Divine and human acting: the multiform manifestation of God's grace

Abstract

The Holy Scriptures speak of God’s grace, which directs the saving work of the Creator for man. The Old Testament shows God’s grace combined with the experience of God’s benevolence for Israel, who never ceases to keep his word. God’s grace is made complete in Christ, who, through the paschal mystery, brought salvation to sinful man. In this way, there is a true rebirth that transforms the believer into a child of God and a temple of the Holy Spirit. It introduces him deeply into the life of Christ and makes him a sharer in the nature and life of God. The multiform grace of salvation takes the form of a gift that implies the ability of man to freely accept it. God gives grace, but it is effective when a person accepts it. In turn, accepting grace makes man more free and able to accept God’s plan for him in a more complete and deeper way. Leaving God’s grace to God does not mean politely surrendering to fate but allowing God to complete the work he has begun by calling us into existence and making us sharers in his Trinitarian life.