Grace: The Most Misunderstood Word in the Bible

If you can define the terms, you win the argument. This principle, which David Bercot learned during his days in law school, is no less true of biblical doctrines than it is of legal cases. The word grace, particularly prevalent in Paul’s writings, has become a favorite word in modern Protestant scholarship—but most dictionaries present it as a highly nuanced, deeply theological word. In popular Christian culture, the idea of grace as “unmerited favor” has gained great traction. Is this the historical understanding of the word? If not, how has the idea of grace been hijacked, and what are the consequences?