01 — The Fall of Man: Grace in the Beginning

When Adam and Eve sinned, God’s immediate response was not to give them laws or a list of rules to follow to make things right. Instead, He responded with grace, telling them what He would do for them. God promised that a Savior would come—one who would crush the serpent’s head and bring redemption to humanity (Genesis 3:15). Even in their failure, He showed mercy by covering Adam and Eve with garments of skin, symbolizing His provision and pointing to the ultimate sacrifice that would cover sin once and for all. From the very beginning, God’s plan was to redeem and restore, not through human effort but through His own promised work.

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

02 — Abraham: Righteousness by Faith

Centuries later, God called Abraham, promising to make him the father of many nations. Abraham was declared righteous, not by his works, but by faith. His trust in God’s faithfulness to His own promise was counted to Abraham as righteousness, showing that right standing with God has always come through faith, not by human effort (Genesis 15:6). This foreshadowed the grace that would be fully revealed in Christ.

“And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)

03 — The Giving of the Law: Man’s Attempt to Earn

When God gave the Law to Moses, it was because the Israelites proudly said, “We will do all that you command” (Exodus 19:8). The Law was given to reveal man’s inability to live righteously on his own. It exposed sin and showed humanity’s desperate need for a Savior (Romans 3:20). The Law wasn’t given to save but to drive us to the end of ourselves, so we would recognize our need for grace.

“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20)

04 — Jesus: The Fulfillment and Expansion of the Law

Jesus came and did not abolish the Law but fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17). He raised the standard even higher, showing that human efforts, even the most religious ones, fall short. In the Sermon on the Mount, He revealed that even hatred equates to murder, and lust to adultery (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28). Jesus demonstrated that self-righteousness is impossible, and only through Him could we be made right with God.

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)

05 — Parables of Grace: Finding the Lost, Little, and Least

Throughout His ministry, Jesus taught parables to illustrate the nature of God’s grace. The lost sheep, the prodigal son, and the lost coin all show that God’s heart is to seek and save those who are lost, broken, and helpless (Luke 15). Grace is about God’s initiative, not our effort. We contribute nothing but simply rest on His shoulders as He carries us home.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

06 — The Cross: The Ultimate Act of Grace

Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life—something no human could ever achieve. He took on our sin, dying the death we deserved, and in exchange, He gave us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through His death, burial, and resurrection, we have been made new creations, holy, righteous, and redeemed. We are no longer slaves but sons and daughters of God, with imputed righteousness. This is the essence of grace—we did nothing, yet He did everything.

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

07 — Imputed Righteousness and Sonship

In Christ, we are not just forgiven; we are made righteous. Our righteousness is not based on anything we have done but is fully credited to us through Christ’s perfect life. We have been adopted into God’s family, given sonship, and made heirs of His kingdom (Romans 8:15-17). This means we are seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father, not by our works but by His grace alone.

“And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:17)

08 — Living by the Faith of Christ

One of the most profound aspects of the Gospel of Grace is that we live not by our own faith but by the faith of Christ. He is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Our salvation, sanctification, and every step of our walk with God come not from our efforts but from His finished work and faithfulness.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

09 — Seated with Christ: Our Position in Grace

Because of His finished work, we are now seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). This signifies that our striving is over, and we can rest in His completed work. Our position is secure, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of what He has done. We are co-heirs with Him, sharing in His victory and authority.

“And raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6)

10. Paul: The Gospel of Christ is the Gospel of Grace

The Apostle Paul consistently referred to the Gospel of Christ as the Gospel of Grace. In his letters, he emphasized that the message he preached was not of human origin, but revealed to him by Christ Himself (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul passionately defended this Gospel of Grace against those who sought to mix it with works of the Law, repeatedly teaching that salvation is by grace through faith alone, not by works of the Law.

Paul made it clear that the Gospel of Christ—the good news about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection—is entirely about grace. It is God's unmerited favor, freely given to those who believe, not something earned or deserved. In Acts 20:24, Paul directly refers to this message as the "gospel of the grace of God," showing that the heart of the Gospel is grace, from beginning to end.

Paul's entire ministry was centered on the grace of God, explaining that grace is not a new idea but the true fulfillment of the Gospel that was foretold and accomplished in Christ. He encouraged believers to stand firm in this grace, warning them against falling back into the trap of legalism or self-righteousness. Grace is the essence of the Gospel of Christ, and Paul’s life and teachings bear witness to this truth.

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16)

“But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles.” (Galatians 1:15-16)