A sign in a farmer’s field near our village proclaims: “By grace are you saved.” And it is true that we receive conversion and salvation by God’s grace. Yet the concept of grace is horribly distorted within the Christian world. The doctrine of grace accepted by many teaches that God readily forgives sins—not only past but also future sins—so there is no longer any requirement to obey God’s laws. Because of its corrupted meaning, we may view it mostly as unmerited pardon. But grace is much more. Let’s understand the broad biblical truth of God’s grace!

Grace has rich meanings

The richness of the meaning of grace increases our appreciation of how blessed we are by God. God clearly establishes how our human righteousness cannot gain us salvation (Deuteronomy 9:4-6; Daniel 9:18-19). Bible dictionaries reveal that in the Old Testament the Hebrew word chen (Strong’s #2580) is most often used and means “graciousness, kindness, or favor.”

Similarly, in the New Testament the Greek word for “grace” is charis (Strongs #5485). Overall, it means graciousness, divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in life, gratitude, benefit, favor, gift, joy, pleasure and thanks.

As always, the context of how the word is used provides proper meaning. “Grace” is a dominant New Testament theme. And we know from Scripture that salvation is by grace, not by any works on our part (Romans 11:5-6; Ephesians 2:4-5).

A sample of meanings

There are different, meaningful ways the people of God are under God’s grace:

1. Grace, as a word, is used for letter introductions and endings.

For instance, Paul in 1 Timothy 1:2 wrote, “Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father,” and in 1 Thessalonians 1:1 he wrote, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father.” In chapter 5, verse 28 Paul used the word in an ending: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” The apostle John wrote a similar ending in Revelation 22:21. These instances show different applications for the use of the word.

2. Grace delivers from the effect of lawlessness.

On the religious argument that grace delivers us from keeping the law, Genesis 6:5-8 says it differently. Noah found grace in God’s eyes. But God’s gaze had already seen that the world was lawless and so decreed a flood to drown everyone, all except eight who observed His law. If Noah were lawless, he would also have perished. Striving to keep the law resulted in God’s grace (favor), which saved them. Noah also had righteous works to fulfill in building the ark.

3. Human destiny is explained in God’s grace.

Job recognized that personal existence lay in the hands of an invisible Creator. “Your hands have made me and fashioned me, an intricate unity; yet You would destroy me. Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay” (Job 10:8-9). Jeremiah, too, echoed this about God’s people: “How they are regarded as clay pots, the work of the hands of the potter!” (Lamentations 4:2). In the hands of God as Master Potter, we as clay must be malleable, pliable, adaptable and flexible. As spiritual clay, we must be able to be pressed into shape without breaking or cracking. For transformation to happen, we must be yielded to His purpose.

4. The firstfruit calling is by God’s grace.

It is by God’s grace that we are called. Paul shows us this in Galatians 1:15-16 and 2 Timothy 1:1, 9. Christ’s gracious personal prayer to the Father was to keep those called from the evil one (John 17:11-12, 15). It is by God’s grace that we can be Christlike in mind and character; be called sons and daughters of God, and do a work on His behalf (Philippians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Ephesians 3:16; Psalm 94:16-19).

The unfolding, unfinished story of His working in those called by Him can make us ponder how few we are compared to what we were. Even 15 years ago, in a world of 6 billion, the number was still small. There is an important lesson for us in how God whittled down the size of Gideon’s army. Their “work” then was throwing off Midianite oppression. Originally 32,000, the size of the army was reduced to 300—or 1 of every 106! The reason was vital for their attitude—so they could not claim that victory was by their strength! The lesson of Gideon should not be lost on us in the end-time Church (Judges 7:7, 14, 22).

5. Forgiveness is part of our grace.

While we strive to keep the law, it is by God’s grace that we are forgiven. Paul explains that it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4; 5:15-21; Titus 3:4-7). In the universally publicized statements of some Holocaust survivors we read, “I’ll never forgive what they did to me.” Such statements reflect this hugely difficult thing of forgiveness. But God has it all in hand. A resurrection will confront all perpetrators of evil with an opportunity for individual repentance of what they did to others.

6. By God’s grace we share spiritual gifts.

Paul enumerates some of these in 1 Corinthians 1:4-8 and Ephesians 4:7-8. The apostle Peter does similarly in 1 Peter 4:10-11. Today we find some members stand out in special ways. With the added influence of God’s Holy Spirit, a natural or learned talent becomes more valuable in service to the Church. Some have empathy for the sick beyond what others feel, and there are those who are especially hospitable when others are not as sociable. We are grateful to those who are dedicated to Church hall setup and cleanup. They are first to arrive, and the last to leave when everyone else has long since gone their way.

Among the ordained, there are special speaking, teaching, counseling, organizational and editorial skills. Abilities can be strengthened by God’s Spirit for service to His Church.

7. The gospel is free by God’s grace.

It was Christ’s instruction to the disciples, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). God’s grace is to do a work in which our magazine The Good News and other literature always goes out free.

It takes belief in God’s promises to trust for strength when needed. Daniel was left “speechless” at his vision of end-time events. The visual impression drained him, left him overwhelmed and without energy (Daniel 10:14-17). When the angel touched him, he was supernaturally strengthened and revived. Consider our situation. We live daily with real events every single day. This daily media diet of disaster and evil enervates and pains us. We frequently need implore God for the strength to carry on day by day. This, too, was Peter’s and David’s prayers (1 Peter 5:10; Psalm 138:3).

To summarize:

    * Under God’s grace we go from strength to strength (Psalm 84:5, 7).
    * Spiritual character built through God’s grace will shine ever brighter (Proverbs 4:18).
    * It is under the grace of God that we have the confidence that God will complete what He has begun in us (Philippians 1:6, 9-11).
    * By the grace of God, we receive His Spirit to increase in godly knowledge and discernment (Colossians 1:10-11).
    * Aided by God’s Spirit, we are to grow in grace. And it has a much larger scope in our lives than that singularly championed by religion (2 Peter 1:2; 3:18).

Recommended reading

Read The Good News magazine. And for additional reading, request a copy of You Can Have Living Faith.