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Grace and Mercy, What's the difference?

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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loDebar

Well-Known Member
If God gives you a pardon it is Grace, for you have received something (pardon) that you do not deserve.
But a pardon is a reprieve from a punishment that one deserves therefore Mercy.

So a pardon is both mercy and grace. thus this seems to support my definition that mercy is a part of grace.

How can something both be mercy and grace if they are opposites and there is no link?

Because either can be given individually , without the one being dependent on the other.

Mercy is NOT getting something deserved and Grace is getting simmering NOT deserved
 

franklinmonroe

Active Member
Mercy is not getting what you deserve,
Grace is getting what you do not deserve.
There is no link because they are opposites.
Your definitions are incomplete and unspecific. For example, you would likely not call NOT getting paid for work you performed (money you deserved) "mercy"; and you probably would not label GETTING undeserved punishment (for a crime you did not commit) "grace". We just normally think of GETTING as 'good' and NOT getting as 'bad'.

Furthermore, grace is not truly grace unless it costs the one being gracious significantly AND benefits the one receiving the grace. For example, if a billionaire gave me a dollar in a situation when I didn't need it at all, that gifting could hardly be called a gracious act. Even if I could use a dollar (maybe I had NO money for a $13 cab fare) the pittance from his fortune did not meet my need and is virtually an insult compared to what he could have comfortably shared.

Salvation cost God dearly and we needed it desperately. His sacrifice met our need. That is grace.
 

loDebar

Well-Known Member
Your definitions are incomplete and unspecific. For example, you would likely not call NOT getting paid for work you performed (money you deserved) "mercy"; and you probably would not label GETTING undeserved punishment (for a crime you did not commit) "grace". We just normally think of GETTING as 'good' and NOT getting as 'bad'.

Furthermore, grace is not truly grace unless it costs the one being gracious significantly AND benefits the one receiving the grace. For example, if a billionaire gave me a dollar in a situation when I didn't need it at all, that gifting could hardly be called a gracious act. Even if I could use a dollar (maybe I had NO money for a $13 cab fare) the pittance from his fortune did not meet my need and is virtually an insult compared to what he could have comfortably shared.

Salvation cost God dearly and we needed it desperately. His sacrifice met our need. That is grace.
you post is severely skewed .

A governor can grant mercy to a undeserving prisoner, Of you work for a price it is deserved not mercy.
Grace does not have to cost the giver anything. Cost is not inveigled. Did Pharaoh owe Joseph before removing him to the palace?
 

franklinmonroe

Active Member
If I am wrong, I would like to understand how I am wrong (so I can correct myself). However, most of your post is so poorly written that I cannot understand what you were trying to communicate.
you post is severely skewed .
Skewed? Toward or away from what exactly?

A governor can grant mercy to a undeserving prisoner,
That is true; an authoritative entity (such as a governor) could grant mercy to an underserving person. Indeed, that is what God in His mercy did for me (since I was undeserving). What was your point?

Of you work for a price it is deserved not mercy.
I cannot make sense of these words? What did you mean?

Grace does not have to cost the giver anything.
Grace is essentially a gift (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8). We speak of grace being "given" (God "gave" in John 3:16). Gifts always cost something.

Cost is not inveigled.
Inveigled? If I understand the definition of the word (meaning to persuade someone into doing something by means of deception or flattery), I don't see how it could be applied to "cost". How can cost be tricked (or as in your statement NOT tricked)?

Did Pharaoh owe Joseph before removing him to the palace?
Did you mean "removing him from the palace", or "moving him to the palace", or something else? Based upon what you wrote immediately preceding this, I am assuming that you think you are presenting some example of grace given without cost. Maybe providing a verse reference would help me.
 
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37818

Well-Known Member
I hope we can communicate and advance the discussion.
Consider Romans 6:23, ". . . For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. . . ."

Now you do understand the difference between a wage and and gift? A wage is what is deserved, merited. A gift is not deserved or merited. The gift is grace. Not receiving what is deserved and merited is mercy.

I hope that helps.
 

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
Grace is what God did in the Atonement. Mercy is when we stop arguing about how it was done. :Biggrin
 

loDebar

Well-Known Member
If I am wrong, I would like to understand how I am wrong (so I can correct myself). However, most of your post is so poorly written that I cannot understand what you were trying to communicate.
Skewed? Toward or away from what exactly?


That is true; an authoritative entity (such as a governor) could grant mercy to an underserving person. Indeed, that is what God in His mercy did for me (since I was undeserving). What was your point?

I cannot make sense of these words? What did you mean?

Grace is essentially a gift (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8). We speak of grace being "given" (God "gave" in John 3:16). Gifts always cost something.

Inveigled? If I understand the definition of the word (meaning to persuade someone into doing something by means of deception or flattery), I don't see how it could be applied to "cost". How can cost be tricked (or as in your statement NOT tricked)?


Did you mean "removing him from the palace", or "moving him to the palace", or something else? Based upon what you wrote immediately preceding this, I am assuming that you think you are presenting some example of grace given without cost. Maybe providing a verse reference would help me.
Joseph was removed from the dungeon but also elevated to the high position in the Palace. Not getting prison is Mercy getting a undeserved position of power is Grace
 

loDebar

Well-Known Member
Well loDebar, I asked you many questions and you only addressed one, so I guess you don't wish to continue the conversation.
I do not understand, no verses are required, Grace is free and unmerited favor as anonymous gift Mercy is compassion when it is in the power to punish or harm. , one better team takes it easy on a worse team.. or a Gov has mercy and pardons
 

Mikey

Active Member
I do not understand, no verses are required, Grace is free and unmerited favor as anonymous gift Mercy is compassion when it is in the power to punish or harm. , one better team takes it easy on a worse team.. or a Gov has mercy and pardons

and it is free and unmeritorious to give compassion when it is in the power to punish :Whistling
 
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