through faith,” the emphasis lies on faith as the instrument or channel. The basic idea is that there is no justification without faith in Christ. And behind that faith stands the grace of God in Jesus Christ. For, says Paul, “it is by faith that it might be in accordance with grace (Rom. 4:16 …). Thus harmonious and vital is the relationship between grace and faith! (Renewal Theology, vol. 2, p. 72)

To summarize what Williams wrote, grace is the source and ground of our new life in Christ’s offer of salvation. Our faith is the channel or instrument by which we receive his grace and salvation. Grace is sufficient to spark saving faith in us, so we can respond to saving grace.

B.. Salvation is a gift of his grace.

In Ephesians 2:4-5 Paul says God, out of his great love and rich mercy, made us alive and saved us by his grace.

⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Eph. 2:4-5)

C.. God initiates the plan of salvation by his grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that it is by grace we have been saved, through faith. Grace starts with God, and faith is the instrument or channel through which we receive his grace. This grace does not come from our own selves and strength and work, but it is a free gift from God. But by grace we have been saved through faith–all of it is a gift of God. The basic plan of salvation in its entirety is a free gift, which we do not have to earn and which we cannot deserve by our own righteousness.

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. (Eph. 2:8-9)

D.. We cannot earn grace leading to salvation in Christ by our good works.

Romans 11:6 clearly contrasts grace and works.

⁶ And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. (Rom. 11:6)

We will discuss 2 Timothy 1:9 in another part of the outline, but here grace and our doing works is contrasted:

⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. (1 Tim. 1:9)

E.. We cannot earn grace leading to salvation in Christ by doing the works of the law.

Romans 6:14 teaches us that we are not bound by the law of the old Sinai Covenant, but we are under grace.

¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (Rom. 6:14)

Galatians 2:16 is decisive. Paul is talking about himself and his fellow Jews. Remember “being justified” means being declared by God to be righteous. He credits (or imputes) Christ’s righteousness to our empty moral bank account. This deposit is triggered when we look to the Son, the Christ, and put our faith in him. Paul and his fellow Jews know the following:

¹⁶ know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. (Gal. 2:16)

VII.. Accomplishments of Grace

A.. We are chosen.

Romans 11:5 teaches that the remnant belongs to Christ; they are in him. Everyone in him is elected or chosen. They have been chose by his grace. The “remnant” means those who are devoted to Go through his Son; they are a smaller subset of many people who are not devoted to God.

⁵ So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. (Rom. 11:5).

B.. We are called.

Galatians 1:15-16a says God wooed or drew Paul to serve God, after Paul got saved by God’s grace. Read about his salvation in Acts 9:1-19–the entire chapter even. We are called or wooed by grace for salvation.

¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me […] (Gal. 1:15-16a)

C.. We are justified (declared righteous) and redeemed.

Romans 3:24 appears in the middle of a rich section of Romans.  Redemption means that God purchased us out of the evil world systems by his Son’s death on the cross. Remember, being “justified” means being declared by God to be righteous, after we surrender to his Son’s Lordship.

²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  (Rom. 3:24)

Titus 3:7 again teaches that we by his grace have been declared righteousness (justified) for an eternal purpose. We are heirs who will one day inherit eternal life in its fullness. Right now we have it in part, but at his Second Coming, we will get it completely

⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

D.. We receive righteousness as a gift.

Romans 5:17 is another rich and packed verse. It teaches that Adam trespassed and death came through him. However, we receive God’s abundant provision of grace (= his salvation) and the gift of righteousness. You do not have to work hard to be righteous. You surrender to his Lordship when you put your faith in the Son of God. When you do, you will be victorious in this life–this life right now. This verse further describes the Great Exchange. We give him our penalty of death which was imposed on us because we sin and are sinners, and he gives us the gift of righteousness and eternal life.

¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! (Rom. 5:17)

Though 1 Corinthians 5:17-19, 21 does not have the word grace in the verses, they also describe the Great Exchange. We become the righteousness of God after we have been reconciled to him and become a new creation in Christ (vv. 16-17). He does not count or credit our sin against us (v. 19). For Christ “to be sin” means vicariously or representatively (v. 21). and so the whole passage teaches us that since we are a new creation, we now become the righteousness of God.

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. […] ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:17-19, 21)

E.. We are saved.

Acts 15:11 appears in the context of the Jerusalem Council. Jews do not have to require non-Jews (Gentiles) to get circumcised to receive grace and salvation. Instead, we believe in the Son of God. Peter is speaking:

[…] We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. (Acts 15:11)

Titus 2:11 says grace appears in Christ and his atonement (death on the cross), and grace is offered to everyone, though some people reject it. Don’t resist God’s grace. Accept it. Surrender to his Lordship, and ask the Spirit of God to come into your heart and cause you to be born again. Start a brand new life right now! You are included in the phrase “all people.”

