The true, biblical concept of grace corrects the flawed understanding of God as Jehovah, the Old Testament Law-giver, in contrast to Jesus, the New Testament grace-giver. We know that YHWH does not change, but if we are honest, we struggle with a seeming disconnect between the Testaments. Our failure to understand what Scripture clearly proclaims can lead to bondage.

Turn with me to that wonderful salvation song of Moses in Exodus 15. Israel sings it following their miraculous redemption from Egypt, and their dramatic deliverance from Pharaoh and his army at the Red Sea. I will sing to the LORD [YHWH], for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.

What did Israel in captivity do to earn God’s salvation?

Did they deserve deliverance? Did they merit redemption by keeping “the law,” whatever that means? Was it something they could repay? Of course not, the answer is obvious. It was God’s grace, His unmerited favor offered to those in need.

Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:7-8).

Too many Christians languish for want of this most accessible, profoundly simplest of all truths. The God of the Old Testament is the same God as the God of the New Testament. And He abounds in grace. Said another way, when you look into the face of Jesus, full of mercy and truth, you see YHWH. Yeshua is God’s Word incarnate, made flesh.

If you get a hold of that, you will stop frustrating his efforts to pour grace into your life.

The God who reigns over creation displays His loving rule for all the world to see, right here in the great archetype of salvation, the Exodus from Egypt.

Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode (Exodus 15:11-13).

I am using the English Standard Version. Steadfast love in verse 13 of this translation is the Hebrew word we are keying in on, chesed. To underscore the richness of the word, listen to various translations.

• KJV: mercy
• NASB: faithfulness
• NIV: unfailing love
• NET: loyal love
• JPS Tanakh: lovingkindness

What is Moses teaching the people to sing?

By your chesed, Oh, YHWH, we have been saved. And it is you who will lead us through the wilderness to the place you have prepared for us—by that same grace. Now, my friends, that is the grace of God unveiled.

Look at the final line, chapter 15, verse 18. It is one of the most important scriptures in all the Torah, the five books of Moses. It connects directly with verse 13. The LORD reigns forever and ever. The sages of Israel identify this as the first overt mention of the Kingdom of God. The King has redeemed a people for His purposes!

Interestingly, Moses, with his Hebraic mindset, sees no tension between saving grace and sanctifying grace. The One who redeems rules over those He saves. The western mindset, and I see this everywhere I go, creates an artificial tension between Jesus as Savior and Jesus as Lord. Why? Because of an impoverished understanding of biblical grace.

Moses proclaims that God, by His grace, His hesed, has saved us. Hallelujah. Then in the next moment, he proclaims Lordship, His rule and reign forever and ever. Those God redeems, He rules over. There is an inherent kind of tension between the grace of God and our obedience to God. Both are needed for a healthy relationship. And both, ultimately, come by way of His steadfast love.

One of the ways we frustrate grace is by losing sight of this proper order.

We can slip into a “salvation by works” mentality. Do you follow me? If we strive to do better, work hard enough, and be more righteous, then we can earn and merit God’s favor. But that is backwards. The biblical model is that God bestows His favor upon you. In Jesus, He gives grace. Now, in response to His mercy, you live to sanctify His name, bringing Him praise and honor for what He, in lovingkindness, has done.

Turn with me to Psalm 136:1. It is a hymn of praise that extols the multifaceted aspects of God’s grace, His chesed. Known in Jewish tradition as a Great Hallel (praise), it is written in the style of call-and-response. The first part of the verse is the call: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. The second part is the response: for his steadfast love endures forever. The ESV here translates chesed as steadfast love. It is repeated as the refrain in each of the twenty-six verses. What a great praise indeed!

Here is an eye-opening exercise. Alternate the language in each refrain by using the words for chesed from parallel translations. Here is an example using verses 23-26:

It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his gracious love endures forever (ISV)

and rescued us from our foes, for His mercy endures forever (KJV)

who gives food to all flesh, for His faithfulness endures forever (NASB)

Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his grace endures forever! (Dwight Pryor)

You can hear the heartbeat of discipleship in all of this: “Lay hold of the gracious God.” Once you do, you will be able to walk in good works (Eph 2:10) more effectively than ever before. You will be operating from His approval, not for His approval. And that makes all the difference in the world.