Grace means ‘generosity’. In the New Testament the Greek word translated 'grace' is charis, from which we get our English word 'charity.' Grace is free, undeserved and unearned favour. Grace and merit are opposites. If I do a week’s work for you and you pay me that isn’t grace—I deserve it. However if I haven’t been working for you and you simply come up to me and say ‘here, I would like you to have this’, that’s grace—I’ve done nothing to earn it.
In his letter to the Galatians the Apostle Paul talks about the grace of Christ. On the cross Jesus died for our guilt. He owed us nothing but offers us forgiveness and acceptance. He offers to rescue us by grace.
On the album 'All that you can't leave behind' U2 have a song entitled 'Grace'. In it grace is personified as a lady. One line says 'she travels outside of karma'. Karma is a religious system where you receive what you deserve, grace ain't like that. With grace you receive what you have done nothing to deserve - she travels outside of karma!
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