2 Peter 3:18 exhorts us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

2Pe 3:18  but grow in the grace [charis] and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Growing in knowledge is easy to understand, but what does it mean to grow in grace?  Let’s take a closer look.

The Greek word translated “grace” is charis.  The word charis is used 156 times in the New Testament.  It is often used in reference to God, such as in the phrase the “grace of God”.  It is also often used as a greeting, such as “may grace and peace be with you”. 

According to Thayer’s Greek Definitions and Strong’s Concordance, charis can have the following meanings.

1. That which gives joy or pleasure
2. Loving kindness, favour
3. Benefit, gift
4. Thanks

All of the above four meanings can apply to “grow in grace”.  We can grow in giving joy to others.  We can grow in showing loving kindness to others.  We can grow in being a benefit to others.  And we can grow in being thankful.  However, there are a couple of verses in the apostle Peter’s previous letter where he uses the same word charis which gives deeper meaning to “grow in grace” and is perhaps what Peter had in mind in his exhortation of 2 Peter 3:18.  These verses are 1 Peter 2:19-20.

1Pe 2:19  For this is commendable [charis], if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
1Pe 2:20  For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable [charis] before God.

These verses say that when we suffer patiently for doing good, this is grace before God.  This is what Jesus did; He suffered patiently for doing good.

To grow in grace means all of the above.