He even sent his only son so all of us can be saved – an act of grace that we do not deserve. Despite having sinned over and over again, He has shown us kindness and compassion. Like these bible characters, we are all recipients of God’s mercy and grace as well. Not only did He forgive them, but He also endowed them with unmerited favor. Saul was a disbeliever, Moses was a doubter, and Jacob was a liar.ĭespite this, God made them his witness and used them to accomplish His purpose. Plenty of other bible characters have done something terrible at some point in their lives. Despite being a great ruler, he was a fornicator and an adulterer.
One of the most prominent stories in the bible is that of King David. In a world where mistakes are swiftly punished, and goodwill is only for the worthy, grace and mercy are an absolute necessity. Then you gave him some food and a few dollars to get him through this trying time – that’s grace. Instead of calling the police, you chose to pardon the thief and let the matter go – that’s mercy. You learned that the robber was just in a desperate situation and didn’t intend to do any harm at all. Let’s put it this way: suppose someone attempted to rob your house. It is an act meant to relieve someone of their suffering. Mercy, on the other hand, is the compassion and kindness shown to someone whom it is in one’s power to punish or harm. Meaning, it’s not asked for nor deserved, but is freely given. In the dictionary, grace is defined as courteous goodwill.
Sounds confusing? Let’s break it down bit by bit. Grace is a gift we don’t deserve, while mercy is not getting the punishment we deserve. In a nutshell, they are two sides of the same coin. Though often used interchangeably, “grace” and “mercy” differ in many ways.
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