What is Grace?

[KC02]

God's grace didn't begin in the New Testament. God's grace wasn't ushered in with the advent of Jesus Christ.

Why was Moses, a murderer, chosen by God?

Why was Abraham, who didn't know God, neither did his family know God, chosen to do a great work?

Why in the world did God choose you and I? Surely there are better people

This is God's grace. It is inexplicable.

[Fez]

I am really battling with this. It is just a lack of understanding, not rebellion in me, please understand.

I understand that grace is an awesome gift, and we can strengthen it by faith. I understand sanctification, and justification, and the the fact that no amount of "good works" makes God owe us anything.

"For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast". (Ephesians 2:8,9).

What I am battling to understand is how do we live our lives in or how do we manifest grace? Does living in grace (once we understand and live it), mean we are less likely to sin? Does it make us more like Jesus (we are after all heirs with Christ). Don't get me wrong here, I know we can never be the perfection that is Him.

The Scripture says, "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14). Paul asks, "Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?" His response is clear. "Certainly not!" (Romans 6:15).

The above scripture is key to my understanding (wanting to understand). If I live under grace (the grace Paul talks about, and I don't fully understand), we should be free of sin, and if of sin, then temptation, and if of temptation, then to a large extent of satan. And that makes us more like Jesus?

If thats true WOW! Thats why I am wanting to understand grace in it's fullness. What an awesome gift.

Or am I on the wrong track?

[Hunterpoet]

Hi Fez,

God's grace from our perspective is multifaceted. For example the phrase "but for the Grace of God go I". I have learned however that when God's grace comes upon you , you are given the ability to see and understand, otherwise you go stumbling in the dark.

" but for the Grace of God go I", you see a situation, feel compassion, know that you are better off( at least physically) and in a round about way offer up thanks, as opposed to , "oh poor guy, oh well his tough luck".

God's Grace is given so that you can see how wretched your own doings are, and to then plead forgiveness and repent, without His Grace, none of that could occur.

To see, understand, strength to endure and courage to take action , these are the things which God's Grace allows us; And once you understand how powerful this truly is, then you see how wonderfully beautiful a gift it is.

[mizzdy]

In the paleo-hebrew the word grace can be interperted as to pitch a tent with someone, to finally rest. I look at it as G-d has pitched His tent with us and covers us with that tent in grace. The definition of grace is favour and acceptance. To be accepted under G-d's grace we must be seen as worthy of that grace and when we accept His son He sees in our hearts that we want to return to His love and protection. Thats kinda how I see it anyway.

[nebula]

What I am battling to understand is how do we live our lives in or how do we manifest grace? Does living in grace (once we understand and live it), mean we are less likely to sin? Does it make us more like Jesus (we are after all heirs with Christ). Don't get me wrong here, I know we can never be the perfection that is Him.

The Scripture says, "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14). Paul asks, "Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?" His response is clear. "Certainly not!" (Romans 6:15).

The way I understand this is through these definitions of "grace" (from the dictionary):

mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.

favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.

an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days' grace before the policy lapses. Compare grace period.

If I live under grace (the grace Paul talks about, and I don't fully understand), we should be free of sin, and if of sin, then temptation, and if of temptation, then to a large extent of satan. And that makes us more like Jesus?

I believe it gives us the power to. But this is also mixed in with faith.

What I've been finding about sin is that we don't just have our old nature to contend with (yes, that's taken care of on the cross!) but also wounds of the soul, bad training, and bad habits. Some sin is learned behavior we need to unlearn. Some sin is how we deal with insecurities and whatnot.

The grace you speak of I believe deals with the sin nature - being born again we are given a new nature. But working through those other things takes time. This is why we need to pass through the fires of refining and the discipline of trials.

[kat8585]

I've always heard grace defined as God giving us what we don't deserve, as opposed to mercy which is God not giving us what we deserve.

South

That sounds like a very good explanation no me.

[paul1149]

What I am battling to understand is how do we live our lives in or how do we manifest grace? Does living in grace (once we understand and live it), mean we are less likely to sin? Does it make us more like Jesus (we are after all heirs with Christ). Don't get me wrong here, I know we can never be the perfection that is Him.

The Scripture says, "Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14). Paul asks, "Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?" His response is clear. "Certainly not!" (Romans 6:15).

The above scripture is key to my understanding (wanting to understand). If I live under grace (the grace Paul talks about, and I don't fully understand), we should be free of sin, and if of sin, then temptation, and if of temptation, then to a large extent of satan. And that makes us more like Jesus?

Hi Fez,

Here's how I understand it. That we are under grace and not law does not mean we are free of sin. We still can fall short. We still are subject to temptation.

It means the condemnation of the law has been removed. Like the huge debt of the Unforgiving Servant was remitted in Mt. 18. He never did appreciate that though, which led to his further problems. Hopefully, unlike him, we acknowledge that we cannot pay our debt by our works, and accept the King's generous offer.

And since we are free of the law with regard to righteousness, we can approach God for help in time of need, rather than cower away from Him in unholy shame and fear.

So, it's possible to sin while we're under grace. We err, we fall short, but if we confess and repent we haven't abandoned our position.

But if we fall back on works to justify ourselves, we're in trouble on the grace front. That's a more serious problem. By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

There's a spiritual principle that says we become like that which we give attention to. That's why Paul says that the law stirred up - empowered - sin within him. The law itself was good, a reflection of God's righteousness, but because of our sin nature it works death within us.

Now that we are free of keeping the law in order to be righteous (Rom 10.4), we can direct our attention away from ourselves (typically we either self-condemn or we develop an exalted view of ourselves (self-righteousness) as self-defense) and onto Christ (Heb 10.2). And as we look into the mirror and see our true selves:

• we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. - 2Cr 3:18 NASB
  
  
  
  

  And then one day:
  

  • We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 1jn 3.2
    

  So in summary, we still can sin - 1jn 1.8 is clear on that. But grace has freed us from the downward spiral of condemnation and works-righteousness. When we sin we invoke 1jn 1.9 and by grace reenter the sustaining sabbath rest of Christ.

  bb,

  p.

[Fez]

Thanks for all the replies Most of my understanding of what grace is has been confirmed. It is a huge and awesome gift and it requires a lot more study, but I have been given a direction to look. I want to dig deeper.

Isn't it fun examining and learning the word? Never ending but thats the way of God, is it not?

Hey, and no disagreements amongst us! The Spirit in action!

Blessings

[Believer1997]

Isaiah 26:10

Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD

John 1:16

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.

Acts 20:24

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me

[Hawkins]

What is grace exactly? Scripture tells us it is a gift, freely given by God, and made stronger by faith. But what does living in/under grace mean exactly? I am a bit in the dark on the subject.

Grace = above Law

By Law we are dead through Adam, and by His Grace we are saved through Jesus Christ.

Edited June 15, 2009 by Hawkins