What does Goat mean in the Bible? Bible Dictionary

<h2>1. Etymology and Roots of Grace in the Old Testament</h2> Understanding Grace (favor) in the Old Testament is fundamental to appreciating its fullness in the New Testament revelation. Although the word "grace" does not always appear directly, the underlying concept of God's undeserved favor is omnipresent. The main Hebrew words that express this idea are chen (חֵן) and chesed (חֶסֶד), each with its distinct but complementary nuances. The term chen (חֵן) generally denotes favor, benevolence, or grace. It is one's inclination toward another, resulting in an act of kindness. A classic example is found in Genesis 6:8, where it states that "Noah, however, found grace in the eyes of the Lord." This favor was not deserved by Noah's actions but was a manifestation of God's sovereign choice amidst the widespread corruption of humanity. Other occurrences of chen illustrate the application of this favor in human and divine contexts. Joseph found favor in the eyes of Potiphar (Genesis 39:4) and later before the jailer (Genesis 39:21). Moses, when interceding for Israel, asks God: "If I have now found favor in Your eyes, O Lord..." (Exodus 33:13). In all these cases, chen describes undeserved favor that results in blessing or protection. Chesed (חֶסֶד), on the other hand, is a more theologically rich term, often translated as "steadfast love," "goodness," "mercy," or "covenantal grace." It refers to a love that is faithful to the covenant, demonstrated by acts of kindness and faithfulness, even when there is no merit. It is God's loyalty to His people, despite their failures. God's chesed is a central characteristic of His character, revealed to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7: "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in Grace and faithfulness." This divine Grace is seen in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, in the provision in the wilderness, and in God's patience with the people's constant rebellion. Sapiential and prophetic literature also echoes Grace. In Proverbs 3:34, we read: "Surely He scorns the scorners, but gives grace to the humble." The prophets, like Micah, proclaim the Grace and mercy of God who pardons iniquity (Micah 7:18). This progressive development of revelation in the Old Testament establishes a solid foundation for the full manifestation of Grace in Christ. <h2>2. Grace in the New Testament and its Meaning</h2> In the New Testament, the primary Greek term for Grace is charis (χάρις). This word encapsulates the undeserved favor of God supremely manifested in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Its literal and theological meaning is central to understanding salvation and the Christian life from an evangelical Protestant perspective. Lexically, charis can mean favor, kindness, gift, gratitude, or charm. However, its theological use in the New Testament transcends these basic meanings, pointing to the sovereign and benevolent action of God on behalf of sinful humanity, without any requirement of merit. It is the divine initiative to rescue and transform. In the Gospels, Grace is personified in Jesus Christ. The apostle John declares in John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of Grace and truth and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father." Further on, in John 1:16-17, it is emphasized that "from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." This Johannine passage establishes a crucial distinction: the Law, though holy and good, reveals sin and human inability to fulfill it, while Grace in Christ offers the solution to sin and the empowerment for a new life. Christ's incarnation is the supreme demonstration of God's Grace, for He, being God, humbled Himself to save sinners. In the epistles, especially the Pauline ones, charis becomes a pillar of the doctrine of salvation. It is the source of justification, sanctification, and glorification. Grace is the means by which God acts, and not human works or merit. There is a clear continuity between the Old and New Testaments in the revelation of Grace. The chen and chesed of the OT prefigured and prepared the way for the charis of the NT. God's covenantal faithfulness culminated in the new covenant in Christ. The discontinuity lies in the fullness of revelation: while in the OT Grace was revealed in shadows and types, in the NT it is manifested completely and definitively in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. <h2>3. Grace in Pauline Theology: The Basis of Salvation</h2> Pauline theology elevates Grace to a central place in the doctrine of salvation, making it the unshakable foundation for the justification of the sinner before a holy God. Paul, in his letters, especially Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians, masterfully articulates how salvation is entirely a gift of divine Grace, received by faith and not by works of the Law or human merit. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul emphatically declares: "For by Grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." This passage is one of the pillars of the doctrine of sola gratia (by grace alone) and sola fide (by faith alone), fundamental principles of the Protestant Reformation. Salvation is a divine initiative, not a human achievement. The contrast with the works of the Law is a constant theme in Pauline argumentation. In Romans 3:23-24, he states that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Grace, therefore, not only forgives but also justifies, declaring the sinner righteous in the eyes of God based on Christ's righteousness imputed to him. In the ordo salutis (order of salvation), Grace permeates every stage. God's election is an act of sovereign Grace (Romans 9:11-13). Effective calling, regeneration, conversion (faith and repentance), justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification are all fruits of divine Grace. There is not a single step in the journey of salvation that is initiated or sustained by independent human effort. Grace not only justifies but also empowers for sanctification. Although justification is an instantaneous forensic act, sanctification is a continuous process in which the believer is transformed into the image of Christ. Paul writes in Titus 2:11-12: "For the Grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." Glorification, the final stage of salvation, is also an act of God's Grace, when believers will be perfected and live eternally in God's presence (Romans 8:30). Thus, from election to glorification, God's Grace is the driving force and the foundation of the entire redemptive work, as taught by Reformed theologians like John Calvin, who emphasized the sovereignty and efficacy of divine Grace. <h2>4. Aspects and Types of Grace</h2> Reformed theology, in its depth and breadth, distinguishes different manifestations of God's Grace, although all emanate from the same divine source. These distinctions help to understand the scope of God's action in the world and in the lives of individuals. Two main categories are common Grace and special Grace. Common Grace refers to God's goodness and benevolence extended to all humanity, believers and non-believers. It includes goods such as social order, the beauty of creation, the human capacity to do good, the restraint of evil, and the provision of basic life necessities. Jesus mentioned common Grace when He said that God "makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). This Grace prevents the complete degeneration of society and allows for the existence of culture, science, and morality, even outside the sphere of saving faith. Theologians like Abraham Kuyper and Cornelius Van Til deeply explored the concept of common Grace, showing how it sustains life in this fallen world and testifies to God's existence to all. On the other hand, special Grace (or saving Grace) is the Grace of God manifested in the redemption of the elect. It is the Grace that regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies. This Grace is particular and effective, leading to faith and repentance. It is the Grace that Paul describes in Romans 5:15, where God's free gift "abounded for many." Within special Grace, Reformed theology also speaks of irresistible Grace (or effectual Grace), which refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in applying salvation to the elect in such a way that they inevitably respond in faith and repentance. It is not that human will is coerced, but that the will, enslaved by sin, is liberated and empowered to choose God. The history of Reformed theology has been marked by the defense of sovereign Grace against doctrinal errors. Pelagianism and semi-Pelagianism, for example, were condemned for attributing to human will an inherent capacity to initiate or cooperate with salvation, diminishing the need for divine Grace. Likewise, antinomianism, which argues that Grace nullifies the need for obedience to the moral Law, is an error to be avoided, for the Grace of God teaches and empowers for holiness, not for licentiousness (Romans 6:1-2). Grace is intrinsically linked to the doctrine of God's sovereignty, unconditional election, and limited atonement, forming a coherent system of truth that exalts God as the sole author and finisher of salvation. <h2>5. Grace and the Practical Life of the Believer</h2> The theological understanding of Grace cannot remain merely academic it must transform the practical life of the believer, shaping their piety, worship, and service. God's Grace, which saves us, is also the Grace that sustains us and enables us to live a life that glorifies God. First, Grace generates profound humility. Knowing that our salvation is entirely an undeserved gift from God prevents us from boasting in ourselves (1 Corinthians 15:10). This humility, in turn, leads to overflowing gratitude, which is the basis of all genuine worship. We do not worship to earn, but because we have already received the greatest of all gifts. Grace does not nullify personal responsibility but establishes and empowers it. It is by Grace that we are saved, but we are called to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12), knowing that "it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). Obedience is not a means to obtain Grace, but a response to Grace already received. As preacher Charles Spurgeon said, Grace is the mainspring of obedience. In Titus 2:11-12, Grace is presented as a teacher: "For the Grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." Grace empowers us to say "no" to sin and "yes" to righteousness. It is the driving force for continuous sanctification. Grace also propels Christian service. Spiritual gifts are "according to the Grace given to us" (Romans 12:6). We are called to be good stewards of the manifold Grace of God, serving one another (1 Peter 4:10). The contemporary church, in understanding Grace, must be a place where God's undeserved favor is proclaimed and lived, where there is forgiveness, welcome, and empowerment for mission. Pastorally, the emphasis on Grace must be constant. Believers need to be exhorted to rest in Christ's finished work, not to despair over their failures, and not to be proud of their successes, but to live by faith in the Grace that saved them and sustains them. The preaching of Grace must balance the certainty of salvation with the call to holiness, avoiding both legalism and antinomianism. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones often taught, the doctrine of Grace is not just for the mind, but for the heart and for life, leading to deep transformation and joy in the Lord.