Although mercy and grace are important concepts used often among Christians, many are unclear as to what the two terms actually mean. In sermons and teaching, mercy and grace are often used interchangeably, further confusing their respective meanings. We need to recognize that the terms have similar meanings, but there are important yet subtle distinctions. So, what are the differences between mercy and grace?
A Practical definition of Grace
Maybe you’ve heard this definition... Grace is what we get which we do not deserve. That’s why Paul called grace a gift of God. It is undeserved and unmerited and anything you think you can or could do [works] cannot earn it. If works could earn God’s favor, then we couldn’t call it grace anymore which is why it is written, “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). By this free gift, which we do not deserve, we “are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).
To receive grace – God’s unmerited favor, means that we cannot earn it. No wonder Paul declared, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift” (2 Cor 9:15)! Imagine getting a citizenship award for good behavior but your behavior is really attributed to Christ living within you. You received an award that you really didn't earn and didn't deserve.
When you hear a person say, “thank you Lord for grace” they are in essence saying, “thank you Lord for giving me what I do not deserve.” Again, this isn’t an invitation to sin and do whatever you want. God knows your heart, so don’t take for granted the grace given to you.
A Practical definition of Mercy
Now a practical definition for mercy. Mercy is where we don’t get what we truly do deserve. What we do deserve is the wrath of God. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 it says, “For our sake he made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus became sin for us…for our sake, so when God sees us, He sees Jesus’ righteousness and not our own filthy rags. This could only happen because of God’s mercy. We didn’t get what we really deserved. What we deserved is what Jesus got. This was made possible only because “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). Imagine getting a death sentence, being on death row, waiting for your time of execution. Now imagine, a guy named Jesus comes to the prison and asks to die in your place even though He is innocent of the crimes you yourself committed. After the sentence is carried out on the innocent man Jesus, a stand–in for you, you are released from prison with a reprieve... a free gift from someone who took your just punishment.
With any sin or illegal act committed, punishment [consequences] in some form always follow. However through Christ Jesus, we are given a second chance. Its a reprieve from those consequences. We are given mercy; thus, withholding punishment and judgment from us, by virtue of God’s “unmerited favor.”
Sounds to good to be true, both His Mercy and His Grace. Its hard to fathom why even God would do something like this. Is this an invitation to do whatever we want? Of course not. However, when we mess up and fall, God’s mercy will be there, allowing us time [the time of Grace] to heal from our mistakes. Not because we deserve it, but because of His love and compassion towards us. Warning: a genuine contrite heart is always required to invoke and sustain God's mercy and continue in His unmerited favor... grace. That is the essence of mercy.
The Bible plainly tells us, we have all sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). As a result of that sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23) and eternal judgment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12-15). With that in mind, every day we live is an act of God's mercy. If God gave us all what we deserve, we would all be, right now, condemned for eternity. In Psalm 51:1-2, David cries out, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." A plea to God for mercy is asking Him to withhold the judgment we deserve and instead grant to us the forgiveness we in no way have earned.
We deserve nothing from God. God does not owe us anything. Anything good that we experience is a result of the Grace of God (Ephesians 2:5). As highlighted in last weeks article, Grace is simply defined as unmerited favor. God favors, or gives us good things that we do not deserve and could never earn. Rescued from judgment by God's mercy, grace is anything and everything we receive beyond that mercy (Romans 3:24).
Mercy and grace are best illustrated in the salvation that is available only through Jesus Christ. We deserve judgment, but if we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, submitting to His plan of salvation, we receive mercy from God and we are delivered from judgment.
Instead of judgment, we receive by grace salvation, forgiveness of sins, abundant life (John 10:10), and the potential for eternal life. (Revelation 21-22). Because of the mercy and grace of God, our response should be to fall on our knees in worship and thanksgiving. Hebrews 4:16 declares, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
To summarize the differences: Mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve, and Grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it. Mercy is deliverance from judgment. Grace is extending kindness to the unworthy... Grace is life in real "time” to get right with God.
