LANCASTER BIBLE COLLEGE

CAPITAL SEMINARY AND GRADUATE SCHOOL

TITLE OF PAPER: THE GRACE OF GOD; BOTH IN THE NEW AND OLD
TESTAMENT BOOKS

SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
MASTER OF ARTS IN MINISTRY PROGRAM

BY
GEORGE OTAKA

October 16, 2016

In the Old Testament there is one basic Hebrew word which has been translated “grace.” That
word is chen, which is pronounced khane. This word is derived from the root word chanan,
which means “grace, favour, and goodwill, kindness, gracious and pleasant.” Mccann, J. C.
(2003) Noted that the Bible is held together as a single plot and can be stated that: God made
the world; the world gets lost; God seeks to restore the world to its glory by His Grace.

Let us examine the description of the Creation in the first chapter of Genesis to understand
how God’s grace was revealed from the beginning.

Motivation
The purpose of this Biblical Theme Paper is to explore and investigate the theme of the Grace of God
throughout the entire Scripture (Genesis to Revelation). However because of time, the cope will focus
on some selected Books both in the Old and New Testament.

The rationale for choosing this particular topic is from Titus 2:11-14. The question is that, how has
the grace of God appeared to all men? And in what way has this happened from the book of Genesis
to Revelation? Mccann, J. C. (2003) also agrees with the fact that everything that follows in the Bible
should be heard in the context of God who graciously cares and cares for His entire Creations.

The sin of one man, Adam brought death to many but the gift by the grace of one Man, Jesus
Christ abounds to many (Rom. 5:15).

The Grace of GOD in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, God gives His grace freely to individuals and nations who humbly
accept His favour. God granted His grace to, Noah, Abraham, Rahab, Moses, Esther,
Naaman, the children of Israel, the Ninevites, David etc, when they repented of their
wickedness. Ruth the Moabitess (Ruth 1:16; 2:12), the entire Old Testament is a
demonstration of God’s gracious kindness and mercy. However, the grace and mercy which
God granted during Old Testament was not the fullness of grace. The Old Testament is a
history of those who accepted God’s grace and blessing, as opposed to those who rejected
God’s grace and blessing which is freely given.
Adam and Eve
Began Under Grace

The Scriptural makes it clear that mankind was created walk in the grace of God. In the
beginning, God placed Adam and Eve in a condition of grace and blessing by the act of His
personal presence with them, God was able to commune with Man in the Garden of Eden.

After Adam and Eve lost their state of grace, by eating the tree of knowledge of good and
Evil, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. By removing them from Eden, God cut
them off from access to the Tree of Life. In spite of the fact that Adam and Eve had sinned,
and that mankind in general was cut off from the way to eternal life, God still granted man a
comeback through Jesus.

Noah Found Grace

The only way people can be saved from Gods’ wrath is through Grace (Eph 2:8-9), but
Grace is not God’s rewards for a good life style: it is God’s response to saving faith.

Everybody that has ever been saved from sin has been saved “by grace”, through faith and
this includes all the Old Testament believers listed in Heb. 11: Nobody can ever be saved by
bring sacrifice (Ps 51:16-17); Heb. 10:1-4), or by keeping the Law (Gal.2:16), or by doing
good work (Rom 4:5). Salvation is gracious gift that can be rejected or received by faith. Like
Noah we must all find favour with God

In the midst of this sinful and corrupt society, only one man remained faithful to God and
found grace in His sight. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord....Noah was a JUST
man [he was righteous] and perfect [that is, spiritually sincere and mature] in his generations,
and Noah WALKED WITH GOD” (Gen 6:8-9). By recording that Noah walked with God,
the Scriptures make it clear that he was humbly and meekly obeying God. He was walking in
“the way of the Lord.”
Noah found grace because he willingly loved God, walked with God, served and obeyed
God. Noah also taught others about God’s way. The New Testament records that Noah was a
“preacher of righteousness” (II Pet. 2:5).

