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Grace

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." Titus 2:11-14

  • by United Church of God
In light of what the Bible shows us about grace, what does this mean for us? Does receiving God’s grace come with obligations? How can we grow in grace?
  • by United Church of God
In the hours before His death by crucifixion, Jesus made a remarkable statement to His disciples: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends” (John 15:15).
  • by United Church of God
The concept of grace was depicted visually in a motif common in the Greco-Roman world in which the New Testament was written. Aspects of grace were personified as deities, which, though clearly unbiblical, helps to illustrate how charis, or grace, was viewed.
  • by United Church of God
The Greek word charis, commonly translated “grace” in our Bibles, had a specific meaning in the time and culture in which the New Testament was written. It also had a set of other words associated with it that appear many times in the Bible, particularly in the letters of the apostle Paul. Understanding what these words meant in that context aids us greatly in understanding what they should mean...
  • by United Church of God
Many people think Jesus of Nazareth came to do away with the law, replacing law with grace—but did He? Few things could be more important to you than understanding this matter! A careful study of Scripture shows that Jesus was much more than most people realize, and this truth has huge implications.
  • by United Church of God
The Bible describes sin as the deadly enemy of all mankind (Romans 6:23). Our corrupted human nature has a powerful compulsion to sin (Romans 8:7). But to receive God’s gift of eternal life, we must forsake sin—a process the Bible calls repentance.
  • by United Church of God
The word grace is regularly used by some religious people as if it replaces all need to obey God’s law. That conclusion is not only inaccurate, it is also diabolical!
  • by United Church of God
Paul taught that salvation is a gift from God by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8).
  • by United Church of God
The word grace had deep meaning for the apostle Paul. His letters form the bulk of what we today call the New Testament, and in those letters he used the Greek word charis, most often translated “grace,” approximately 100 times. Remarkably, the subject of grace shows up multiple times in every one of his letters that has been preserved for us.
  • by United Church of God
A comment by Paul that many lift out of context and misinterpret is Romans 3:28: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”
  • by United Church of God
Many people have the impression that grace and law are fundamentally opposed. But is this what the Bible teaches? Let’s examine what it really says.
  • by United Church of God
As we see repeatedly in the surrounding chapter, Jesus exemplified God’s grace again and again in what He did while on earth. And the Gospels are filled with many other such examples. But Jesus also told a remarkable story that illustrates the magnitude of God’s grace toward us. Commonly known as the parable of the prodigal son, it’s found in Luke 15:11-32.
  • by United Church of God
The best way to understand grace may be to see it in action. In the life of Jesus Christ we have a perfect example of grace to follow and show in our lives.
  • by United Church of God
Some people believe that when a person commits his or her life to Jesus Christ, accepting Him as personal Savior, then eternal salvation is totally assured from that moment on, with absolutely no possibility of ever losing it. This is often referred to as “eternal security” or “once saved, always saved.” But does the Bible really teach this? Let’s examine the Scriptures to understand the truth.
  • by United Church of God
Sometimes we must be rescued and delivered from desperate situations before we can move forward on the path toward God’s spiritual salvation. We encounter a number of such individuals in the Bible.
  • by United Church of God
Many people struggle with unresolved guilt and feelings of shame over past mistakes and sins. How should our faith in God’s grace and forgiveness affect our conscience?
  • by United Church of God
We must have faith that Christ really lived and died for us and that He will change us now and ultimately at the resurrection.