Grace

“And the Word [Jesus Christ] became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth...For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”  (John 1:14, 16-17; New American Standard Bible)

While I was reading this passage of Scripture, I wanted to know more about this word “grace.”  I pulled the big, heavy Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance off of my bookshelf, and found the Greek word for “grace,” which is “charis.”  Its many definitions brought joy, hope, and strength to my soul.

One of the definitions of “grace” is “unmerited favor.”  An acronym that I learned from a Baptist preacher puts it this way: “GRACE, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”  Christ paid the ultimate price when He died on the cross for our sins.  He did this so we could know the riches of God’s love and fellowship.  That is “unmerited favor”...goodness that we didn’t deserve.  As Smith’s Bible Dictionary says, grace is “kindness towards mankind shown by the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Another book showed me that grace is the depth and richness of the heart and mind of God...The kindness and love that dwells within His very nature.

As I continued my study, I found out that in the secular Greek writings, Aristotle spoke of the moral quality of grace toward someone in need.  Grace was not imparted so that the giver could get something in return.  Grace was given simply for the sake of helping its recipient.  When God the Father showed His love in an act of grace by sending His Son into this world, God knew that we would never be able to repay Him for what He had bestowed upon us.  He gave simply for our sake, because He knew we desperately needed the precious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ!

Some say that it sounds too good to be true.  Thank God, it is true!  I believe that’s one reason why in John 1:14-17 it says twice that Christ is full of “grace and truth.”  The Lord wants us to be sure of His love for us.  I am grateful that the Sovereign God gives grace to the humble (see James 4:6), and it is “by grace that we have been saved, through faith; and that not of ourselves.  It is the gift of God; not a result of our own works, so none of us can boast.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)”

I have also come to learn that grace is connected with freedom, thankfulness, and joy.  When we draw closer to God, He can cultivate these attributes in us so we can have strength, even in our trials.  Jesus said in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Let’s take hold of this truth...The same grace that Christ is full of, He gives it to us for strength.  His mercy, His favor, His kindness, His love, His generosity, His liberty, His joy, the riches of His goodness and blessings are ours!  This is His grace, and it is our strength!  It is His gift to us.

As my reading drew to a close, the thought I was left with was this: “Grace is the Divine influence upon our hearts, and its reflection in our lives.”  So I pass what I’ve learned on to you, so that you and I both may follow the instructions in 2 Peter 3:18, “Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”  And God, the Holy Spirit, shall help us with this.  “Jesus said, ‘I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you...These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.’”  (John 14:16-17, 25-26; NASB)