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The word grace is part of every believer’s vocabulary yet for many the subject is confusing. Let’s let Yahweh’s Word give us a clear understanding.

      Few people—even professing believers! –really understand what grace is. And rather than searching the Bible for Yahweh’s teaching on the subject, they get bogged down in debate over whether grace does away with Yahweh’s Torah (law).

      Is grace, as many assume, merely unmerited pardon for sin—or is it much more? Why do we need grace, if we do? Does grace abrogate the need to keep Yahweh’s commandments? We need to know! Let’s go to the Bible and let Yahweh’s Word answer.

Grace in the New Testament

The New Testament Greek word translated “grace” is charis. Charis was a widely used word in the first century; its primary meaning is “that which gives pleasure or delight.” But, like the English word grace, charis held a variety of associated meanings not dealing with the grace of Yahweh toward man. Before we see what Yahweh’s grace is, let’s first look at these other uses.

Luke, in describing Yahshua’s childhood development, wrote, “And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom; and the grace of Yahweh was upon Him” (Luke 2:40). In other words, Yahweh was well pleased with Yahshua Messiah. Obviously, charis is not used to mean unmerited pardon for sin in this case, since Yahshua was without sin (Hebrews 4:15, 2nd Corinthians 5:21).

In the book of Acts, Luke uses charis to express kindness, favor or goodwill toward another. Yahweh gave Joseph “favor [charis] and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt” (Acts 7:10). The Congregation was given favor, or charis, with the people around Jerusalem (Acts 2:46- 47).

Charis can also express thankfulness. Paul said, “But thanks [charis] be to Elohim, who gives us the victory through our Master Yahshua Messiah” (1st Corinthians 15:57).

Finally, charis can be used to denote a gift or favor done as an act of goodwill: “Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him [Festus] against Paul; and they petitioned him, asking a favor [charis] against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him” (Acts 25:2-3).

Yahweh’s grace

Charis was used by the Greek world in all the above senses. But the New Testament writers applied this word in a new sense to describe what Yahweh is doing for humanity. They realized that Yahweh’s plan of salvation is so kind, so merciful, so unmerited and so thankworthy that it is the ultimate charis!

Yahweh’s purpose is to reproduce Himself. Those whom Yahweh calls (John 6:44) are given the chance to repent and accept Yahshua Messiah’s sacrifice. Then, upon being baptized, they are given Yahweh’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), which enables them to Yahweh’s character and ultimately be born into the very Family of Yahweh (1st John 3:1-2). Charis is an all-encompassing word for this whole process of conversion that is being accomplished by Yahweh’s power.

Why grace is necessary

Why is grace essential to salvation (Ephesians 2:8)? And why are all efforts to earn salvation futile (verse 9)? There are two reasons.

First, “all have sin” (Romans 3:23) – sin being the transgression of Yahweh’s Torah law (1st John 3:4) – and “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). We have all earned the death penalty. And just as any government today realizes, the violation of law cannot go unpunished, or anarchy would ensue. No, a penalty must be paid, regardless of how sorry the criminal is or how good he promises to be in the future.

Similarly, our regret and subsequent good behavior can never pay the penalty for sin, because the penalty is death. And Yahweh’s Torah (laws) are enforced. Yahweh does not compromise with sin by allowing a way of life that leads to unhappiness, misery and death to go unpunished. The penalty for our sins must be paid.

Second, not only have we sinned, but man by himself is incapable of overcoming sin. Paul said in Romans 8:7, “The mind of the flesh is enmity towards Elohim; for it is not subject to the Torah (law) of Elohim, for it is not possible to be so.” Our best efforts are futile unless Yahweh gives us the help we need.

Yahweh’s grace toward us begins when Yahweh begins calling us. Unless Yahweh opens our minds, we cannot understand His purpose (John 6:44). Paul commented, “Yahweh…called me through His grace” (Galatians 1:15).

The very fact that you can understand the truths of Yahweh as revealed in the Bible is because of Yahweh’s grace. But being called is just the beginning of grace.

