What is God's Grace Really?

[Vine Abider]

I've often heard that the definition of grace in the Bible is just God's "unmerited favor."  However, if I plug "unmerited favor" into certain verses, it doesn't fit well.  That is, a number of verses with grace in them seem to imply something of a supply or an energizing from God.

A few verses:

"And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed"  2 Cor. 9:8

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 2 Cor. 12:9

"The Lord be with your spirit; grace be with you.  2 Tim. 4:22

So is grace just favor from God we don't deserve, or is there more to it than that -->  What is your insight and experience of grace?

Edited November 7, 2022 by Vine Abider

[Selah7]

For me, God’s all-sufficient grace gives me strength and courage.  When things become difficult and it seems as though there will be no way I can handle life, the following verse always reminds me to rely on Christ's strength and power to help me through.   -Selah 

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV)

[steve morrow]

GODS  GRACE  

 

TITUS 2:11  FOR  THE  GRACE  OF  GOD THAT  BRINGETH  SALVATION  HATH  APPEARED  TO  ALL  MEN

--2:12--  TEACHING  US  --  that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live  --soberly--righteously--and godly  --  IN  THIS  PRESENT  WORLD--

 

COLOSSIANS 1:5  for the hope that is laid up for you in heaven whereof you heard before in --the word of the truth of the  GOSPEL

--1:6-- which is come unto you as it is in all the world  --and bringeth forth fruit-- as it doth also in you  --since the day you heard of it  -- AND  KNEW  THE  GRACE  OF  GOD  IN  TRUTH--

 

ACTS 20:32  AND  NOW  BRETHREN  I  COMMEND  YOU  TO  GOD  AND  TO  --THE  WORD  OF  HIS  GRACE--  WHICH  IS  ABLE  TO  BUILD  YOU  UP  AND  TO  GIVE  YOU  AN  INHERITANCE  AMONG  ALL  THEM  THAT  ARE  SANCTIFIED 

 

LOVING  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST 

[Vine Abider]

18 hours ago, Selah7 said:

For me, God’s all-sufficient grace gives me strength and courage.  When things become difficult and it seems as though there will be no way I can handle life, the following verse always reminds me to rely on Christ's strength and power to help me through.   -Selah 

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV)

Yes - amen!  This verse equates grace with sufficiency and His strength (in our weakness)!

I once heard the definition of grace stated something like this:  "Grace is all God has in Christ for us, personally coming to us as our moment by moment supply."  I've modified that and shortened it to grace is His "favored supply" to us.

[missmuffet]

What is the definition of grace?

https://www.gotquestions.org

ANSWER

The gospel message is the good news of God’s grace, so it is important to know what grace is and to constantly seek to get a better view of what grace does in our lives.

Grace is an essential part of God’s character. Grace is closely related to God’s benevolence, love, and mercy. Grace can be variously defined as “God’s favor toward the unworthy” or “God’s benevolence on the undeserving.” In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve to be treated so well or dealt with so generously.

To fully understand grace, we need to consider who we were without Christ and who we become with 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), deserving of death (Romans 6:23a). We were unrighteous (Romans 3:10) and without means of justifying ourselves (Romans 3:20). Spiritually, we were destitute, blind, unclean, and dead. Our souls were in peril of everlasting punishment.

But then came grace. God extended His favor 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).

The Bible repeatedly calls grace a “gift” (e.g., Ephesians 4:7). This is an important analogy because it teaches us some key things about grace:

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.

Second, there is no cost to the person who receives a gift. A gift is free to the recipient, although it is not free to the giver, who bears the expense. The gift of salvation costs us sinners nothing. But the price of such an extravagant gift came at a great cost for our Lord Jesus, who died in our place.

Third, once a gift has been given, ownership of the gift has transferred and it is now ours to keep. There is a 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.

Fourth, in the giving of 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.”

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. . . . 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:

• 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 honors 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 us and 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 labors 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 (John 15:5). Grace is greater than our sin (Romans 5:20), more abundant than we expect (1 Timothy 1:14), and too wonderful for words (2 Corinthians 9:15).

As the recipients of God’s grace, Christians are to be gracious to others. Grace is given to us to serve others and to exercise our spiritual gifts for the building up of the church (Romans 12:6; Ephesians 3:2, 7; 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10).

Edited November 8, 2022 by missmuffet

[Vine Abider]

23 hours ago, missmuffet said:

What is the definition of grace?

https://www.gotquestions.org

ANSWER

The gospel message is the good news of God’s grace, so it is important to know what grace is and to constantly seek to get a better view of what grace does in our lives.

