A certain Orthodox Christian was once asked: “What is grace?” After some thought—despite not being well-versed in theology—he answered, “Grace is love.” If we open the dictionary, we find that grace is God’s favor or a gift He gives to people for their salvation. We find the same meaning in the words of the Apostle Paul, who affirms that grace is the gift of God that encompasses all gifts. He gave His Son “to show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:7–8). Paul also says to Timothy: “The grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:9–10).
Q: So, before Christ, did God not give His grace to people?
A: Before the coming of Christ, God continually showed His grace to His people. In the Old Testament, grace is associated with mercy, faithfulness, and blessing. God is a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. This is how He introduced Himself when He spoke to Moses, who replied: “If I have found grace in Your eyes, go with us” (Exodus 34:6). Grace is a gift from God, and when a person accepts it, he finds favor in God’s sight and becomes worthy of His goodness—that is, he receives grace.
Q: So, what is new with the coming of Jesus Christ?
A: We Christians believe that God revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, who brought “grace and truth” (John 1:17) for our salvation. When Christ took on a body and united human nature with His divine nature, grace was given freely—it cannot be “bought” through deeds. This means that a person prepares to receive grace through love for God, by obeying His commandments, and by opening his heart to the Lord and offering Him his whole life. Grace is the source of all transformation in a person. The grace God gives us is not of the divine essence. There is a difference between grace and the divine essence, which no one can reach—not in this age nor in the age to come—because if someone were to reach it, he would become a creator. That’s why the Church Fathers say that the human being reaches what is around the divine essence—namely, the uncreated grace, the life of God Himself—and thus shares in the divine life. When we read in the words of the Apostle Peter that we become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), this expression means that we share in God and become members of the Body of Christ. Divine grace is both light and fire, and in revealing itself to people, it is the glory of God.
Q: People often say, “God has graced so-and-so,” meaning he is wealthy. How is this related to the divine grace you’re talking about?
A: This has nothing to do with money. The grace of God is a spiritual gift for our salvation. It is not the source of wealth, beauty, or status. The gift of grace does not limit human freedom; a person may accept or neglect the grace of God. If he accepts it, he works with God. The New Testament uses a single verb to describe this cooperation between humans and God. The Apostle Paul says, “We are co-workers with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Nothing is done without God’s help, and humans must take part in this mutual work.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century) summarized this cooperation with the words: “God grants grace; our task is to receive it and preserve it.”
