What is the biblical definition of grace? Examples & meaning. (2023)

My friend recently asked me what the word "grace" means according to the Bible. I wrote this post to share what I learned through my research.

What is the biblical definition of grace?Grace is an unearned favor from God. We receive this favor through God's redemption and other blessings from God. God's grace does not depend on our actions, but only on the fact that he wants to give them to us.2Timothy 1:9 says that God has called us by grace to live holy lives.

God's grace is amazing because it is given to us by God every day and it helps us to become more like him. Follow me through this post as I delve deeper into God's grace.

Biblical definition of grace

We all deserve death because we all sin. What we don't deserve is the salvation and blessings we have through Christ, but that's grace.

Therefore, only Assin came into the world through man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned -

Romans 5:12

We need grace every day, but we cannot earn it. When we examine the Scriptures, we see again and again that man does not deserve to have the daily satisfactions of life, but we do have God's unmerited favor. This unmerited favor is most prevalent in salvation.

Grace is as simple as God's favor that we don't deserve.

Our salvation through Jesus was by grace because God saved us when we couldn't save ourselves.

Grace appears so often because it is such a big part of who we are as Christians. Not just the grace shown when we were saved, but the grace we received.

God shows us grace when he answers our prayers and works in our lives. Only by grace can we be saved, by the favor of God.

When we are saved, we have victory over sin and death, but we still struggle to resist sin and walk a path that honors God. Grace gives us the ability to fight the desires of the flesh.

Grace has nothing to do with what we can or want to do. We cannot repay in any way, there are so many things in life that take time, money or effort, but grace is free. Grace is based on the goodness of the giver, not the receiver.

When reading the letters that Paul wrote to the first churches in the New Testament, Paul often mentions grace.

But if it is by grace, it is no longer based on works; otherwise mercy would no longer be mercy.

Romans 11:6

The way Paul puts it in Romans is pretty clear, grace is not based on anything we can do, otherwise it wouldn't be grace.

and are justified by the bestowing of grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 3:24

In this passage, Paul equates grace with a gift, a gift that comes through Jesus Christ. As Christians, we should be surprised to receive such a gift for such a great price - for free.

And of His fullness we all receive, grace upon grace.

João 1:16

When looking at the Scriptures, if you see a word that is used more than once, pay attention. John does not simply write about the grace of God, but about grace upon grace. John places great value on grace. We will never run out of God's grace.

God's love works by grace. If we want to know how God loves us or where we see his love in our lives, it is through the grace given to us day by day.

He loves us so much that grace awaits us even when we fail.

examples for free

Grace can seem abstract and difficult to understand.

In today's culture, everything is based on what you've done. If you've worked hard enough, you'll get a raise, if you've saved your money, you can reward yourself with a vacation. If you can't keep up with the workload, you won't get promoted.

It can be difficult to understand how grace, something unearned, works in our own lives.

When looking for examples of grace, everything is grounded in the gospel. The gospel and grace go hand in hand because the gospel is biblical grace.

Throughout the Old Testament we see multiple failures of the nation of Israel, God's chosen people. Ever since God brought the people out of Egypt, the Israelites have complained and worshiped other gods.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Each one did what they thought was right.

Richter 21:25

This pattern continued. The people of Israel would sin, God would punish them, the Israelites would repent, God would save them, but the people would forget again and fall into sin.

God's grace was seen again and again when God forgave the people of Israel, but we see God's supreme grace extended to the Israelites and to us through Jesus' death on the cross.

Jesus came to earth and lived as a human, experienced life, but finally died for our sins. Then he rose again, he conquered death and after he rose again he sent the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts.

Who, though in the form of God, did not regard God as something tangible, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human form. And when he was found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.

(Video) Grace

Philippians 2:6-8

Jesus life and death were not pleasant, he humbled himself to death on the cross, only through his death are we saved.

This salvation offered to us and to everyone, including the Israelites, who turned away from God, is grace because we did nothing to deserve salvation.

Jesus didn't come because we were doing well or because we asked.

But God shows his love for us when we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

When we were still sinners, trapped in our sin and enjoying our sin, God showed us mercy. God's grace in our own lives is the greatest display of grace.

We see grace differently throughout Scripture. An example of this is when David shows mercy to Mephi-bosheth.

