God gives us grace so that we might stand before Him. He provides this grace to enable us to continue standing in His presence. Grace makes salvation possible, far beyond merely being a gift. It encompasses beauty, charm, goodwill, and favor, reflecting a deep benevolence that shows kindness and generosity. Christ's death becomes the instrument through which God extends grace to us. Yet, this grace is not without cost. It required the life of Jesus of Nazareth, and it demands our lives in return through obedience to Him. God is not compelled by any external force to offer His grace; He does so solely out of His love and purpose for us. Despite our sins and desecration of His creation, He owes us nothing, yet freely gives His grace. Only by means of His grace can we stand in God's presence. This grace aligns us with His law and imputes to us the perfect righteousness of the sinless Jesus Christ, granting us access into His very presence. Through Him, we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, rejoicing in the hope of God's glory. Grace extends beyond unmerited forgiveness to include a range of benefits, enabling us to receive God's love, overcome challenges, work out our salvation, be healed, delivered, serve, grow, receive mercy, strength, forgiveness, and ultimately salvation at Christ's return. Grace is continuous, not a one-time act of mercy, but an ongoing outflow of God's gifts to His spiritual children. It is the most vital aspect of our hope for salvation through the resurrection. Though He owes us nothing, He freely offers His love and power so that we might share a glorious, powerful, fulfilling, and unending life with Him and Jesus Christ.

Grace is indispensable to our salvation, for without it, there would be no calling, no justification, no Holy Spirit given, no sanctification, and ultimately, no salvation. In terms of God's purpose, grace is the key element, essential even to the existence of creation itself. Though we are as guilty of sin as any who have faced God's justice, His purpose for us is far greater, and through grace, He raises us from spiritual death to life, as symbolized in baptism, granting us His Holy Spirit to fulfill our part in His plan. As we live by faith, God's grace supports and fills our needs throughout our journey. Grace, while linked to the Greek term charis, has evolved in meaning to carry a spiritual significance beyond its secular roots of charm and beauty, embodying God's power to enable us to live a new life in Christ. It is not something we earn, for our calling and election by God precede any saving knowledge or faith on our part, ensuring that no works of ours contribute to our salvation. Grace, alongside faith, is a gift from God, the source of power that allows us to overcome and glorify Him. In the context of God's covenant love, grace mirrors the Old Testament concept of hesed, which expresses His steadfast, faithful commitment to us, showing mercy, kindness, and goodness despite our failings. His grace flows continuously, never wavering, providing hope and the possibility of salvation through His unchanging compassion. In the book of John, grace is portrayed as a fullness in Christ from which we receive endless blessings, meeting our every spiritual need through our relationship with Him, freely given for His purpose and glorification.

Grace, in its essence, signifies God's favor and graciousness of manner, both literally and spiritually, toward humanity. It is an unearned gift, motivated by God's tender sense of our misery caused by sin, displaying itself in His efforts to lessen and entirely remove that misery. Grace is the divine favor that initiates our rescue from the impossible situation between the devil and our own carnal nature on one side, and death on the other. In terms of salvation, grace and works are mutually exclusive. Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, aligning us with God's standard of righteousness and clearing us of guilt. Justification, which opens the door to God's purpose, is achieved by grace, not by our own efforts. It is God's gracious manner that grants us gifts, endowments given through His Spirit, without any merit of our own, to enable us to overcome our burdens and produce unity and quality of character. Grace is the first step in God's intervention in our lives, revealing Himself to us in truth and enlightening our minds to spiritual realities that are mysteries to the natural man. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, setting the stage for a gift of incomparable value, not because we earned it, but by God's favor to begin freeing us from the misery of our sins. His sacrifice, encompassing His entire sinless life, was planned before the creation of the world, demonstrating the depth of His graciousness. God's grace does not free us to do whatever we desire; it frees us for the purpose of obedience to His law. It empowers us to do righteousness, works consistent with His character and will. Until we receive this grace, we are entrapped in bondage to sin, unable to produce good works. Grace, therefore, is the foundation that enables us to be created anew in Christ Jesus, producing the good works that are the evidence of His creative efforts within us.