This week's Book study has this to say on paragraph 11:
11 All humans are by inheritance sinful and thus deserving of sin’s penalty—death. (Romans 5:12) But Jehovah finds no pleasure in the death of sinners. He is “a God of acts of forgiveness, gracious and merciful.” (Nehemiah 9:17) Still, because he is holy, he cannot condone unrighteousness. How, then, could he show mercy to inherently sinful humans? The answer is found in one of the most precious truths of God’s Word: Jehovah’s provision of a ransom for mankind’s salvation. In Chapter 14 we will learn more about this loving arrangement. It is at once profoundly just and supremely merciful. By means of it, Jehovah can express tender mercy toward repentant sinners while maintaining his standards of perfect justice.—Romans 3:21-26.
"Jehovah's most wonderful provision for mankind's salvation is the ransom sacrifice " the paragraph says ,BUT when you read Romans 3:24 that is quoted in the paragraph it says the following :"24 and it is as a free gift+ that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness+ through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus"
The free gift is : the undeserved kindness (=grace) which was made manifest or set in operation with the ransom sacrifice.
So the question is this : What came first Grace or the Ransom ? What is more important Jehovah's plan for man's salvation (=Grace) or the actual act that made it possible (=Ransom)?
Charisma a way to understand “Undeserved Kindness” (link to an article about undeserved kindness)
