Let us look at this word, the Greek word for grace, charis. It underwent a change of meaning, or of different application in the Greek language and literature. Then it gathered a new meaning when the Christian writers took hold of it. It first meant everything in the realm of beauty, as against ugliness, of strength as against weakness, of health as against sickness, of love as against hate. The whole aesthetic realm, the realm of beauty and glory and health and strength, all that is high, as opposed to all that is low—grace, charis. 

   Then in later writings it took on a new meaning, and it was the desire to impart these things to other people. I am referring still to Greek literature. Then these New Testament writers took hold of it, and lifted it into a higher realm, and it became a word standing for the activity that fulfils the desire to impart the things of health and beauty and glory, instead of shame, to other people.

   Now, the grace of God is first of all, all that in God which is of health and beauty and glory and strength. It is the desire of God to impart it to others, until, finally, grace had it glorious manifestation in His Son and in His Cross, the activity that provides for others these things of glory and of beauty.

The Corinthian Letters of Paul - G. Campbell Morgan