You hear them all the time: people who have fantasies about what they wish God would be like, making up definitions of Bible stuff.
Some of these people have actually read the Bible.
Some have attended church and heard a preacher who decided to redefine something to fit his message, and because of that, think they understand it.
Beware: It will never stop
Grace is not mercy. Mercy is when a judge feels sorry for you or thinks it would be more improvement for society for you not to go to jail; you don’t get what you deserved.
Now, Christians don’t get what we deserve. That is true. But that is not grace. It is mercy. Mercy and grace are not the same things.
Or, why would Paul pray that “grace, mercy, and peace be unto you”?
Paul had too much to say to waste parchment by being redundant.
Still, because we do not grasp what in the world grace is, some of us assign it the definition that belongs to mercy.
So, since we do get mercy, anyway, and we tell folks we get mercy, what is wrong?
What is wrong is that we rob them of also getting grace.
That’s what.
We rob them of the only way to walk with the Lord in the Light of His Word.
Serious stuff.
Life altering stuff.
The essence of actual life.
As opposed to the fabricated life, the fake life, the hypocritical life.
Grace.
You need it.
God provided that you can get it.
And the clueless can keep you away from it.
And they don’t even know that about themselves.
Grace is the power of God doing things in you.
Grace is the power of God doing things with you.
Grace is the power of God doing things for you.
Grace is the power of God doing things through you.
“Stand in His strength alone.
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.”
Grace is that strength.
Get that strength.
Go boldly to the Throne of Grace and get grace to help you in your time of need. (See Hebrews 4:16)
Like when someone refuses to get off your case, you can be kind to them, anyway.
Or when someone takes away your things, you can offer them even more.
Or when you are so tired you can hardly move, you can keep moving.
Strength.
God’s strength.
Working in, with, through, and for you.
Out of His great mercy, He does not destroy us.
But He offers to do our doing FOR us, to live IN us, to walk this life WITH us, to work THROUGH us.
Oh, and it’s a gift.
You just have to ask.
Get that grace.
Home's Cool! 
I’ve heard mercy defined as “not getting what you deserve” and grace defined as “getting what you don’t deserve.” Yes, definitely two different things. To put a Gospel spin on these generic definitions, mercy is God not sending me to Hell and grace is God giving me eternal life through His Son.
Interesting and popular definition, these days. I need chapter and verse on it, though. 😉
I do too. Wld rili like the chapter and verse. Very interesting
Wow. You know, Carnelia, you are right. I should add that information and will do so soon. Thanks! 🙂
Kath~I am grateful for God’s mercy and grace. Especially grateful that you wrote about it a couple of days after i stomped my foot and pouted like a little kid with her arms folded across her chest when i felt i had been mistreated and maligned. did i let it roll off my back through God’s mercy and grace? Ummm then, no. Now after reading your post? Of course. Thanks twin!
You’re welcome, Kate!
Hope you let it roll up. 😉
I can imagine pouting over an injustice u feel the universe has done. Been there myself. But the point is, it might hav been a way for God to hold u back frm sometin or to get u to stop n think about sometin he wants for u. On a different note. Would like to ask. