By Pastor Dave Farmer
What is grace? The best way to begin our study of this magnificent doctrine is to determine its meaning and analyze how it is used in the Scripture.
PURSUING A DEFINITION OF GRACE
In this article, I want to define the Grace of God. One thing is certain; this is one of the most profound and awesome Biblical doctrines in all of the Word of God. When we gain an understanding of the Grace of God, our response will be the same as that reprobate, slave trader, John Newton who wrote "Amazing Grace." When we get a hold of grace, grace gets a hold of us. It leaves us awestruck, just as it did Captain John Newton.
Amazing grace—how sweet the sound—that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.
There are some great mysteries in the Scripture. Some people struggle with the Trinity wondering how God can exist in three separate Persons, yet having an identical essence? Others wrestle with inspiration. How can the Bible be written by fallible men and yet at the same time be infallible and inerrant? However, when Grace is made clear, the greatest mystery of all grips you, how could God love us so much that He would give His only Son to die on the cross for us so that we might live with Him throughout all eternity? It is heartbreaking when we see our true spiritual condition before God and on the other hand breathtaking when we see the perfect, infinite, unfailing love of God providing a way of Salvation for each one of us, and that is Grace! The acrostic is true and accurate; grace is God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
Pursuing a definition of grace
How do we define grace? There are many excellent explanations of grace, and the fact that they are not the same is nothing to be alarmed about because they often focus on one or more of the characteristics of grace; such as, grace is unmerited favor and undeserved blessing from God. This is a good definition. It brings out two outstanding marks of grace- it is unmerited and undeserved favor from God. Another description of grace adds the love of God to its concept, which is the motivating factor in grace, "Grace is freely given, unmerited favor, and undeserved blessing the love of God showers upon us." This is a very good way of explaining grace, and it certainly is in harmony with the Scripture:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
Grace is what God has lovingly provided for us. Did you notice how the authors of these definitions pile up the marvelous characteristics of grace: freely given, unmerited favor, undeserved blessing and God's love as the motivating factor in providing our so great salvation? Here is another fine definition from Dr. Hughes 1:
"Prevenient [something that precedes] grace is grace that comes first It precedes all human decisions and endeavors. Grace always means that it is God who takes the initiative and applies the priority of God's action on behalf of needy sinners. This is the whole point of grace. It does not start with us. It starts with God. It is not earned or merited by us; it is freely given and lovingly given to us with no resources of our own. . ."
Once again grace is characterized by it's distinguishing marks, and Dr. Hughes adds another unique mark of grace "it is always first." God in grace takes the first step toward us. Grace is all about the initiative of God in pursuing us. The Scripture says, "that while we were yet sinner [ we didn't care about salvation one bit, we gave no thought of it] Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
These are excellent expressions of grace, and they all contribute to our understanding of it. In this study we will confine our definition to the key component of grace:
The sum total of all that God provides for us on the basis of the substitutionary, spiritual, sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross in order to bring people into a personal and eternal relationship with God.
The main component of this delineation of grace is the work of Christ on the cross, as stated, "on the basis of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross." This is central to understanding this word for without Christ's death on the cross, grace would and could not exist. Therefore, any definition that leaves out the cross falls far short of what the Scriptures teach about grace.
Although the word grace can be found in the Old Testament, it does not have the same meaning as it does after Calvary. Grace needed the incarnation and the cross to explain it. This is what the Apostle John meant when He wrote: For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
The Scripture declares that since the strategic victory of Jesus Christ on the cross, grace has come into plain view, i.e., realized. The concept of grace existed before the Law in the Shadow Christology of the animal sacrifice. The death of the animal was a picture depicting the death of Christ on the cross. It was codified in the spiritual code of the Law, the laws of the sacrifice and offerings.
In this passage, Moses and our Lord Jesus Christ are being compared. Both were instrumental in bringing about a dramatic change in God's plan. Through Moses God gave His Law to Israel. Israel came out of the Patriarchal Period and the Period of the Law was inaugurated through him. Likewise, our Lord Jesus Christ brings about a dramatic change in God's plan. He leads Israel out of the period of the Law and into a new dispensation marked by grace and truth. We call the new dispensation the Church Age 2.
The first wrong conclusion that we might get from this passage is that grace did not exist before the first advent of Christ. This would be a wrong conclusion. Grace is found in the Old Testament. In fact, the very chapter which describes Moses on Mt. Sinai receiving from God the two tablets of stone is a study in the Grace of God. If grace is the unmerited favor and blessing from God that is unearned and undeserved, then Exodus 33 is a vivid picture of the Grace of God.
Israel stood in need of the Grace of God for while Moses was in the mountain of God, Israel below was making a golden calf. Was any group of people more undeserving of God's favor or blessing? What God hated the most was idolatry. For such a sin He only had condemnation and Judgment to offer. Remember, the Lord was going to destroy them all and start over with Moses:
7] Then the Lord spoke to Moses," Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.
8] They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said," This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!
9] The Lord said to Moses, " have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. [arrogant]
10] Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation. Exodus 32:7-10
Moses interceded, appealing to God's deliverance of His people from Egypt and to His gracious covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.
11] Then Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, "O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
12] "Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth?' Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people.
13] Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them,I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever." Exodus 32:11-13
The nation was spared because of Moses' plea and appeal to God.
14] So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. Exodus 32:14
No grace in the Old Testament! There is grace everywhere. On that day Moses asks to see God's face, as God passes by Moses listen to the testimony that is given:
6] Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
7] who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations. Exodus 34:6,7
Grace is the channel through which God deals with His creation. In the Old Testament people were saved by faith through grace in the future work of Christ on the cross; in the New Testament period, we are saved by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross. John tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ, through His substitutionary sacrificial death on the cross, has turned on the light, and the Grace of God stands out as a radiant, clear, and magnanimous pillar of truth. Without God acting in grace there would only be judgment and condemnation for us from the Justice of God, but grace pardons and saves all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is so sad that many Christians do not understand nor appreciate this awesome teaching of Scripture.
Now to bring our first attempt at defining grace to a conclusion, let me reiterate the basis of our definition. Salvation from God is always on the basis of grace, but it wasn't until our Lord came that we get a fuller, clearer, and final picture of the centerpiece of God's marvelous plan, The Cross. Yes! It is a Plan of Grace, and it was the Lord Jesus Christ that came to announce it by laying down His life on the cross for our sins. Grace brings great joy to the hearers and in the words of that famous chorus:
Saved by grace alone! This is all my plea;
Jesus died for all mankind, and Jesus died for me.3
Endnotes
1 Dr. Phillip E Hughes, Professor Emeritus of Trinity Episcopal School for the ministry in Philadelphia, PA., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, pp.480,481.
2 The Church age is the period of human history which began on the Day of Pentecost, 33 AD and will continue until the Lord's return for His Church, called the Rapture.
3 Grace! Tis a Charming Sound.