Information Related to "Grace: How God Interacts With Us"
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The apostle John summarizes God's motivation and character in three simple words: "God is love" (1 John 4:8,16). His dealings with us are motivated by His love—His care, His concern and even His correction—so we can receive His gift of eternal life as members of His family.
Several of the apostles summarize God's attitude and approach of loving care and concern for us with the term grace. Paul, Peter and John use the word quite often. What do they mean by it, and how can it help us better understand our Creator?
Grace is the word most frequently used in modern Bible translations for the original Greek word charis. There is no simple English-language equivalent. Charis means "that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, favor (and) acceptance, for a kindness granted or desired . . . (and) a favor done without expectation of return; the absolutely free expression of the loving kindness of God to men in the bounty and benevolence of the Giver" (Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, 1993, p. 1469). It comes from the Greek verb chairo, which means "to rejoice" (same source).
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Grace: