Definition of Grace

I dont think its because we are sinners that we are given grace so much as the righteous are given grace as well, even more so. grace upon grace.

We are given grace because God is gracious and also He is so much higher than us, only He is in a position to give it.

I really think born again christians should stop thinking of themselves as mere sinners saved by grace, thats old school thinking. Keep walking in grace and you wont be sinning anymore.
 
Mercy is something we dont deserve..thats different, God is merciful to us by not smiting us when we are wicked and give into sin.
By his grace we are saved..it is not from ourselves..it is the power of Christ to keep us from sin. It is not works so anyone can boast. I do see some christians boasting they have grace eg license to sin that other people dont cos they think they have Jesus. but if they still stuck in their sinful ways after being saved then what does that say about Jesus, that he has no power against sin?

Are they lying then? Have they not been washed clean by the blood of the lamb?

Actually Christians do not boast that they have a license to sin---that would be the abject rejection of God's grace, which is His unmerited favour (favour of God that we cannot earn).

Those who continue to sin without repentance are taking God's grace for granted and abusing it, and prove that they have not understood salvation, and are still in dire need of it.
 
Those who continue to sin without repentance are taking God's grace for granted and abusing it, and prove that they have not understood salvation, and are still in dire need of it.
Yes, I agree entirely.
 
Hmm when a child directly disobeys yes..but that is wilful sin.


Did Paul deserve to be punished? I think not, I think if people reject Jesus after having come to know him that is the worst cos its blasphemy of the holy spirit, and that can never be forgiven. A lot of ppl are lost. They dont deserve punishment. Thats why Jesus had compassion and why John said he was not willing anyone to perish.

Am I missing something here? That God so LOVED the world? He gave gave His only begotten son Jesus so that whosever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life?

Why do ppl think we deserve punishment..if Jesus has appeared to us and HE DID, why do people have this mindset that we still deserve hell? We only need to believe and be saved, Jesus paid it all. The power of Christ is effective and does work in our hearts. Thats the amazing grace, JESUS working in our hearts, dwelling in us. How can we wilfully sin anymore if Jesus does not want us to?


1: Yes! paul did deserved to be punished. Hence why he was, God never poured out punishment on anybody who didn't deserve it, and God's punishment is always righteous and holy. If God had not punished saul, then there never would have been a sanctification process where saul had to repent and acknowledge his wrong doing!

2: Eve's nakedness was not a problem until after the fall. There is a reason why God did not fashion clothes after he made man

As far as grace though, it is most definitely unmerited favor.

Mercy, by definition is forgiveness shown to somebody by someone who has the power to let out punishment. An example of this would be you walking into your home, and seeing a robber break in, and stealing your stuff. You have all the power in that moment to press charges, and have that man arrested. Christ shows us this by simply forgiving us of our sins, and the darkness that is our hearts, and allowing us to pursue him. Even if we go against him in our sin nature, Jesus still forgives.

Grace, by definition, pulled from my websters dictionary is unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. An example of this would be you finding this same robber, and forgiving him, but then after forgiving him, you sit down with the guy, make him lunch and give him the things he was trying to steal. He had no reason to be given anything, as mercy should had been enough. So God's grace is simply the fact that he loves us, and gives us the opportunity to be in his presence even though we don't deserve anything aside from death.
 
Hmm ok but I still prefer thinking of the meaning of Grace using the biblical definition over the secondary websters dictionary definition.

Isnt grace in our hearts? If going by the biblical definition, this former thief would then have given back what he stole seven times because of his change of heart.
 
Your scenario has this thief being let off scot free. That would give him license to sin, thinking oh, gullible christian wont even charge me that I stole.
 
There needs to be conviction and change of heart..repentence. Truth, for grace to operate. Otherwise, how does the thief know hes done wrong? Some only feel remorse only cos they got caught.
 
Um..what did God punish Saul with? pauls punishment was his own conscience when Jesus shined the light on him. His utter humiliation.

We all need to be humiliated like Jesus was on the cross. I.e. Have our sin exposed and confessed before Him. If we do not have this personal conviction, THEN God is just to send the fire. God doesnt want anyone to perish.

He waited many years, like 400 for the Israelites. That period when they didnt hear from him and he let them do their own thing, it wasnt grace, it was mercy. grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

I can see sort of what you getting at but not really the whole picture egJesus working on us on the inside not just the blessings on the outside.
 
Your scenario has this thief being let off scot free. That would give him license to sin, thinking oh, gullible christian wont even charge me that I stole.

As born again believers, we have been let off the hook---free from punishment and not only that, but JUSTIFIED, which means it is as if we have NEVER sinned at all in God's eyes. It is that new freedom that spurs us onward to live according to God's word, with praise and a grateful heart, touched by the love and grace of God.

True converts to Jesus Christ know what they have received and do not think they have a license to sin. In fact, we have been changed from the inside out and now have a new sense of sin and righteousness---including a whole new revulsion concerning sin. If someone is walking around claiming to be a Christian and indulging in all his former sins, then one has the cause to consider that he is still in need of salvation. Paul teaches us that this is the case. We don't take the grace of God for granted.

The joy we experience in Christ centers very heavily on the fact that we are incredibly free! Hallelujah!

Malachi 4:2(NLT)
“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.
 
Your scenario has this thief being let off scot free. That would give him license to sin, thinking oh, gullible christian wont even charge me that I stole.

That could be one instance, but don't we do that to God? When times are tough, we cry out to God to save us, and we will never do xyz again. Then God saves us, and we continue in our old ways.
Sauls punishment would be equal to pauls, considering they were the same physical man.

the greek word for grace is charis, the literal greek meaning being "a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ" and Favor, Gratitude, thanks and kindness
 
um..we don't continue in our old ways. If we have been born again, we do not. There is a change in our hearts. We have to actively follow God's will by lining up our will with his, but there is a real heart change in us. Otherwise Jesus died for nothing and our faith is in vain.

