What is grace?

Andrewn said:

"In the Eastern Orthodox Church, grace is identified with the uncreated Energies of God. Among Eastern Christians generally, grace is considered to be the partaking of the Divine Nature described in 2 Peter 1:4."

Grace in Christianity - Wikipedia.

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I'm not sure if this is what you meant, but this seems to me to be consistent with what I wrote.

What is grace?
Good question.
Let's ask Grace101.
Hey @Grace101
What is grace?

Hmm said:

I was listening to an interview given by the writer Philip Yancey at Holy Trinity Brompton about his forthcoming, at the time, book Vanishing Grace. I found it interesting so thought I'd try to capture some of what he said here to hopefully get other's thoughts on the subject.

He was asked what grace really means and he said he tries to avoid defining it because Jesus didn't even though He talked a lot about grace - He usually answered direct questions with a story or a question back. But he said if he had to he would say that we live in a world of ungrace, a dog eat dog world where if someone hits us we hit them back, a we get what we deserve type world. But with grace we don't get what we deserve, we get the opposite: we deserve God's punishment but we get forgiveness; we deserve His wrath but we get love. And he said we're called as Christians to dispense that kind of grace to the world.

He also said something that really struck me: that there's nothing we can do to make God love us more - no amount of spirituality, legalism designed to impress others or even good deeds. And similarly there's nothing we can do to make God love us less. No error that we make or sin that we commit.

In summing up he said that our infinite God already loves us as much as He possibly can and if we can understand that then we'd have a little glimpse of what God's grace is.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

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When you read in The Word how meek and lowly we as Christians are to be and that we are saved by Grace, it is Telling.

Hmm said:

I was listening to an interview given by the writer Philip Yancey at Holy Trinity Brompton about his forthcoming, at the time, book Vanishing Grace. I found it interesting so thought I'd try to capture some of what he said here to hopefully get other's thoughts on the subject.

He was asked what grace really means and he said he tries to avoid defining it because Jesus didn't even though He talked a lot about grace - He usually answered direct questions with a story or a question back. But he said if he had to he would say that we live in a world of ungrace, a dog eat dog world where if someone hits us we hit them back, a we get what we deserve type world. But with grace we don't get what we deserve, we get the opposite: we deserve God's punishment but we get forgiveness; we deserve His wrath but we get love. And he said we're called as Christians to dispense that kind of grace to the world.

He also said something that really struck me: that there's nothing we can do to make God love us more - no amount of spirituality, legalism designed to impress others or even good deeds. And similarly there's nothing we can do to make God love us less. No error that we make or sin that we commit.

In summing up he said that our infinite God already loves us as much as He possibly can and if we can understand that then we'd have a little glimpse of what God's grace is.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

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Grace is gods favor towards us...something none of us deserve

Silverback said:

Grace is gods favor towards us...something none of us deserve

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Where in the Bible does it say we don't deserve it?

Hmm said:

I must admit I find the. concept of a God who creates us, brings us into being, and we then have a life of great pain and he all this without our agreement and then to say 'I owe you nothing:' very problematic if not blatantly immoral. That's to say, that's a cold God and not the God I recognise.

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God's grace shines on us all, but to say "God owes me" is blatantly wrong. His ways are not are ways, his thoughts are not our thoughts.

God told Israel he chose them, however, it was not because they were the best or brightest, but because he was graceful to them.

There is nothing good about humanity, what we deserve is Gods eternal wrath and punishment. However, because of his grace, and loving kindness some will be saved.

Because some are saved does not mean God owes us anything, if he "owed it to us" or, if we "deserve it" then it's no longer grace, it's now a contractual agreement.

God doesn’t offer grace because we deserve it or because He owes us. God gives grace out of love. Motive is everything.

Hmm said:

Well, I don't think that's right. I don't think anyone deserves eternal punishment just for being born without their permission. God is as He is in Jesus, not like that IMO. But there's no point arguing about it I guess

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Cool! You've created your very own religion, congrats!

Hmm said:

Whatever you want to think is cool with me.

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Yeah, I see that.

I think we do deserve it, salvation.
God providing a way for us to be saved is deserving.
We get to choose if we want that or not.
God had to give us a choice to make it right.

Silverback said:

There is nothing good about humanity, what we deserve is Gods eternal wrath and punishment. However, because of his grace, and loving kindness some will be saved.

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Tigger45 said:

God doesn’t offer grace because we deserve it or because He owes us. God gives grace out of love. Motive is everything.

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Hmm said:

I don't think anyone deserves eternal punishment just for being born without their permission.

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OSAS 101 said:

I think we do deserve it, salvation. God providing a way for us to be saved is deserving.

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My children were created in my image and according to my likeness and I love them as much as I love myself, perhaps even more.

But I don't think my children "deserve" an inheritance regardless of their behavior.

And I don't think they deserve "eternal conscious torture," either.

I didn't predestine one to heaven and the other to eternal hell bec I'm not a monster.

What they "deserve" is a chance, an adequate, ample, well-informed chance to understand my love for them and to come to trust me.

Hmm said:

I was listening to an interview given by the writer Philip Yancey at Holy Trinity Brompton about his forthcoming, at the time, book Vanishing Grace. I found it interesting so thought I'd try to capture some of what he said here to hopefully get other's thoughts on the subject.

He was asked what grace really means and he said he tries to avoid defining it because Jesus didn't even though He talked a lot about grace - He usually answered direct questions with a story or a question back. But he said if he had to he would say that we live in a world of ungrace, a dog eat dog world where if someone hits us we hit them back, a we get what we deserve type world. But with grace we don't get what we deserve, we get the opposite: we deserve God's punishment but we get forgiveness; we deserve His wrath but we get love. And he said we're called as Christians to dispense that kind of grace to the world.

He also said something that really struck me: that there's nothing we can do to make God love us more - no amount of spirituality, legalism designed to impress others or even good deeds. And similarly there's nothing we can do to make God love us less. No error that we make or sin that we commit.

In summing up he said that our infinite God already loves us as much as He possibly can and if we can understand that then we'd have a little glimpse of what God's grace is.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

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Let's take a look at some Bible on the subject of grace, because most people do not understand what grace is. Most will say I am under grace. Some will say grace is a free gift and that’s true. But, what is this free gift. The free gift (grace) is Jesus came and died for our sins and by coming under his blood; we have access back to the tree of life (Jesus) which Adam by sinning took away in the garden of Eden. With out the Tree of life (Jesus) man was condemned to death, even the second death (the lake of fire).

Jesus told us in the scripture, (Psalms: 69: 4) They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, beingmine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away…which is your grace (our access to Jesus). Our fore parents, Adam and Eve chose to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Satan), by listening to Satan, instead of God, he cost us are access to The Tree of Life. Paul said this in Roman 5: 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Adam and Eve were put forth from the Garden of Eden and from the Tree of Life. Grace is no more than a free gift retained by keeping God’s Law. Lets go into (1John 3:4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Now we have just read the biblical definition of sin, the transgression (breaking) of the law (commandments.) It doesn’t matter what you or I think sin is, it’s what God says sin is that counts.

Paul said in (Rom. 3:23-25) (v.23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (v.24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (v.25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. So the bible tells you to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. And by doing so you come up under his precious blood and then you are saved from your sins that are past, not present or future sins but for sins that are past. We were all locked under death by Adam’s sin, even the second death. But when Jesus became (he was God in the beginning) man and died for the sins of the world, he gave us access back to the tree of life (himself) which Adam had caused us to lose. That’s what grace is, our free gift our access back to the tree of life. So by coming under the blood of Jesus you are saved from your past sins. And if you are saved now, it is on a day to day basis. Because all have sinned, and if you continue to live you will sin again. It is the willful sinning that you need to put in check. Paul says in Hebrew 10: (v.26) For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.

Now do we understand what’s being said here? If you sin willfully after you have knowledge of what the truth is, no more animals are going to die for you. (v.27) But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Now if you are being deceived into believing that once you are under God’s grace you no longer have to keep his commandments, all you have to look forward to is the day of judgement and the lake of fire (fiery indignation).

Hmm said:

All the stories about Jesus also illustrate grace. The poor and homeless, the unloved, the lepers and the prostitutes all ran towards Jesus. Imagine meeting a sex worker now, filled with shame at what she does but feeling she has to to maintain a drug habit or even to feed her children and saying to her "Why don't you go to a church and see if they can help you?". What's she likely to say to that? She would have seen Jesus as a refuge if she saw Him when He was alive but she's likely to see the church as a place that would condemn and not welcome her at all. What's been lost here can be summed up in the word "grace" I guess.

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Jesus says in Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
That is until the end of your life, or until the Second Coming of the Lord. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. It's sad that the word of God is not being taught in truth throughout all these churches, but the word of God is still the word of God. "But when they believed Phillip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." hen Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. (Acts 8:13-17):

Anyone that is not baptized is a person with their sins yet upon them, because it is the baptism that washes away our past sins. "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16): Remember, before his crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples that his time (death) is not yet come; He also informed them that their time (death) can come at any moment.

Hmm said:

All the stories about Jesus also illustrate grace. The poor and homeless, the unloved, the lepers and the prostitutes all ran towards Jesus. Imagine meeting a sex worker now, filled with shame at what she does but feeling she has to to maintain a drug habit or even to feed her children and saying to her "Why don't you go to a church and see if they can help you?". What's she likely to say to that? She would have seen Jesus as a refuge if she saw Him when He was alive but she's likely to see the church as a place that would condemn and not welcome her at all. What's been lost here can be summed up in the word "grace" I guess.

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One of my favorite sayings of Jesus is the following:

Mat 21:31 "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

Hmm said:

It had been going on for a while when Lewis came in and when he asked what they were discussing and they told him he said "Oh, that's easy. It's grace".

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Only the genius of CS Lewis could summarize Christianity in this one word. And he is absolutely right for John's Prologue says:

Joh 1:14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

This is an obvious reference to His appearance to Moses on Mount Sinai:

Exo 34:6 Then Yahweh passed before him and called out, 'Yahweh, Yahweh, God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in hesed and emeth,