Web sites give a variety of definitions for the word "Grace". I believe that all of them have an element of truth in them.
But that does not let me know what the writers of the New Testament had in their minds though, when they used the Greek word "charis". (The New Testament Greek definition is a bit different from the Old Testament Hebrew word "chên" means.)
Here is what the Strong's Greek Dictionary says, as quoted from e-sword software.
G5485 charis
"From G5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):"
I highlighted part of the definition that starts with the word "especially." To me that means that the following is the most important part of the definition. So you have an understanding the when 'charis' is used that it "especially" means "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life".
How can a person in 2020 experience God's grace as understood in the first century?
The key word in the phrase is defined in NW as... "influence" (In a general sense, influence denotes power whose operation is invisible and known only by its effects, or a power whose cause and operation are unseen.).
An 'invisible power' that is at work in me! Wow! There are invisible powers at work on my mind, wanting to dominate what I meditate on, even live in me and control me?
Yes, I experience influences on my mind every day. The powers that would influence me are both evil and divine. I must control what I meditate on!
Peter warned the church, "Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard that you do not get led astray by the error of these unprincipled men and fall from your firm grasp on the truth." 2 Peter 3:17
What do these influences look like in the face of a world wide quarantine? How can I experience divine influence? Is it sitting in front of a media source of world news, feeding on the latest twisted truth, etc.?
Could it be that divine influence is found only by sitting alone with a Bible, asking the Holy Spirit to fill you with His thoughts and meditations on His Laws, then getting up to walk in His Ways of obedience, producing fruits of righteousness? Psalm 1
The Bible tells me that God has written His Laws on our hearts. We know what it right to do. Do you have the divine influence, strength, to walk in obedience to His Truth?
If you set God, His Word and influence aside, just to satisfy your pleasure and curiosity in Worldly information, you can not be under God's Grace. You are under the influence of the world. You are not under the influence of the divine, by meditating on His laws, His paths of righteousness.
Please stop being deceived by Satan's religious lies, and think that you are under God's Grace, when you feed on any of the World's influences!
Jesus died a horrible death so that those that believe and passionately seek Him, may know His Divine influence every moment of the rest of their lives.
Repent, with a Godly sorry and repentance!
Read His Word meditate on it, trust Him and obey the Spirit of His Word. Know God's real Grace!
Don't be a foolish virgin, without the oil of the spirit, or blinded by false teachers, double-minded, with diseased eyes.
Real Grace produces real Godly fruit; the consequence of being fed sap from a Divine root stock!
