While grace, like God, defies adequate definition, there have been helpful efforts made to do so. N. H. Snaith, writing in the A Theological Word Book of the Bible, defines grace as "the kindness and graciousness of God in general" which is sometimes directed to a select people – as in the case of Israel – or to a select individual – as in Genesis 6:8: "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." This makes the flood a story of grace.

This grace, Snaith goes on to say, is always entirely free and wholly undeserved. It is the superior who shows grace to the inferior, and there is no tie or relationship between them that obligates God to show favor. Grace appears to be as unpredictable and arbitrary as it is undeserved – as arbitrary as "I will show mercy upon whom I shall show mercy."

Referring to "By grace are you saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8), Alexander Campbell notes that the entire process of regeneration is by grace. Whether faith, repentance, baptism, remission of sins, or gift of the Holy Spirit, it is all by grace. He emphasized that while baptism cannot be the work of man, it is "the work of grace." Campbell held that while the prevalence of grace is unconditional, the enjoyment of its benefits is conditional. Snaith seems to agree with this, suggesting that grace is not irresistible – such as in 2 Corinthians 6:1: "We plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way: "Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God." Like Snaith and Campbell, the Catechism says, "God’s free initiative demands man’s free response." Interestingly, the Catechism refers to different kinds of grace – habitual grace (the permanent disposition to serve God); sacramental graces (such as baptism and the eucharist); actual graces (such as healing); special graces (such as the gift of teaching).

The Scriptures sometimes personify grace by seeing Christ as the epitome of grace, as in 2 Corinthians 8:9: "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich." Riches – Poverty; Poverty – Riches. It is a stunning picture of grace, and centered in a person.

A similar passage is Titus 2:ll: "God’s grace has been revealed to save the whole human race" (New Jerusalem). That grace was revealed in a person. There is such a thing as seeing the grace of God, as in John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

Then there are stories of grace that go far in defining its nature. It is not amiss to describe the Bible – from first to last – as stories about grace.

It begins with the story of Adam ad Eve. If the author’s purpose was to reveal the origin of sin, he also discloses the nature of grace. God clearly laid down the law – and the penalty if violated -- to our first parents: "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17).

But grace triumphed over law. God owed Adam and Eve nothing. They willfully sinned – defiantly doing what they knew to be wrong – and deserved to die. But God showed mercy. They did not die when they sinned, as law demanded, but lived on for centuries, growing a family – even a progeny -- and apparently living a constructive life, even if difficult. We may presume they died in peace, certainly at an old age.

Moreover, Adam was the first long-tenured teacher of the patriarchs, preserving wisdom that blessed the world, particularly in reference to a monotheistic faith. His subjects must have included religion and morals, as well as the natural sciences. Having eaten of the tree that imparted to him something of the likeness of God, he too could judge between good and evil. He must have accumulated great knowledge – including moral knowledge -- during his 950 years.

That would include insight into his own sinful nature, which he learned the hard way. Sinful pride – humus -- was now in the world and Adam knew its deceitful nature, an insight he must have passed along to the patriarchs.

Had it not been for the sober teaching of Adam and his progeny there would have never been one of the greatest men of faith in all history, who was only "the seventh from Adam" -- "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" (Genesis 4:24). Enoch must have been a moral and religious giant. Before he was caught up into heaven, having never tasted death, he had lived 300 years. What a moral influence he must have been in the ancient world!

It all began when God showed grace to Adam!

It is not that Adam did not have to suffer for his sin. He lost Paradise! Separated from the Tree of Life, which was in the garden and the source of immortality, he was now under sentence of death, which he bequeathed to all human kind. A heavy price to pay.

But nonetheless grace abounded, and Adam, after a millennium of serving God in a non-paradisical world, was gathered unto his fathers. But eventually Adam, like all God’s wayward children saved by grace, will enjoy – or now enjoys – the Paradise now called heaven. And there is the Tree of Life.

It is a grace story.

This elicits a grace question or two: As with our father Adam, is there anything we can do that would cause God to love us any more than he does already? Is there anything we can do that would cause him to love us any less?

Infinite, awesome, extravagant love! Is that the meaning of grace?

You may send me your answers if you like.

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