For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Hey listeners, this is Nick from Scripture Central, and today's podcast addresses the question.

What did grace mean to Paul? The grace of Jesus Christ is one of the

most important beliefs shared by all Christians. It is a doctrine presented in the Bible,

the Book of Mormon, and other restoration scripture Scripture. The ancient Apostle Paul is perhaps

the most well-known early Christian who emphasized the need for the grace of Jesus Christ in our lives.

He raised the topic extensively in many of his epistles recorded in the New Testament.

However, as is commonly the case in translations,

the English word grace does not necessarily convey all the nuances and meanings that would

have been intended by Paul and were familiar to his ancient audience. The Greek word charis,

which is usually translated as grace, has a long history

full of rich meaning in the Hellenistic world before and after Paul's lifetime. When properly

understood, in its first century context, the meaning and nature of Jesus Christ's grace can become

more cherished, treasured, and reciprocated

by Christians everywhere. Brent J. Schmidt has recently explored how grace was viewed from antiquity

through to modernity. Unlike modern notions that see grace is a free gift that requires little or nothing in return,

Schmidt finds that ancient Greek and Roman sources refer to grace as a covenantal relationship

between two parties. Like love, grace is relational. The relationship of charis that existed

between a patron, the benefactor, and a client,

or dutiful associate, included the need for benefactors and recipients of benefactions

mutually to show thanks and appreciation, and share the gifts in a way that would honor the patron.

When the client received grace, or charis, from their patron, they would show their thanks

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