Why grace???

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
P

pottersclay

Guest
#21
My purpose for this thread is to establish the meaning of grace...what it truly is and why we should always remember the grace that was shown to us. This is God's first attribute God demonstrates of himself.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#22
Apart from grace, god would have had to condemn all of us, grace was the only way
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#23
Grace is something given that was not earned, a gift given to people who could never pay for the gift themselves. Cherity is a word given which comes from the greek word we see as grace (charis).
 

calibob

Sinner saved by grace
May 29, 2018
8,268
5,516
113
Anaheim, Cali.
#24
Grace so what is it? Is it a pardon? Is it a start over? Is it forgiveness?
First of all as we see in scripture it's a action that takes place. Not a thought nor a decree but a action.
We see our gracious God covering the sins of our first parents in Genesis. Why did he do this????
Because he loves us.
1548083574256.png 1548083660781.png
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,465
6,722
113
#25
My purpose for this thread is to establish the meaning of grace...what it truly is and why we should always remember the grace that was shown to us. This is God's first attribute God demonstrates of himself.
Grace is whatever our Father gives to us,
 

Swan7

Junior Member
Oct 27, 2014
25
16
3
#26
Grace is the New Covenant which the Gospels of Jesus shows us what Grace is. Even in the OT God shows His Mercy, Grace, Justice, Love,ect. He's a lot more than just those. But Grace is something Jesus did for us to save us from ourselves in the bondage of sin and death. He gave all the invitation of Grace.
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#27
All the answers here are correct and scriptural but what is grace??? We established it is a action not a thought or decree.
So if you were to demonstrate grace what action is needed??
I'm not trying to teach anyone anything but at the same time I am trying to show how God's grace and the correct understanding of it will enhance our walk and abilities to grow .
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,564
13,547
113
58
#28
Grace is the unmerited favor of God. It is where God shows us mercy, kindness, and patience instead of the judgment that we deserve for our sins. God's grace cannot be earned by our actions. Grace is based on the character of God and not on our sincerity, performance, or ability to keep the law. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.

Romana 11:6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."

We are saved by grace through faith, not works, not of ourselves it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8,9)

Galatians 2:21 - "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

2 Timothy 1:9 - "who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity."

Yet God's grace (enabling power) operates sovereignly in the lives of believers.

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.

2 Corinthians 1:12 - For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,654
17,111
113
69
Tennessee
#30
Is growing in grace a requirement???
No, but it growing gradually spiritually closer to God would be a natural occurrence once the Holy Spirit has been invited to live in our hearts to comfort and guide us in the life-long repentance process. During this time we would be growing in grace leading to better understanding of God's character that we have chosen to emulate.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,654
17,111
113
69
Tennessee
#31
All the answers here are correct and scriptural but what is grace??? We established it is a action not a thought or decree.
So if you were to demonstrate grace what action is needed??
I'm not trying to teach anyone anything but at the same time I am trying to show how God's grace and the correct understanding of it will enhance our walk and abilities to grow .
I am totally sure what grace actually is but do know that it is unmerited and is given to use by the God that loves us. I do know what courage is - grace under pressure. Maybe there is a correlation between the two.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#32
All the answers here are correct and scriptural but what is grace??? We established it is a action not a thought or decree.
So if you were to demonstrate grace what action is needed??
I'm not trying to teach anyone anything but at the same time I am trying to show how God's grace and the correct understanding of it will enhance our walk and abilities to grow .
Its an action?, i think it can be many things, i would say grace causes an action

For example, unconditional love is an action which is based on a heart of grace.
 
T

Tim416

Guest
#34
My heart is that some do not understand the core issues of christianty, they are swayed by YouTube videos and false doctrine.
So in effort to do my part is to ask questions that some may feel afraid to ask as it would suggest a lack of knowledge.
I started with grace as I said in the o.p. it's talked about alot so what is it.
All the answers here are correct and scriptural but what is grace??? We established it is a action not a thought or decree.
So if you were to demonstrate grace what action is needed??
I'm not trying to teach anyone anything but at the same time I am trying to show how God's grace and the correct understanding of it will enhance our walk and abilities to grow .
The power of sin is the law 1Cor15:56)the law with its attached penalty for transgression, the law no one could fully keep

So God did an amazing thing, he removed the legally enforcing law with its power to condemn, and instead transferred what is holy, righteous and good from an external law written on tablets of stone to an internal law written on tablets of human hearts(2cor3:3) At the same time this happens, the believer has a saviour from their sin/their sins and lawless deeds will be remembered no more. The legally enforcing law, as we all understand law to mean was abolished. And, the true power of sin was removed(1cor15:56)
The born again Christians heartfelt desire to obey(for that is where what was written in the law is now placed) can now come to fruition, for what opposes obedience(sin) was dealt a crushing blow by Christ dying to remove its true power from a believers life. And so Paul states:
For sin shall no longer be your master, for you are not under law but under grace Rom6:14
This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.’[b]

17 Then he adds:

‘Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more. Heb10:16&17
 

Lafftur

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2017
6,896
3,636
113
#35
So much here about grace so I thought I'd ask......why did God give us grace?
Grace so what is it? Is it a pardon? Is it a start over? Is it forgiveness?
First of all as we see in scripture it's a action that takes place. Not a thought nor a decree but a action.
We see our gracious God covering the sins of our first parents in Genesis. Why did he do this????
Because God loves us unconditionally and He wants us to love Him, too - unconditionally. God wants a life-giving loving relationship with each of us.

