Dave G
Well-Known Member
So the text book answer is "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."
Thus Mercy and Grace are two distinct and separate attributes. An act is either Mercy or Grace but it cannot be both.
However is mercy not a part of grace? for grace is extending mercy to the unworthy. mercy is a specific type of grace. all mercy is grace but not all grace is mercy.
What do yous think?
I see it like this:
Grace is an attitude towards someone that is the basis for everything He does, including mercy, kindness, etc.
Mercy is God's deciding to be favorable to someone ( Exodus 33:19, Romans 9:14-18, Titus 3:4-6 ) in that attitude of grace.
I see this best developed in this passage:
" But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" ( Titus 3:4-5 )
The first, grace, is God's attitude towards men as a race.
The second, mercy, is God's deciding to do something with that kindness and love.
Grace is the attitude, mercy is the action out of that attitude.
Example:
" And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." ( Luke 18:13 )
Here I see the publican asking God to do something for him out of His grace.
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." ( Titus 2:11-14 )
Here I see that grace always results in an action being performed.
Forgiveness is part of God's mercy.
Mercy is part of God's grace.
To me, it "telescopes"...
Grace ------> Mercy / Kindness / Love-------> Eternal Salvation / earthly salvation from troubles ( for the believer )
Grace ------> Kindness -----> Earthly deliverance ( "salvation" ) from troubles ( for the unbeliever )
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