Just what is Divine grace, the grace that comes to us through Christ?

We are saved by grace rather than by observing the Law of Moses. We know that when we come to Jesus we are forgiven because of the blood atonement made by Him on the cross of Calvary.

It has been said that grace is unmerited favor. This is true. In fact, all that God has done for man since the creation is unmerited favor, and so God's grace has always filled the earth and His glory can be seen everywhere we look.

Great grace is upon us when we abide in the Lord Jesus. Divine grace includes strength, wisdom, joy, peace, love—in fact, all that is desirable in life. There is a grace for living and then a grace for dying. There is a grace by which we give of our material possessions. Grace is given to us so we may be able to serve the Lord and to bear witness of His atoning death and triumphant resurrection.

The grace of God brings salvation. Divine grace teaches and enables us to live soberly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present world.

Can you think of one sentence that sums up the meaning of Divine grace? What do you think of the following? Grace is the Presence of God in Christ Jesus through which we by faith are able to reach the mark God has set before us, and to do so joyously.

It appears that our understanding of Divine grace is confused, and probably because we are Gentiles. Whenever the Apostle Paul stressed grace as opposed to works, as he did in the books of Romans and Galatians, for example, Paul was reacting to the Law of Moses.

The first Christian church comprised five thousand Law-keeping Jews who understood little or nothing of the grace of God. Paul, himself a Jew, was entrusted by the Lord Jesus with the responsibility of explaining the relationship of the Law of Moses to the grace of God in Messiah Jesus—a theological controversy existing to the present hour.

There is a simplicity in Christ but doctrine can be complex!

To us Gentiles, not coming from the background of a Law-keeping Jew seeking righteousness, as was true of the Apostle Paul, it appears that Paul is saying Divine grace is an alternative to righteous behavior (instead of an alternative to the Law of Moses). We think that now that grace has appeared there is no need to attempt to live righteously.

If there exists a greater error in theology or philosophy we do not know of it. The misunderstanding of the purpose of Divine grace has wrecked the intention of God under the new covenant!

Divine grace is not a substitute for righteous conduct. Rather, Divine grace is God in Christ enabling us to become a new righteous creation.

Are we correct in this? What do you think?