This forum is for us to dialogue over how God's grace is abundant. When reading Genesis, and about the garden, I love to see how God extended grace to Adam and Eve, yet not Satan. You see, there were two seperate types of rebellions in the garden. One was Adam and Eve's (human) and the other was the serpent's. God handled them differently. To one He extended grace, and to one He did not. However, even in His grace there was punishment. In regards to the two rebellions in the Garden, God responded differently to Satan, than He did to man. God cursed Satan, and punished Him by making Him beneath man. As for man, man was punished in that he was separated from the perfect relationship and union with God. Man was now subject to pain, and working the soil for food. Prior to the fall, Genesis tells us that God made the vegetation produce food. Now man must toil, and labor to produce food. With Satan, God demonstrated more anger than disappointment. With Adam and Eve, He displayed more disappointment. He asked Adam and Eve, “Why did you do this?” He allowed them to explain themselves. He did not just punish them immediately. With Satan, as soon as Eve said, “The serpent made me do it,” God did not allow the serpent to explain anything, He chastised Him, and dealt out a punishment. God had relationships with all of them. He did not need to ask Adam and Eve what had happened, He already knew. I would love to see other examples of God's grace and mercy throughout the OT. Let's stay away from the NT for right now, we can do that in another thread... However, as I could have listed 100 examples of God's grace, I started with the first one that I could think of in regards to man's history. Please "expound" with your thoughts on His grace, and do not list 75 Scripture verses... It would be nice if you could choose 1 or 2 examples and then discuss it. Let's praise Him, and demonstrate His grace for all to see. -Matt B)