John Newton’s “Amazing Grace” is one of the most familiar hymns in the world. Whether you’ve been a Christ follower for many years or rarely darken the doors of a church building, you likely recognize the familiar tune and may even know some of the words.

But, as familiar as we may be with the song, many of us aren’t as familiar with the “grace” it talks about. Even as believers, we may ask ourselves, “What is the spiritual meaning of grace?” 

As it turns out, understanding grace from a biblical perspective is incredibly important to our lives as Christians and to our work as Jesus’s hands and feet in the world.

Defining grace

In general, “grace” is the English translation of the Greek word charis. The basic idea of this word is “favor” or “kindness.” The word appears more than 150 times in the New Testament, many in Paul’s writings. 

In terms of the spiritual meaning of grace, it relates to the favor God shows those who put their faith and trust in Him. God demonstrates this favor in two primary ways. First, God’s children get what they don’t deserve and couldn’t earn. In our sinful condition, we have no hope of salvation apart from God’s grace. We can’t earn His favor, and we certainly don’t deserve His favor. He provides it through His grace.

Second, God’s children don’t get what they do deserve. Let’s be honest: We all deserve eternity in hell. That’s all our “good works” can earn. But because of God’s grace, we are rescued from that eternal punishment. The price is paid for us, allowing us to avoid getting what we should have coming to us.

As we’ll see below, God reveals His grace in different ways at different times. But the ultimate example of the spiritual meaning of grace came through the death of Jesus on the cross. When I was a teenager, we would sing a song in our youth group that declared how Jesus paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay. That’s a great description of God’s grace demonstrated through the crucifixion.

How grace plays out in our lives

When we think about the spiritual meaning of grace, we need to build the theological foundation we just established. We need to get a solid handle on what grace is—and isn’t. Otherwise, we can’t move to the next step: discovering how it affects our lives each day.

Head knowledge is great, but we have to let grace make a difference in our hearts and lives. We need to see the practical application if grace is going to transform us and the world around us. 

So, with that in mind, I’ve identified three broad, yet practical, statements about God’s grace and its work in our lives each day. If we can reflect on these basic truths, the spiritual meaning of grace will take deep roots in our lives. And God will use that to expand His kingdom for His glory.

Grace is God’s formula

This is just another way to say that the spiritual meaning of grace is found in God alone. Grace—getting what we don’t deserve and not getting what we do—is His idea. In fact, without Him, grace has no meaning at all.

When talking about how God’s grace touches the lives of people, theologians focus on two categories: common grace and saving grace. Common grace is what every person experiences simply because God loves them. For example, God placed the earth exactly where it needed to be and created a perfect atmosphere for sustaining life. He also provides the rain and sun that allows the earth to be fruitful (Psalm 65:9-10; Acts 14:16-17). And everyone benefits from that—even those who reject Him (Matthew 5:44-45). It’s an example of His common grace.

Another example of common grace is God’s delay in judgment. Second Peter 3 focuses on the return of Jesus and His judgment on the world. Yet, verse 9 makes it clear that God is delaying this punishment because of His grace. He is giving more people a chance to accept His offer of salvation. So, instead of doubting Jesus’s imminent return, we should recognize God’s common grace at work while we wait.

Meanwhile, saving grace is specific to those who embrace His offer of salvation. The next two basic truths touch on this.

Grace is salvation’s foundation

In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul wrote that we are “saved by grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9). He went on to note that we cannot save ourselves through any efforts or good works on our part. The salvation we receive in exchange for the faith we put in the death and resurrection of Jesus is a gift from God. Again, we get what we don’t deserve—and avoid what we do.

In a world where many guys are struggling to be “good enough,” recognizing this aspect of the spiritual meaning of grace is vital. Truth is, as disciples of Jesus, we can’t be good enough to meet God’s standard for salvation. We need His grace because it is the only genuine path to a personal relationship with God through Jesus.

That should bring us a measure of comfort. When we come to God in faith, He accepts us as we are by His grace. He rescues us from eternal punishment, and He begins a process in our lives that provides hope and meaning for this life and the next.

• Grace is Christianity’s fuel. While we absolutely are saved by God’s grace alone, the Bible indicates that there is more to His grace that just our salvation. As noted, grace rescues us from condemnation, but it also provides the spiritual “fuel” we need to live out our faith each day as Christ followers. Thankfully, the spiritual meaning of grace is not a “one and done” proposition. We live in it every single day.

That’s why Paul challenged his friend Timothy to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1) and why the anonymous writer of Hebrews warned his readers to avoid the lure of false doctrine by being “established by grace” (Hebrews 13:9). Likewise, when Paul was wrestling with a mysterious “thorn,” God reminded him that His grace was enough to carry the apostle through the struggle (2 Corinthians 2:8-9).

Best of all, we know that God’s grace is never exhausted. Again, the writer of Hebrews urged his friends to approach God’s “throne of grace” boldly and to receive what they need to accomplish His mission and to thrive in the Christian life (Hebrews 4:16). God always provides the grace we need exactly when we need it!

Grow in grace

The apostle Peter closed out his second letter with a challenge for his readers to “grow in grace” (2 Peter 3:18). They were wrestling with false teachers who were trying to tear the churches apart and lead people astray. So, he challenged them to stand firm in the grace of Jesus, the grace that had saved them.

But his closing words also indicate that believers can somehow become more effective as agents of sharing God’s grace to those who need to experience it. Again, the spiritual meaning of grace emphasizes that this is God’s idea. He initiates grace. It’s not something we can conjure up on our own. But it’s something He can nurture in our lives to help us become more like Him, which strengthens our witness.

We can reflect His grace to the world. We can live in such a way that people see God’s grace at work in us and, hopefully, seek to fill the void in their own lives. As Christ followers, we do this by imitating Jesus more clearly and by growing in grace—both for our own benefit and for the benefit of those we meet.