Part 1: What is Grace? — The Unmerited Favor

Opening Verse

Ephesians 2:8-9

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

NKJV

What does this mean? Grace is a gift. Like any true gift, you cannot earn it. You cannot work for it. You cannot buy it. God gives it freely, not because we are good, but because He is good.

Understanding Grace

The word grace means unmerited favor. Let’s break this down simply:

Unmerited = Not earned, not deserved.
Favor = Blessing, kindness, goodness from God

Think of it this way: When someone gives you a birthday gift, you don’t work for it. You receive it because they love you. God’s grace is similar, but infinitely greater.

Why Can’t We Boast?

The verse says “lest anyone should boast.” Why? Because we did nothing to earn salvation. If we could earn it through good works, we might proudly say, “Look what I did!” But since it’s a gift, we can only say, “Look what God did!”

Romans 3:23-24

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

NKJV

This verse reminds us of two truths:

We all have sinned — no exceptions.
We are justified freely — no payment required.

The word “freely” is important. God doesn’t charge us for His grace. He paid the price Himself through Jesus.

Grace Changes Everything

2 Corinthians 12:9

“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

NKJV

Here’s where grace becomes personal. When we are weak, His grace is enough. When we fail, His grace is enough. When we struggle, His grace is enough.

Notice what Paul says — he will “gladly boast” in his weaknesses. Why? Because our weakness showcases God’s strength. Our imperfections highlight His perfection.

A Profound Truth

If God’s grace is sufficient for us in our weakness, and if His strength is made perfect when we are weak, then we have no position to judge others in their weakness.

When we truly understand grace—that we did nothing to deserve it—we realize we cannot look down on others who also don’t deserve it. We’re all in the same boat, saved by the same grace.

Living in This Truth

John 1:16-17

“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

NKJV

“Grace for grace” — imagine waves on a beach. One wave of grace follows another, continuously washing over us. This is how God gives — abundantly, continuously, generously.

The law showed us our sin. Grace provides the solution. The law revealed our weakness. Grace becomes our strength.

Why Grace Matters

Without grace:

We would remain in our sins.
We would have no hope.
We would be separated from God forever.

With grace:

We are forgiven
We have eternal life.
We can approach God boldly.

Hebrews 4:16

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

NKJV

Because of grace, we don’t approach God in fear but in confidence. Not because we are perfect, but because His grace covers our imperfections.

The Foundation for Everything

Understanding grace is the foundation of Christian life. When we grasp that everything we have is an undeserved gift from God, it changes how we see ourselves and others. We can’t take pride in it because we didn’t do anything to earn it. We can’t judge others because they need the same grace we do.

Grace humbles us and lifts us up at the same time. It reminds us we are sinners, but also declares us saints. It acknowledges our weakness while providing God’s strength.

Grace Throughout Scripture

The importance of grace is seen throughout the New Testament. Paul begins almost every letter with the same greeting:

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”

This phrase appears in:

Romans 1:7
1 Corinthians 1:3
2 Corinthians 1:2
Galatians 1:3
Ephesians 1:2
Philippians 1:2
Colossians 1:2
1 Thessalonians 1:1
2 Thessalonians 1:2
Philemon 1:3

Why did Paul always start with grace? Because grace comes first. Before we can have peace, before we can have joy, before we can have victory — we need grace. It’s the foundation of everything in our Christian walk.

Paul also ends his letters with grace. The apostolic benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NKJV) says: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

Notice the order — grace comes first, then love, then communion. Grace opens the door to experiencing God’s love and fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

The Final Word

It’s remarkable that the very last verse in the entire Bible is about grace:

Revelation 22:21

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

NKJV

From beginning to end, from Paul’s first greeting to the Bible’s final verse, grace is the message. God wants to make sure we never forget — His grace is with us. Always. Forever.

The Bible could have ended with many themes, such as judgment, heaven, glory, or power. But God chose to end with grace. Why? Because grace is what we need most. Grace is what brings us home.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your amazing grace. We confess that we don’t deserve Your love, Your forgiveness, or Your blessings. Yet You give them freely through Jesus Christ.

Help us to truly understand what grace means — that it’s Your gift we could never earn. Remove any pride from our hearts that thinks we deserve Your favor. Remove any judgment toward others who need the same grace we do.

Lord, Your Word says Your grace is sufficient and Your strength is made perfect in our weakness. Help us to rest in this truth. When we feel weak, remind us of Your strength. When we fail, remind us of Your grace.

Teach us to extend to others the same grace You’ve shown us. Help us to see everyone through the lens of Your grace — as people You love and died for.

Thank You that Your throne is a throne of grace, where we can come boldly in our time of need. We need Your grace every moment of every day.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.