What is God's Grace Really?

[David1701]

2 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

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

Grace (unmerited favour) is the attitude that God is showing, towards the person to whom he gives the gift.  The gift itself could be anything.  It's a kind of grammatical substitution: the word "grace" takes the place of the gift itself (whatever it may be).

[Vine Abider]

57 minutes ago, David1701 said:

Grace (unmerited favour) is the attitude that God is showing, towards the person to whom he gives the gift.  The gift itself could be anything.  It's a kind of grammatical substitution: the word "grace" takes the place of the gift itself (whatever it may be).

Does that definition of grace (unmerited favor) fit well into this verse, or does it perhaps come up a little short: "Grace (unmerited favor) and peace be multiplied to you . . ."? (2 Peter 1:2)  I mean it does fit in the way a small hand fits in an extra large glove, but I think Peter here is referring to something more than just unmerited favor. 

Strong's Definition of grace g5485

Quote

χάρις cháris, 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).

Notice the definition words of joy and pleasure. Like it says, "especially the divine influence upon the heart."  Unmerited favor certainly can produce joy & pleasure in the heart.  But if you look at 2 Corinthians 12:9, I think there's more to it than only unmerited favor: " "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  And then this verse, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." (1 Cor 15:10)  If we substitute "unmerited favor," I don't know that we do the intent of grace in this verse justice.

Grace comes through Christ, and Christ comes to us through the "bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."   (Phil 1:9) I think grace also means His supply to us, that is, ability to follow His will.

[JohnD]

Grace is God unringing a bell.

[steve morrow]

WHAT  IS  GODS  GRACE  REALLY

 

AGAIN  ---  TITUS 2:11  for the  --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 

 

GODLINESS  ---   PSALM 92:5  O LORD  how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep 

*******92:6  A  BRUTISH  MAN  KNOWETH  NOT  NEITHER  DOTH  A  FOOL  UNDERSTAND  THIS*******

 

1 TIMOTHY 6:3  if any man teach otherwise and consent not to --wholesome words--   EVEN  THE  WORDS  OF  OUR  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST   --and to the doctrine--  WHICH  IS  ACCORDING  TO  GODLINESS

--6:4--  he is proud  --knowing nothing--  but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife railings evil surmisings 

--6:5--  perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds  --and destitute of the truth--  supposing that gain is godliness  --  FROM  SUCH  WIHDRAW  THYSELF  --

 

--6:6--  but godliness with  --contentment--  is great gain

 

LOVING  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST

[David1701]

23 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Does that definition of grace (unmerited favor) fit well into this verse, or does it perhaps come up a little short: "Grace (unmerited favor) and peace be multiplied to you . . ."? (2 Peter 1:2)  I mean it does fit in the way a small hand fits in an extra large glove, but I think Peter here is referring to something more than just unmerited favor. 

Strong's Definition of grace g5485

Notice the definition words of joy and pleasure. Like it says, "especially the divine influence upon the heart."  Unmerited favor certainly can produce joy & pleasure in the heart.  But if you look at 2 Corinthians 12:9, I think there's more to it than only unmerited favor: " "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  And then this verse, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." (1 Cor 15:10)  If we substitute "unmerited favor," I don't know that we do the intent of grace in this verse justice.

Grace comes through Christ, and Christ comes to us through the "bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."   (Phil 1:9) I think grace also means His supply to us, that is, ability to follow His will.

As I said, "grace" is sometimes used to represent a gift given by God (no matter what the gift may be).  You could say "grace-gift" of _____.  Just fill in the blank.  Whatever God gives his children is a grace-gift.

[Vine Abider]

1 hour ago, David1701 said:

As I said, "grace" is sometimes used to represent a gift given by God (no matter what the gift may be).  You could say "grace-gift" of _____.  Just fill in the blank.  Whatever God gives his children is a grace-gift.

So His supply to us, right?

[David1701]

18 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

So His supply to us, right?

Yes_ish, as long as it's included that his supply to us is done in unmerited favour, and that, sometimes, his grace to us is not giving us something which would be harmful.

[Vine Abider]

14 minutes ago, David1701 said:

Yes_ish, as long as it's included that his supply to us is done in unmerited favour, and that, sometimes, his grace to us is not giving us something which would be harmful.

Of course!  That's why I sorta like thinking grace is "unmerited supply" or even "favored supply."

[Raven]

On 11/8/2022 at 8:34 AM, 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?

Unconditional love.

It cannot be received conditionally.

[Vine Abider]

On 11/11/2022 at 3:25 PM, Raven said:

Unconditional love.

It cannot be received conditionally.

Yes, we have nothing to offer. Zip, zilch, nada!  We just come as we are . . . always!

A verse I read this morning: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God"  (Eph 2:8)  This really shows the "unmerited favor" side of grace.  The other side of grace is the supply we enjoy ongoing of our immeasurable Christ and His Spirit in us!