What is Grace?

SHORT DEFINITION:
Grace is God with us and for us. Grace is the unmerited and impartial favor of God granted to us because of who God is and what Christ has done.

2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

LONG DEFINITION:
Grace is the favor of God made available to sinners by Christ.

In our sin, we have all lost the favor of God. We do not please Him. We are corrupt sinners that are far from His original design. When God created humanity, He had a specific design in mind. He made us both wonderfully and fearfully. We are wonderful because we bear the image of God upon us. We look like God. We are fearfully made because of our intricacies. Just one small flaw and our whole being is distorted. Our beauty comes in our perfection. However, we have fallen from perfection. We are not graceful.

Jesus Christ, however, came full of grace (John 1:14). The Son of God was pleasing to His Father. At Christ's Baptism, God said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17) God was with Christ and wherever He went this was seen. God support Him, provided Him, and answered His prayers. Christ performed many miracles and wonderous acts.

We are able to obtain God's favor because of Christ. We do not obtain this by anything we do. It is all based upon Christ. He brought us grace. We have obtained grace when we have obtained Christ. We have grace because we have Christ.

Grace has been offered to all men. Titus 2:11 says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." And John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." The invitation has been sent to everyone, but not everyone will come. Only those who accept the invitation will receive grace. Those who receive grace will have God's favor.

To have God's favor is a great gift for this means God is with us, on our side, and willing to help us in our life. We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8) meaning that it is God's power that saves us, not our own power. When we have God's grace, He our mountain firm. (Psalms 30:7; Psalms 45:2)
2 Corinthians 9:8 says, " And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Important points about grace:

• God gives grace to the humble. (Proverbs 3:34)
• Grace works within. (1 Corinthians 15:10)
• Grace is given in portion. (Ephesians 4:7)
• We grow in grace. (2 Peter 3:18)
• We must act out God's grace in works. (1 Peter 4:10; Colossians 4:6)
• Godless men change the grace of God into a license for immorality. (Jude 1:4)