The Plainer Truth about . . .
How does Grace harmonize with Christian Passover?

The Plainer Truth about . . .
How does God's Grace harmonize with the Christian Passover?

The word "grace" in the King James Version Bible has become a vague, meaningless translation of the Greek word charis (Strong's Concordance #G5485). Attempts to make it plain have erroneously said that grace was "unmerited pardon." Unmerited pardon is "justification," which is not grace, but BY grace (favor) (Romans 3:24, Titus 3:7). Charis is translated "favor" many times in the King James Version Bible. The book of Luke says of Jesus:

"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." (Luke 2:52, KJV throughout)

Jesus increased in favor, charis, with God and man. Jesus did not increase in unmerited pardon with man!

Favor is the best translation of the Greek word charis and retains the essential meaning of the word grace. Notice what Luke also wrote of Jesus:

"And the child (Jesus) grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace (favor, charis) of God was upon him." (Luke 2:40)

We are favored by God with Jesus as our Passover because we are made in His image. We did nothing for this favor, even as our children did nothing to have our favor when they are born.

We favor them because they are our children. What our children do as they grow can cause them to grow in favor with us. One can also fall out of favor with God or even a boss if not obeyed (see Galatians 5:4).

God wants us to keep his commandments because keeping them in their spirit and intent helps us to grow in favor (grace) with God.

Passover and "Unmerited Favor"

The whole day of Passover pictures our sin being laid on Jesus. It pictures the suffering, blood-letting, death and burial of Jesus. We did nothing to merit this favor.

The lamb's blood over their doorposts kept the firstborn of Israel from dying by the death angel. A short time after the first Passover was observed the firstborn of the Egyptians died (they were killed after midnight). The Egyptian dead were buried at the end of day (which is at sunset). Likewise Jesus began suffering after midnight and, like the Egyptian firstborn, was buried at the end of the day.

The ransom to get Israel out of Egypt (Isaiah 43:3-4) was not the lamb's blood, but the firstborn of the Egyptians (see our article The Passover and THE RANSOM for more details).

The Days of Unleavened Bread and Merited Favor

This brings us to one of God's Spring Holy Days (which actually runs for seven days) known as the Days of Unleavened Bread. Days in God's plan picture things. On the first Day of Unleavened Bread (from sunset to sunset) more than a million Israelites were going out of Egypt. If they had just sat there like on the Passover night they would have still been there. They had to pack up and go out.

So we must "pack up" and get out of sin. The rest of the Days of Unleavened Bread picture feeding on the true "Bread of Life," Jesus (John 6:33, 35, 48, 51), and the word of God. They picture growing in favor with God (see 2Peter 3:18). Favor can be unmerited (who we are) and merited (what we do).

God gives his Holy Spirit to those that obey him (Acts 5:32; 10:2, 34-35, 44-48). Keeping the Christian Passover is a reminder of the unmerited favor we receive. Keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread is a reminder of our part to grow in favor by doing his commandments.