I’m a visual learner, so I pick up on things best when I can see how they work firsthand. That’s one reason I so appreciate the examples of grace in the bible that God provides us with. Throughout the pages of Scripture, I get to see how real people—folks just like me—experienced God’s grace in powerful ways.
The examples of God’s grace revealed in His Word offer encouragement and direction when His people wrestle with the timeless challenges that come from being believers in this world.
Examples of grace
In a nutshell, grace can be defined as getting something wonderful that we don’t deserve—or avoiding something bad that we do. From a biblical perspective, God pours out His grace on humanity, allowing us to experience a personal relationship with Him (something we don’t deserve) and avoid eternal punishment in hell (what we do deserve). He also demonstrates “common grace,” blessings He shares with all people at all times.
As you reflect on God’s grace, it helps to see where He has shown grace in the past. And Scripture is the best source for this search. Below are a dozen examples of grace from the Bible. Some are familiar, while others might be new to you. Either way, they are just the tip of the iceberg because we serve a God of grace and the Bible is grounded in His grace toward us.
Creation and the Fall
The first verses of Genesis detail how God went about His business of creation. God made everything perfectly and in a way that would support life. This is “common grace” because it benefits every person, whether righteous or wicked.
But God also provided an example of grace after Adam and Eve fell in Eden. He met their spiritual needs by providing forgiveness and hope for future victory over sin (Genesis 3:15). Then, He met their physical needs by giving them suitable garments, though an animal had to die for it (Genesis 3:21). It’s important to remember that God’s grace always addresses spiritual issues first because sin represents our greatest need as humans.
Noah
Whether you were raised in Sunday school or hardly attend church, you probably know the story of Noah’s ark (Genesis 6–8). But this is more than just a narrative about how God spared humanity from complete destruction. It’s also a powerful example of grace.
Noah loved God and tried to do what was right. As a result of his faith, God showed him favor, along with his family. They survived the floodwaters because God demonstrated His grace toward them. He also extended grace by allowing the animals to live and reproduce after the flood. And His rainbow has served as a reminder of His grace for generations (Genesis 9:12-17).
Abraham
We’re given the skinniest introduction to Abraham (then known as “Abram”) in the last verses of Genesis 11. To kick off chapter 12, though, God identified him as a special man with a special job and gave him a promise of incredible blessings.
Of course, Abraham didn’t deserve these blessings. Nothing he did (or could have done) was enough to earn God’s favor. But that’s what grace is all about: giving us what we don’t deserve and allowing us to avoid what we do.
Moses and Israel
When the children of Israel reached the edge of the promised land the first time, God demonstrated an incredible example of grace by refusing to destroy them in their rebellion (Numbers 13–14). By the time they reached Canaan a second time, He had continued to reveal His grace by providing manna and other necessities and by protecting them from their enemies in the wilderness (Exodus 16–17; Psalm 78:4-5). He even made sure their sandals didn’t wear out (Deuteronomy 29:5-6).
In his final message to them, Moses also reminded the Israelites that God had promised blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 28). If they rebelled against Him, they would face the consequences. But, if they followed Him with all their hearts, He would bless them far beyond anything they could earn or deserve. He would shower them with grace.
Rahab
Jericho was the first target of the Israelites when the time came to conquer Canaan. It was also the home of Rahab, who was both a non-Jew (a “Gentile”) and a prostitute. Yet, she believed in God and risked her own life to protect His spies (Joshua 2). In response, God spared her and her family when Jericho fell (Joshua 6:22-25).
As an outsider, God had no obligation to show her grace. But that’s what He does. His examples of grace often involve those we might least expect, people we would never choose if the job was left to us. But, since all have sinned and need salvation (Romans 3:23), we all need His grace—just like Rahab.
David
David did a lot of great things as king of Israel. He also made some huge mistakes. He was known as a man after God’s heart (1 Samuel 13:13-14), but He also serves as a powerful example of grace to us.
David wanted to build a temple for God, but the Lord said no. Instead of allowing David to build a house for Him, though, God promised to build a house for David. This physical legacy would rule Israel for generations and would lead to the Messiah (2 Samuel 7:1-17). Like other examples of grace in Scripture, David didn’t deserve God’s favor; but the Lord blessed him all the same.
