GRACE
PART 2
The word grace in Part 1, told us
of the many different meanings
for the word "Grace."
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The word grace is found in the
Holy Bible, God's written Word,
131 times. According to the
Zondorvan Pictorial Dictionary
1967 edition, "We must consider
the variety of meanings:
1). Speaking which affords: joy, pleasure, delight, charm, loveliness; 2). Good will, loving kindness, mercy: 3).
Kindness of master toward a slave-analogy - God's kindness to man' 4). God's gracious favor; 5). Kindness
bestowed on someone undeserving thereof; 6). A degree of favor; 7). Grace is employed as a reward or gift.”
Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong always referred to grace as the undeserved pardon for our sins.
When reading a scripture that has the word grace in it, we must always look at the content of the verse. Several
have a different meaning for grace.
In Part 2: the book of Acts show us the beginning of the Apostle Paul's ministry. The Scofield Study Bible
comments on the Epistles of Paul on Page 1189, "Paul was also committed the unfolding of the doctrines of
grace which were latent in the teaching of Jesus Christ. Paul originates nothing, but unfolds everything
concerning the nature and purpose of the law, the ground and means of the believer 's justification, sanctification
and glory; the meaning of the death of Christ, and the position, walk, expectation and service of the Christian.”
The chronological order of Paul's Epistles is believed to be as follows: 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2
Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 2 Timothy.
Hebrews has a distinctive place, nor can the order of that book amongst the writing of Paul be definitely fixed"
Scofield Study Bible, pag. 1189.
We will look at the word grace in the Apostle Paul's greetings to the different churches in his Epistles!
The New Testament word "grace" in Strong's number 5485, which has several meanings. Thayers GreekÂ―
English Lexicon of the New Testament, gives the meaning for the greetings as: "the Apostles and N T Writers
at the beginning and end of their epistles crave for their readers the favor (grace) of God or of Christ, to which
all blessings, especially, spiritual are due."
Rom 1:7, "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our
Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." Adam Clarke Commentary of the Bible, 1843 on Rom. 1:7 states, "Grace,
to you, may you be partakers of the Divine favour, the source of whence every blessings is derived. 1). The word
xapic (Greek) signifies in general favour or benevolence, but especially that favour that is powerful and active,
and loads it objects with benefits.”
In all of the Apostle Paul's epistles, the beginning greetings is:
1 Cor 1:3, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father,
and from the Lord Jesus Christ."
2 Cor 1:2, "Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and
from the Lord Jesus Christ."
Gal 1:3, "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from
our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Eph 1:2 "Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and
from the Lord Jesus Christ."
Phil 1 :2, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."
Col l :2, "To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Thess 1:1, "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father
and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."
II Thess 1:2, "Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Tim 1:2, "Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus
Christ our Lord."
2 Tim 2:1, "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
Titus 1 :4, "To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour."
Phile 1:3. "Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
The ending verses in all of Paul's Epistles is: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." (Rom
16:23-24).
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen" (Phile. 1 :25).
The book of Hebrews does not have the greeting salutation of grace to you and peace from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ in it. Hebrews does close with the verse, "Salute all them that have the rule over you, and
all the saints. They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen" (Heb 13:24-25). This give a thought that
Paul is the writer of Hebrews as he was in Rome at that time.
Now, the rest of the story about grace! In the Apostles Paul's letter to the Ephesians we read: "For by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph 2:8).
Just what is the faith that is required to have the saving grace? The book of Hebrews gives us a few examples
of the faith required. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb
11: 1). In every circumstances of faith, there is something that must be done.
1). "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that
he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Heb 11 :4).
2). In Noah's case he obeyed. "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear,
prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith" (Heb 11 :7).
3). By faith and obedience Abraham became the father of the faithful. "By faith Abraham, when he was called
to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he
went" (Heb 11 :8). "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered
up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his
only begotten son" (Heb 11: 17).
4). Sarah, the mother of Isaac, had faith and belief in God's
promises! "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to
conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past
age, because she judged Him Faithful who had promised” (Heb
11:11).
Again, looking back to Grace in Part 1, we see that it takes faith,
obedience and works to receive salvation. We cannot receive the
promises of God, if we don't obey what is required of us. Even
the apostles of Christ had to ask for more faith! "And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith" (Luke
17:5).
The word faith is found only once in the Old Testament. "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in
him: but the just shall live by his faith" (Hab 2:4). The word "Just" in the Old Testament is Strong's number
6662, meaning: 1. “Righteous in conduct and character; a. toward God; h. in general, eithically” (The New
Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew-English Lexicon).
The word "Just" in the New Testament is Strong's number 1342, meaning, 1). "Observant of; righteous,
observing divine and human laws; In the wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commandments
of God; 2). Acceptable to God through faith.” (Thayers Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament).
Two times in the New Testament the same words are said! "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom 1 :17). And in Hebrews 10:36-38, "For
ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little
while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw
back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him."
Once again we find that grace is a gift of God through faith, which requires us to be just before we can be
acceptable and that takes work on our part!
"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified" (Rom 2: 13).
The Apostle Peter tells us “But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be
glory now and for ever. Amen” (2 Peter 18). We must grow in grace, not into grace. Growing in grace is an
active job of obedience for each one of us.
We can see that the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit are the same as the meaning of grace. Paul tell us in Galatians,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance”
against such thee is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). ☜
COGIT