S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Mercy and grace are often confused. While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not the same. To summarize the difference: mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve, and grac...

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July 01 2013 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

JD Abshire Supporter

God's mercy prevents his enactment of righteous judgement and punishment upon us i.e. he doesn't give us what we actually deserve.

God's grace bestows forgiveness and pardon upon the repentant sinner i.e. His grace gives and provides us with what we do not deserve.

January 28 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Norma Larkin Supporter

Grace is in my opinion the state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God. His love for all, it is so big that he gives us an unmerited gift. We didn't deserve that gift, and I don't want to create a problem with this, but I think that we don't deserve it now! Grace is also a short prayer of blessing from God, a way to thank him with a prayer before meal or it can be done after, as a recognition that the meal doesn't come from us but by God!

Mercy from the late Latin (MERCES) or (REWARD) it is God's compassion, God's love for us, who sent his Son to pay the price on the cross, so we can be reconciled with the Father!

January 28 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Chris Button Supporter Retired Fire Captain, sinner saved by Grace

I look at grace and mercy as two sides of the same coin. I can't give you just the "heads" side without giving you the "tails" side as well. In the same way, You can't grant mercy without extending grace.

Let's say I am a judge and you are the defendant. You have been convicted of very serious crimes and should be sentenced to death. Let's say you plead with me to show mercy and not sentence you to death. I agree and let you go free. I granted you mercy by not sentencing you to death (which you deserved because of your crimes). At the same time, I extended grace to you by giving you life (which you didn't deserve because of your crimes).

That is what has been done for us by the sacrifice of Jesus. Because of our rebellion against God, we deserve separation from Him but through Christ we won't be separated. By granting us mercy, we get grace. By extending grace, we get mercy.

July 28 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

I have chosen the English Standard Version (ESV) as my favorite for memorizing as it is close to the King James Version which I have used for most of my life. It's just more the way we talk today.

1A Mercy holds back the judgment we deserve.

“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.”
—Psalm 103:10 (ESV)

1B Grace gives us blessings we don’t deserve.

“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”
—John 1:16 (ESV)
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; it is the gift of God."”
—Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)

2A Mercy cancels the debt.

“And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.”
—Matthew 18:27 (ESV)

2B Grace writes us into the will.

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ…”
—Romans 8:16–17a (ESV)

3A Mercy says, “You’re forgiven.”

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace…”
—Ephesians 1:7 (ESV)

3B Grace says, “You’re mine.”

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”
—Isaiah 43:1b (ESV)

6 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report