Think for a while of what the word "grace" signifies. I am not referring here to what its meaning is. The meaning or definition of grace is "the unmerited favor of God to man." But what it signifies is that man is given a second chance – and a third and a fourth, etc. There is no one who does not need a "second chance" often in his or her life. We all failed at the first chance we were given (in Adam) in the Garden of Eden and we have failed many times in our own lifetime and we will yet fail in lesser or greater measure until God calls us home.
Before Adam sinned he did not need grace. Grace is required only where there has been sin. Before his fall, Adam was sustained simply by the goodness of God, as was all creation. But sin entered, and of course "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." (Rom. 5.20) Grace was necessary because God cannot and will not tolerate sin of any kind in His creation. How can a perfect, righteous God be content with anything less than perfection and righteousness in all His creation? The just and perfect and righteous side of God demanded instant death for the sinner, but the love of God – from which the grace of God flowed – devised a plan whereby both justice and love could be satisfied.
God came in the form of a man, a perfect man, lived a sinless life and died an atoning death for all mankind. Thus man was given a second chance. We know, however, that Adam's posterity has sinned ever since that fateful sin in Eden; and the grace of God has – amazingly – accounted us who believe in Jesus, to be justified by faith.
The great plan of salvation is an astounding feat of love and grace and shows us that God is indeed a God of the second chance and the third and the fourth, as long as we believe in Jesus Christ who died to give us our many "second chances."
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