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11)

F.. We are forgiven.

Ephesians 1:7-8a teaches us that in Christ (“in him”) you and I have redemption through his blood and forgiveness of our sins–thank you, God! But how much forgiveness and redemption? By which measurement? In accordance with his wonderful and powerful grace which he lavished on us!

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us […].  (Eph. 1:7-9a)

VIII.. Empowerment of Grace

A. The moment we are saved by his grace

Then grace empowers us to live righteously before God and humankind.

Other aspects of God’s empowering grace follows.

1.. We are to be humble.

James 4:6, which quotes Proverb 3:34, says he gives us more grace when we are humble. “Shows favor” can be easily translated as “gives grace.”

⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble. (Jas. 4:6, cf. Prov. 3:34)

2.. We are called to live a holy life.

We have seen 2 Timothy 1:9 in the outline above. Let’s develop it a little further. It teaches us that he saved and called us to a holy life, but not by anything we have done, but by his purpose and grace. Note the sequence again. Salvation through grace first, and then, second, a holy life by the same grace that also empowers us.

⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, (2 Tim. 1:9)

3.. We can show ourselves gracious by forgiving wrongdoing.

BDAG teaches us that “grace” in some contexts can be translated as “forgive” or “cancel” (personal) debts. Grace empowers us to forgive. “Forgive” in these verses comes from the verb form of “grace.”

¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins […] (Col. 2:13)

¹⁰ Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, (2 Cor 2:10)

³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:32)

4.. We receive encouragement and hope and strength.

We can have those virtues by the Father’s love and grace, so we can do good deeds and speak good words.

¹⁶ May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, ¹⁷ encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thess. 2-16-17)

5.. God’s throne is described as gracious.

By our prayers, we can approach God’s throne with confidence for mercy and grace to help us.

¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Heb. 4:16)

6.. We can bear up under suffering.

Jesus is talking to Paul about the apostle’s thorn in the flesh.

⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

7.. We can glorify the Lord Jesus by grace and be glorified in him.

This mutual glory is in accordance with the grace of God and the Lord Jesus.

¹² We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess. 1:12)

B. Summary

God’s grace is not just “divine favor.” It empowers us to live for God.

IX.. Gifts Coming from Grace

A.. Moment of salvation by grace

The grace of God manifests itself in various gifts. Romans 12:6 says we may have one gift (prophesying), and the other verses (not included here) list six others.

⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith […] (Rom. 12:6)

Ephesians 4:7 says each one of us has grace for gifts, as Christ distributes or apportions them.

⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. (Eph. 4:7)

First Peter 4:10 teaches us that each one of us receive a gift to serve others, and we have to faithfully steward or manage it.

¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10)

B.. The Greek noun charismata is a word related to grace (charis).

Charismata means gifts. Paul writes that the charismata can be manifested with these gifts:

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Cor. 12:7-11)

Stephen is said to be full of grace and power and worked signs and wonders:

⁸ Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8).

C.. We can have power for successful missions.

The church in Jerusalem heard about the success of outreach in Antioch of Syria, so the leaders sent Barnabas to look into things.

²³ When he [Barnabas] arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. (Acts 11:23)

At a later time, Paul and Barnabas returned they way they had come to ensure the churches they had planted and committed to the grace of God were still going strong. It looks like the churches had completed their mission.

²⁶ From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. (Acts 14:26)

X.. Believers Now Live by Grace

A. How do we do this?

1.. We are under grace.

Romans 6:14 teaches that some people revolt against the law (of Moses) because it offends the sinful lifestyle. But when we live in grace, it empowers us to live a holy and righteous life.

¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. (Rom. 6:14)

2.. We stand in grace.

Romans 5:1-2 says that because God has declared us righteous the moment we put our faith in Christ and are born again and come in union with Christ and are born again, we have peace with God. Verse 2 says our faith in Christ has given us access to this grace and can now stand up in it. This is the grace which empowers us to have hope that God will carry us through to glory (our heavenly existence if we die before his Second Coming.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  (Rom. 5:1-2)

3.. We are what we are by God’s grace.

In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul credits grace to be who he is, and then grace empowers him to works hard for the gospel. Grace saves us initially; then it empowers us to complete our mission.

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (1 Cor. 15:10)

4.. We abound in grace.

Second Corinthians 9:8 is a mighty promise. We enjoy an overflow of grace so that in all things we have everything we need–for what purpose? To do every good work.