God extended His grace to Noah because Noah loved righteousness and willingly obeyed
God’s commandments. Noah was able to remain in God’s grace and favor because he
diligently obeyed God in everything. After God gave him the instructions for building the
Ark, it is recorded, “Thus did Noah; according to ALL that God commanded him, so did he”
(Gen. 6:22). When the Ark was completed, God gave further instructions about the animals.
Again it is recorded, “And NOAH DID according to ALL that the Lord commanded him”
(Gen. 7:5). If it was not for the GRACE OF GOD given to Noah, none of us would be alive
today!

Moses Found Grace

Moses based his appeal on the grace of God, for He Knew that God was merciful and
gracious and that people were guilty. If God gave them what they deserve they would have
been destroyed. The Jews were God people and Moses was God’s servant. They didn’t want
an Angel to accompany them without God. Moses also trusted the grace of God and asked to
see the Glory of God and God responded positively by showing him back instead of His face.

God raised up Moses to lead Israelites he children of them to the Promised Land, and He
gave them His commandments and laws so that they might continue to receive His blessings
and grace.

Moses also found grace in the eyes of God, when he pleaded with God on behalf of the
children of Israel after they have committed several sin, transgressions, iniquity and
abominations

“And Moses said unto the Lord, ‘See, You say unto me, “Bring up this people”….Yet You
have said, “I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.” Now therefore,
I pray You, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know
You, that I may find grace in Your sight: and consider that this nation is Your people....For
wherein shall it be known here that I and Your people have found grace in Your sight?’ ”
(Ex.33:12-16.)
Moses was pleading with God for grace and for His presence to lead the children of Israel
into the Promised Land. “And the Lord said unto Moses, ‘I will do this thing also that you
have spoken: for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name’ ”(verse 17).

“And the Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, as the Lord of compassion and mercy
!and slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness….. Forgiving
inequities, rebellion and sin...’ ” (Ex. 34:5-7). The Lord God of the Old Testament revealed
Himself to Moses as a God of mercy and grace

Grace in the book of Joshua:

Joshua spared Rahab the harlot (Joshua 6:230 The men who had been spies went in and
brought out Rahab, her father and mother brother and all other relatives who were with her..,

Ruth Found Grace:

Ruth found Grace in the sight of Boaz (“Kind of Jesus” Ruth 2:10). The life Boaz presents an
Old Testament testimony of God’s grace. We trace this message in the following actions of
Boaz: 1) Boaz took the initiative first, Grace Means that God make the first move to come
our aid not because we deserve anything but because He loves us. We love people because
God first loved us ( Jn 4:19). God took the initiative in salvations when we were spiritually
dead (Eph 2: 1-10).

2) Boaz spoke the word first (Ruth 2:8), Just like we God is the first to make the invitation by
sending people to us to tell us good news of the Gospel of Love and Grace.

3) Boaz promised to protect Ruth and provide for her needs (2: 9, 14-16) just like Jesus came
to this world to save protect, care and provide for all our needs.

4) Boaz encouraged Ruth (2:10-13) and Ruth responded in humility and gratitude. Ruth
received the grace from Boaz believed and rejoiced in them.

5) Boaz saw to that she was satisfied (2:14, 18). The entire good thing happened to Ruth
because of her faith in the God of Israelites.

In spite of countless passages in the Old Testament which reveal the profound love and
magnificent grace of God, most people envision the God of Israel as a hateful, vengeful God
of wrath and destruction! Furthermore God revealed Himself as a God of love and mercy in
the covenant that He established with Israel and the blessings that He promised for
obedience. “....Wherefore it shall come to pass, if you hearken to these judgments, and
keep, and do them, that the Lord your God shall keep unto you the COVENANT and
the MERCY which He swore unto your fathers…(Deut. 7:7-9, 12-14

God Himself loved the children of Israel and commanded them to love Him. “Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and
with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deut. 6:4-5).

Throughout the Old Testament, as recorded in the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms, God
manifested His love and mercy toward the children of Israel. They were in turn to love Him,
to keep His commandments and to walk in His ways.

God set before the children of Israel two ways of life an death—and they were required to
make a choice (Deut. 30:15-16). God warned the children of Israel that if they did not choose
to love and obey Him, and instead chose their own ways and served other gods, the result
would be death and evil. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have
set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and
your seed may live (Deut. 30:17-20).

