2:9-11), giving him the unique ability to think and reason, hence to acquire knowledge and to make decisions based on that knowledge. When God breathed the breath of life into Adam, God also imparted to him a special spiritual essence, called the вЂњspirit in manвЂќ (Job 32:8 33:4 Zech 12:1 I Cor. The very act of the Lord God Himself breathing the breath of life into the man reveals the intimate relationship that God desired to have with mankind. However, in the account of the creation of man, notice what the Scriptures record for us: вЂњAnd the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soulвЂќ (Gen. Let them praise the name of the Lord for He commanded, and they were createdвЂќ (Psa. Praise Him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Praise ye Him, sun and moon praise Him, all ye stars of light. Praise ye Him, all His angels praise ye Him, all His hosts. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens praise Him in the heights. Again the Scriptures confirm, вЂњPraise ye the Lord. Of the creation of the heavens, the Scriptures reveal: вЂњBy the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of His mouthвЂќ (Psa 33:6). вЂњYou send forth Your Spirit, and they are createdвЂќ (Psa. All other created things and beings were brought into existence by the word of His command, through the power of His Holy Spirit. No other creature was formed by the hands of God. This act reveals that the Lord God intended from the very beginning to have a personal, intimate relationship with them.

To further demonstrate His love, when the Lord God made Adam and Eve, He personally formed them with His very own hands. This blessing, which was bounteously bestowed upon mankind, is a profound expression of GodвЂ™s supreme love and grace. Of all the creations of God, only mankind was made in the image and likeness of God. The very words of God reveal His love and grace: вЂњAnd God said, вЂLet Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.вЂ™ So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him male and female created he themвЂќ (Gen. In order for us to fully understand that the entire Creation was an expression of GodвЂ™s love and grace, we need to examine the Scriptural account of the creation of Adam and Eve. It was a BLESSING! As viewed through GodвЂ™s eyes, His very Creation was a manifestation of HIS LOVE and HIS GRACE.

When God looked upon everything He had made, He saw that everything was very good. The word good is translated from the Hebrew tolby, which means вЂњbeautiful, bountiful, cheerful, fine, good, GRACIOUSвЂќ its secondary meaning is вЂњjoyful, loving, mercy, pleasant, pleasure, prosperity, wealth, well or well-favoredвЂќ (GeseniusвЂ™ Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon). GodвЂ™s Grace Revealed From CreationДЄfter God had created the heavens and the earth, He вЂњsaw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was VERY GOODвЂќ (Gen. Let us examine the description of the Creation in the first chapter of Genesis to understand how GodвЂ™s grace was revealed from the beginning. This word is derived from the root word chanan (pronounced khawnan), which means вЂњgrace, favor, goodwill, kindness, gracious and pleasant.вЂќ The adjectival form of c/zen is channuwn (pronounced khannoon), which means вЂњgracious.вЂќ The Hebrew root word chanan means вЂњgracious, to favor, to be favorably inclined, to pity, to be compassionate, to make acceptable.вЂќ It can also mean вЂњto bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior, to be moved to favor by a petition or request, to show favor, to grant or give favor or to graciously show mercy and pityвЂќ (GeseniusвЂ™ Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon) In the Old Testament there is one basic Hebrew word which has been translated вЂњgrace.вЂќ That word is chen, which is pronounced khane. Whenever He extends mercy and forgiveness, favor and blessing, kindness and forbearance, it is by HIS GRACE! When God grants His GRACE, it likewise is rooted in and flows from His love. LetвЂ™s understand the most basic characteristic of the nature of God.

Contrary to both orthodox and modern views of theology, God is manifested throughout the Old Testament as a God of LOVE AND MERCY! God has revealed His love and grace to mankind from the beginning.

Another word for saving grace