Grace, Grace God’s Grace
Introduction
Grace is an important concept throughout the Bible, appearing in both the Old Testament and New Testament. In fact, it’s a key theme of Christianity as a whole. But what does grace mean exactly? To understand this better, let’s take a closer look at grace by doing a Bible word study on it.
We’ll explore how the Hebrew and Greek words for grace are used in different parts of the Bible. We’ll also examine how the concept of grace has evolved over time from its earliest appearances in scripture to more modern interpretations. By understanding this evolution, we can gain insight into how God views us today and why he offers us his unending love through his gift of grace.
Definition
When you think of Grace what comes to mind?
There are several definitions of grace but the one that struck me the most was “goodwill freely given to the benefit of the recipient regardless of the benefit to the giver.” When you think about it this is exactly what God has done for us. He receives no benefit from us and yet he gives to us freely. This comes completely from within himself and there is nothing we can do to earn it.
As a theological concept grace is elastic and throughout the Bible you will see it presented in many different senses but they all come back to the same concept of being given something that is undeserved by someone more powerful or more superior than yourself.
Everything we have in God comes from grace and through grace God gives us nothing less than himself. J.J Packer says that “grace is simply God’s love demonstrated toward those who deserve the opposite.” Let that sink in. We deserve the exact opposite of what God gives us and yet as the ultimate gift giver he gives us himself.
Outside of Christianity you usually don’t find the concept of grace. If it is present it presents God as an enabler allowing the human to earn salvation.
We truly are blessed to have a God who loves us so much that he would give us himself and his son so that we would not be separated from him ever again.
Old Testament Usage
So now that we have a general idea of grace let’s dive into the Bible and see how it is specifically used there. In Hebrew we find grace translated from one of two words: the noun chen or the adjective channun. When pronouncing these the “ch” is pronounced with a phlegmy “h” sound. Interestingly the name Hannah is a derivative of channun.
This is a central theme of the OT though its usage isn’t necessarily theological. It is presented as the idea of one having a favorable disposition towards another. In fact the Hebrew idiom “if I have found favor” is one expression of this that appears regularly.
The Israelites understood this to be an integral part of God’s character and how he interacts with them. Reading through the OT it is hard not to lose count of the number of times the Israelites were cruising along and everything was great and then they started to drift away until they had forgotten about God. Then he would do something drastic and in time they would turn back to him. He was always faithful to them and showed them grace repeatedly in healing the wounds their sins caused and bringing them back into a relationship with himself. 2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” They just understood that God was one who acted favorably towards them. In translation there is some overlap between loving-kindness, mercy and goodness.
Exodus introduced the concept of the compassionate and gracious God. It recurs often in the Psalms but one instance is in 86:15 “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” Throughout it is common to find rahum and channun used together to describe God and his relationship with his people.
Examples From Scripture
In Christianity, grace is a fundamental concept. We are saved by grace through faith and it is by grace that we can know God. But how is this concept expressed in the Old Testament? While most people associate grace with the New Testament, it has been an essential part of faith since the beginning. Let’s take a look at some examples of grace in the Old Testament.
The Garden of Eden – Genesis 3:15-4:26
The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden contains one of the earliest examples of grace in the Bible. After Adam and Eve had sinned against God and were kicked out of paradise, God’s response was still one of mercy and compassion. He provided them with clothing to cover their shame, showed them kindness as he drove them out, and made sure they had food to eat (Genesis 3:21). This act was not only an example of God’s mercy but also an early glimpse into His plan for redemption—a plan that was ultimately accomplished through Jesus Christ.
Psalm 86:15
Another example from the Old Testament comes from Psalm 86:15. The author writes “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (NIV). This verse emphasizes not only God’s compassion but also His patience—two attributes that were key components to his relationship with humanity even during biblical times.
