Grace - What is it . . . exactly?

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV - "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Is it possible that this "Grace" could be referencing the Holy Operation of Christ?

Colossians 2:11-12 KJV - "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."

The Lord stated clearly that He would give His True Children New Hearts and Spirits [so that] we would obey and worship the Lord throughout life.

Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV - "And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."

Again, is it possible that this Grace is pointing to the removal of the Curse of the Lord? And if this is correct, wouldn't this make us whole and complete, thus the Lord's "Grace" would be sufficient?

Colossians 2:10-11 KJV - "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ . . ."

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Grace first shows up in the Bible with Noah.

• Gen 6:8 . . Noah found grace in the eyes of The Lord

The Hebrew word translated grace is chen (khane) and means graciousness;
defined by Webster's as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous,
charitable, merciful, altruistic, compassionate, thoughtful, cordial, affable,
genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive, considerate, and tactful.

The New Testament's Greek word for grace means pretty much the same.

In a nutshell; grace is what you'd expect from someone who wants the best
for you which, when in someone's eyes, is quite a bit nicer than the eyes
of someone who looks at you with knives.
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Paul was discussing his thorn which the lord would t remove even though he asked him three times. The hindrance to his ministry which is unclear I feel as if it was an eye problem he had after being converted and blinded

it’s just a thought but Paul was asking for something to be removed that was hindering his ministry and didn’t receive it instead the lord said “ my grace is sufficient for you “ he then talks of boasting in infirmity

what Paul’s saying is found in what he’s saying he’s discussing his heavenly revelations

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:7-10‬ ‭

grace is for whatever we can’t do whatever weaknesses we have and whenever we have failed to lift us up and set us in our feet and dust us off again . the lord is able to cover us in weakness and exalt himself in us through those infirmities and shortcomings .

Paul’s thorn is a discussion for another day but I think the context of what he’s saying all around that verse keeps it in context of he was praying for deliverance of some kind and didn’t receive his request but an answer that kept him humble to balance his great revelations so he didn’t think of himself as something special and above anyone else

God wants us to always remember without his grace and provision we are nothing and have nothing and can do nothing and never wants us believing in ourself or thinking we don’t need to learn still

Hello 2ndTimothyGroup.
Grace is our Lord getting spit on and not ripping the tongue out of the spitter.
And yes, he gives his Spirit to us so we can follow his example.

Grace - What is it . . . exactly?

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The word "grace" can be applied in two ways: (1) the grace ( undeserved goodwill, loving-kindness, favor) of God and (2) the grace from God.

1. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men...(Tit 2:11)
Strong's Concordance
charis: grace, kindness
Original Word: χάρις, ιτος, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: charis
Phonetic Spelling: (khar'-ece)
Definition: grace, kindness
Usage: (a) grace, as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, (b) favor, (c) gratitude, thanks, (d) a favor, kindness.

2. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6)
This is called "the aid or succor of divine grace".

That made me chuckle out loud.

There may be some "graces" that don't lead to Eternal Life, but if we receive any of these "graces," yet we go to hell, what good is that grace? I like to think of what Christ said, which is that He doesn't cast His Pearls upon pigs.

The ultimate Grace is the one that removes the Curse of the Lord from our hearts so that we might live forever (with Him).

Exodus 33:19 KJV - "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."

What is the description and explanation of this Grace?

Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV - "And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."

What is the fulfillment of this Grace?

Colossians 2:11-15 KJV - "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

This is Spiritual Grace . . . something that virtually all pastors seem to intentionally ignore (or they remain Spiritually blinded by the Lord Himself).

Romans 11:7-8 NLT - "So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have--the ones God has chosen--but the hearts of the rest were hardened. As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."

Yes. Both points one and two depend upon the Circumcision of the Curse of the Lord, the Purpose and Work of Christ.

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God

Exactly. And what separates us from the Law? The Spiritual Circumcision for Christ. This is all described in Colossians 2:9-15.

