Biblical Examples of Unmerited Favor and Grace

The concept of unmerited favour, or grace, is a pervasive theme throughout the Bible, and one of the most striking examples of this can be seen in the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. As the angel Gabriel appeared to her, he declared, "Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!" (Luke 1:28). This favour, however, was not due to any inherent merit or worthiness on Mary's part, but rather it was a sovereign act of God's grace, as seen in his declaration, "For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed" (Luke 1:48). This favour was not something Mary earned, but rather it was a gift, a demonstration of God's goodness and mercy, as the Psalmist writes, "Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life" (Psalm 23:6).

Another example of unmerited favour can be seen in the life of the apostle Paul, who, prior to his conversion, was a zealous persecutor of the church. Yet, as he himself wrote, "But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me" (Galatians 1:15-16), he was shown unmerited favour, not because of any good works or deserving on his part, but solely due to God's sovereign pleasure. This favour was not limited to Paul's initial conversion, but continued throughout his life, as he wrote, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The Bible is replete with examples of individuals who received unmerited favour, including Jacob, who was chosen over his brother Esau, not because of any inherent goodness, but simply because God sovereignly chose to bestow his favour upon him, as the prophet Malachi writes, "Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated" (Malachi 1:2-3). Similarly, the prophet Isaiah writes, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion" (Romans 9:15, quoting Exodus 33:19), highlighting the sovereign nature of God's favour. These examples serve as a reminder that God's favour is not something we can earn or merit, but rather it is a gift, freely given to those who are in Christ, as the apostle Paul wrote, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).