Mephibosheth was Jonathan's son, and Jonathan is Saul's son. Saul had been king of Israel for many years, but he had turned away from God and no longer listened to what God had to say. Saul tried to kill David when he found out that David would become king in his son Jonathan's place.

You might think David would be upset if he was being hunted, but even when opportunities presented themselves, David didn't harm Saul.

After David became king he asked if there were any surviving relatives of Saul, the answer was yes, Jonathan's son Mephibosheth.

Although David was king and could do whatever he wanted, he chose to be kind to Mephibosheth.

David showed kindness to his enemy's kinsman, not because of something Mephibosheth had done, but out of mercy.

David gave Mephi-bosheth the land that belonged to Saul and always let Mephi-bosheth eat at David's table, making sure he never wanted it, a gift of favor Mephi-bosheth did not deserve - freely given.

the meaning of grace

Grace is more than a good concept, it's something we need every day.

We know that Paul writes a lot about grace in his letters to the various New Testament churches.

Paul writes about his need for grace all the time, every day. We also need grace all the time, every day.

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul speaks of a thorn in the side. There was what he called a thorn in his flesh, he begged God three times to take it out. That thorn made him less dependent on himself and more dependent on God and his grace each day.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." I will gladly boast of my weaknesses so that Christ's strength may rest upon me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

In our imperfections and weaknesses we see the beauty of God's grace shining in our lives.

We can contemplate this word of grace all day and even read in Scripture how God shows grace, but it becomes much more prevalent in our lives when we embrace it for ourselves and live in the grace that God has given us.

Grace matters because the gospel matters. The gospel is important because it is our salvation from being forever separated from God because of our sins.

Grace is woven into the history of the world. God created us and loved us, but we sinned, but he continued to love us even when we continued to distance ourselves from him.

When Jesus came and died on the cross and we were saved by grace, we know that we were not saved on our basis, but really as a gift because God loves us. Grace will affect our own lives every day.

For the grace of God has appeared and brought salvation to all men,train us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life in our day

Tito 2:11,12

Grace is an important and vital part of the process of becoming more like Christ. Grace is essential to salvation and therefore essential to our lives.

response to grace

Yes, God gives us grace, but are we going to accept it? And how do we accept God's grace through salvation, as well as daily grace?

We already know by the definition of the word that grace will not depend on anything we do, we can be a good person or we can screw up, but God offers us salvation through his grace.

Because by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own work; it is the gift of God, not the fruit of works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8,9

As we read in Ephesians, we have salvation by grace, but by faith. Our belief in God is how we accept the gift of grace offered to us. By grace through faith we have been saved.

Our response to this wonderful grace that God has given us should not be to turn away and think that hearing about it is enough, but to strive to make God's grace a part of our daily lives.

Just as we saw in Paul's life through the thorn in his flesh, it was in his weakness that Christ shone, in the same way the more we trust God and not ourselves, the more we will see God.

It can be hard to admit weakness or even show it, especially in today's society that values ​​independence, but we won't see God working unless we let Him.

God cannot be glorified if we contribute to ourselves the achievements of life and ignore the weaknesses.

In our walk as Christians we want God's grace to work in us every day. Not only is it important to be vulnerable and let God work, but we also need to be humble.

Humility and weakness are often linked, and when we examine the weaknesses in our lives, it becomes clear that we have nothing to add. God is the one who works through us in incredible ways.

But he's more fun. That is why it is said: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble".

Tiago 4:6

Those who are willing to humble themselves and come before God in weakness will truly see the power of Christ working in their lives.

Our eyes must be on God, He is the source of grace.

Let us run with perseverance the race before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who endured the cross for the joy set before him, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebreus 12:1b,2

As Christians, we don't want to forget where the grace we need to live each day comes from. We must fix our eyes on Jesus, and as Hebrews says, He endured much for us, and we did nothing to deserve the gift of salvation.

As sinners, we need grace every day, and that means humbling ourselves every day, which may not seem like a pleasant thing at first.

We don't want to acknowledge how broken we are and how the world around us is sometimes broken, but if we draw close to God in our weaknesses, He will be able to fill us up.

If we don't believe we can get through the day, if we don't believe we can resist temptation again, it's God's free favor to help us.

If you haven't experienced or felt God's grace, pray and ask Him to reveal His grace to you.