I don't know about you but I am not the same person I was before Jesus saved me. It wasn't God turning a blind eye and giving us blessing anyway. Jesus actually coming to dwell within, so that we have power to resist the devil and sin. Granted not always get it right the first time...but always learning and taking each step forward in a walk of faith. This is the power of Christ.
 
That is grace..the gift of grace. That is amazing Grace that we were once blind and now we see.
We see how sinful we are, we repent, we walk in faith. God gives grace upon grace..the more we walk..AWAY from sin and towards Jesus.
 
I'm sorry but I never think God's grace is something to be abused or not even received. Your concept of grace seems to be pardon..it is not like on earth say I have a library book and the library gives me a grace period for being late and I don't pay the fine and continue to do this all the time expecting God(or the library) to just turn a blind eye cos I'm in his good books and found favour, no I make the effort to return my books back on time. I may fail at times to do this, but I do not think God sees me as special favourite that I get off scot free just cos I'm his now. NO. He gives me the POWER to return my books back on time, by reminding me, and I love him so much that I do this happily.

That's true, supernatural Grace. It's a much more than what we are used to. I don't know..I suppose that's how I see it. Maybe people call it something different. But that is how it works. (in my walk).
 
What did Jesus BRING? Not just free ticket to heaven...salvation.
He brought us Grace..he is grace, we are born again, we become like him. So we act gracious to others. Grace is far away from sin. Another common definition of Grace is elegance, effortlessness. Think of a graceful movement, like a ballet. How do those ballet dancers make it look so easy? It seems easier to slouch, clump around, stomp. Well they have grace, they have the power to float on air.

I don't know..something to think about. God says he has no respect of persons. He gives us power to do something, power to keep away from sin, power to become perfected. We are not our old selves anymore.

maybe on a tangent, IDK. but I feel that what is taught commonly in churches with that definition is a bit of a lazy one, it's like describing what some of the symptoms or effects of grace is without telling us exactly WHAT it is. How can unmerited favour be a gift, what is an unmerited favour..God does not BRIBE his people with grace. A corrupt policeman does not deserve a gift, but some people do give policeman 'unmerited favour' don't they?
 
Grace is unmerited favour---undeserved blessing from God! We don't, in all our corruption, deserve the mercy of God. We deserve condemnation! Jesus chose to stand in our stead on the cross, allowing the Father to place all His wrath against us and our sins on Him.

Lanolin, please don't discount the verbiage we use to describe God's great grace. Words fail us when we actually have a revelation of it.
 
Grace is only given someone who is undeserving of it. The Father did not give Jesus grace, or the Holy as they are both deserving to receive without using grace as its vehicle. Where ever sin abounds, grace does much more abound. Grace does not match sin, it exceeds it! Grace grows as we learn of what the Father has given us. Grace and peace is "multiplied" to us through promises of God. Each and every promise of God has its own "grace" connected to it, as we are not deserving of any promise which is why it is given to us by grace. There will never be a time throughout eternity that grace ends.

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Grace streams out of love to a being who is not deserving of it. There is none righteous, and there is no one good except God.

Now the question would be, "how do get this grace that has been given to us all things that pertain to life and Godliness?"

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Faith is the only method of acquiring grace. Faith gives us "access" to the grace of God.

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
 
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Maybe looking at where the greek for grace, charis, is used translated into another word, favor :

Acts 2: 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Acts 7: 9 “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him 10 and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Charis comes from the word chairō which means:.
  1. to rejoice, be glad

  2. to rejoice exceedingly

  3. to be well, thrive

  4. in salutations, hail!

  5. at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
With this information we could call grace, goodwill or a desire for blessings to be upon you.
The opposite would be to wish misfortune on you, or at least ignore you.
One way to think of grace is that God is paying attention to you and your needs and what is best for you.
 
Hmm thanks big moose yes grace is favour.
I just have issue with 'unmerited' part of it.
When we humble ourselves, it is merited.
We need to be the ones that are humbled. Only we can do this. As said, God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
God does not give grace to proud people, they do not deserve it! Only humble people deserve Gods grace. Otherwise...Pharisees would be having grace and we can see they wouldnt have a bar of it!
People who are proud of sin and dont even know they sinning...they cannot know Grace, cant even see it.
But people who have repented of their sin, yes they have grace! So they no longer want to sin! And if they do sin, they have an avocate in Jesus. They know they repent and can ask forgiveness. And grace is given so they have the power NOT to sin. Its a choice to accept this grace. Before they or we did nothing but sin and didnt even know it was wrong..after, we know and given grace...to correct our wrong. Not so we can continue in sin but so we can do right.

Amen?
 
What was special about Joseph? God could see his heart he was humble, even though his brothers thought him arrogant with his coat of many colors. they were just jealous. God saw he was picked on mercilessly. but Joseph as we see never held a grudge against his brothers. God could see his humble heart..he even resisted Potiphars wife. So he was given favor or grace.

Totally deserving, according to God.
Maybe his brothers thought him undeserving. He did nothing to merit it. But they cant see what God sees.
 
We can be surprised by grace and maybe THINK we underserving, I suppose but then there that danger that, if we dont think we worth anything...then we wouldnt accept grace.

I think back to when I was saved. I thought grace was amazing not because I did not do anything..that God did it all but that he gave me this great gift I only had to humble myself and ask in faith. Still God did give me this I had no part only to be open to receive I guess. but I dont think he gives it to anybody. like when I was rebellious sure he had mercy on me but I was not given any grace. Mostly cos I didnt want grace back then and thought I didnt need it. I was wrong!
 
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