en_bc/articles/grace.md

Grace

“Grace" is favor shown to another person who did nothing to earn the favor. A person shows grace only because he wants to show grace. Grace is a gift. God gives grace to humans (see: Ephesians 1:6; 2:8-9).

In the New Testament, Christians used the words “grace” and “peace” when greeting one another (see: Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3).

A “gracious” person is someone who gives grace to other people. A gracious person is kind, forgiving, and merciful (see: Ephesians 1:7; 2:7; Hebrews 4:16).

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God is gracious (see: Exodus 34:6; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; 1 Peter 5:10). He favors those who do not deserve to be favored. If God were not gracious, then no one could be at peace with God.

• God graciously gave his Son Jesus as a sacrifice for people’s sins (see: Hebrews 2:9).
• People are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus (see: Romans 3:24; 5:2, 15, 17, 20; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 3:7).
• God’s grace allows people to believe in him (see: Acts 11:23; 18:27).
• God calls people to serve him because of his grace (see Galatians 1:15; 2 Timothy 1:9. He could do everything without help from anyone. However, he has chosen to allow people to help him.
• God gives people power because of his grace. They are given the power to do the things that honor God (see: Acts 4:33; Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10).
• God’s grace gives people the ability to be at peace with God. A person cannot save themselves from being punished for sinning. A person cannot be at peace with God by obeying the law of Moses. People can be at peace with God only by trusting in the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is gracious (see: John 1:14, 17).

• Because of his grace, Jesus left heaven to be a sacrifice for people’s sinning against God (see: 2 Corinthians 8:9; see also Acts 15:11; Philippians 2:6-8).
• Jesus will be gracious to those who believe in him when he returns to earth (see: 1 Peter 1:13).

Because God is gracious, his people need to be gracious to others (see: Psalm 112:4; Proverbs 15:26; Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 4:6; see also Matthew 18:21-35).

The New Testament writers warned people not to reject God’s grace. Someone who continues sinning after God gives them his kindness and forgiveness has rejected his grace. Someone who thinks they can continue to sin because God is forgiving does not understand the grace of God (see: Romans 6:1, 14, 15; 2 Corinthians 6:1; Hebrews 10:29; 12:15; Jude 1:4).

See: Son of God; Sacrifice; Sin; Atone (Atonement); Call (Calling); Serve (Servant, Slave); Law of Moses; Heaven; People of God