Difference between revisions of "Grace"

<p> The word "grace" in biblical parlance can, like forgiveness, repentance, regeneration, and salvation, mean something as broad as describing the whole of God's activity toward man or as narrow as describing one segment of that activity. An accurate, common definition describes grace as the unmerited favor of God toward man. In the Old Testament, the term that most often is translated "grace, " is <i> hen </i> [חֵן]; in the New Testament, it is <i> charis </i> [Χάρις]. </p> <p> <i> The Old [[Testament]] </i> . The word <i> hen </i> [חֵן] occurs around sixty times in the Old Testament. There are examples of man's favor to man, but the theological concept of importance to us is the grace of God demonstrated toward man. The term occurs most often in the phrase favor "in your (i.e., God's) sight" or "in the eyes of the Lord." This assumes the notion of God as a watchful master or king, with the one who is finding favor, a servant, an employee, or perhaps a soldier. </p> <p> The concept first occurs in &nbsp;Genesis 6:8 . Noah finds "favor in the eyes of the Lord." The context is that the Lord was grieved at "how great man's wickedness on the earth had become" (&nbsp;Genesis 6:5 ). This statement about the Lord's antipathy toward man is followed by his promise that he will wipe humankind from the face of the earth, that is, completely destroy him, because of his anger at their condition. Noah is then described as having found favor in the eyes of the Lord. The themes of judgment and salvation, in which the vast majority of humankind are condemned to destruction, while God finds favor on a few (Noah and his family), reoccurs often in connection with the idea of grace. Hence, concepts of election, salvation, mercy, and forgiveness are all linked in this first illustration of grace in the Old Testament. Interestingly, the rest of the references to favor in [[Genesis]] all describe favor in the eyes of man (e.g., Jacob begging Esau's favor, 32:5; 33:8,10, 15). </p> <p> Crucial among the Old Testament passages on the unmerited favor of God is the conversation between Moses and God recorded in &nbsp;Exodus 33 . There, in the space of six verses, Moses is said to have found favor with God five times, <i> hen </i> [חֵן] being translated either "find favor" or "be pleased with." At the beginning of the chapter, Moses goes into the tent of meeting, while the pillar of cloud stands at the entrance to the tent, and the people of [[Israel]] stay outside, worshiping (v. 10). The Lord speaks to Moses "face to face, s a man speaks with his friend." In the passage, the conversation between Moses and the Lord has to do specifically with the favor that God shows to Moses, and Moses requests that God demonstrate that favor toward him. Moses begins by reminding God that he has called Moses to lead these people, but that God has not let him know whom he will send with Moses. The statement echoes the original conversation between Moses and God at the burning bush in chapter 3, where God promises to send Aaron with Moses to help him get the people out of Egypt. Here, the Lord promises only that his "Presence" will go with Moses, and that he will give him rest (v. 14). Moses has just stated that he knows God's name (another echo of chap. 3), and that he has found favor with God; he requests that God teach him his ways, so that he may "know you and continue to find favor with you" (v. 13). Moses demonstrates his humble dependence upon the grace of God by affirming that if God's [[Presence]] does not go up with them, he does not want to be sent, because he knows they will fail (v. 15). But he asks the reasonable question, "How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?" (v. 16). God promises to go with him in the next verse because "I am pleased with you and I know you by name" (v. 17). </p> <p> Moses then makes one of the most remarkable requests of God ever made in Scripture, asking God to "show me your glory." Just as remarkable is that God answers his request positively. He promised to "cause all my goodness to pass in front of you" and that he will proclaim his name "Yahweh" in Moses' presence. He then makes a statement that is connected with grace throughout Scripture, one that Paul will quote in the context of election in &nbsp;Romans 9 : "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." This is a remarkable example of the unconditional and full character of the grace of God. God holds very little back, only telling Moses that he "cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." Even this is an act of unconditional and full grace in that God has withheld from Moses what would destroy him. The passage closes with the strange instruction that God will cause his "glory" to pass by, Moses being hid in a cleft in a rock and covered with the hand of God until the glory has passed by. Then God will remove his hand and allow Moses to see the back of his glory, but not his face. Again, this protective, gracious act of God emphasizes the extent to which God is willing to go with his faithful servant to show his favor toward him. </p> <p> Moses again speaks of finding favor with the Lord in &nbsp;Numbers 11:4-17 . When the people of Israel complain at having only manna and not any meat, Moses cries out to the Lord in an apparently sincere state of vexation at the burden of judging this entire people by himself: "I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyesand do not let me face my own ruin" (vv. 14-15). Without questioning his integrity or his strength of character, God immediately gives Moses a solution to his problem by appointing seventy of the elders of Israel to help him carry the burden of the people, "so that you will not have to carry it alone" (v. 17). </p> <p> At the same time, God even answers the question that Moses has not asked: What about meat for the complaining people? God instructs Moses that he will give them meat for the month, though he will give them more meat than they want, as the story makes clear. The fact that the Lord brings judgment upon the people, however, does not vitiate the point of God's favor toward Moses in this passage. He still Acts as a sovereign who gives complete, unmerited favor to his servant. </p> <p> God's favor sometimes extends to the fact that he will wait upon man as if he were his servant. Gideon, when called by God to lead Israel against Midian, asks God to wait while he goes to get his offering to set before him (&nbsp;Judges 6:17 ). As with Moses, the statement is in the context of the promise of the Lord to be "with you, and you will strike down all the [[Midianites]] together" (&nbsp;Judges 6:16 ). When [[Gideon]] actually brings the offering that he has prepared, God shows his grace beyond what Gideon has asked by giving him instructions on where to place it and how to arrange it, then creating a supernatural fire that consumes the meat and the bread. After he disappears, Gideon realizes that he has seen the "angel of the Lord" and, interestingly, makes reference to the fact that he has seen him "face to face, " recalling the passage in Exodus. God shows his grace one more time by assuring Gideon that although he is afraid since he has seen the angel of the Lord face to face, he is not going to die (&nbsp;Judges 6:23 ). </p> <p> Samuel, too, finds favor in the eyes of the Lord (&nbsp;1 Samuel 2:26 ). Here, the boy Samuel is described as growing in stature and in favor, not only with the Lord, but also with men. This verse is quoted, of course, in the New Testament, using the heavily theologically weighted term <i> charis </i> [ &nbsp; Luke 2:52 ). It is significant because it is a description of the growth of a child in the favor of God. The child cannot earn that favor since he is merely a child. Thus, God's grace toward those whom he loves grows in its extensiveness, as the child grows. This is perhaps no less important because of Samuel's unique relationship to salvation history. He is the last of the judges and is the transitional figure between the period of the judges and the period of the kings in Israel's history, as John the [[Baptist]] is in the New Testament between the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament evangelists. </p> <p> Remarkably, the life of David is devoid of references to finding favor in the eyes of the Lord, though often he finds favor in the eyes of men, or requests such favor (&nbsp;1 Samuel 16:22; &nbsp;20:3,29 , etc. ). One reference, however, is striking, especially in light of the dearth of references elsewhere. As David flees the city of [[Jerusalem]] after hearing that [[Absalom]] has been crowned king in Hebron, he takes the ark with him. A particularly faithful servant named Ittai, the Gittite, has declared his faithfulness to David, even though David has given him leave to go back and spare himself potential death by association with David. The procession continues into the desert, where it stops so that they can offer sacrifices with the ark in their midst. Then the king tells [[Zadok]] the priest to take the ark back into the city because he knows it belongs in the temple of the Lord. In a remarkable display of trust in God and in his sovereignty, David says that if he finds favor in the Lord's eyes, then God will bring him back. But if he does not, then David is ready; as he puts it, "Let him do to me whatever seems good to him" (&nbsp;2 Samuel 15:26 ). David recognizes that the unmerited favor of God has to do with God's choice, not his. Grace in the Old Testament is just as much an act of the sovereign will of God as is grace in the New Testament. </p> <p> The last prominent example of grace in the Old Testament is found in the Book of Esther. Of course, the book does not speak of <i> God's </i> favor at all, but Esther's humility in seeking the favor of the king has always been understood as a pointer toward human responsibility to humbly accept the grace of God. Esther finds favor in the eyes of the king and is rewarded with the freedom of her people (5:1-8; 7:3; 8:5-8). </p> <p> Only a few references close out the notion of grace in the Old Testament, but they are significant. Ezra in his notable prayer to God when he finds that the people have intermarried with foreigners against God's will (&nbsp;Ezra 9 ), states that God has been gracious to the people of Israel "for a brief moment, " in doing two things. The first is that he has left the people of Israel a remnant. The remnant is a sign that God's gracious favor bestowed upon Israel in the covenant continues on even in times of great disobedience and/or destruction among the Israelites, though this is the only reference to the remnant in the context in which <i> hen </i> [חֵן] is used in the Old Testament. </p> <p> God has also given them "a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage" (&nbsp;Ezra 9:8 ). Here is a reference to the grace that is shown the people in the giving of the temple and the light that it brings to Israel. But in the context of the Book of Ezra, this may also be a reference to the grace shown by God in giving Israel the Law, since the reading of the Law and the confession of the sin of the people on the basis of that reading is so important to this book. </p> <p> Another crucial reference is found in &nbsp;Jeremiah 31 . The famous passage about the new covenant (vv. 31-34) is enough of a statement about the grace of God on its own, but it is linked to the <i> hen </i> [חֵן] of God by the occurrence of that word in 31:2. Introducing the same passage with the phrase "at that time, " an echo of the beginning of the covenant passage in 31:31, God says that "the people who survive the sword will find grace in the desert; I will come to give rest to Israel." Here is a promise of the grace of God given to the people when they are given the new covenant. The new covenant, of course, is a promise that God will be their God, and they will be his people, with the Law written upon their hearts and present in their minds, and the gracious promise that all God's people will know him. From the least of them to the greatest, they will be forgiven their wickedness, and God will remember their sins no more. </p> <p> <i> The New Testament </i> . Grace in the New Testament is largely encompassed by the use of the word <i> charis </i> [ &nbsp; Matthew 20:1-16 ) and the parable of the great supper (&nbsp;Luke 14:16-24 ). </p> <p> While the idea of grace can be said to be largely a Pauline one, there are references to it in John and Luke as well. John describes Jesus as "full of grace and truth" and speaks of his people receiving grace upon grace from the fullness of his grace (&nbsp;John 1:16 ). In one of the most important theological statements about grace in Scripture, John says that the Law, a good thing, was given through Moses; the better things of grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (&nbsp;John 1:17 ). </p> <p> When we turn to the writings of Luke, we find that Jesus is described as having the grace of God upon him (&nbsp;Luke 2:40 ) and as growing in grace with God and man (&nbsp;Luke 2:52 ). Many more references to grace are found in the Book of Acts. Luke makes a strong association between grace and power, especially in the early chapters (4:33; 6:8; 11:23). Grace is found without qualifier (18:27) and in the phrases "message of his grace" (14:3), "grace of God" (14:26), "grace of our Lord Jesus" (15:11), "grace of the Lord" (15:40). The distinction between these phrases does not seem acute, and therefore the basic synonymity between them points to an intention on Luke's part to make a statement about the deity of Christ. Again, these phrases often seemed to be linked with the power of God to create spiritual life and to sustain Christians. This grace is, as in the Old Testament passages, an unmerited favor, but now a new aspect of power in the Spirit has been added to it. </p> <p> The concept of grace is most prominently found in the New Testament in the epistles of Paul. The standard greeting in the Greek ancient world generally involved the verb <i> charein </i> . Paul's greeting, however, was unique, combining the Hebrew greeting, <i> shalom </i> [שָׁלֹום] (eirene in Greek) with the word <i> charis </i> [Χάρις]. This in itself is enough to note that Paul is thinking and not simply reacting as he writes his greeting. </p> <p> The fact that he sometimes uses grace in his benedictions as well, which clearly are intentional, indicates that his greetings are to be taken with some seriousness. For instance, the benediction in &nbsp;1 Corinthians 16:23 , coming just after his dramatic plea to the Lord to come, demonstrates a strong belief in the grace of God. In the salutation of the letter (1:3), one gets a greeting that follows on from a strongly worded theological statement about sanctification and calling (1:2) and that leads into a statement about grace in 1:4 demonstrating the theological import Paul intends. A similar seriousness could be argued about the other salutations in Paul's letters. </p> <p> Overwhelmingly in the letters of Paul God is the subject of grace. He gives it freely and without merit. Hence the many different phrases connected with grace: the grace of God (&nbsp;Romans 5:15 ), the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 13:14 ), and the like. Sometimes this is explicitly stated, as in &nbsp;Ephesians 4:7 : "to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." </p> <p> Interestingly, Paul sometimes mentions the gift of grace from God using alongside it language that speaks of human responsibility. So in &nbsp;Romans 15:16 , Paul speaks of "the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God." Grace, then, is the power with which the human being then performs his or her gifted task. This is even more clearly seen in Paul's self-defense in Galatians. In one of the most truly dialectic passages in Scripture, Paul proclaims that he has died, yet lives, yet not he but Christ lives, yet he lives in the body by faith. He then argues that in living "by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, " that he is not "setting aside the grace of God" (2:20-21). Only an argument that Paul was too dependent upon works in his life would create the argument that he was not setting aside the grace of God in his understanding of the sanctified Christian life. </p> <p> Grace can be such a forceful thought for Paul that he sometimes anthropomorphizes it. Hence, in &nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:10 , in the midst of an emotional defense of his apostleship despite the fact that he had persecuted the church of God, Paul says that he is what he is by the grace of God. He then goes on to compare himself to others who had worked among the community, the other apostles, and declares that he worked harder than all of them. In order that this statement might not seem boastful, Paul follows it up by saying "yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." Though this grace is said to be God's grace, it nevertheless is said to be "with him, " and working harder than the other apostles, and is tantamount to equating the grace of God with the Holy Spirit. </p> <p> In &nbsp;Ephesians 1:6 Paul speaks of the "glorious grace" of God, which should garner our praise. Of course, once again, Paul is not expecting us to praise an abstract comment, but he is thinking of the grace of God working so mightily in his life that it becomes a metonymy for God. The highly rhetorical character of the passage in which this verse is found (1:3-14) helps explain the power of this statement. The point is that Paul was so saturated with the notion of grace in his writing that he thought of it as an essential, if not <i> the </i> essential attribute of God. </p> <p> Grace is most often associated in Paul with other terms having to do with salvation. We see it related to election (&nbsp;Ephesians 1:3-6 ), to the gospel (2Col 4:15; &nbsp;Colossians 1:5-6 ), explicitly to justification (Romans passim, esp. 3:23-26; &nbsp;Ephesians 2:8-9 ), and most often to sanctification (&nbsp;Romans 5:2,21; &nbsp;6:1,14 , &nbsp;15; 2Col 12:9; &nbsp;Ephesians 2:10; &nbsp;Titus 2:11-14 ). It is even used with the human subject in speaking of the collection for Jerusalem as a work of grace. </p> <p> In connecting grace to election Paul sees God as electing us before the creation of the world for the purpose of holiness and blamelessness (&nbsp;Ephesians 1:4 ). He predestined us to be adopted as sons into the family of God (&nbsp;Ephesians 1:5 ). All of this elective work is so that we might "praise his glorious grace." In other words, election and grace go hand in hand because of their free character. We can do nothing to deserve them. </p> <p> This is the essential connection also with the gospel. In one of Paul's passages about the suffering that a minister of Christ undergoes, he speaks of faith and continuing in ministry "because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence" (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 4:14 ). Paul sees this as the benefit of not only the Corinthians but also all who receive his ministry, so that "the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart" (vv. 15-16). Grace thus renews Paul's inward spirit and assures him of glory in the afterlife (vv. 16-17). Hence, Paul's ministry is not one that he always does joyfully or motivated by his own power, but rather motivated by faith that God is working in the present and will reward him in the eschaton. </p> <p> In the same way, he links the grace of God with the gospel in &nbsp;Colossians 1:5-6 . The word of truth, the gospel, is bearing fruit and growing at the present time "just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth" (v. 6). The parallel descriptions of "gospel" and "grace" as "truth" link the two as synonyms in the passage. This grace is therefore the "hope that is stored up for [them] in heaven" (v. 5), presumably something God is doing in heaven for them, and hence free from merit. </p> <p> Perhaps the most dominant metaphor with which grace is associated is the legal metaphor of justification. We see the two linked in two very important passages in which grace is used in Paul. &nbsp;Romans 3:23-24 states quite clearly that all have fallen short of the glory of God and are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Here, while the language of the slave market may be implied in the use of the word "redemption, " and that of the cultus in the use of the phrase "sacrifice of atonement" in the next verse, the strongest linking with grace in this passage is with the word "justified" in verse 24. Hence the unmerited favor of God buys us legal freedom from our sin and cancels the sentence of guilt the judge has had to declare in order "to be just and the one who justified those who have faith in Jesus" (v. 26). It is interesting to note that the next thought of Paul is: "where, then, is boasting? It is excluded" (v. 27), again emphasizing that grace is free and not the work of man. </p> <p> In &nbsp;Ephesians 2:8-9 Paul states the free character of grace perhaps even more explicitly, now not using the language of justification but simply of salvation. We are told that we have been saved "by grace" but "through faith." Grace is seen here as the means by which we are saved, a free gift; faith is seen as the mechanism by which that salvation or grace is appropriated. Paul must then go on to argue that even faith is "not by works so that no one can boast" (v. 9). </p> <p> This does not mean that Paul keeps grace separate from works in sanctification, for he goes right on to speak of us being God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works (v. 10). Similarly, grace is seen as being in the midst of our present Christian life. In &nbsp;Romans 5:2 Paul speaks of gaining "access by faith into this grace in which we now stand" and in 5:21 of grace reigning "through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." While all of this is in the context of the grace of God as a gift versus the Law of God as a work, nevertheless grace is viewed as reigning even as we live the life we are supposed to live in Christ. Hence the argument of &nbsp; Romans 6 that we are not to go on sinning so that grace may increase, but we are to "count [ourselves] dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus for sin shall not be [our] master, because [we] are not under law, but under grace" (vv. 11-14). The key metaphor used in this chapter to describe this "work" of sanctification is "offer." Hence we are not to "offer the parts of [our] body to sin as instruments of wickedness, " but rather offer ourselves to God, "as those who have been brought from death to life" (v. 13). This is done as slaves, offering ourselves in obedience to him (v. 16). </p> <p> Even the suffering of the present Christian life is linked to the grace that God gives us. In Paul's famous statement about the thorn in his flesh (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ), he speaks of asking three times that this thorn be taken from him, only to receive the answer "my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Here grace is equated with the power to live the Christian life and to do ministry in the name of Christ. So Paul delights even in the hardships of that ministry. In a similar way, the whole of the Christian life is linked to grace in &nbsp;Titus 2:11-14 . This grace "teaches us to say No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope." Here we see both the ethic of the Christian life (saying no and living uprightly) and the thought of the Christian life (the blessed hope) combined under the reign of grace. </p> <p> Finally, grace is associated strongly with the gifts of the Spirit. This is true of the list of gifts in &nbsp;Ephesians 4:3-11 corporately to the church and the gifts given to individuals within the church for its edification (&nbsp; Romans 12:4-8; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 12 ). In all of the work of grace about which Paul speaks, the Spirit has been implicit if not directly explicit. Hence, even though grace is not specifically mentioned in &nbsp;1 Corinthians 12 , we find that the Spirit gives to each one a gift "as he determines" (v. 11). The simple mention of these attributes as "gifts" throughout the chapter implies that they are a work of grace as well, but the connection with grace is explicit in the parallel passage of &nbsp;Romans 12:3-8 . Here Paul states we have different gifts "according to the grace given us" (v. 6), and he has opened the passage by proclaiming that the source of his statement about thinking of others more than you think of yourself by saying that it comes through grace (v. 3). The somewhat different list in &nbsp;Ephesians 4 is similarly controlled by the notion of grace. Paul states in verse 7 "to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it." As he then describes this grace that has been given, it comes in the form of apostles, evangelists, and pastors/teachers in order "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (v. 11). </p> <p> The notion of grace as connected to the Spirit of God is continued by the author of Hebrews in such a way that even mentions "the Spirit of grace" (10:29). Hebrews also emphasizes the connection of grace to salvation (2:9), sanctification (4:16; 12:15; 13:9), and the final blessing of God (13:25). </p> <p> The other literature in the New Testament also emphasizes the free character of grace. The one reference in James links it to God's gift (4:6). Peter, who also includes it in his greeting, quotes the same Old Testament verse as James (&nbsp;1 Peter 5:5 ) and speaks of us as stewards of the grace of God (4:10). Peter also closes his second epistle with a benediction in joining us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and [[Savior]] Jesus Christ." The Book of Revelation also begins with a salutation and closes with a benediction that includes grace (1:4; 22:21), the only two references to grace in the entire book. </p> <p> Andrew H. Trotter, Jr. </p> <p> <i> See also </i> [[Favor]]; [[Paul The Apostle]] </p> <p> <i> Bibliography </i> . H. Conzelman, <i> TDNT, </i> 9:359-415; H.-H. Esser, <i> NIDNTT, </i> 2:115-24; A. B. Luter, Jr., <i> DPL, </i> pp. 372-74; J. Moffatt, <i> Grace in the New Testament </i> ; C. R. Smith, <i> The Bible Doctrine of Grace </i> ; J. H. Stringer, <i> NBD, </i> pp. 442-44. </p>

<i> charis </i> <i> charis </i> <i> charis </i> <p> Grace in the Old Testament No one word in the Hebrew Old Testament is equivalent to the New Testament use of <i> charis </i> for God's unmerited gift of salvation. The translators of the Greek Old Testament characteristically translated the Hebrew word <i> chanan/chen </i> as <i> charis </i> , and the King James Version likewise often translates this as “grace” or “favor” or “mercy.” The Hebrew verb <i> chanan </i> occurs some 56 times in the Old Testament and refers to the kind turning of one person to another in an act of assistance, such as aid to the poor (&nbsp; Proverbs 14:31 ). In the Psalms it is frequently used to call upon the gracious assistance of God in times of need (&nbsp;Psalm 4:1; &nbsp;Psalm 6:2; &nbsp;Psalm 25:16; &nbsp;Psalm 31:9; &nbsp;Psalm 86:3; &nbsp;Psalm 86:16; &nbsp;Psalm 123:3 ). In other instances God is said to make one attractive or favorable in the eyes of another (&nbsp;Genesis 39:21; &nbsp;Exodus 3:21; &nbsp;Exodus 11:3; &nbsp;Exodus 12:36 ). It is the latter meaning of “favor” which the noun <i> chen </i> especially conveys. Of its 70 occurrences in the Old Testament, 43 are in the stereotyped expression “to find favor/grace in the eyes/sight of another.” Most commonly this expression refers to persons seeking or obtaining the favor of another (Jacob from Esau—&nbsp; Genesis 32:5; &nbsp;Genesis 33:8; [[Joseph]] from Potiphar—&nbsp;Genesis 39:14; Ruth from Boaz—&nbsp;Ruth 2:2 ,Ruth 2:2,&nbsp;2:10; Esther from Ahasuerus—&nbsp;Esther 2:17 ). More rarely it refers to a person receiving God's special favor (Noah—&nbsp;Genesis 6:8; Moses—&nbsp;Exodus 33:12-19; Gideon—&nbsp;Judges 6:17 ). In none of these instances, however, is there any emphasis on the recipient's lack of merit as in the New Testament concept of “grace.” [[Closest]] to this idea are the few passages in the prophets which refer to God's gracious favor to Israel in delivering her from captivity and restoring the nation (&nbsp;Jeremiah 31:2; &nbsp;Zechariah 4:7; &nbsp;Zechariah 12:10 ). </p> <p> Other Hebrew words convey the idea of God's grace, such as <i> racham/rachamim </i> (“mercy”) and <i> chesed </i> (“steadfast covenant love”). These words are often combined with chen to refer to the one merciful, loving, gracious God (&nbsp; Exodus 34:6; &nbsp;Nehemiah 9:17; &nbsp;Psalm 86:15; &nbsp;Psalm 103:8; &nbsp;Psalm 145:8; &nbsp;Joel 2:13; &nbsp;Jonah 4:2 ). [[Together]] they convey something of the New Testament sense of God's grace, but even then they lack the sense of this being an unmerited favor of God. To be sure, the idea that Israel did not deserve God's mercy and love is found in the Old Testament (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 7:7-10; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 9:4-6 ). God promised David that He would not remove His love from David's successor, even though the successor sinned (&nbsp;2 Samuel 7:14-16 ). The entire Book of Jonah deals with God's merciful concern to save the wicked Ninevites, and Hosea powerfully conveys God's undeserved mercy and grace with the image of the prophet's love for the faithless Gomer. God's grace shines forth clearly in the Exodus, where God delivered an undeserving people before they entered into His covenant. Still, it remained for the New Testament writers to catch the full vision of God grace in the light of Jesus Christ. </p> <p> Grace in the New Testament We owe our distinctly Christian understanding of grace to the apostle Paul. The Pauline epistles employ the word <i> charis </i> and its related forms twice as frequently as the rest of the New Testament writings combined. Paul sometimes employed the word with its more secular meanings. He urged his readers to make their speech “gracious” or “attractive” (&nbsp; Colossians 4:6; &nbsp;Ephesians 4:29 ), and referred to his visit to [[Corinth]] as a “grace” which would bring them pleasure (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 1:15 NAS text note). The idea of gift also appears, especially in reference to his collection for the Jerusalem saints (&nbsp; 1 Corinthians 16:3; 2Corinthians 8:1,2Corinthians 8:4,2Corinthians 8:6-7,&nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:19 ). Often he used charis to mean thanks, as in the thanksgiving over a meal (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 10:30 ) or in songs of praise (&nbsp;Colossians 3:16 ). Frequently he employed the set expression “Thanks” (“ <i> charis </i> be to God” (&nbsp; Romans 6:17 , &nbsp;Romans 7:25; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:57; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 2:14; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:16; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 9:15; &nbsp;1 Timothy 1:12; &nbsp;2 Timothy 1:3 ). One wonders if for Paul this common Greek idiom did not carry a deeper nuance. It was precisely his experience of God's grace that led to his profound sense of thanksgiving. </p> <p> Paul's sense of God's grace owed much to his experience of being turned from the persecutor of the church to Christ's missionary to the [[Gentiles]] (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:9-10; &nbsp;1 Timothy 1:12-14 ). So convinced was he that this was all God's doing and not of his own merit that he could describe his apostolic calling as coming even before his birth (&nbsp;Galatians 1:15 ). He was an apostle solely because of God's grace (&nbsp;Romans 1:5 ), and his entire ministry and teaching were due to that divine grace (&nbsp;Romans 12:3; &nbsp;Romans 15:15; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 3:10; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 1:12; &nbsp;Galatians 2:9; &nbsp;Ephesians 3:2 ,Ephesians 3:2,&nbsp;3:7-8 ). </p> <p> Paul had too profound a sense of human sin to believe that a person could ever earn God's acceptance (&nbsp;Romans 3:23 ). As a Pharisee, he had sought to do that by fulfilling the divine law. Now he had come to see that it was not a matter of earning God's acceptance but rather of coming to accept God's acceptance of him through Jesus Christ. So, he came to see a sharp antithesis between law and grace. Law is the way of self-help, of earning one's own salvation. Grace is God's way of salvation, totally unearned (&nbsp;Romans 3:24; &nbsp;Romans 4:4; &nbsp;Romans 11:6; &nbsp;Ephesians 2:8 ). Grace is appropriated by faith in what God has done in Christ (&nbsp;Romans 4:16 ). God's grace comes to sinners, not to those who merit God's acceptance (&nbsp;Romans 5:20-21 ). It is through Christ's atoning work on the cross that God's grace comes to us, setting us free from the bondage of sin (&nbsp;Romans 3:24-31 ). Christ is the Representative who breaks the reign of sin and brings life and acceptance with God through divine grace (&nbsp;Romans 5:15 , &nbsp;Romans 5:17 ). God's grace is so bound up with Christ that Paul could speak of the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:9; &nbsp;2 Timothy 2:1 ). It was in the beloved Son that God's grace came supremely to mankind (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 1:4; &nbsp;Ephesians 1:6-7; compare &nbsp;2 Timothy 1:9 ). For Paul, grace is practically synonymous with the gospel. Grace brings salvation (&nbsp;Ephesians 2:5 , &nbsp;Ephesians 2:8 ). Grace brings eternal life (&nbsp;Romans 5:21; &nbsp;Titus 3:7 ). To share in the gospel is to be a partaker of grace (&nbsp;Philippians 1:7; &nbsp;Colossians 1:6 ). In Christ Jesus, God's grace is open to all people (&nbsp;Titus 2:11; compare &nbsp;2 Corinthians 4:15 ); but the experience of God's grace is conditional upon human response. It can be rejected or accepted (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 6:1; &nbsp;Galatians 1:6; &nbsp;Galatians 5:4 ). </p> <p> From the human perspective, the divine grace is a power which undergirds the present life. God's grace abides <i> in </i> us (&nbsp; 2 Corinthians 9:14 ); we stand in it (&nbsp;Romans 5:2 ). Our calling, our witness, our works are all based on the power of God's grace in our lives (&nbsp;2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 ). Paul sharply rejected any antinomian perversion of the gospel which failed to recognize that the true experience of God's grace changes one's life in the direction of righteousness (&nbsp;Romans 6:1 ,Romans 6:1,&nbsp;6:14-15 ). Grace never gives freedom to sin. His own experience had shown him a new power of the divine grace active in his ministry in spite of his human weakness (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 12:9 ). In fact, all who experience God's grace have gifts of that grace for ministry and service (&nbsp;Romans 12:6; &nbsp;Ephesians 4:7 ). So pervasive was Paul's sense of God's grace that he always referred to it in the opening or closing of his letters. His usual salutation includes a wish for “grace” and “peace” upon his readers (&nbsp;Romans 1:7; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 1:3 ). Here Paul played upon the normal word of salutation in Greek letters ( <i> chairein </i> -joy). <i> [[Charis]] </i> has a similar sound, but a world of difference. For the Christian, a reminder of God's grace in their lives is the richest word of greeting and the fullest source of joy. </p> <p> Surprisingly the word “grace” does not occur in Matthew or Mark. The concept is there, in Jesus' ministry to sinners and outcasts, in His healing ministry, and in such teachings as the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (&nbsp;Matthew 20:1-8 ). Luke, however, made extensive use of charis in both his writings. Sometimes he used it with basically secular meanings, such as “credit, benefit” (&nbsp;Luke 6:32-34 NAS), as “thanks” (&nbsp; Luke 17:9 ), or as attractiveness in speech (&nbsp;Luke 4:22 ). The familiar Old Testament idea of “favor” appears a number of times, sometimes referring to the favor of one human to another (&nbsp;Acts 2:47; &nbsp;Acts 7:10; &nbsp;Acts 24:27; &nbsp;Acts 25:3 ,Acts 25:3,&nbsp;25:9; &nbsp;Luke 2:52 ), sometimes to God's favor bestowed on individuals (&nbsp;Luke 1:28 ,Luke 1:28,&nbsp;1:30; &nbsp;Luke 2:40; &nbsp;Acts 7:46 ). Reminiscent of Paul are the references in Acts which refer to salvation or t the gospel as “grace” (&nbsp;Acts 11:23; &nbsp;Acts 13:43; &nbsp;Acts 18:27; &nbsp;Acts 20:24 ,Acts 20:24,&nbsp;20:32 ). [[Particularly]] Pauline is the reference to salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus in &nbsp;Acts 15:11 . Also like Paul are those places where grace is described as an enabling power in the ministries of various [[Christians]] (&nbsp;Acts 4:33; &nbsp;Acts 6:8 NAS; &nbsp; Acts 14:26; &nbsp;Acts 15:40 ). </p> <p> Grace only occurs three times in John's Gospel, all in the prologue (&nbsp;Acts 1:1 ), and all in a sense reminiscent of Paul. Grace is equated with truth (&nbsp;Acts 1:14 ), its gift nature is emphasized (&nbsp;Acts 1:16 ), and it is set in antithesis to the law of Moses (&nbsp;Acts 1:17 ). In the remainder of the Johannine corpus, grace occurs only three times, all in benedictions (&nbsp;2 John 1:3; &nbsp;Revelation 1:4; &nbsp;Revelation 22:21 ). In the Johannine writings the idea of God's unmerited gift in Christ is very present, but conveyed by a different word— <i> agape </i> (love). </p> <p> References to grace in the other New Testament writings do not extend beyond the meanings found in the Pauline epistles and Luke-Acts. Secular meanings of charis occur, such as “gratitude” (&nbsp;Hebrews 12:28 ) and “credit” (&nbsp;1 Peter 2:19-20 NAS). Grace is connected with God's mercy (&nbsp; Hebrews 4:16 ) and with the atoning death of Christ (&nbsp;Hebrews 2:9 ). It is virtually equated with the gospel (&nbsp;1 Peter 5:10 ) and with salvation (1Peter 1:10,&nbsp;1 Peter 1:13 ). It is seen as a power which strengthens life (&nbsp;Hebrews 13:9 ), undergirds those who are persecuted (&nbsp;1 Peter 5:10 ), and grants gifts for Christian service (&nbsp;1 Peter 4:10 ). God's grace can be spurned (&nbsp;Hebrews 10:29; &nbsp;Hebrews 12:14-15 ) or turned into a perverted gospel promising freedom from the law and thus freedom to sin without judgment (&nbsp;Jude 1:4 ). Above all, grace is the hallmark of the Christian experience and thus a frequent component in benedictions (&nbsp;Hebrews 13:25; &nbsp;1 Peter 1:2; &nbsp;2 Peter 1:2 ). See Mercy; [[Love]]; Justification . </p> <p> John Polhill </p>

<p> <strong> [[Grace]] </strong> (from Lat. <em> gratia </em> [= <em> favour </em> , either received from or shown to another], through the Fr. <em> grace </em> ). Of the three meanings assigned to this word in the <em> Eng. Dict </em> . (1) ‘pleasingness,’ (2) ‘favour,’ (3) ‘thanks’ (the sense of favour received) (1) and (2) belong to the Eng. Bible; (3) attaches to the equivalent Gr. <em> charis </em> , where it is rendered ‘thank(s)’ or ‘thankfulness’ (&nbsp; Hebrews 12:28 RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] .). The specific Biblical use of ‘grace’ comes under the second of the above significations; it is prominent in the NT. The OT usage requires no separate treatment. (2) is the primary meaning of the Hebrew original, rendered ‘favour’ almost as often as ‘grace’; but (1) of the Greek <em> charis </em> , which at its root signified <em> the gladdening, joy-bringing </em> . Hence the correspondence between the common Greek salutation <em> chaire </em> ( <em> te </em> ) or <em> chairein </em> (‘Joy to you!’) and the Christian <em> charis </em> (‘Grace to you!’) is more than a verbal coincidence. </p> <p> <strong> 1. </strong> Of the sense <em> charm, winsomeness </em> (of person, bearing, speech, etc.) a usage conspicuous in common Greek, and personified in the <em> Charites </em> , the three Graces of mythology the prominent instances in the OT are &nbsp; Psalms 45:2 (‘Grace is poured on thy lips’) and probably &nbsp; Zechariah 4:7; add to these &nbsp; Proverbs 1:9; &nbsp; Proverbs 3:22; &nbsp; Proverbs 4:9; &nbsp; Proverbs 22:11; &nbsp; Proverbs 31:30 (‘favour’). The same noun occurs in the Heb. of &nbsp; Proverbs 5:10; &nbsp; Proverbs 11:16 , and &nbsp; Ecclesiastes 10:12 , &nbsp; Proverbs 17:8 , under the adjectival renderings ‘pleasant,’ ‘gracious,’ ‘precious,’ and in &nbsp; Nahum 3:4 (‘well-favoured’). For the NT, ‘grace’ is <em> charm </em> in &nbsp; Luke 4:22 , &nbsp; Colossians 4:8; in &nbsp; Ephesians 4:28 there may be a play on the double sense of the word. <em> [[Charm]] of speech </em> is designated by <em> charis </em> in Sir 20:18; Sir 21:10; Sir 37:21 , in the Apocrypha. in &nbsp; James 1:11 ‘grace of the fashion’ renders a single Greek word signifying ‘fair-seemingness,’ quite distinct from <em> charis </em> . </p> <p> <strong> 2. </strong> The OT passages coming under (2) above, employ ‘grace’ chiefly in the idiom ‘to find grace ( <em> or </em> favour),’ which is used indifferently of favour in the eyes of J″ [Note: Jahweh.] (&nbsp; Genesis 6:8 ) or of one’s fellow-men (&nbsp; Genesis 39:4 ), and whether the finder bring good (&nbsp; Genesis 39:4 ) or ill (&nbsp; Genesis 19:19 ) desert to the quest. With this broad application, ‘grace’ means <em> good-will, favourable inclination </em> towards another of the superior (king, benefactor, etc.) or one treated as such by courtesy, <em> to the inferior </em> shown on whatever ground. In the Eng. NT, ‘favour’ is reserved for this wide sense of <em> charis </em> ; see &nbsp; Luke 1:30; &nbsp; Luke 2:52 , &nbsp; Acts 2:47; &nbsp; Acts 7:10; &nbsp; Acts 7:46; &nbsp; Acts 25:3 : ‘grace’ has the same meaning in &nbsp; Luke 2:40 , &nbsp; Acts 4:33 , &nbsp; Zechariah 12:10 is the one instance in which ‘grace’ in the OT approximates to its prevalent NT import; but the Heb. adj. for <em> gracious </em> , and the equivalent vb., are together used of J″ [Note: Jahweh.] , in His attitude towards the sinful, more than twenty times, associated often with ‘merciful,’ etc.; see. <em> e.g. </em> , &nbsp; Exodus 33:19; &nbsp; Exodus 34:6 , &nbsp; Psalms 77:9; &nbsp; Psalms 103:8 , &nbsp; Joel 2:13 , &nbsp; Jonah 4:2 . The character in God which the OT prefers to express by <em> mercy </em> , signifying His pitiful disposition towards man as weak and wretched, the NT in effect translates into ‘grace,’ as signifying His forgiving disposition towards man as guilty and lost. </p> <p> <strong> 3. </strong> [[Christianity]] first made grace a leading term in the vocabulary of religion. The prominence and emphasis of its use are due to St. Paul, in whose Epp. the word figures twice as often as in all the NT besides. ‘Grace’ is the first word of greeting and the last of farewell in St. Paul’s letters; for him it includes the sum of all blessing that comes from God through Christ: ‘grace’ the source, ‘peace’ the stream. In the Gospels, the Johannine [[Prologue]] (vv. 14 17: contrasted with ‘law,’ and co-extensive with ‘truth’) supplies the only example of ‘grace’ used with the Pauline fulness of meaning. This passage, and the Lukan examples in Acts (&nbsp; Acts 6:3; &nbsp; Acts 11:23; &nbsp; Acts 13:43; &nbsp; Acts 14:8; &nbsp; Acts 15:11; &nbsp; Acts 20:24; &nbsp; Acts 20:32 ), with the kindred uses in &nbsp; Hebrews 1:1-14 , &nbsp; Hebrews 1:2 Peter., Jude, 2 Jn., Rev., may be set down to the influence of Paulinism on Apostolic speech. There is little in earlier phraseology to explain the supremacy in the NT of this specific term; a new experience demanded a new name. ‘Grace’ designates <em> the principle in God of man’s salvation through Jesus Christ </em> . It is God’s unmerited, unconstrained love towards sinners, revealed and operative in Christ. &nbsp; Titus 2:11-14 , interpreted by &nbsp; Romans 5:1 to &nbsp; Romans 6:23 , is the text which approaches nearest to a definition; this passage shows how St. Paul derived from God’s grace not only the soul’s reconciliation and new hopes in Christ (&nbsp; Romans 5:1-11 ), but the whole moral uplifting and rehabilitation of human life through Christianity. St. Paul’s experience in conversion gave him this watchword; the Divine goodness revealed itself to the ‘chief of sinners’ under the aspect of ‘grace’ (&nbsp; 1 Corinthians 15:9 f., &nbsp; 1 Timothy 1:13-16 ). The spontaneity and generosity of God’s love felt in the act of his salvation, the complete setting aside therein of everything legal and conventional (with, possibly, the added connotation of <em> charm </em> of which <em> charis </em> is redolent), marked out this word as describing what St. Paul had proved of Christ’s redemption; under this name he could commend it to the world of sinful men; his ministry ‘testifies the gospel of the grace of God’ (&nbsp; Acts 20:24 ). Essentially, <em> grace </em> stands opposed to <em> sin </em> ; it is God’s way of meeting and conquering man’s sin (&nbsp; Romans 5:20 f., &nbsp; Romans 6:1 ff., &nbsp; Romans 6:15 ff.): He thus effects ‘the impossible task of the Law’ (&nbsp; Romans 7:7 to &nbsp; Romans 8:4 ). The legal discipline had taught St. Paul to understand, by contrast, the value and the operation of the principle of grace; he was able to handle it with effect in the legalist controversy. Grace supplies, in his theology, the one and sufficient means of deliverance from sin, holding objectively the place which faith holds subjectively in man’s salvation (&nbsp; Ephesians 2:8 , &nbsp; Titus 2:11 ). Formally, and in point of method, grace stands opposed to ‘ <em> the law </em> ,’ ‘which worketh wrath’ (&nbsp; Romans 3:19-26; &nbsp; Romans 4:15 , &nbsp; Galatians 2:15-21; &nbsp; Galatians 5:4 ); it supersedes the futile ‘works’ by which the Jew had hoped, in fulfilling the Law, to merit salvation (&nbsp; Romans 4:2-8; &nbsp; Romans 11:6 , &nbsp; Galatians 2:16-20 , &nbsp; Ephesians 2:8 f.). Grace excludes, therefore, all notion of ‘debt’ as owing from God to men, all thought of earning the Messianic blessings (&nbsp; Romans 4:4 ) by establishing ‘a righteousness of one’s own’ (&nbsp; Romans 10:3 ); through it men are ‘justified <em> gratis </em> ’ (&nbsp; Romans 3:24 ) and ‘receive the <em> gift </em> of righteousness’ (&nbsp; Romans 5:17 ). In twenty-two instances St. Paul writes of ‘the grace <em> of God </em> ’ (or ‘his grace’); In fifteen, of ‘the grace of <em> Christ </em> ’ (‘the Lord Jesus Christ,’ etc.). Ten of the latter examples belong to salutation-formulæ (so in &nbsp; Revelation 22:21 ), the fullest of these being &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 13:14 , where ‘the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ’ is referred to ‘the love of God’ as its fountain-head; In the remaining five detached instances the context dictates the combination ‘grace of Christ’ (‘our Lord,’ etc.), Rom 5:15 , &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 8:9; &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 12:9 , &nbsp; Galatians 1:6 , &nbsp; 1 Timothy 1:14 (also in &nbsp; 2 Peter 3:16 ). In other NT writings the complement is predominantly ‘of God’; &nbsp; 1 Peter 5:10 inverts the expression ‘the God of all grace.’ Once in &nbsp; 2 Thessalonians 1:12 grace is referred conjointly to <em> God and Christ </em> . Christ is the expression and vehicle of the grace of the Father, and is completely identified with it (see &nbsp; John 1:14; &nbsp; John 1:17 ), so that <em> God’s </em> grace can equally be called <em> Christ’s </em> ; but its reference to the latter is strictly personal in such a passage as &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 8:9 . A real distinction is implied in the remarkable language of &nbsp; Romans 5:15 , where, after positing ‘the grace of God’ as the fundamental ground of redemption, St. Paul adds to this ‘the gift in grace, viz. <em> the grace of the one man Jesus Christ </em> ,’ who is the counterpart of the sinful and baleful Adam: the generous bounty <em> of the Man towards men </em> , shown by Jesus Christ, served an essential part in human redemption. </p> <p> Cognate to <em> charis </em> , and charged in various ways with its meaning, is the vb. rendered (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ) <em> to grant </em> in &nbsp; Acts 27:24 , &nbsp; Galatians 3:18 , &nbsp; Philippians 1:29 , &nbsp; Philippians 1:22 , <em> give </em> in &nbsp; Philippians 2:9 , <em> freely give </em> in &nbsp; Romans 8:32 , &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 2:12 , and (with ‘wrong’ or ‘debt’ for object, expressed or implied) <em> forgive </em> in &nbsp; Luke 7:42 f., &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 2:7; 2Co 2:10; &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 12:13 , &nbsp; Ephesians 4:32 , &nbsp; Colossians 2:13; &nbsp; Colossians 3:18 . </p> <p> There are two occasional secondary uses of ‘grace,’ derived from the above, in the Pauline Epp.: it may denote ( <em> a </em> ) a <em> gracious endowment </em> or <em> bestowment </em> , God’s grace to men taking shape in some concrete ministry (so &nbsp; Ephesians 4:7 , in view of the following context, and perhaps &nbsp; Galatians 2:9; cf. &nbsp; Acts 7:10 ) for <em> charis </em> in this sense <em> charisma </em> ( <em> charism </em> ) is St. Paul’s regular term, as in &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 12:4 etc.; and ( <em> b </em> ) a <em> state of grace </em> , God’s grace realized by the recipient (&nbsp; Romans 5:2 , &nbsp; 2 Timothy 2:1 ). </p> <p> G. G. Findlay. </p>

<p> There is much in the Bible about grace, partly because there is much in the Bible about sin. Grace is the undeserved favour of God. People repeatedly sin and rebel against God, yet God in his grace is still ready to forgive them when they repent (&nbsp;Exodus 34:6; &nbsp;Romans 5:20). </p> <p> '''Saved by God’s grace''' </p> <p> The only way people have ever been forgiven their sin and saved from condemnation is by God’s grace, and they receive this salvation through faith (&nbsp;Ephesians 2:8). People have never been saved through obeying the law or offering sacrifices (&nbsp;Romans 3:24-26; &nbsp;Galatians 3:17-22). (Concerning the purpose of Old Testament regulations given to Israel see [[Covenant]] ; [[Law]] ; [[Sacrifice]] .) </p> <p> So much is grace a characteristic of God that the Bible calls him the God of grace (&nbsp;1 Peter 5:10; see also [[Love]] ; [[Mercy]] ). He chooses to save people because of his sovereign grace alone, not because of their good works (&nbsp;Romans 11:6; &nbsp;Ephesians 1:5-6; see [[Election]] ). Many of the stories that Jesus told illustrate God’s grace (e.g. &nbsp;Matthew 18:23-34; &nbsp;Matthew 20:1-16; &nbsp;Luke 7:36-50; &nbsp;Luke 14:16-24; &nbsp;Luke 15:11-32), but Jesus himself is the greatest demonstration of God’s grace (&nbsp;John 1:14). He demonstrated that grace not only by the way he lived (&nbsp;John 1:17; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:9), but particularly by his death on the cross (&nbsp;Romans 3:24-25; &nbsp;Galatians 2:21; &nbsp;Hebrews 2:9). </p> <p> Through Jesus’ death, God can forgive freely all who repent of their sins and trust in him. More than that, God brings them into a right relationship with himself and declares them righteous (&nbsp;Romans 3:23-24; &nbsp;Romans 4:5; &nbsp;Romans 5:2; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 1:4; &nbsp;Titus 2:11; &nbsp;Titus 3:4-5). (For further discussion on God’s work of grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus see [[Forgiveness]] ; [[Justification]] ; [[Propitiation]] ; [[Reconciliation]] .) </p> <p> '''God’s grace in the lives of believers''' </p> <p> Although salvation is a gift of God’s grace and not a reward for good works, that is no reason for Christians to ignore good works. They are not free to live as they like or sin as they like. God’s grace continues to work in their lives, giving them the inner power to discipline themselves, to do good, to endure suffering and to triumph over temptation (&nbsp;Romans 6:14-15; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 12:9; &nbsp;2 Timothy 2:1; &nbsp;Titus 2:11-14; see FREEDOM; GOOD WORKS). They can carry out their Christian service properly only because God in his grace has given them the ability to do so (&nbsp;Romans 12:6). </p> <p> God exercised his grace towards believers before they were born. That same grace operates continually towards them throughout life and will continue to be active towards them throughout the ages to come (&nbsp;Galatians 1:15; &nbsp;Romans 5:2; &nbsp;Romans 5:21; &nbsp;Ephesians 2:7; &nbsp;1 Timothy 1:12-16). </p> <p> Paul’s practice was to begin and end his letters by speaking of the grace of God, or the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this way he indicated that he was always conscious that the believer’s whole life is lived in the atmosphere of God’s grace (&nbsp;Romans 1:7; &nbsp;Romans 16:20; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 1:3; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 16:23; &nbsp;Galatians 1:3; &nbsp;Galatians 6:18). </p>

<div> '''1: χάρις ''' (Strong'S #5485 — Noun [[Feminine]] — charis — khar'-ece ) </div> <p> has various uses, (a) objective, that which bestows or occasions pleasure, delight, or causes favorable regard; it is applied, e.g., to beauty, or gracefulness of person, &nbsp;Luke 2:40; act, &nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:6 , or speech, &nbsp;Luke 4:22 , RV, "words of grace" (AV, "gracious words"); &nbsp;Colossians 4:6; (b) subjective, (1) on the part of the bestower, the friendly disposition from which the kindly act proceeds, graciousness, loving-kindness, goodwill generally, e.g., &nbsp;Acts 7:10; especially with reference to the Divine favor or "grace," e.g., &nbsp;Acts 14:26; in this respect there is stress on its freeness and universality, its spontaneous character, as in the case of God's redemptive mercy, and the pleasure or joy He designs for the recipient; thus it is set in contrast with debt, &nbsp;Romans 4:4,16 , with works, &nbsp;Romans 11:6 , and with law, &nbsp;John 1:17; see also, e.g., &nbsp;Romans 6:14,15; &nbsp;Galatians 5:4; (2) on the part of the receiver, a sense of the favor bestowed, a feeling of gratitude, e.g., &nbsp;Romans 6:17 ("thanks"); in this respect it sometimes signifies "to be thankful," e.g., &nbsp; Luke 17:9 ("doth he thank the servant?" lit., "hath he thanks to"); &nbsp; 1 Timothy 1:12; (c) in another objective sense, the effect of "grace," the spiritual state of those who have experienced its exercise, whether (1) a state of "grace," e.g., &nbsp;Romans 5:2; &nbsp;1 Peter 5:12; &nbsp;2 Peter 3:18 , or (2) a proof thereof in practical effects, deeds of "grace," e.g., &nbsp;1 Corinthians 16:3 , RV, "bounty" (AV, "liberality"); &nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:6,19 (in &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 9:8 it means the sum of earthly blessings); the power and equipment for ministry, e.g., &nbsp; Romans 1:5; &nbsp;12:6; &nbsp;15:15; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 3:10; &nbsp;Galatians 2:9; &nbsp;Ephesians 3:2,7 . </p> &nbsp;Acts 2:47&nbsp;Romans 1:7&nbsp;1 Corinthians 1:3&nbsp;Acts 15:23&nbsp;James 1:1&nbsp; 2 John 1:10,11&nbsp;2 Corinthians 1:12&nbsp;Galatians 1:6&nbsp;Romans 5:15&nbsp; 2 Thessalonians 1:12&nbsp;James 4:6[[Benefit]][[Bounty]][[Liberality]]Thank.&nbsp;Luke 1:28&nbsp;Ephesians 1:6 <div> '''2: εὐπρέπεια ''' (Strong'S #2143 — Noun Feminine — euprepeia — yoo-prep'-i-ah ) </div> <p> "comeliness, goodly appearance," is said of the outward appearance of the flower of the grass, &nbsp;James 1:11 . </p>

<p> GRACE, n. L. gratia, which is formed on the Celtic Eng. agree, congruous, and ready. The primary sense of gratus, is free, ready, quick, willing, prompt, from advancing. </p> 1. Favor good will kindness disposition to oblige another as a grant made as an act of grace. <p> Or each, or all, may win a lady's grace. </p> 2. Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him. <p> And if by grace,then it is no more of works. &nbsp;Romans 11 </p> 3. Favorable influence of God divine influence or the influence of the spirit, in renewing the heart and restraining from sin. <p> My grace is sufficient for thee. &nbsp;2 Corinthians 12 </p> 4. The application of Christ's righteousness to the sinner. <p> Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. &nbsp;Romans 5 </p> 5. A state of reconciliation to God. &nbsp;Romans 5:2 . 6. [[Virtuous]] or religious affection or disposition, as a liberal disposition, faith, meekness, humility, patience, &c. proceeding from divine influence. 7. [[Spiritual]] instruction, improvement and edification. &nbsp;Ephesians 4:29 . 8. Apostleship, or the qualifications of an apostle. &nbsp;Ephesians 3.8 . 9. Eternal life final salvation. &nbsp;1 Peter 1:13 . 10. Favor mercy pardon. <p> [[Bow]] and sue for grace </p> <p> With suppliant knee. </p> 11. Favor conferred. <p> I should therefore esteem it a great favor and grace. </p> 12. Privilege. <p> To few great [[Jupiter]] imparts this grace. </p> 13. That in manner, deportment or language which renders it appropriate and agreeable suitableness elegance with appropriate dignity. We say, a speaker delivers his address with grace a man performs his part with grace. <p> Grace was in all her steps. </p> <p> Her purple habit sits with such a grace </p> <p> On her smooth shoulders. </p> 14. Natural or acquired excellence any endowment that recommends the possessor to others as the graces of wit and learning. 15. [[Beauty]] embellishment in general, whatever adorns and recommends to favor sometimes, a single beauty. <p> I pass their form and every charming grace. </p> 16. Beauty deified among pagans, a goddess. The graces were three in number, Aglaia, Thalia, and Euphrosyne, the constant attendants of Venus. <p> The loves delighted, and the graces played. </p> 17. [[Virtue]] physical as the grace of plants. Not used. 18. The title of a duke or an archbishop, and formerly of the king of England, meaning your goodness or clemency. His Grace the Duke of York. Your Grace will please to accept my thanks. 19. A short prayer before or after meat a blessing asked, or thanks rendered. 20. In music, graces signifies turns, trills and shakes introduced for embellishment. <p> Day in grace, in theology, time of probation, when an offer is made to sinners. </p> <p> Days in grace, in commerce, the days immediately following the day when a bill or note becomes due, which days are allowed to the debtor or payor to make payment in. In Great Britain and the United States the days of grace are three, but in other countries more the usages of merchants being different. </p> <p> GRACE, To adorn to decorate to embellish and dignify. </p> <p> Great Jove and [[Phoebus]] graced his noble line. </p> <p> And hail, ye fair, of every charm possess'd, </p> <p> Who grace this rising empire of the west. </p> 1. To dignify or raise by act of favor to honor. <p> He might at his pleasure grace or disgrace whom </p> <p> he would in court. </p> 2. To favor to honor. 3. To supply with heavenly grace.

<p> Favor, mercy. Divine grace is the free and undeserved love and favor of God towards man as a sinner, especially as exhibited in the plan of redemption through Jesus Christ, &nbsp;John 1:17 &nbsp; 3:16 &nbsp; Romans 3:24-26 . It is only by the free grace of god that we embrace the offers of mercy, and appropriate to ourselves the blessings graciously purchased by redeeming blood. </p> <p> The "GRACE OF GOD," spontaneous, unmerited, self-directed, and almighty, is the source of the whole scheme of redemption, &nbsp;Romans 11:6 &nbsp; 2 Timothy 1:9 . With it are united "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," who gave himself for sinners; and that of "the Spirit of grace," by whom alone the grace offered by the Father and purchased by the Son is effectually applied. Thus &nbsp;2 Peter 3:18 , is traced up to the grace of God as its only source; and the gospel of Christ and the work of the spirit-both pure graceare its only channels of communication. Hence also all the fruits and blessings of the gospel are termed graces, &nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:7 &nbsp; Philippians 1:7; not only regeneration, pardon, enlightenment, sanctification, etc., but miraculous, official, and prophetic gifts, the peculiar traits of Christian character, and everlasting salvation, &nbsp;1 Peter 1:13 . In &nbsp;Galatians 5:4 , "grace" means God's plan of salvation by his mercy, not by our works. </p>

<li> The glory hereafter to be revealed (&nbsp;1 Peter 1:13 ). <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Grace'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/g/grace.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> Payson, when dying, expressed himself with great earnestness respecting the grace of God as exercised in saving lost men, and seemed particularly affected that it should be bestowed on one so ill-deserving as himself. 'Oh, how sovereign! Oh, how sovereign! Grace is the only thing that make us like God. I might be dragged through heaven, earth, and hell, and I should be still the same sinful, polluted wretch, unless God himself should renew and cleanse me.' </p>

<p> ''''' grās ''''' : </p> 1. The Word <i> ''''' Cháris ''''' </i> <p> In the English New Testament the word "grace" is always a translation of ( χάρις , <i> ''''' cháris ''''' </i> ), a word that occurs in the Greek text something over 170 times (the reading is uncertain in places). In secular Greek of all periods it is also a very common word, and in both Biblical and secular Greek it is used with far more meanings than can be represented by any one term in English Primarily ( <i> a </i> ) The word seems to denote pleasant external appearance, "gracefulness" "loveliness"; compare the personificaion in the Graces." Such a use is found in &nbsp; Luke 4:22 , where 'wondered at the charm of his words' is a good translation; and similarly in &nbsp;Colossians 4:6 . ( <i> b </i> ) Objectively, <i> '''''charis''''' </i> may denote the impression produced by "gracefulness," as in &nbsp;3 John 1:4 'greater <i> gratification </i> have I none than this' (but many manuscripts read <i> '''''chará''''' </i> , "joy," here). ( <i> c </i> ) As a mental attribute <i> '''''charis''''' </i> may be translated by "graciousness," or, when directed toward a particular person or persons, by "favor." So in &nbsp;Luke 2:52 , "Jesus advanced ... in favor with God and men." ( <i> d </i> ) As the complement to this, <i> '''''charis''''' </i> denotes the emotion awakened in the recipient of such favor, i.e. "gratitude." So &nbsp;Luke 17:9 reads literally, 'Has he gratitude to that servant?' In a slightly transferred sense <i> '''''charis''''' </i> designates the words or emotion in which gratitude is expressed, and so becomes "thanks" (some 10 t, &nbsp;Romans 6:17 , etc.)'. ( <i> e </i> ) Concretely, <i> '''''charis''''' </i> may mean the <i> act </i> by which graciousness is expressed, as in &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 16:3 , where the King James Version translates by "liberality," and the Revised Version (British and American) by "bounty." These various meanings naturally tend to blend into each other, and in certain cases it is difficult to fix the precise meaning that the writer meant the word to convey, a confusion that is common to both New Testament and secular Greek And in secular Greek the word has a still larger variety of meanings that scarcely concern theologian. </p> 2. Grace as Power <p> Naturally, the various meanings of the word were simply taken over from ordinary language by the New Testament writers. And so it is quite illegitimate to try to construct on the basis of all the occurrences of the word a single doctrine that will account for all the various usages. That one word could express both "charm of speech" and "thankfulness for blessings" was doubtless felt to be a mere accident, if it was thought of at all. But none the less, the very elasticity of the word enabled it to receive still another - new and technically Christian - meaning. This seems to have originated in part by fusing together two of the ordinary significances. In the first place, as in ( <i> e </i> ) above, <i> ''''' charis ''''' </i> may mean "a gift." In &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 16:3; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:19 it is the money given by the Corinthians to the Jerusalemites. In &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 9:8 it is the increase of worldly goods that God grants for charitable purposes. In &nbsp; 2 Corinthians 1:15 it is the benefit received by the Corinthians from a visit by Paul. In a more spiritual sense <i> '''''charis''''' </i> is the endowment for an office in the church (&nbsp;Ephesians 4:7 ), more particularly for the apostolate (&nbsp;Romans 1:5; &nbsp;Romans 12:3; &nbsp;Romans 15:15; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 3:10; &nbsp;Ephesians 3:2 , &nbsp;Ephesians 3:7 ). So in &nbsp;1 Corinthians 1:4-7 margin <i> '''''charis''''' </i> is expanded into "word and all knowledge," endowments with which the Corinthians were especially favored. In &nbsp;1 Peter 1:13 <i> '''''charis''''' </i> is the future heavenly blessedness that Christians are to receive; in &nbsp;1 Peter 3:7 it is the present gift of "life." In the second place, <i> '''''charis''''' </i> is the word for God's <i> favor </i> , a sense of the term that is especially refined by Paul (see below). But God's favor differs from man's in that it cannot be conceived of as inactive. A favorable "thought" of God's about a man involves of necessity the reception of some blessing by that man, and "to look with favor" is one of the commonest Biblical paraphrases for "bestow a blessing." Between "God's favor" and "God's favors" there exists a relation of active power, and as <i> '''''charis''''' </i> denoted both the favor and the favors, it was the natural word for the power that connected them. This use is very clear in &nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:10 , where Paul says, "not I, but the grace of God which was with me" labored more abundantly than they all: grace is something that <i> labors </i> . So in &nbsp;2 Corinthians 12:9 , "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness"; compare &nbsp;2 Timothy 2:1 , "strengthened in the grace," and &nbsp;1 Peter 4:10 , "stewards of the manifold grace." [[Evidently]] in this sense "grace" is almost a synonym for the Spirit (see [[Holy Spirit]] ), and there is little real difference between "full of the Holy Spirit" and "full of grace and power" in &nbsp;Acts 6:5 , &nbsp;Acts 6:8 , while there is a very striking parallel between &nbsp;Ephesians 4:7-13 and &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 , with "gifts of grace" in the one passage, and "gifts of the Spirit" in the other. And this connection between grace and the Spirit is found definitely in the formula "Spirit of grace" in &nbsp;Hebrews 10:29 (compare &nbsp; Zechariah 12:10 ). And, as is well known, it is from this sense of the word that the Catholic doctrine of grace developed. </p> 3. Grace in Justification <p> This meaning of <i> ''''' charis ''''' </i> was obtained by expanding and combining other meanings. By the opposite process of narrowly restricting one of the meanings of the word, it came again into Christian theology as a technical term, but this time in a sense quite distinct from that just discussed. The formation of this special sense seems to have been the work of Paul. When <i> ''''' charis ''''' </i> is used with the meaning "favor," nothing at all is implied as to whether or not the favor is deserved. So, for instance, in the New Testament, when in &nbsp; Luke 2:52 it is said that "Jesus advanced ... in favor with God and men," the last possible thought is that our Lord did not <i> deserve </i> this favor. Compare also &nbsp; Luke 2:40 and &nbsp; Acts 2:47 and, as less clear cases, &nbsp; Luke 1:30; &nbsp;Acts 7:46; &nbsp;Hebrews 4:16; &nbsp;Hebrews 12:15 , &nbsp;Hebrews 12:28 . But the word has abundant use in secular Greek in the sense of unmerited favor, and Paul seized on this meaning of the word to express a fundamental characteristic of Christianity. The basic passage is &nbsp;Romans 11:5 , &nbsp;Romans 11:6 , where as a definition is given, "If it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace." That the word is used in other senses could have caused no 1st-century reader to miss the meaning, which, indeed, is unmistakable. "Grace" in this sense is an attitude on God's part that proceeds entirely from within Himself, and that is conditioned in no way by anything in the objects of His favor. So in &nbsp;Romans 4:4 . If salvation is given on the basis of what a man has done, then salvation is given by God as the payment of a debt. But when faith is reckoned for what it is not, i.e. righteousness, there is no claim on man's part, and he receives as a pure gift something that he has not earned. (It is quite true that faith involves moral effort, and so may be thought of as a sort of a "work"; it is quite true that faith does something as a preparation for receiving God's further gifts. But it simply clouds the exegetical issue to bring in these ideas here, as they certainly were not present in Paul's mind when the verses were being written.) "Grace" then, in this sense is the antinomy to "works" or to "law"; it has a special relation to the guilt of sin (&nbsp;Romans 5:20; &nbsp;Romans 6:1 ), and has almost exactly the same sense as "mercy." Indeed, "grace" here differs from "mercy" chiefly in connoting eager love as the source of the act. See Justification . Of course it is this sense of grace that dominates Rom 3 through 6, especially in thesis &nbsp;Romans 3:24 , while the same use is found in &nbsp;Galatians 2:21; &nbsp;Ephesians 2:5 , &nbsp;Ephesians 2:8; &nbsp;2 Timothy 1:9 . The same strict sense underlies &nbsp;Galatians 1:6 and is found, less sharply formulated, in &nbsp; Titus 3:5-7 . (&nbsp;Galatians 5:4 is perhaps different.) Outside of Paul's writings, his definition of the word seems to be adopted in &nbsp; John 1:17; &nbsp;Acts 15:11; &nbsp;Hebrews 13:9 , while a perversion of this definition in the direction of antinomianism is the subject of the invective in &nbsp;Judges 1:4 . And, of course, it is from the word in this technical Pauline sense that an elaborate [[Protestant]] doctrine of grace has been developed. </p> 4. Special Uses <p> A few special uses of the word may be noted. That the special blessing of God on a particular undertaking (&nbsp;Acts 14:26; &nbsp;Acts 15:40 ) should be called a "grace" needs no explanation. In &nbsp;Luke 6:32-34 , and &nbsp;1 Peter 2:19 , &nbsp;1 Peter 2:20 , <i> '''''charis''''' </i> seems to be used in the sense of "that which deserves the thanks of God," i.e. a specifically Christian act as distinguished from an act of "natural morality." "Grace for grace" in &nbsp;John 1:16 is a difficult phrase, but an almost exact parallel in [[Philo]] ( <i> Poster. [[Cain]] </i> , 43) may fix the sense as "benefit on benefit." But the tendency of the New Testament writers is to combine the various meanings the word can have, something that is particularly well illustrated in 2 Cor 8; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 9:1-15 . In these two chapters the word occurs 10 t, but in so many different senses as to suggest that Paul is consciously playing with the term. <i> '''''Charis''''' </i> is the money given to the Jerusalemites by the Corinthians (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:19 ), it is the increase of goods that God will grant the Corinthians (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 9:8 ), it is the disposition of the givers (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:6 ), it is the power of God that has wrought this disposition (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:1; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 9:14 ), it is the act of Christ in the [[Incarnation]] (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:9; contrast the distinction between "God's grace" and "Christs act" in &nbsp;Hebrews 2:9 ), it is the thanks that Paul renders (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 9:15 ). That all a Christian is and all that he has is God's gift could have been stated of course without the use of any special term at all. But in these two chapters Paul has taught this truth by using for the various ideas always the same term and by referring this term to God at the beginning and the end of the section. That is, to the multiplicity of concepts there is given a unity of terminology, corresponding to the unity given the multiple aspects of life by the thought of entire dependence on God. So <i> '''''charis''''' </i> , "grace," becomes almost an equivalent for "Christianity," viewed as the religion of dependence on God through Christ. As one may think of entering Christianity, abiding in it, or falling from it, so one may speak of entering into (&nbsp;Romans 5:2 ), abiding in (&nbsp;Acts 13:43 ), or falling from (&nbsp;Galatians 5:4 ) grace; compare &nbsp;1 Peter 5:12 . So the teaching of Christianity may be summed up as word or gospel of grace (&nbsp;Acts 14:3; &nbsp;Acts 20:24 , &nbsp;Acts 20:32 ). So "grace be with you" closes the Epistles as a sufficient summary of all the blessings that can be wished Christian readers. At the beginning of the Epistles the words "and peace" are usually added, but this is due only to the influence of the [[Jewish]] greeting "peace be with you" (&nbsp;Luke 10:5 , etc.), and not to any reflection on "grace" and "peace" as separate things. (It is possible that the Greek use of <i> '''''chaı́rein''''' </i> , "rejoice," as an epistolary salutation (so in &nbsp;James 1:1 ) influenced the Christian use of <i> '''''charis''''' </i> . But that "grace and peace" was <i> consciously </i> regarded as a universalistic combination of Jewish and [[Gentile]] custom is altogether unlikely.) The further expansion of the introductory formula by the introduction of "mercy" in 1 and 2 Tim is quite without theological significance. </p> 5. Teaching of Christ <p> In the Greek Gospels, <i> ''''' charis ''''' </i> is used in the words of Christ only in &nbsp; Luke 6:32-34; &nbsp;Luke 17:9 . As Christ spoke in Aram, the choice of this word is due to Luke, probably under the influence of its common Christian use in his own day. And there is no word in our Lord's recorded sayings that suggests that He employed habitually any especial term to denote grace in any of its senses. But the ideas are unambiguously present. That the pardon of sins is a free act on God's part may be described as an essential in Christ's teaching, and the lesson is taught in all manner of ways. The prodigal knowing only his own wretchedness (&nbsp;Luke 15:20 ), the publican without merit to urge (&nbsp;Luke 18:13 ), the sick who need a physician (&nbsp;Mark 2:17 ), they who hunger and thirst after righteousness (&nbsp;Matthew 5:6 ), these are the ones for whom God's pardon is inexhaustible. And positive blessings, be they temporal or spiritual, are to be looked for from God, with perfect trust in Him who clothes the lilies and knows how to give good gifts to His children (&nbsp;Matthew 7:11; here &nbsp;Luke 11:13 has "Holy Spirit" for "gifts," doubtless a Lukan interpretation, but certainly a correct one). Indeed, it is not too much to say that Christ knows but one unpardonable sin, the sin of spiritual self-satisfaction - "That which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (&nbsp; Luke 16:15; compare &nbsp;Luke 17:7-10; Mt 20:1-16). </p> 6. In the Old Testament <p> There is no word in Hebrew that can represent all the meanings of <i> ''''' charis ''''' </i> , and in the [[Septuagint]] <i> ''''' charis ''''' </i> itself is used, practically, only as a translation of the Hebrew חן , <i> ''''' ḥēn ''''' </i> , "favor," this restriction of meaning being due to the desire to represent the same Hebrew word by the same Greek word as far as possible. And <i> ''''' ḥēn ''''' </i> , in turn, is used chiefly only in the phrase "find favor" (&nbsp; Genesis 6:8 , etc.), whether the reference is to God or men, and without theological importance. Much nearer Paul's use of <i> '''''charis''''' </i> is <i> '''''rācōn''''' </i> (רצון ), "acceptance," in such passages as &nbsp;Isaiah 60:10 , "In my favor have I had mercy on thee"; &nbsp;Psalm 44:3 , "not ... by their own sword ... but ... because thou wast favorable unto them." Perhaps still closer parallels can be detected in the use of חסד , <i> '''''ḥeṣedh''''' </i> , "kindness," "mercy," as in &nbsp;Exodus 20:6 , etc. But, of course, a limitation of the sources for the doctrine to passages containing only certain words would be altogether unjust. The main lines seem to be these: (1) Technically, salvation by grace in the New Testament is opposed to an Old Testament doctrine of salvation by works (&nbsp;Romans 4:4; &nbsp;Romans 11:6 ), or, what is the same thing, by law (&nbsp;Romans 6:14; &nbsp;John 1:17 ); i.e men and God are thought of as parties to a contract, to be fulfilled by each independently. Most of the legislation seems to presuppose some idea of man as a quantity quite outside of God, while &nbsp;Deuteronomy 30:11-14 states explicitly that the law is not too hard nor too far off for man. (2) Yet even this legalism is not without important modifications. The keeping of the law is man's work, but that man has the law to keep is something for which God only is to be thanked. Ps 119 is the essence of legalism, but the writer feels overwhelmed throughout by the greatness of the mercy that disclosed such statutes to men. After all, the initial (and vital!) act is God's not man's. This is stated most sharply in &nbsp; Ezekiel 23:1-4 - [[O]] holibah and her sister became God's, not because of any virtue in them, but in spite of most revolting conduct. Compare &nbsp;Deuteronomy 7:7 , etc. (3) But even in the most legalistic passages, an absolute literal keeping of the law is never (not even in such a passage as &nbsp;Numbers 15:30 , &nbsp;Numbers 15:31 ) made a condition of salvation. The thought of transgression is at all times tempered with the thought of God's pardon. The whole sacrificial system, in so far as it is expiatory, rests on God's gracious acceptance of something in place of legal obedience, while the passages that offer God's mercy without demanding even a sacrifice (&nbsp;Isaiah 1:18; &nbsp;Micah 7:18-20 , etc.) are countless. Indeed, in Ezek 16; 20; 23, mercy is promised to a nation that is spoken of as hardly even desiring it, a most extreme instance. (4) But a mere negative granting of pardon is a most deficient definition of the Old Testament idea of God's mercy, which delights in conferring positive benefits. The gift to [[Abraham]] of the land of Canaan, liberation from Egypt, food in the wilderness, salvation from enemies, deliverance from exile - all of Israel's history can be felt to be the record of what God did for His people through no duty or compulsion, grateful thanksgiving for such unmerited blessings filling, for instance, much of the Psalter. The hearts of men are in God's keeping, to receive from Him the impulse toward what is right (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 29:18 , etc.). And the promise is made that the God who has manifested Himself as a forgiving Father will in due time take hold of His children to work in them actual righteousness (&nbsp;Isaiah 1:26; &nbsp;Isaiah 4:3 , &nbsp;Isaiah 4:4; &nbsp;Isaiah 32:1-8; &nbsp;Isaiah 33:24; &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:33 , &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:14; &nbsp;Ezekiel 36:25 , &nbsp;Ezekiel 36:26; Zec 8; &nbsp;Daniel 9:24; &nbsp;Psalm 51:10-12 ) With this promise - for the Old Testament always a matter of the future - the Old Testament teaching passes into that of the New Testament. </p> 7. Summary <p> Most of the discussions of the Biblical doctrine of grace have been faulty in narrowing the meaning of "grace" to some special sense, and then endeavoring to force this special sense on all the Biblical passages. For instance, Roman scholars, starting with the meaning of the word in (say) &nbsp;2 Corinthians 12:9 , have made &nbsp;Romans 3:24 state that men are justified by the infusion of Divine holiness into them, an interpretation that utterly ruins Paul's argument. On the other hand, Protestant extremists have tried to reverse the process and have argued that grace cannot mean anything except favor as an attitude, with results that are equally disastrous from the exegetical standpoint. And a confusion has resulted that has prevented men from seeing that most of the controversies about grace are at cross-purposes. A rigid definition is hardly possible, but still a single conception is actually present in almost every case where "grace" is found - the conception that all a Christian has or is, is centered exclusively in God and Christ, and depends utterly on God through Christ. The kingdom of heaven is reserved for those who become as little children, for those who look to their Father in loving confidence for every benefit, whether it be for the pardon so freely given, or for the strength that comes from Him who works in them both to will and to do. </p> Literature <p> All the Biblical theologies contain full discussions of the subject; for the New Testament the closest definitions are given by [[Bernard]] Weiss. But for the meaning of "grace" in any particular place the commentaries must be consulted, although the student may be warned against discussions that argue too closely from what may seem to be parallel passages. </p>

<p> (Lat. gratia; Gr. χάρις; Heb. חֶסֶד and חֶן a word of, various import in [[Scripture]] and in theology. </p> <p> '''I.''' Scriptural Uses. — </p> <p> '''(1.)''' [[Physical]] beauty (grace of form and person) (&nbsp;Proverbs 1:9; &nbsp;Proverbs 3:22; &nbsp;Proverbs 31:30.; &nbsp;Psalms 45:2, aetc.). </p> <p> '''(2.)''' Favor, kindness, goodness, benevolence, friendship of God towards men, or of men towards one another (&nbsp;Genesis 6:8; &nbsp;Genesis 18:3; &nbsp;Genesis 19:19; &nbsp;1 Samuel 10:2; &nbsp;2 Timothy 1:9). </p> <p> '''(3.)''' God's forgiving mercy, as gratuitous and opposed to merit (&nbsp;Romans 11:6; &nbsp;Ephesians 2:5; &nbsp;Colossians 1:6, etc.). </p> <p> '''(4.)''' The Gospel generally, as, contradistinguished from the law (&nbsp;John 1:17; &nbsp;Romans 6:14; &nbsp;1 Peter 5:12, etc.). </p> <p> '''(5.)''' [[Certain]] gifts of God,. freely bestowed; e.g. miracles, prophecy, tongues, etc. (&nbsp;Romans 15:15; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 15:10; &nbsp;Ephesians 3:8, etc.). </p> <p> '''(6.)''' Christian virtues; e.g. charity, liberality, holiness, etc. (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:7; &nbsp;2 Peter 3:18). </p> <p> '''(7.)''' The glory to be revealed, or eternal life (&nbsp;1 Peter 1:13). ''—'' Wilson. ''(Bampton Lecture On The [[Communion]] Of Saints,'' Oxford, 1851, 8vo) remarks as follows on the scriptural use of the word: ῾Χάρις occurs in the Sept. version sixty-six times, of which number it stands sixty-one times for חֵן, its signification in the New Test. cannot be fairly estimated without reference to the idea expressed by that Hebrew word. This is drawn altogether from Oriental life, and, implies properly the good will and inclination of a superior towards an inferior, so much below him as to seek only for a spontaneous and gratuitous favor, or to invite the favor only by his needs, humility, and supplications. The favorable inclination is manifested in a kind of condescending aspect. Hence constantly the phrase ' find favor ''In The [[Sight]] Of'' (בְּ ינֵי ): compare particularly &nbsp;Numbers 6:25, 'The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee (וַיחִנֶּךָ ). Upon an examination of the use of the words חֵן and חָנִן in the Old Test. it will appear that a quality is sometimes implied in the object which has invited the favor of the superior; sometimes the favor is altogether gratuitous: a few instances are subjoined. 1. A quality or antecedent merit is supposed: &nbsp;Genesis 32:5; &nbsp;Genesis 39:4; &nbsp;Genesis 39:21; &nbsp;Genesis 47:29; &nbsp;Genesis 1:4; &nbsp;1 Samuel 16:22; &nbsp;1 Samuel 25:8; &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:4; &nbsp;Esther 2:15; &nbsp;Esther 5:2; &nbsp;Proverbs 1:9; &nbsp;Proverbs 3:22; &nbsp;Proverbs 4:9 (in these three places χάριτας, spiritual graces); &nbsp;Proverbs 5:19, ''Hinnula Gratice;'' &nbsp;Proverbs 13:15, ''Bona Mens Dat Gratiam;'' &nbsp;Proverbs 11:16, ''Mulier Gratiae'' (εὔχρηστος )); in &nbsp;Nahum 3:4, ''Pulchritudo Meretricis.'' 2. On the other hand, the idea of merit or pleasing quality is excluded in &nbsp;Genesis 34:11; &nbsp;Exodus 3:21; &nbsp;Exodus 11:3; &nbsp;Exodus 12:36; &nbsp;Numbers 32:5; &nbsp;Ruth 2:2; &nbsp;1 Samuel 1:18; &nbsp;1 Samuel 27:5; &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:2; but particularly in &nbsp;Exodus 33:19, where אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְחִנֹּתִּי אֶתאּ . is translated by ἐλεήσω ὃν ¨ ν ἐλεῶ; and &nbsp;Psalms 51:3, where, and in other places, חָנִן has nearly the meaning of רָחִם, to pity and commiserate. חֵן stands for a gift of free love in &nbsp;Psalms 84:12; &nbsp;Proverbs 3:34. A merit or pleasing quality in the object is neither excluded nor necessarily implied in &nbsp;Psalms 67:2, and elsewhere. But some exciting cause of the favor is supposed in &nbsp;Deuteronomy 28:50; &nbsp;2 Kings 13:23; &nbsp;Job 19:21 (Have pity on me); Psalm 123:6; &nbsp;Proverbs 14:35; &nbsp;Proverbs 19:17 (He that hath pity on the poor); 21:10; &nbsp;Isaiah 30:18-19; &nbsp;Isaiah 33:2; &nbsp;Lamentations 4:16; &nbsp;Amos 5:15; &nbsp;Malachi 1:9. But the best illustration of the Hebrew idea of 'grace' will be derived from observing that הַתְהִנֵּן, the form of which implies ''To Make One'S Self An Object Ofgrace,'' means not to ''Deserve,'' but to ''Pray;'' and תִּחֲנוּנִים are not ''Merits,'' but ''Supplications;'' the humility and abject condition of the suppliant is thus the exciting cause of the favor (&nbsp;1 Kings 8:33; &nbsp;1 Kings 8:47; &nbsp;1 Kings 8:59; &nbsp;1 Kings 9:3; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 6:24; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 6:37; &nbsp;Job 9:15; &nbsp;Job 19:16; &nbsp;Esther 4:8). תְּחִנָּה is sometimes prayer and sometimes the favor gained by it." The word [[Grace]] occurs 128 times in the New Test. (Cruden). Wilson presents all these passages in a tabular form, with explanations, and remarks that a comparison of them will show that "there is not one text in which the word [[Grace]] occurs in any connection with either of the sacraments." (See [[Sacraments]]). </p> <p> '''II.''' ''Theological.'' — The word "grace" is the hinge of three great theological controversies: </p> <p> '''(1)''' that of the nature of depravity and regeneration, between the orthodox doctrine of the Church and Pelagianism; </p> <p> '''(2)''' that of the ''Relation'' between grace and free will, between the [[Calvinists]] and the Arminians; </p> <p> '''(3)''' that of means ''(Media)'' of grace, between the Romanists and [[Puseyites]] on the one hand and [[Protestants]] on the other. For the treatment of the first, (See [[Pelagianism]]); on the second, (See [[Arminianism]]); (See Election); (See Predestination); (See Will). On the third, (See Sacraments). </p>