Note: Usually, my posts reflect my passion: to bring God's Word off of the page and into our daily lives. To discover how to live it, to be encouraged by it, and how to make it real and alive. But, every once in a while, I want to share something deeper. A new understanding. This is just such a post:
To explore the depth of God's Mercy and Grace.But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:4-5, 8 (NIV) (Emphasis mine)
Mercy and grace. So often we use these words interchangeably. But they are not interchangeable and to understand that is to bring a deeper richness to our salvation.
I know, you probably think I'm splitting hairs here, but bear with me.
Let's begin with mercy because that is where God begins.
In Ephesians 2:4, and in most New Testament verses about God's mercy, the Greek word is
éleos: to pass over deserved punishment. To extend forgiveness instead of punishment. Mercy rescues us from the penalty of sin.
Mercy is proclaimed on the cross. Because of Jesus' death on the cross, we are passed over and we do not experience the death we deserve because of our sins.
God's mercy is expressed in our redemption and forgiveness.
But what if we stopped there? What if God's mercy is all that was offered?
Hear me out...this might seem a bit crazy.
God's mercy is great, to be sure, but, without grace, it is finite.
Christ's death on the cross mirrors the sacrifices of the Old Testament. This sacrifice pardons the sins in the past but not in the future.
How does this forgiveness - this mercy - come forward through time to all men who have ever lived and to all who have yet to live?
Enter grace.
In Ephesians 2:4, and in most New Testament verses about God's grace, the Greek word is
chráis: an absolutely free expression of God’s loving-kindness; His unearned and unmerited favor toward men. A gift with no return expected.
God's loving-kindness toward us is absolutely free. We can't earn it and we can't be worthy of it. It is given, out of the depths of His heart.
God bathes His mercy in His grace.
Because of His grace, His mercy is eternal.
Because of His grace, the mercy of the cross is gifted forward to all men who have ever lived or who have yet to live.
Because of His grace, the mercy you and I received at the cross reaches through all time to forgive all our sin: yesterday's, today's and tomorrow's.
Because of His grace, we are forgiven and saved for eternity.
His Mercy, His compassion on and forgiveness of our sin through
Christ’s death on the cross, is completed by His Grace, the unmerited gift of eternal salvation.
Mercy + Grace = Eternal Salvation
God's mercy and grace are both centered in God. We can do nothing to gain or to lose them. Saved by God's grace alone, through our faith alone.
Once we are cleansed by His mercy and saved by His grace, it is for eternity.
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. 1 Peter 3:18a (NIV)
Christ died for our sins (mercy) once for all (grace).
Once - for all men, for all time.
God's mercy grace-gifted to all men for, all time.
The key to grace is found in the word gift. A gift unaccepted is an expression of love missed. A gift unopened is a joy missed.
Jesus died for your sins - that's a fact!
The gift offered is eternal salvation.
Have you accepted and opened God's gift?
Perhaps this post will start a discussion about mercy and grace. Please do! I have much to learn!!
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