Colossians 2:9-15 KJV - "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

Romans 4:15 NLT - "For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)"

Jesus is a Nazarene. And what is a Nazarene? By Nature, they are set apart. And so those in Christ are also considered Nazarenes . . . and they, too, are set apart (from the Law).

Exactly, which is what He said that He would do for His Holy Elect . . . many times throughout the Old Testament.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 KJV - "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God."

Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV - "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them]."

Deuteronomy 30:6 KJV - "And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."

And we should remember that there is neither male nor female, Greek or Jew, slave or free. Thus, these Promises are not only for Israel, but for all who belong to the Lord.

John 6:39 NIV - "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day."

I do not believe that this is a good translation of Romans 4:15.

For it contradicts what we might find in James 1:25.

Even in the NLT:

Jas 1:25, But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
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Rom 4:15 (kjv), Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Grace is that which without which we would not be having this or any discussion.
It comes to us through the sacrifice of Christ.
IOW,
If no Sacrifice...then no mercy, no provisions only Judgment.

I once had a vision of what would have happened if Christ had come down from the Cross...

It would have been the end of the world in that very moment.

Because without redemption, there would have been no reason for creation to continue.

Thank you for pointing these things out. I appreciate the counterpoints.

I don't believe that this verse (Rom 4:15) is teaching that we should [not] do the things that are listed out in the general Laws of Moses. What this verse is teaching, I believe, is that if a person attempts to be justified to God by doing things written on stone (paper, etc), then apart from God, there will be punishment. Why? Because we are to follow, or be led, by the Laws of the Spirit of Life. The difference is that the Laws written upon stone cannot save anyone, but the Laws of the Spirit of Life are Effectual. These are Indwelling Laws by the Holy Spirit, hence Romans 2:29 (below):

Romans 2:29 NLT - "No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people."

As said, the letter of the law cannot change a heart, but the Holy Spirit can. And if this is the case, then there is no need for the written law (we should note that when Moses shatter the written Law, God wasn't upset in the least - this was a symbol - a sign of things to come).

James 1:25: As the text says, these Laws "set a person free," unlike any of the other Laws. Pre Law, the actual Law of Moses, and the Laws written upon all of mankind's hearts, these Laws do not set anyone free, but condemn; they expose sin. Those three states, or conditions, expose sin and are contrary against us. But those who live by the Laws of the Spirit of Life, these are the people who have received the Circumcision of Christ.

Romans 4:15 is directly related to Romans 5:13, where it says (KJV):

Romans 5:13 KJV - "(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law."

The four basic Works of Christ are as follows:
1. - Circumcises the heart of the Curse of the Lord
2. - Grants, or Enables a person to Truly Turn and Repent
3. - Grants the Holy Spirits
4. - Died on the Cross to pay the penalty for sins

All four of those works are separate and independent of each other. It is by the first three Works that those of the Old Testament could thank God for their Salvation. However, they would need to wait for the death of Christ before they could be made right with the Father. Yes, they were Purified by Christ, but not yet made right with God. Check out the below verses and be amazed (as am I):

Romans 3:25-26 NLT - "For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus."

Romans 3:25-26 are a massive clue to the True Gospel of Christ. I mean . . . this is critically important if a person is to piece together an explanation of the Gospel, and not merely a description of it.

The Mysterious Plan of God is shocking . . . just incredible how it works in its Effectuality.

Right! If Christ did not go to the cross, then Colossians 2:9-15 would not have been written. And if Colossians 2:9-15 were not written (or completed), then there is no need for a Bible to have been written. However, there is an Eternal Plan pre-written upon a Heavenly Scroll, and what is in the Scroll is commanded by the mouth of the Lord and the Spirit fulfills those commands.

Ephesians 3:9-11 NLT - "I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God's purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord."

Isaiah 34:15-16 NIV - "The owl will nest there and lay eggs, she will hatch them, and care for her young under the shadow of her wings; there also the falcons will gather, each with its mate. Look in the scroll of the LORD and read: None of these will be missing, not one will lack her mate. For it is his mouth that has given the order, and his Spirit will gather them together."

What a story!