Has anyone ever asked you to define a word you’re sure you know — and then you open your mouth, and nothing comes out? That’s where I landed this week with the word grace. Cochren & Co.’s song “What Grace Can Do” sent me on a journey to answer a question I couldn’t shake: do I really know what God’s grace is, and can I explain it and display it Scripturally?
In this episode of More Than a Song, we take the BITE of defining words and go deeper than flipping through a dictionary. We’ll build a foundation using four crucial truths from J.I. Packer’s Knowing God, land on a definition worth memorizing, and then head to Psalm 86 to watch David rely on God’s grace, respond to it, and appeal to it. We’re so familiar with the word “grace” that we may never have understood its real meaning in the first place.
Key Points
- Grace is the unmerited favor of God — a definition worth writing on a sticky note
- A “grace period” only delays the debt; God’s grace pays it
- J.I. Packer lays out four crucial truths we have to grasp before grace makes sense:
- We’re not as good as we think (the moral ill-desert of man)
- God is perfectly just (the retributive justice of God)
- We can’t fix this ourselves (the spiritual impotence of man)
- God owes us nothing (the sovereign freedom of God)
- Grace can’t be earned by our best day or canceled by our worst — if it could, it wouldn’t be grace
- Good works are the fruit, not the root, of God’s saving grace (Ephesians 2:8-10)
- God’s grace doesn’t stop at salvation — it sustains us
- Psalm 86 gives us a pattern: rely on God’s grace, respond by declaring His glory, and appeal to His grace based on His Word
Scriptures Referenced
- Genesis 18:25
- Exodus 34:6-7
- Psalm 50:8-13
- Psalm 86:1-17
- Romans 3:20
- Romans 5:8
- Romans 9:16
- Ephesians 2:1-10
BITEs (Bible Interaction Tool Exercises)
Try these BITEs as you explore the Scripture for yourself this week:
- Define words – start with an English dictionary if you need to, but don’t stop there; let Scripture fill out the meaning
- Consider the opposite – the song does this beautifully, contrasting what sin and shame do with what grace does
- Compare and contrast – the Bible does this constantly, so it makes sense for us to do it too
- Consult an outside resource – for this episode I used the chapter on Grace in J.I. Packer’s Knowing God, a commentary, and an essay by Sam Storms (remember: Scripture is always the standard, so if the outside resource contradicts it, discard it)
- Start with God – before you ask what people are doing in a passage, ask what God is doing
- Make a list – in Psalm 86, list everything you learn about God’s character, conduct, and concerns
- Learn about people – notice whether a passage shows people created, fallen, or redeemed
- Follow the cross-reference – when David quotes Exodus 34:6-7 in Psalm 86, go read it for yourself
- Journal personal reflection questions – write down questions for yourself, not just observations about the text
- Study in various translations – different translators choose different words, and comparing them often opens up the meaning
- Read in context – read all of Psalm 86 in one sitting before you study any part of it
Grace isn’t a reward for the good days, and it isn’t revoked on the bad ones. It starts with God and depends on God.
Enjoy the official lyric video below.
More Than a Song Playlist
Additional Resources
- Download the free Episode Guide
- “Exalting Jesus in Psalms 51-100 (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary)” – Amazon Paid Link
- “Knowing God” by J.I. Packer – Amazon Paid Link
- “Saving Grace” an essay by Sam Storms – The Gospel Coalition
- “What is Grace” by R.C. Sproul – Ligonier Ministries
- Bible Interaction Roadmap Bible Study – videos and assignments that will equip you with habits you can use over and over in your own Bible Study – Learn More
- Learn more about my favorite Bible Study Software with a 30-day free trial and links to my favorite Bible resources – Logos Bible Software Affiliate Link
This Week’s Challenge
Go back to Psalm 86 and read it all the way through — all seventeen verses. It’ll take you three minutes. Then take the BITE of Making a List. Draw a line down the middle of a page. On the left, write down everything you learn about God: His character, His conduct, His concerns. On the right, write down everything David asks for. That’s it. Two columns. Then look at that left column and ask yourself how much of it has shown up in your own life. That’s where this stops being a word study and starts being worship. And be sure to use the Episode Guide to walk you through it!
📥 Download the free Episode Guide: 👉 michellenezat.com/545download
