Divine grace

===Western Christianity ===
{{Main|Grace in Christianity|Irresistible grace|Prevenient grace|Sola gratia}}
Grace in Christianity is the free and unmerited [[wikt:favor|favour]] of [[God in Christianity|God]] as manifested in the [[Salvation (Christianity)|salvation]] of sinners and the bestowing of blessings.<ref>''OED'', 2nd ed.: grace(n), 11a</ref> Common Christian teaching is that grace is unmerited [[mercy]] (favor) that God gave to humanity by sending his [[God the Son|Son]], [[Jesus Christ]], to [[Crucifixion of Jesus|die on a cross]], thus securing man's eternal salvation from sin.

Within Christianity, there are differing concepts of how grace is attained. In particular, Catholics and Reformed Protestants understand the attainment of grace in substantially different ways. It has been described as "the watershed that divides [[Catholicism]] from [[Protestantism]], [[Calvinism]] from [[Arminianism]], modern liberalism from conservatism".<ref>Charles C. Ryrie, ''The Grace of God'' (Chicago: Moody Press, 1963), pp. 10-11.</ref> Catholic doctrine teaches that God has imparted Divine Grace upon humanity and uses the vehicle of [[sacrament]]s, which are carried out in faith,<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Catechism of the Catholic Church|Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1127]]|location=Vatican City-State|quote=Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify.}}</ref> as a primary and effective means to facilitate the reception of his grace.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saintaquinas.com/Justification_by_Grace.html|title=Justification by Grace|website=www.saintaquinas.com}}</ref> For Catholics and Liturgical Protestants, [[sacrament]]s (carried out in faith) are the incarnational or tangible vehicle through which God's grace becomes personally and existentially received.<ref>[[Edward Schillebeeckx]], ''Christ, the Sacrament of Encounter with God'' (Rowman & Littlefield, 1963), Foreword pp. 16</ref> Evangelical Protestants, generally, do not share this sacramental view on the transmittal of grace,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Heaven_-_Heaven_in_Protestant_Christianity/id/1292134 |title=Heaven: Encyclopedia II - Heaven - Heaven in Protestant Christianity |access-date=2010-12-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124002753/http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Heaven_-_Heaven_in_Protestant_Christianity/id/1292134 |archive-date=2009-11-24 }}</ref> but instead favor a less institutionalized mechanism. For example, in the Catholic Church and the earlier Protestant churches (Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Anglican, etc.), the primary initiation into a state of grace is granted by God through infant baptism (in faith)<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Catechism of the Catholic Church|Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1992]]|location=Vatican City-State|quote=Justification is conferred in Baptism, the sacrament of faith.}}</ref>  instead of by a simple prayer of faith ([[sinner's prayer]]); although, Catholics would not deny the possible efficacy of even a simple prayer for God's grace to flow ([[Baptism of desire|Baptism by desire]]<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Catechism of the Catholic Church|Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1260]]|location=Vatican City-State}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=[[Catechism of the Catholic Church|Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1281]]|location=Vatican City-State|quote=... those who ... seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they have not been baptized.}}</ref>).

In another example, for Catholics, the [[Sacrament of Reconciliation (Catholic Church)|sacrament of reconciliation]] (in faith) is the primary means of transmitting grace after a [[mortal sin]] has been committed.<ref>{{cite book|title=[[Catechism of the Catholic Church|Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1446]]|location=The Vatican|quote=Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as "the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace."}}</ref>

In the [[New Testament]], the word translated as grace is the Greek word ''charis'' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|eɪ|r|ɪ|s}}; {{lang-grc|[[Wiktionary:χάρις|χάρις]]}}), for which Strong's Concordance gives this definition: "Graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude)".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/5485.htm|title=Strong's Greek: 5485. χάρις (charis) -- grace, kindness|website=strongsnumbers.com}}</ref><ref>Strong (2001) Grk entry number 5485 (p. 1653)</ref> Spiritual gifts or ''charismata'' which comes from the word family ''charis'', is defined in the ''New Bible Dictionary'' as "grace coming to visible effect in word or deed."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/spiritual-gifts-listed-by-paul-motivated-by-love.html|title=Spiritual Gifts: Listed by Paul, Motivated by Love|website=Crosswalk.com}}</ref> A Greek word that is related to ''charis'' is ''charisma'' (gracious gift).  Both these words originated from another Greek word ''chairo'' (to rejoice, be glad, delighted).<ref>Strong (2001) Grk entry numbers 5486 and 5463</ref>

In the [[Old Testament]], the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] term used is ''chen''<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H02580&Version=kjv|title=Blue Letter Bible entry for Strongs Hebrew term 2580|publisher=[[Blue Letter Bible]] institute|access-date=2011-01-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/chen.html|title=Chen - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard|website=Bible Study Tools}}</ref> ({{Script/Hebrew|חֵן}}), which is defined in Strong's as "favor, grace or charm; grace is the moral quality of kindness, displaying a favorable disposition".<ref>Strong (2001) Hebrew entry number 2580 (p. 1501)</ref>  In the King James translation, ''chen'' is translated as "grace" 38 times, "favour" 26 times, twice as "gracious",<ref>Proverbs 11:16 and Ecclesiastes 9:11</ref> once as "pleasant",<ref>Proverbs 5:19</ref> and once as "precious".<ref>Proverbs 17:8</ref>