What Is Grace… Really?
Grace is one of the most talked-about—and misunderstood—concepts in Christianity. Central to salvation, it’s debated across denominations, with few agreeing on exactly what it means. For many today, grace boils down to this: “I don’t have to do anything—Jesus did it all.”
But is that what the Bible teaches? Or has the definition of grace subtly shifted over time, shaped not by Scripture, but by ancient philosophies that crept into Christian thinking?
The Modern View of Grace: A Quick Summary
In much of mainstream Christianity today, grace is commonly understood as:
- Unmerited favor: God forgives with no expectation of change.
- Salvation as a one-time event: Say a prayer, and you’re saved for life.
- Works and obedience: Often dismissed as legalism or attempts to “earn” salvation.
- The law: Viewed as obsolete or even harmful.
- Christ’s righteousness: Treated as a substitute for any personal transformation.
Under this view, grace can be a permission slip to remain unchanged—God’s favor detached from God’s purpose. It fosters a kind of “belief buffet” where everyone creates a personal version of truth: “If I’m led to keep some laws, that’s God working in me—but that doesn’t mean He expects the same from you.”
Challenge that idea by saying grace empowers righteousness, and suddenly you’re accused of trying to earn your salvation. But is this really the grace of the Bible?
Gnosticism: The Hidden Root of Modern Grace Theology
To understand where this distorted view came from, we need to go back to the early centuries of Christianity—and the dangerous influence of Gnosticism. Gnosticism was a popular religious-philosophical movement that the apostles actively opposed. It emphasized secret knowledge (gnosis) as the path to salvation and taught that the physical world was either irrelevant or outright evil.
Gnostics believed:
- The body and material world were corrupt.
- Physical obedience and action were unnecessary.
- Inner “spiritual enlightenment” was all that mattered.
The New Testament writers warned strongly against these ideas (1 Timothy 6:20–21) and (1 John 1:1–3:23). But over time, some of Gnosticism’s core assumptions slipped into Christian theology.
Today, we hear echoes of Gnostic thinking in modern grace teaching:
- Obedience? That’s legalism.
- Baptism? Optional.
- Repentance and transformation? Nice, but not required.
- Grace? Just believe—that’s all that matters.
This isn’t biblical grace. It’s ancient error wearing new clothes.
What the Apostles Actually Taught
When we look closely at the apostles’ teachings, we find a very different picture of grace. Biblical grace is not just God’s mercy—it’s His power to change us.
Biblical Grace:
- Begins with a divine calling (John 6:44)
- Leads to repentance (Acts 11:18)
- Brings forgiveness through Christ’s sacrifice (Ephesians 1:7)
- Includes the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)
- Empowers transformation and obedience (Romans 6:14–18; Titus 2:11–12)
- Culminates in glorification (Romans 8:30)
Grace is not passive. It is God’s active involvement in our lives, enabling us to become what we could never be on our own. He doesn’t look the other way—He looks into our hearts and says, “Let Me change you.”
Misused Example: The Thief on the Cross
One of the most frequently cited objections to this view is the thief on the cross. “He didn’t get baptized or obey any commandments—and Jesus said he would be in paradise!”
But is that really what happened?
The thief repented, acknowledged Jesus as King, and submitted to Him. He didn’t reject obedience—he simply died before he could act further. Also, this event took place before Christ’s death and resurrection, under the Old Covenant. He was not a model for the New Testament church.
Moreover, the statement “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise” hinges entirely on a comma that doesn’t exist in the original Greek. A better translation would be: “Truly I say to you today, you will be with Me in paradise.” In other words, the promise was made that day, not necessarily fulfilled that day.
And what is “paradise”? It’s not necessarily heaven—it often refers to the coming Kingdom of God on Earth (Revelation 2:7). So rather than proving grace means “no need to change,” this story affirms Jesus’ authority to forgive and the hope of resurrection in the Kingdom.
The Real Power of Grace
The Bible paints grace not as a get-out-of-jail-free card, but as divine fuel for transformation. Paul writes:
“The grace of God… teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:11–12). And again: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!” (Romans 6:1–2).
Grace isn’t a loophole—it’s the engine of a holy life. It changes our desires, renews our minds, and enables us to walk in the footsteps of Christ.
Why This Matters
A distorted view of grace leads to dangerous consequences:
- False assurance: Believing we’re saved while resisting transformation.
- Spiritual apathy: No urgency to grow, no drive to change.
- A permissive view of God: Trading holiness for leniency.
In contrast, biblical grace:
- Calls us into relationship with God
- Demands growth in character and conduct
- Reflects God’s true nature: He is not just loving—He is holy.
God’s plan has always been to build a spiritual family—children who bear His likeness, not just His name.
Back to Biblical Grace
- Grace is not the absence of effort—it’s the presence of divine help.
- Grace doesn’t excuse sin; it defeats it.
- Grace doesn’t tell us to stay where we are—it empowers us to rise.
The apostles understood this. So must we. Let’s return to the grace they preached—grace that transforms, grace that empowers, grace that prepares us for the Kingdom of God.
Ryan Welsh