2 King: Naaman’s Leprosy is healed by God through Prophet Elisha. 2Kings 5:

Despite Naaman’s wealth, prestige and power, Naaman was a cured man because he had
leprosy. It was the God’s love and Grace through the slave girl who introduced Naaman to
the God of Israel. God can use anything out of the Mouth of babes He has ordained strength
Psalm 8:3. Naaman had to be humble before he could be healed, and His obedience
demonstrated his faith in the God of Israel, and the Lord cleansed him of his leprosy, this was
the Grace of God in action.

Book of Lamentations 3:21-22

The realisations of Gods’ mercies and compassion generated hope in Jeremiah’s heart. This
realisation turned his soul to the confession of faith. Because the Lord loves us He disciplines
us but does not utterly destroy us (Heb: 12: 5-11). The mercies are new every morning
towards us.
Jonah and the People of Nineveh

The book of Jonah gives an account of God’s judgment against Nineveh and of their
repentance upon hearing God’s warning through Jonah. But God still extended His grace,
mercy and loving-kindness to all those who repented. This account in the book of Jonah is
most significant because it shows that God has always required all nations—not only Israel
and Judah—to keep His commandments. The character of God NEVER changes! Psalm
illustrates that repentance is needed God’s grace…. but you, O Lord, are a God full of
compassion and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me,
and have mercy upon me...” (psa. 86:1-7,10-13,15-16). Although only a few were called to
receive eternal salvation in Old Testament times, the truth of Scripture is that God did deal
graciously with all those who sought Him with their whole hearts and beings! As for those
who rejected Him and refused to keep His commandments, upon them came God’s wrath and
just judgment! But even then, God’s hand was always held out in mercy, whenever sinners
would repent and turn to Him.

Book of Joel:

God declares through the prophet Joel that even in the coming day of the Lord, God will
plead with the wicked to repent: “...For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who
can abide it? Therefore also now, says the Lord, ‘Turn you even unto Me with all your heart,
and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and rend your heart, and not your
garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger,
and of great kindness, and repents Him of the evil’ ”(Joel 2:11-13 God’ Spirit shall be
poured on all flesh (Joel 2:), Joel 2:13, The Lord is slow to anger and is of great kindness).
Throughout the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament, God reveals that what He
really desires from mankind is repentance and loving obedience!

Grace in the New Testament.

In the New Testament the apostles preached repentance, grace and salvation. God extended
the opportunity for salvation to all that can believe in Jesus Christ. The New Testament
reveals that although the prophets of old prophesied of the coming grace, they did not fully
understand it. The prophet have prophesied of THE GRACE which should come to you,
have diligently searched out and intently inquired, searching into what way, and what manner
of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them was indicating, and testifying beforehand of
the sufferings of Christ, …. (I Pet. 1:10-12, A).

In the New Testament, the main theme of the Scripture to the world is to receive the grace of
God through faith and produce fruits of righteousness. This message was preached with
power when the New Testament church began. Man verses in the New Testament make it
clear that under the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit is given as a gift of God by his grace.

In the entire book of Romans, Paul tells us how wonderful it is to be a Christian saved by
grace through faith. Our justification is not simply a guarantee to heaven but also a source of
tremendous blessings we enjoy on earth. Some of the blessings are: first we have access to
God and peace with God (Rom. 5:2). Secondly in Christ we have Glorious hope (Verse 2b).
Third we have strength when we run into hardships and trials. 5: 3-4. Fourth Gods love given
through the Spirit fills our hearts (5:5). Finally we will be saved from God’s condemnations
(5:6-7). In Romans 6: 1-8:39, Paul defends the doctrine of Justifications by faith.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Mccann, J. C. (2003). The Hermeneutics of Grace Discerning the Bible's Single Plot.
Interpretation, 57(1), 5-15.
Lucado, M. (2006). Grace for the Moment Daily Bible-NCV. Thomas Nelson Inc.

Henry (M.). (1977). Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. L. F. Church (Ed.).
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