1. Grace What is it?

2. Grace The action of God Unconditional, free and loving How God enters into relationship with us It is the relationship Draws each human being into personal communion

3. Grace OT – Hebrew hen, Greek charis Emphasises the freely bestowed personal favour of God Gn 6:8, Ex 33:12

4. Grace Hebrew – hanan To be gracious Lovingly devote oneself Personal heartfelt devotion of God to his people Ex 33:19

5. Grace Hebrew – hesed Especially in the Psalms Refers to God’s faithful covenant love

6. Grace Hebrew – Rahamim The root means to be motherly Emphasises the heartfeltness and tenderness of God’s gift to humanity This loving mercy is felt by God’s people Is54:7, 63:7, Jer16:5, Hos2:21

7. Grace Luke alone in the NT synoptic gospels uses the word charis The reality of God’s gift is present in Jesus’ proclamation of a graceful God And in the gift character of God’s reign

8. Grace Charis plays a central role in the writings of St. Paul For Paul grace is the essence of God’s universal and salvific action in Jesus Rom 5:15, 8:32 In the grace of the human being Jesus Christ the love of God assumes the form of a person

9. Grace The most important effect of Jesus Christ’s gracious work of salvation is the gift of justification (Rom 3:21-26) Paul emphasises that we do not merit God’s grace it is total gift It is also universal and non exclusive It makes us children of God and heirs of the Kingdom

10. Grace The one grace of God gives various gifts of grace ( charismata) For the service of salvation Summarised in Eph 2:4-9, Ti 3:4-7 Grace is the love of God for us

11. Grace