Grace is a concept alien to all religions in the world – except true Christianity.
It is a concept unknown in Judaism – mentioned only 3 times in the Old Testament. In Psalm 45, a wedding Psalm, it is used prophetically about Jesus, our Bridegroom. In Proverbs, Wisdom crowns the head of the humble with grace, and in Isayah 26:10 grace is shown to the wicked to no avail.
Even in the Gospels only 2 passages mention grace: Luke 2:40 – the grace of God was upon Jesus as he grew up, and John 1:14-17 – the Son was full of grace and truth; from the fullness of his grace we received blessing upon blessing and, as the Law came through Moses, so grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
But then, as the Church was being established on the foundation of the New Covenant – the Covenant of Grace – Believers became partakers of this New Covenant by being born into eternal life by grace – the free gift of forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. In Acts alone Grace is mentioned 11 times, in the letters of Paul – 85 times.
Until the birth of the church, Jews greeted each other with “Shalom” (peace). Even after his resurrection this is how Jesus greeted his disciples. But as his apostles gained understanding of the free gift of God in Jesus – Salvation by Grace – they changed the greeting to “Grace and Peace”, and this is how Paul started and ended every one of his 13 letters.
When Paul said his final farewell to the leaders of the church in Ephesus, he said: “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:52)
So, what is the meaning of GRACE for us who believe? The literal meaning of the word is “undeserved gift / favour / love”. To us as believers it means God expressing his love to us, underserving sinners.
In the Old Testament his love was expressed in blessings, conditional on obedience to his Law and ordinances. But to us He expresses his love in “grace upon grace” without any condition, through the “Word of his grace” Jesus Christ, our Saviour. By his death and resurrection Jesus made atonement for all sin, and so removed the last impediments to full communion between God and us – guilt, sin, punishment, the old sinful nature.
Paul calls this RECONCILIATION – God removed all obstacles to the flow of his love to us through the blood of Jesus and raised us up into eternal life in his presence. Hallelujah!
In his first letter John describes this new life in the grace, the love of God in 1 John 4:4 onwards. He says “… love comes from God; everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God … because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. No-one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us. And so, we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.”
This is the meaning of living in grace. This is why Paul and Silas sang songs of praise in the middle of the night in a dark prison after being publicly and unjustly flogged.
Father Lord God, thank You that we can pray like Paul said in his message to the Athenians, “For in Him (God) we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) Thank You Lord, that You give grace, peace and life in abundance to us. Thank You that You are enough and ALL we need. Amen
Elzeth Marherbe