Love is a choice - it cannot be forced. God had to give us freedom to choose and with that comes good choices and bad choices - life or death. He knew we'd mess up and get in trouble. The Lamb of God (Yeshua/Jesus) was slain before the foundation of the world. Jesus is God's safety net for us.

Grace is like a safety net God has provided so that our bad choices could be forgiven while we are learning to choose to know Him and love Him.

I like what @UnderGrace and @dcontroversal said about Grace being "positional" (post #9 & 10). Abiding in God's Grace is a place of safety while we learn how to make right choices by getting to know God and falling more and more in love with Him.

I also like @mailmandan scripture references on God's grace.

All the answers here are correct and scriptural but what is grace??? We established it is a action not a thought or decree.
So if you were to demonstrate grace what action is needed??
I'm not trying to teach anyone anything but at the same time I am trying to show how God's grace and the correct understanding of it will enhance our walk and abilities to grow .
We also learn to give each other grace while all of us are learning how to love each other and forgive offenses when we have hurt each other with our wrong choices.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,778
113
#37
So much here about grace so I thought I'd ask......why did God give us grace?
Grace has two aspects: (1) the goodwill, loving kindness, favor and mercy that God extends to us, and (2) the grace (capacity or ability) that we need in order to walk in the Spirit.

Strong's Concordance (5485)
charis: grace, kindness
Original Word: χάρις, ιτος, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: charis
Phonetic Spelling: (khar'-ece)
Definition: grace, kindness
Usage: (a) grace, as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, (b) favor, (c) gratitude, thanks, (d) a favor, kindness.


1. Given the fact that the entire human race is guilty before God, God had two options to deal with sinners -- condemn all to eternal damnation (separation from God) or offer grace to all through Christ and His finished work of redemption. Since God is "the God of all grace" and also "God is love", He chose to make His Son a Substitute for humanity's guilt, and Christ bore the penalty for sins in Himself on the cross.

2. At the same time, after a sinner is saved by grace, the saint needs grace -- God's power within through the Holy Spirit -- to love and obey God. Therefore we need grace live as Christians.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5485: χάρις
...capacity and ability due to the grace of God (German Gnadenausrüstung), Ephesians 4:7; πλήρης χάριτος. Acts 6:8 G L T Tr WH;πικιλη χάρις, the aggregate of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians, 1 Peter 4:10; used of the power to undertake and administer the apostolic office: λαβεῖν χάριν καί ἀποστολήν, i. e.χάριν τῆς ἀποστολῆς, Romans 1:5; τῆς χάριτος τῆςδοθείσης μοι (i. e., Paul), Romans 12:3, 6; Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 3:2, 7;δοθείσῃ ὑμῖν, of the gifts of knowledge and utterance conferred upon Christians, 1 Corinthians 1:4; ἐδόθη μοιἡ χάρις αὕτη, followed by an infinitive, Ephesians 3:8; of the desire to give alms roused by the grace of God, 2 Corinthians 8:1.
 
Sep 3, 2018
42
28
18
#38
Hello devoiler, welcome to c.c. I thought I'd start this thread and at first only ask questions, I have many brothers and sisters in this forum that can answer as well or even better than I can. As you see we have many subjects to choose from but many of them have been hammered to death. There are also a few that are and have been refuted for centuries, then there are ones that IMO are a waste of time.
My heart is that some do not understand the core issues of christianty, they are swayed by YouTube videos and false doctrine.
So in effort to do my part is to ask questions that some may feel afraid to ask as it would suggest a lack of knowledge.
I started with grace as I said in the o.p. it's talked about alot so what is it.
Thanks. I'm thinking that the grace that God has given us is a consequence of his love for us. The grace that we have for others grows as the Holy Spirit in us grows. What is grace? Still thinking about that... at least I'm thinking :)
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
#39
GRace and truth come by Jesus Christ.
GOd graces us with his presence.
GRace is divine action on our hearts.

Grace is Gods Riches At Christs Expense

Some actions...giving your second coat to someone who has none
Giving a cup of water to someone whos thirsty
Drying someones tears
Washing someones dirty feet
Saying thank you
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,600
3,622
113
#40
So much here about grace so I thought I'd ask......why did God give us grace?
Because it was the only Way He could justafiably Redeem His creation.

Grace is the Only way that imperfect people could be saved without God turning a blind eye or being corrupt.. All sin must be judged and Jesus has paid the fine that was due upon us..