GRACE
— favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one
who receives it and in spite of what that person deserves. Grace is one of
the key attributes of God. The Lord God is “merciful and gracious,
long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth” (Ex. 34:6). Therefore,
grace is almost always associated with mercy, love, compassion, and
patience.
In the Old Testament, the supreme example of grace was
the redemption of the Hebrew people from Egypt and their establishment in
the Promised Land. This did not happen because of any merit on Israel’s
part, but in spite of their unrighteousness (Deut. 7:7–8; 9:5–6). Although
the grace of God is always free and undeserved, it must not be taken for
granted. Grace is only enjoyed within the
Covenant—the gift is given by
God, and the gift is received by people through repentance and faith (Amos
5:15). Grace is to be humbly sought through the prayer of faith (Mal. 1:9).
The grace of God was supremely revealed and given in the
person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not only the beneficiary of God’s
grace (Luke 2:40), but was also its very embodiment (John 1:14), bringing it
to humankind for salvation (Titus 2:11). By His death and resurrection,
Jesus restored the broken fellowship between God and His people, both Jew
and Gentile. The only way of salvation for any person is “through the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:11).
The grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ is applied to
human beings for their salvation by the
Holy Spirit, who is called
“the Spirit of grace” (Heb. 10:29). The Spirit is the One who binds Christ
to His people so that they receive forgiveness, adoption to sonship, and
newness of life, as well as every spiritual gift or grace (Eph. 4:7).
The theme of grace is especially prominent in the letters
of Paul. He sets grace radically over against the law and the works of the
law (Rom. 3:24, 28). Paul makes it abundantly clear that salvation is not
something that can be earned; it can be received only as a gift of grace
(Rom. 4:4). Grace, however, must be accompanied by faith; a person must
trust in the mercy and favor of God, even while it is undeserved (Rom. 4:16;
Gal. 2:16).
The law of Moses revealed the righteous will of God in
the midst of pagan darkness; it was God’s gracious gift to Israel (Deut.
4:8). But His will was made complete when Jesus brought the gospel of grace
into the world (John 1:17).
Youngblood, Ronald F. ; Bruce, F. F. ;
Harrison, R. K. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nelson's New
Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville : T. Nelson, 1995