Grace and Mercy are like the flip sides of a coin. They are similar but not the same.
Grace takes our sins and puts the punishment we deserve, and places it on Jesus instead. (Mark Altrogge Senior Pastor, Sovereign Grace Church of Indiana, PA)
That’s incredible love!
Mercy in the Hebrew language means compassionate or full of compassion. It means to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior, to favor, or bestow.
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15
God doesn’t like to punish people, even those who reject Him. Instead, He holds the four corners of the earth in His hands for the sake of those who believe and those who may come to Him.
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so no wind could blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, who had the seal of the living God. He shouted out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given permission to damage the earth and the sea: “
Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Revelation 7:1-3
So What’s The Difference Between Grace and Mercy?
Both reveal the staggering, glorious, character of God.
In his mind-boggling mercy, he doesn’t give us what we deserve. Rather, he gave that to Jesus. In his outrageous, lavish grace, he gives us what we don’t deserve. He gives us the rewards earned by Jesus.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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