The concept of grace has been around since the beginning; even before Jesus walked on earth there were references to it throughout Scripture. From Genesis 3 where God clothed Adam & Eve after they sinned against him to Psalm 86 where He is described as compassionate & gracious; these passages remind us that no matter what we have done or how far away from Him we may feel, He has always been there showing us His mercy & love. As Christians, it’s important for us to remember this truth so that we can better understand our place in His kingdom & continue to follow Him faithfully!
New Testament Usage
Now let’s move on to the New Testament. The OT is fun but the concept of grace becomes more overt as we look at the NT. In fact the Gospel is often described as the Good News of God’s Grace. Though we see a more overt expression in the NT the word charis which is translated grace rarely appears in the Gospels. Most of the references appear in Paul’s letters. Overall though charis appears at least 150 times in the 27 books of the NT.
What does it mean to receive grace? The word grace has so many meanings, especially when we look at its usage in the Bible. When we read about grace in the New Testament, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all of the different Scripture references discussing this beautiful concept. Let’s take a deeper look into what grace is and how it is used throughout the New Testament.
Grace has a long history in secular Greek. Often referring to something beautiful or delightful in a person that brought pleasure to others.
The ultimate expression of Grace is our salvation through faith in Christ. It is extended to us through the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Not necessarily the most common usage but the most significant is the human divine relationship and how grace forms the foundation of his entire relationship with humans.
In the book of Acts we find grace represented in three different senses. The first is that it allowed the Apostles to be successful in their mission. The second is that it gave power to the unbelievers to become believers and finally held the power to build up the believers.
Paul started and ended EVERY letter he wrote with grace usually combined with peace. To him it was an activity of God rather than just an attribute.
Examples From Scripture
1 Corinthians 15:10
“For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 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.” Here Paul is referring to charis which implies favor from God free from obligation or merit on our part. This passage shows us that no matter how undeserving we may feel we still can be blessed with His favor and love through His grace toward us.
Ephesians 2:8-9
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.” Here Paul uses charin which emphasizes generosity rather than benefiting someone else through their own action or effort. This passage shows us that salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ alone and nothing else; not money nor good deeds nor anything else can save us except faith in Him alone! It also reminds us that no one can boast because they have done nothing to gain salvation but instead have received it as a generous gift from God Himself!
Romans 3:20-24
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather through faith we are declared righteous because we trust in Jesus Christ who faithfully died for our sins…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God but are justified freely by his grace through redemption found in Christ Jesus.” Here Paul uses karis which focuses more on undeserved kindness rather than being gracious out of obligation or merit on our part. This passage reminds us that despite our sinfulness there is hope for righteousness due to Jesus’ faithful sacrifice on behalf of all mankind – He paid for our sins so now anyone who believes in Him may be declared righteous before God! Hebrews 4:16 – So let us approach God’s throne with confidence knowing that his graciousness will help us find mercy & forgiveness when needed. In this verse charis is used to refer specifically towards divine favor & blessing including mercy & forgiveness when necessary regardless if we deserve them or not! This passage teaches us that even though we may make mistakes & sin against Him there will always be an opportunity for redemption if only we turn back towards Him with an open heart full of humility & repentance!
Ultimately, these passages show just how powerful & transformative grace can be – no matter what situation you may find yourself in you can still receive mercy & forgiveness as well as divine favor if only you turn your heart towards Him! We need only accept His offering of unconditional love & acceptance along with His promise of hope & redemption then allow ourselves to bask in its warmth like a comforting blanket during difficult times! Grace truly transforms lives making each day new again – so seek after His face today & allow yourself to experience true freedom found within His loving embrace!
The concept of grace is a powerful reminder that no matter how far we may stray, God’s love and mercy are always available to us. The passages in this word study have shown us the different ways in which grace can be experienced through favor, kindness, generosity, and divine blessing. We need only turn our hearts towards Him with an open heart full of humility and repentance to find true freedom found within His loving embrace! May you seek after His face today and allow yourself to experience the transformative power of grace for yourself!
