What is God Like? #3 - God is Gracious

The Grace of God
   I blame the confusion about this on the Evangelicals. God bless 'em. There are a few of them that are afraid that someone in the room might get happy or something. So they decided to define God's grace negatively as "unmerited favor."  The problem I have is with the "unmerited" part. Why? First of all, because this definition sounds more like mercy than grace. Second of all, because the first person in the New Testament who is described as the very embodiment of grace and truth is Jesus, who by all accounts didn't need "unmerited" favor in the least. John 1:16 and 17 read like this, "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.(NIV)" If you read this in the Evangelical way then the phrase would read "From the fullness of his "unmerited favor" we have all received one blessing after another."  I know it's pithy and easy to remember, but it really doesn't quite carry across the real meaning of God's grace and graciousness, and further confuses grace and mercy.
    So let me give you a short, pithy definition that I think more accurately gives a sense of  the biblical text and would also apply to Jesus as well; "kind divine favor and enablement." You could shorten it to "kind divine favor," but the enablement part is important. So let's try that phrase again with the new definition. "From the fullness of his 'kind divine favor and enablement' we have all received one blessing after another." So now you can see a difference between mercy(undeserved divine kindness) and grace(kind divine favor and enablement). I'll admit, they are related and very close to one another, but I still think that there is a difference between God's mercy and His grace. 
    The picture of God's kind divine favor and enablement is best seen at the baptism of Christ in the Jordan. Jesus shows up to participate in John's baptism. John, knowing  the nature of Jesus as God's only  beloved Son, protests, saying that he needed to be baptized by Jesus. Jesus explains that He is doing this to fulfill all that God requires. And then a voice from heaven speaks, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The more literal translations say "in whom I delight, " and the New Living translation says “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” So we learn that God the Father sees Jesus, the Son, as well pleasing, a delight and a great joy. This is a also a way to see how God looks at those of us who seek Him. Galatians says "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus," and Romans 8:14 states that "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." The graciousness of God causes Him to see us as sons and daughters. 
    Of course, none of this would be possible without the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This is where the divine exchange took place. God took the guilt, shame and punishment we deserved and placed it upon the Sinless One, and then turned around and gave sinners like you and me the very perfect righteousness of the Son of God. Anyone who wants in on this deal can have it. You just have to be willing to give up your sin and separation from God, and to be willing to receive God as your Father. But wait! There's more! God then takes up residence in your life and heart through the Holy Spirit, and becomes your guide through the adventure of life. Best. Deal. Ever!