What is Grace?

The gospel message is the good news of God’s Grace, so it is essential to know and constantly seek a better view of what Grace does in our lives. Grace is an integral part of God’s character. Grace is closely related to God’s benevolence, love, and mercy.

Grace can be variously defined as “God’s favour toward the unworthy” or “God’s benevolence on the undeserving.” God is willing to forgive and bless us abundantly in His Grace, even though we don’t deserve to be treated so well or dealt with so generously.

To fully understand Grace, you need to consider who we were without Christ and whom we become with Christ.

Who were we without Christ?

We were born in sin (Psalm 51:5), and we were guilty of breaking God’s holy laws (Romans 3:9–20, 23; 1 John 1:8–10). We were enemies of God (Romans 5:6, 10; 8:7; Colossians 1:21). We were deserving of death (Romans 6:23a). We were unrighteous (Romans 3:10), and we were without means of justifying ourselves (Romans 3:20). Spiritually, we were destitute, blind, unclean, and dead. Our souls were in peril of everlasting punishment.

Who are we with Christ?

But then came Grace. God extended His favour to us. Grace is what saves us (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is the essence of the Gospel (Acts 20:24). Grace gives us victory over sin (James 4:6). Grace gives us “eternal encouragement and good hope”(2 Thessalonians 2:16). Paul repeatedly identified Grace as the basis of his calling as an apostle (Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Ephesians 3:2, 7).

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of Grace, coupled with truth (John 1:14).

Grace as a Gift

The Bible repeatedly calls Grace a “gift.” But to each one of us, Grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift (Ephesians 4:7). For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). This is an important analogy because it teaches us some key things about Grace. Now, let’s look at a gift and its characteristics to understand Grace.

1. First, anyone who has ever received a gift understands that a gift is much different from a loan, which requires repayment or return by the recipient. The fact that Grace is a gift means that nothing is owed in return.
2. Second, there is no COST to the person who receives a gift. Although a gift is free to the recipient, it is not free to the giver, who bears the expense. The gift of salvation costs us sinners nothing. However, the price of such an extravagant gift came at a great expense to our Lord Jesus, who died in our place.
3. Third, once a gift has been given, Ownership of the gift has transferred, and it is now ours to keep. There is permanence in a gift that does not exist with loans or advances. When a gift changes hands, the giver permanently relinquishes all rights to renege or take back the gift in future. God’s Grace is ours forever.
4. Fourth, in giving a gift, the giver voluntarily forfeits something he owns, willingly losing what belongs to him so that the recipient will profit from it. The giver becomes poorer so the recipient can become richer. This generous and voluntary exchange from the giver to the recipient is visible in 2 Corinthians 8:9: “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.”
5. Finally, the Bible teaches that Grace is completely unmerited. The gift and the act of giving have nothing at all to do with our merit or innate quality (Romans 4:4; 11:5–6; 2 Timothy 1:9–10).

In fact, the Bible says quite clearly that we don’t deserve God’s salvation. Romans 5:8–10 says, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. . .. So, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.” Grace does not stop once we are saved; God is gracious to us for the rest of our lives, working within and upon us.

The Bible encourages us with many additional benefits that grace secures for every believer:

What Grace does?

• Grace justifies us before a holy God (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 1:6; Titus 3:7).
• Grace provides us access to God to communicate and fellowship with Him (Ephesians 1:6; Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace wins for us a new relationship of intimacy with God (Exodus 33:17).
• Grace disciplines and trains us to live in a way that honours God (Titus 2:11–14; 2 Corinthians 8:7).
• Grace grants us immeasurable spiritual riches (Proverbs 10:22; Ephesians 2:7).
• Grace helps us in our every need (Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace is the reason behind our every deliverance (Psalm 44:3–8; Hebrews 4:16).
• Grace preserves, comforts, encourages and strengthens us (2 Corinthians 13:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17; 2 Timothy 2:1).

Grace is actively and continually working in the lives of God’s people. Paul credited the success of his ministry not to his own substantial labours but to “the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Grace is the ongoing, benevolent act of God working in us, without which we can do nothing. “ I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5).

Grace is greater than our sin. Moreover, the law entered that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more (Romans 5:20).

Grace is more abundant than we expect. And the Grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14), and too wonderful for words. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15).

As the recipients of God’s grace, Christians must be gracious to others. Grace is given to us to serve others and exercise our spiritual gifts for the building up of the church. (Romans12:4–8; Ephesians 3:2, 7; 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10).

Contributor
By Gilbert Magomere Ayieko
Minister