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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
This is one of the most famous scriptures in the world even among unsaved folks who know nothing about Christ. It is the name of the charitable organization and is one that is often quoted by many Christians to describe God's love for all. God's love for us is so great that it surpasses all human knowledge.
"And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." Ephesians 3:19
We cannot fathom the depth of God's love for us. If He had not loved us, then our original parents, Adam and Eve, would have been destroyed on the day they sinned, and we would not be here. But it is because of God's love for man that by His grace He pardoned Adam and Eve and promised them that He would send a Savior to rescue them and their posterity from death (Genesis 3:15). God sparing Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden despite their sin was the first illustrated example of grace described in the Bible.
Grace is the result of God's unconditional love for mankind. One of Merriam-Webster Dictionary's definitions of the word grace is "unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification." It is divine favor extended from God to mankind despite his backsliding and falling into sin. An archaic definition of the word grace is "mercy, pardon."
Grace is a gift that God extends to sinners to show that He loves us, that He is willing to forgive us and pardon our sins so that we can be saved from the eternal punishment of the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). Because grace is a gift, it is not something that can be earned through good works. Grace being a gift means no man can brag on himself about receiving his salvation. One cannot come to Jesus in faith without grace. This is why the apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
We cannot brag about receiving our salvation because it is offered freely by God to everyone. Because of God's love and mercy for us, even when we sin, though the law states that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), God is gracious toward us to have sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so that whoever believes in Him will not have to die, but have eternal life with Him.
While grace is a wonderful gift from God, it is not something to be taken lightly. Many take God's grace to be leeway to sin all they want when they want and still be forgiven afterward. They believe that we can continue living a sinful life and still go to heaven because of God's grace. This is the idea of the doctrine "once saved, always saved" (more on this subject at a later time.) It is a severe misconception that has costs the lives of many souls. Based on the biblical definition of grace, it allows us to rebound from sin and strive for righteousness again. It is not a pass for us to continue sinning and still think that God will forgive us when we ask Him to. Even in all His mercy, God still expects us to obey Him, for obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).
Our goal in life should be to please God and we do that when we strive to be holy and righteous. In 1 Peter 1:16, the apostle Peter wrote to believers at his time that we are to be holy just as God is holy, quoting a passage from Leviticus in which God told the children of Israel repeatedly to be holy because He is holy (Leviticus 11:44-45; 20:26). Granted, we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but this is why God gives us grace, to allow us to start striving for holiness again and grow in Christ.
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" Romans 3:24
God's grace is what sustains us in our walk with Christ. Without it, we would not have any chance to strive for righteousness again when we sin. We would already be condemned and destroyed with no hope of ever getting saved. It is because of God's grace that we are saved.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Ephesians 2:8
"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" Romans 5:20
Let us thank God for His grace and that His love is greater than our sins.
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