Grace is an essential part of God’s character. Grace is closely related to God’s benevolence, love, and mercy. Grace can be variously defined as “God’s favor toward the unworthy” or “God’s benevolence on the undeserving.” In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve to be treated so well or dealt with so generously.

To fully understand grace, we need to consider who we were without Christ and who we become with 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), deserving of death (Romans 6:23a). We were unrighteous (Romans 3:10) and without means of justifying ourselves (Romans 3:20). Spiritually, we were destitute, blind, unclean, and dead. Our souls were in peril of everlasting punishment.

But then came grace. God extended His favor 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).

The Bible repeatedly calls grace a “gift” (e.g., Ephesians 4:7). This is an important analogy because it teaches us some key things about grace:

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.

Second, there is no cost to the person who receives a gift. A gift is free to the recipient, although it is not free to the giver, who bears the expense. The gift of salvation costs us sinners nothing. But the price of such an extravagant gift came at a great cost for our Lord Jesus, who died in our place.

Third, once a gift has been given, ownership of the gift has transferred and it is now ours to keep. There is a 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.

Fourth, in the giving of 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.”

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. . . . 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:

• 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 honors 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 us and 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 labors 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 (John 15:5). Grace is greater than our sin (Romans 5:20), more abundant than we expect (1 Timothy 1:14), and too wonderful for words (2 Corinthians 9:15).

As the recipients of God’s grace, Christians are to be gracious to others. Grace is given to us to serve others and to exercise our spiritual gifts for the building up of the church (Romans 12:6; Ephesians 3:2, 7; 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10).

That's a pretty good article - thanks for sharing!  It certainly goes into the idea that grace is more than just "unmerited favor." While that is good, it is only the start of what God has for us.  Grace to me is an enjoyment of all that God is providing for me in Christ.  It does start with His favor toward us - WE ARE FAVORED BY GOD!!!  And then it continues by Him pouring out the riches of Christ to us throughout our lives.

I liked this from near the end of the article: "Grace is the ongoing, benevolent act of God working in us, without which we can do nothing." Grace is Him working in us, to complete a good work in us! (Philippians 1:6)  Grace is really just Christ - two verses show this: "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."  (John 1:17)  "The Lord be with your spirit - grace be with you." (2 Tim 4:22)

From this we can see that grace is really a person - Christ in us, the hope of glory!  (Col 1:27)

[missmuffet]

31 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

That's a pretty good article - thanks for sharing!  It certainly goes into the idea that grace is more than just "unmerited favor." While that is good, it is only the start of what God has for us.  Grace to me is an enjoyment of all that God is providing for me in Christ.  It does start with His favor toward us - WE ARE FAVORED BY GOD!!!  And then it continues by Him pouring out the riches of Christ to us throughout our lives.

I liked this from near the end of the article: "Grace is the ongoing, benevolent act of God working in us, without which we can do nothing." Grace is Him working in us, to complete a good work in us! (Philippians 1:6)  Grace is really just Christ - two verses show this: "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."  (John 1:17)  "The Lord be with your spirit - grace be with you." (2 Tim 4:22)

From this we can see that grace is really a person - Christ in us, the hope of glory!  (Col 1:27)

You are welcome. God bless and have good day. 

[David1701]

On 11/7/2022 at 9:34 PM, Vine Abider said:

I've often heard that the definition of grace in the Bible is just God's "unmerited favor."  However, if I plug "unmerited favor" into certain verses, it doesn't fit well.  That is, a number of verses with grace in them seem to imply something of a supply or an energizing from God.

A few verses:

"And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed"  2 Cor. 9:8

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 2 Cor. 12:9

"The Lord be with your spirit; grace be with you.  2 Tim. 4:22

So is grace just favor from God we don't deserve, or is there more to it than that -->  What is your insight and experience of grace?

Unmerited favour is what is behind God's gifts to his children, so that, whatever you receive from God, you can say that it's grace.

[Vine Abider]

50 minutes ago, David1701 said:

Unmerited favour is what is behind God's gifts to his children, so that, whatever you receive from God, you can say that it's grace.

Sure!  It sounds like you are saying grace is unmerited favor, but also has an ongoing characteristic to it  - can you elaborate?

[Cntrysner]

If we input one speck of ourselves into God's grace, it’s fullness will not be realized. Dieing to self is receiving the fullness of grace.