Though the New Testament writers can describe ordinary people as ministers or stewards of God’s grace (Ephesians 4:29; 1 Peter 4:10), and Paul can speak of generous giving as an “act of grace” (2 Corinthians 8:6), the ultimate source of grace is always God the Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. As James says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (1:17). Paul’s favourite greeting is “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (e.g. Romans 1:7—he adds “mercy” to the list in his letters to Timothy, as does John in his second letter). God is “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10). His throne is “the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). A literal translation of Ephesians 1:6 is: “to the praise of [God’s] glorious grace, with which he graced us in the Beloved [Jesus]”. Paul can use the words “Jesus Christ” and “grace” almost interchangeably. Writing to Timothy he speaks of the appearance of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 3:16), whereas to Titus he says, “the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11). In Galatians 2:20 he can say, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”, whereas in 1 Corinthians 15:10 he says, “not I, but the grace of God that was with me”.

The Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:29) and is listed together with God and Jesus as the source of grace in Revelation 1:4. It is the Holy Spirit in our lives who ministers God’s grace to us and makes our experience of it a reality.

Christian social commentator Os Guinness, in The Dust of Death writes:

To know God as Creator is significance, to know Him in revelation is clarity of knowledge, to know Him as personal is fulfilment, to know Him in character is order and values, to know Him in grace is freedom, love, joy, peace and adoration.