Grace is love that seeks you out when you have nothing to give in return. In his upcoming book, One-Way Love: Inexhaustible Grace for an Exhausted World, Tullian Tchividjian borrows a helpful definition from Paul Zahl: But the message of grace is one that the entire world needs to hear. Grace pushes back against our understanding of what is fair and what people deserve. The grace of God is the most beautiful and powerful thing we will ever encounter, but it is also the most difficult concept for us to wrap our minds around. God loves His children so much that He shows them grace by Christ taking away all of the punishment that we get for disobeying God and giving us good gifts instead. On the cross, Jesus gave us the gift of a relationship with God, something that we cannot earn by ourselves nor do we deserve. When He was on the cross, Jesus took all the punishment that we deserved and placed it on Himself. So how does God show grace to us? God shows grace to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. When you receive grace you are given something better than what you deserve. Grace then is getting something nice that you have not earned or deserve. The word “favorite” comes from the word “favored” and it means “the one you favor the most.” To favor someone means to like or help him or her. To be favored by someone means that someone likes you or helps you. So what is it that you receive that is unmerited? According to our basic definition of grace, you receive unmerited “favor.” Favor is something good being given to you or an act of kindness, like someone helping you.
In the same way “unconditional” means that something is not limited by conditions, such as our good behavior. So “unmerited” then means to receive something that you did not earn or something that you do not deserve. Boy Scouts cannot earn these badges unless they have completed the required activities, thus meriting the badge. In the Boy Scouts of America, young boys can earn “Merit Badges” by showing that they know how to do something or can explain it to others. A child might merit a special treat by good behavior or by doing chores. It is a word that is thrown around a lot, especially in church and among Christian friends, but what is it? What does the word “grace” mean? By the simplest definition grace is “unmerited favor” or “unconditional love.” While this is a fine definition on its own, the problem is that we still have to define the definition.įirst, let’s start with “unmerited.” To merit something means to earn it or deserve it.
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