The process of conversion requires more than understanding. It requires change, or repentance. We must freely choose to obey Yahweh—and unless Yahweh shows us what to repent of and the importance of obeying Him, we cannot repent. “The kindness of Yahweh leads you to repentance,” Paul explained in Romans 2:4.

But being sorry for sinning, and changing, is not enough. So Yahweh’s grace continues with Yahshua Messiah’s sacrifice: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Yahweh, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Yahshua Messiah, whom Yahweh set forth to be a propitiation (an atoning sacrifice) in His blood, through faith, as a demonstration of His righteousness” (Romans 3:23-25).

Yahshua Messiah paid the penalty of sin, which is death, in our stead. Messiah’s sacrifice is the supreme expression of divine grace. It is totally unmerited (Romans 5:6-8).

Messiah’s sacrifice frees us from the penalty of breaking Yahweh’s Torah (law). But it does not do away with the Torah (law)! Think: Would Yahweh now allow the violation of laws that necessitated the death of His own Son? Of course not.

Grace does not nullify Yahweh’s Torah. Rather, grace is necessary because Yahweh’s Torah is eternally binding. As Paul explained: “Shall we continue in sin (the transgression of Yahweh’s Torah—1st John 3:4) that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2) Continuing in sin would mock Yahshua Messiah’s supreme sacrifice.

Unmerited but not unconditional

Here is where many misunderstand. Grace is unmerited, but it is not unconditional. There are two conditions: repentance and faith (Mark 1:5, Acts 2:38). Although we can never earn salvation, Yahweh does set certain requirements for receiving His grace.

Let’s understand. Once Yahweh, by His grace, reveals to us the need to repent and humbly accept Yahshua Messiah’s sacrifice as payment for our sins, we must do our part. We must voluntarily yield ourselves to Yahweh, admitting where we have been wrong, and make the necessary changes. Then we must be baptized as an outward expression of our repentance and faith (Romans 6:3-6).

Don’t misunderstand—Yahweh’s grace is free and unmerited, but if we refuse to change our lives—to obey Yahweh—He is under no obligation to bestow His grace upon us. Yahweh will not allow Messiah’s sacrifice and His grace to be taken lightly. The process continues. Peter tells us we must now “grow in grace” (2nd Peter 3:18). Grace is unmerited pardon for sin, but it is much more. For if grace were merely the unmerited forgiveness of sin, how could we grow in grace? We must, while coming under Yahweh’s grace overcome sin.

If you are truly under Yahweh’s grace, you will be striving diligently to obey Yahweh’s commandments. Paul said: “For the saving grace of Elohim has appeared to all men, instructing us that having denied unrighteousness and worldly lusts, we should live discreetly and righteously and holy in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and appearance of the glory of our great Elohim and Savior Yahshua Messiah, who gave Himself on our behalf, that He might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify a special people for Himself, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11- 14).

We are to develop Yahweh’s character by growing and overcoming in order that we can ultimately be born into the very Family of Yahweh. But we cannot do this alone (Matthew 19:25- 26). We need Yahweh’s Spirit. And His Spirit, by His grace toward us, is a gift (Acts 10:45, 11:17). Yahweh’s Spirit gives us the power we need to develop character. But we must work at it. Paul said, “But by the grace of Yahweh I am what I am, and His grace which was toward me has not been without fruit, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of Yahweh within me” (1st Corinthians 15:10). To grow in grace is to overcome sin through coupling Yahweh’s Spirit with our own efforts. Without Yahweh’s help, overcoming sin would be impossible.

Finally, after we have developed Yahweh’s character through Yahweh’s Spirit, one final act of grace is bestowed upon us—eternal life! We deserved death, but will receive life eternal. As Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of Yahweh is everlasting life in Yahshua Messiah our Master” (Romans 6:23). The world is deceived into believing in a shallow, limited concept of Yahweh’s grace. True grace is more than the forgiveness of sin; it is the total process of salvation.

Peter summed it up beautifully: “Now the Elohim of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Yahshua the Messiah, whom Yahweh has given to us, will strengthen us to endure these little afflictions that we may remain steadfast and established in Him forever. Amen…I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of Yahweh in which you stand” (1st Peter 5:10-12).