Advancement of

n Western Christian theology, grace has been defined, not as a

created substance of any kind, but as "the love and mercy given to
us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of
anything we have done to earn it",[1] "the condescension or
benevolence shown by God toward the human race".[2] It is
understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to
man "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" [3]
that takes the form of divine favor, love, clemency, and a share in
the divine life of God.[4]
It is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of
sinners. Christian orthodoxy holds that the initiative in the
relationship of grace between God and an individual is always on
the side of God.
In Eastern Christianity too, grace is the working of God himself, not
a created substance of any kind that can be treated like a
commodity.
The question of the means of grace has been called "the
watershed that divides Catholicism from Protestantism, Calvinism
from Arminianism, modern [theological] liberalism from
[theological] conservatism."[5] The Catholic Church holds that it is
because of the action of Christ and the Holy Spirit in transforming
into the divine life what is subjected to his power that "the
sacraments confer the grace they signify": "the power of Christ and
his Spirit acts in and through [each sacrament], independently of
the personal holiness of the minister. Nevertheless, the fruits of the
sacraments also depend on the disposition of the one who
receives them."[6][7] the Sacred Mysteries (sacraments) are seen as
a means of partaking of divine grace because God works through
his Church. Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Protestants agree
that faith is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8; "For by grace you have
been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God". Protestants almost universally believe that grace is given by
God based on the faith of the believer. Lutherans hold that the
means of grace are "the gospel in Word and sacraments". [8][9] That

the sacraments are means of grace is also the teaching of John

Wesley,[10] who described the Eucharist as "the grand channel
whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the
children of God".[11] Calvinists emphasize "the utter helplessness of
man apart from grace." But God reaches out with "first grace" or
"prevenient grace" that each person may accept or reject. The
Calvinist doctrine known as irresistible grace states that, since all
persons are by nature spiritually dead, no one desires to accept
this grace until God spiritually enlivens them by means of
regeneration. God regenerates only individuals whom he has
predestined to salvation. Arminians understand the grace of God
as cooperating with one's free will in order to bring an individual to
salvation. According to Evangelical theologian Charles C. Ryrie,
modern liberal theology "gives an exaggerated place to the abilities
of man to decide his own fate and to effect his own salvation
entirely apart from God's grace." He writes that theological
conservatives maintain God's grace is necessary for salvation.