What does the word "Grace" mean anyway?

Simply defined, it means "unmerited favor." Many in the religious world misunderstand the concept of Biblical grace. Some even accuse the Lord's Church of not teaching about this Biblical topic.

Many people get confused when they read Romans 6:14; which says that we are not under law but under grace. From this they say that salvation is strictly the work of God, and that there is nothing that we can or should try to do to obtain that salvation.

However when one looks at the context of that verse he sees that the law being talked about is the Mosaic Law. We are no longer under the Old Covenant but we are under the New.

Three verses later in Romans 6:17, Paul wrote that they had "OBEYED that form of doctrine." Yes, there is something which we must do to obtain the grace of God.  Genesis 6:8 tells us that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. However, we also know that Noah had to do something in order to be saved (Genesis 6:22). 

In Ephesians 2:8 we learn that we are saved by grace through faith. We are saved by grace by the simple fact that we are not capable of saving ourselves by our own works.  Therefore, God sent His Son to be the sacrifice for us (Hebrews 2:9) and in the process showed us his wonderful grace (Titus 2:11). We are saved through faith in that we must obey the Lord's commandments in order to obtain salvation (Matt 7:21; John 14:15).

Obeying the gospel does not earn salvation, but puts one in the position to receive it.

Let us always remember that salvation, or grace, is a gift of God. 

In sending His Son to die for our sins, God showed us his wonderful love and compassion (1 John. 3:16). However, this does not mean that there is nothing for us to do. We must put ourselves in the position to receive that gift lest we fall from that grace (Galatians 6:4).