Description
Print Length
68
Language
English
Publisher
DAWN BIBLE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
The booklet opens by highlighting how widely misunderstood the concept of “grace” is, especially in contemporary Christianity. While grace is often reduced to a vague sense of “unmerited favor,” the booklet argues for a richer, more scriptural understanding. It presents grace as the active, powerful, and deeply personal expression of Jehovah's love — a force not only for forgiveness but for transformation. Grace is not a license to continue in sin, but the divine means through which God draws individuals to repentance, offers redemption through Christ, and enables a lifelong journey toward righteousness.
The booklet emphasizes that God’s grace did not begin with the New Testament. It is rooted in His eternal character and is visible throughout the Old Testament. Jehovah revealed Himself to Moses as “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6). Despite Israel’s repeated failures, God extended grace through covenants, deliverances, and prophetic guidance. Examples include the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, God’s patience with rebellious generations, and His continual calls to repentance through the prophets. The message is that grace is not a “New Testament invention” but a timeless expression of divine love.
God’s grace finds its ultimate expression in the gift of Jesus Christ. According to the booklet, grace is embodied in Christ’s life, teachings, sacrificial death, and resurrection. Through Jesus, God offers a “corresponding price” — the ransom for Adam and all his descendants. This grace is not limited to a select few but is universal in intent: “He gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:6). The booklet strongly refutes the idea of unconditional or automatic salvation, stating that grace opens the door to salvation but still requires faith, obedience, and transformation. Christ is both the demonstration of God’s grace and the agent through whom grace accomplishes its full work.
The need for grace stems from the fallen condition of mankind. Through Adam’s disobedience, sin and death entered the world, leaving humanity estranged from God. The booklet explains that no amount of human effort or law-keeping can restore what was lost; only divine grace can do that. Grace is the means by which God initiates reconciliation, offering life where death reigned. Importantly, grace does not ignore sin — it addresses it directly through Christ’s atoning work and calls the sinner to repentance and renewal. God’s grace exposes sin, forgives it, and empowers the believer to overcome it.
Far from being a static or one-time event, grace is described as a process. The booklet explains that God's grace initiates a lifelong journey of sanctification — making the believer holy through the indwelling Spirit and obedience to the Word. The Apostle Paul writes, “The grace of God… teaches us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly” (Titus 2:11–12). Thus, grace is not passive; it instructs, disciplines, and matures the believer. The goal of grace is not merely forgiveness, but the transformation of the whole person into the image of Christ.
The booklet strongly critiques two common distortions of grace. The first is cheap grace, the idea that God’s forgiveness can be enjoyed without repentance or a change in lifestyle. This leads to spiritual complacency and dishonors the sacrifice of Christ. The second is legalism, which diminishes grace by attempting to earn favor through works or rigid adherence to religious systems. Both extremes misunderstand the nature of grace. True grace balances mercy and justice — offering pardon while also calling for accountability, growth, and surrender to God’s will.
Justification is one of the clearest expressions of divine grace. The booklet explains that to be “justified” means to be declared righteous by God, not through personal merit, but through faith in Christ’s redemptive work. Romans 5:1 affirms that “being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This declaration is not based on feelings or church affiliation but on the legal standing granted to those who accept Christ’s ransom. However, justification is just the beginning — it is followed by sanctification (being made holy) and ultimately glorification (being made perfect in the resurrection).
The Christian life is sustained by grace. From the moment of repentance to final victory, it is grace that empowers believers to walk in truth, resist sin, endure trials, and grow in faith. The Apostle Paul, in his own struggles, acknowledged that God’s grace was sufficient for him — even in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). The booklet encourages readers not to rely on their own strength but to lean on God’s provision. Grace equips, comforts, disciplines, and enables the believer to press forward despite failures or hardships.
While grace is received individually, its scope is universal. The booklet ties this to God’s ultimate plan to bless “all the families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3). It teaches that the opportunity for salvation will not be limited to this present age but will extend into Christ’s Kingdom — a future era of resurrection, enlightenment, and judgment. Isaiah 26:9 is cited to show that when God’s judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Thus, grace will continue to operate, not just for the Church now, but for the whole world in due time, culminating in the full reconciliation of mankind to God.
The climax of God’s grace is found in the future Kingdom of Christ, where grace will bring about the complete restoration of humanity. In that day, death, sorrow, and sin will be no more. Grace will have done its perfect work: redeeming the fallen, healing the broken, and bringing every willing soul into harmony with divine righteousness. Revelation 21:4 paints the picture of that future: “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death.” Grace is thus not only the beginning of salvation but its glorious end.
The Grace of Jehovah offers a deeply rooted, scripturally sound view of divine grace — not as a permissive blanket over sin, but as the active, transformative expression of God’s love. Grace originates in Jehovah’s character, is revealed in Christ, and works powerfully in the lives of believers to redeem, teach, sanctify, and restore. It is not cheap, nor earned, but freely given with the expectation of transformation. Ultimately, grace will triumph when Christ’s Kingdom is fully established, and all creation reflects the glory and love of the Creator.