⁸ And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. (2 Cor. 9:8, CSB)

The context of 1 Timothy 1:14 is Paul describing his sinful life before he got saved. Now he says grace overflowed to him.

¹⁴ The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (1 Tim. 1:14)

5.. We share in God’s grace.

Philippians 1:7, in context (vv. 3-6), shows Paul thanking the Philippians for their ongoing work of advancing the gospel. Now they and he can share in the same grace of God.

⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. (Phil. 1:7)

6.. We are strengthened by grace.

The entire book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians, nowadays known as Messianic Jews. Hebrews 13:9 reminds them not to be carried away by strange doctrines and believing that a kosher diet has power in itself. When our hearts are strengthened by grace (≠ law keeping), we will not get carried away.

⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. (Heb. 13:9)

7.. We must grow in grace.

Second Peter 3:18 comes in the context of a warning. Don’t give in to the errors of the lawless and fall from our secure position (v. 17). Then Peter writes about the better path:

¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)

8.. We must not receive grace in vain.

To receive something in vain means it is empty and has no effect. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 says not to let grace become empty of its meaning and reality in your heart. The verse from Isaiah 49:8 means that salvation brings favor (a synonym for grace).

As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ² For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you. [Is. 49:8]

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:1-2)

9.. Warning! We can fall from grace.

Galatians 5:4 comes in the context of Jewish believers who were trying to bring the Gentile Galatians to obey the ritual aspects of the law of Moses–specifically by being circumcised to prove they were saved and belong to the New Covenant. If the Gentile believers were to go through with it, they will have fallen from grace. For Paul, grace and faith in Christ are the opposite of law keeping to be justified (declared righteous) before God.

⁴ You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. (Gal. 5:4)

10.. Means of grace

The means of grace can be defined as follows: the spiritual, biblical activities, ceremonies, functions, and disciplines by which God gives us additional grace to deepen our relationship with him and grow closer to him, within the church. It can be considered part of the sanctification or discipleship process. The means of grace empowers the Christian to persevere or persist in his relationship with God. Examples follow: water baptism, communion, prayer, Bible study, hearing the Bible preached, community, worship, giving, personal ministry to others, prayer for each other, spiritual gifts, and so on. Many of the posts in this series will offer Scriptural support, but these passages in Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35 are good places to start.

Some Bible teachers differentiate between the ordinary means and extraordinary means of grace. In this book, the extraordinary means are about the miraculous gifts given by the Spirit. Examples are the gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10: a message or word of wisdom, a message or word of knowledge, faith by the Spirit, gifts of healings, miraculous works, prophecy, discernings of spirit, speaking in tongues or languages by the Spirit, and the interpretations of tongues or languages by the Spirit. We can also add the expulsion of demons, the manifest glory of God visiting his people (1 Kings 8 and 2 Chron. 7), and dreams and visions.

My own interpretation says that we should not see the extraordinary means as the foundation, but when we pursue the ordinary means as foundational, extraordinary things can happen, as God wills. It is dangerous for an immature disciple to use the extraordinary means of God without first establishing and rooting himself in the ordinary. For example, a disciple must grow in his knowledge of the Bible and in his church attendance. The more he grows in the ordinary, the more God can trust him with the extraordinary and the less likely it is for him to fall.

B. Summary

Grace envelops us daily, so we are now under it. God grants it to us so we can experience his salvation for us, daily.

XI.. Application

A.. Biblical grace is multifaceted.

The entire post shows it, but let’s focus on two functions and purposes of grace.

1.. Grace for initial salvation

It draws us to become saved in the first place, to enter God’s kingdom for the first time. We can be saved only by God’s grace, which draws us towards salvation. We do not get saved by our good works.

2.. Grace for righteous living and deeper relationship with God

After this initial entry, grace empowers us to be devoted to him and to live right and enjoy a vibrant, living relationship with God. It offers us the gifts of the spirit. It reassures our hearts that we are his forever. It enables us to come back to him when we fail. It is everything to us who believe in Christ. Grace has everything we need for daily living for God’s Son and in his kingdom. Ask God daily for his grace to sustain you.

The grace for living righteously and deepening our relationship with God comes by the ordinary means of grace. When we are rooted in the spiritual disciplines, like regular communion and prayer, God will give us the grace to live holy and righteous lives, pleasing to him.

B.. Two short illustrations

To keep things simple, grace works out like this. The arrows mean “leads to.”

1.. Grace for unsaved person → Salvation

2.. Grace for saved person → Righteous living and deeper relationship with God

Distinguishing between the two functions and purposes can diminish any confusion about the wonderful and multifaceted grace of God.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Works Cited