Quick Summary
Grace is God's unmerited favor toward sinners, offering salvation and forgiveness to those who deserve judgment. It is a free gift based entirely on the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ, received through faith rather than earned by human effort or moral performance (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The gospel is described as “good news” because it reveals God’s grace. Without understanding grace, the message of Christianity cannot be understood correctly. Grace is not a secondary theme or a religious embellishment. It stands at the center of God’s work with humanity and explains how sinful people can be restored to fellowship with a holy God.
In Scripture, grace is inseparably connected to God’s character. It flows from His love, His mercy, and His goodness. Grace may be described as God’s favor shown to those who have no claim to it. It is His willingness to forgive, restore, and bless those who deserve judgment rather than kindness. Grace does not ignore sin or minimize it. Instead, grace addresses sin fully and decisively through God’s own action.
Grace and the human condition
To understand grace, one must first understand the human condition apart from Christ. Scripture presents humanity as born into sin, as expressed in Psalm 51:5, and universally guilty before God, as shown in Romans 3:9–23 and 1 John 1:8–10. Humanity is not morally neutral. People are described as alienated from God, hostile toward Him, and unable to repair that broken relationship on their own, according to Romans 5:6 and 10, Romans 8:7, and Colossians 1:21.
The consequence of this separation is death, as Romans 6:23 states. This is not only physical death but spiritual death. Before grace intervenes, people are spiritually blind, unclean, powerless, and without hope of justifying themselves before God, as emphasized in Romans 3:10 and 3:20. In this condition, salvation is impossible unless God Himself acts. Grace is therefore not an optional concept. It is a necessity.
Grace is the turning point. Ephesians 2:8 explains that salvation comes by grace. Acts 20:24 identifies grace as the very substance of the gospel message. Grace is not merely forgiveness after sin but power over sin, as James 4:6 teaches. Grace brings encouragement and hope, as stated in 2 Thessalonians 2:16. It was grace that defined Paul’s calling and ministry, according to Romans 15:15, 1 Corinthians 3:10, and Ephesians 3:2 and 7. Grace is not abstract. It is embodied in Jesus Christ, who came full of grace and truth as John 1:14 declares.
Grace as a gift and its ongoing work
Scripture repeatedly refers to grace as a gift, including in Ephesians 4:7. This description explains several essential truths.
First, a gift is not a loan. It creates no debt. Grace does not place humanity in God’s obligation. There is no repayment required and no future compensation demanded. Grace operates entirely outside the system of human merit.
Second, a gift is free to the recipient. The cost is carried by the giver. Salvation costs the sinner nothing, but it cost Christ everything. His death stands as the price of grace. The generosity of grace is therefore not cheap. It is costly love expressed through sacrifice.
Third, a gift becomes the possession of the one who receives it. It is not temporary or reversible. Grace is not provisional. God does not reclaim it later. The believer’s standing rests on God’s faithfulness, not on human performance.
Fourth, giving a gift requires loss on the part of the giver. Second Corinthians 8:9 explains that Christ, though rich, became poor so that others might become rich through Him. Grace operates through this exchange. What Christ surrendered becomes the source of humanity’s restoration.
Fifth, grace is unearned. Romans 4:4 and Romans 11:5–6 show that grace cannot coexist with merit. Second Timothy 1:9–10 teaches that salvation is rooted in God’s purpose, not human achievement. Romans 5:8–10 emphasizes that Christ died while humanity was still sinful and hostile. Grace does not respond to worthiness. It creates worth by transforming the undeserving.
Grace does not end at conversion. It continues shaping every aspect of the believer’s life. By grace, people are justified before God, as taught in Romans 3:24, Ephesians 1:6, and Titus 3:7. By grace, they gain access to God and live in communion with Him, as Hebrews 4:16 explains. Grace establishes a new intimacy between God and His people, reflecting the relationship described in Exodus 33:17.
Grace also instructs. Titus 2:11–14 shows that grace trains believers to reject sin and live upright lives. It does not excuse moral weakness. It reshapes character. Grace provides spiritual wealth beyond measure, as seen in Proverbs 10:22 and Ephesians 2:7. Grace strengthens believers in moments of need, as Hebrews 4:16 teaches. Grace preserves, comforts, and empowers, according to Second Corinthians 13:14, Second Thessalonians 2:16–17, and Second Timothy 2:1.
Paul’s testimony in 1 Corinthians 15:10 makes this dynamic clear. His labor was real, but its effectiveness came from grace working through him. Jesus’ words in John 15:5 confirm that without divine action, spiritual fruit is impossible.
Romans 5:20 shows that grace surpasses sin in power. First Timothy 1:14 shows that grace exceeds expectation. Second Corinthians 9:15 presents grace as so vast that human language struggles to contain it.
Grace also defines how believers treat others. Grace is never meant to terminate on the individual. Romans 12:6, Ephesians 4:7, and 1 Peter 4:10 show that grace equips believers for service. Spiritual gifts exist because grace distributes them. The church grows because grace operates through its members.
Grace therefore functions not only as the foundation of salvation but as the governing principle of Christian life. It saves, sustains, instructs, strengthens, and sends believers into service. Grace is not a moment in time. It is the continuous action of God shaping His people according to His purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scholarly examination of the primary theological, historical, and biblical inquiries addressed in this guide.
What is the biblical and theological definition of grace (chen, hesed, charis)?
In biblical theology, grace is God’s free, sovereign, and unmerited favor bestowed upon guilty, ill-deserving sinners who deserve nothing but righteous judgment. In the Old Testament, grace is articulated through Hebrew terms such as chen (unconditional favor granted by a superior to an inferior, Genesis 6:8) and hesed (covenantal, steadfast loyal love and mercy, Exodus 34:6). In the New Testament, the Greek noun charis reaches its theological zenith: it denotes not merely unearned kindness toward the neutral, but active divine mercy and saving favor showered upon rebellious enemies of God (Romans 5:8–10). Grace is not a created substance infused into the soul, but God’s personal, self-giving disposition in Jesus Christ.