Elijah
God had called Elijah to deliver a dangerous message to a dangerous man—King Ahab (1 Kings 17:1). To punish Israel for its unfaithfulness, God was sending a famine on the land. Of course, as an Israelite, Elijah would suffer the effects of the famine just like his countrymen—except for God’s grace.
Rather than forgetting his faithful servant, God exercised His authority over nature to meet Elijah’s needs. As an example of grace, he sent ravens to deliver food and led the prophet to a spot where the river hadn’t yet dried up (1 Kings 17:2-7). Later, He brought Elijah to a Gentile woman who helped him until the famine was over (1 Kings 17:8-16). Through Elijah’s example, we learn that God’s grace never leaves His people hanging.
Naaman
Like Rahab and other examples of grace in the Bible, Naaman was not an Israelite. In fact, he was just the opposite. He served as the top general of Israel’s most dangerous enemy, the Arameans (2 Kings 5:1). But he also had a skin disease (probably leprosy), which made him an outsider on multiple levels.
Yet, the Lord did not reject him. First, He placed a young Israelite girl in Naaman’s home so the general could hear about God (2 Kings 5:2-3). Then, He gave Naaman all the instructions he needed to be healed. At first, he balked; but once he surrendered to the Lord’s plans, Naaman experienced God’s grace in a miraculous way (2 Kings 5:10-14).
Peter
A lot of guys can relate to the apostle Peter, which makes this example of grace so meaningful. Peter was a natural leader, and he bragged about his loyalty to Jesus (John 13:37). But on the night before Jesus’s crucifixion, he caved and denied Jesus three times (John 18:15-18,25-27). It’s a spiritual roller coaster many of us have experienced.
But Jesus loved Peter too much to leave him wallowing in guilt and self-pity. So, He demonstrated grace by restoring him. After His resurrection, He gave Peter three chances to affirm his love, and Peter took advantage of the opportunity (John 21:15-19). As a result, Peter went on to make an impact on the early church that still resonates today.
The criminal on the cross
One of the greatest examples of grace in the Bible is the account of the man on the cross next to Jesus (Luke 23:39-43). We really know nothing about this guy, except that he was a criminal whose transgression required capital punishment. So, he ended up on a cross beside the Savior.
As his life ebbed away, he made a last-ditch appeal for redemption. And Jesus, gracious until the end, granted His request. The man’s faith in the Lord was enough to ensure him a spot in paradise. It’s a great reminder that everyone has hope as long as they have breath. God’s grace makes sure of that.
Paul
While many believers view Paul as one of the greatest Christians of all time, he had a much different perspective. He considered himself “the worst” of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). But he also understood that where sin abounds, God’s grace abounds in even greater measure (Romans 5:20).
Without a doubt, Paul lived a violent life before coming to Christ (Acts 9). But the depth of his sin only reinforced the power of God’s grace. Rather than being paralyzed by his past, he used it as a testimony to grace. That’s why he wrote so much about grace throughout his letters in the New Testament.
Cornelius
We’ve seen how God often uses outsiders as examples of grace. Still, many in the early church struggled with the idea of accepting Gentiles into the faith. So, God used Peter and a Roman centurion named Cornelius to blow their arguments out of the water.
God specifically called Peter to enter the house of Cornelius—something unimaginable under the Mosaic law—and share the gospel with the Gentiles present (Acts 10:9-23). Then, He poured out His Spirit on them just as He had with Jews in Acts 2. The Lord left no doubt that His grace meant salvation was an open invitation to everyone. Later, when the question came up again at the Jerusalem Council, Peter pointed to Cornelius as an example of God’s grace (Acts 15:6-11).
God’s grace and you
The examples of grace God provides in Scripture are a blessing. But we need to remember that His grace is not reserved for ancient believers. He still demonstrates His grace toward us each day. What’s more, His grace gives us purpose for this life and hope for eternity.
Paul explained that the “grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people” (Titus 2:11). Of all the stories in His Word, the greatest example of God’s grace is found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He embodies grace, and His grace both saves us and gives us wisdom to live out our faith each day.
That grace also encourages us as we “wait for the blessed hope” of Jesus’s return (Titus 2:13). We can learn a lot about God’s grace through studying His Word. But when Jesus comes back, we’ll know it fully—and we’ll experience it eternally.
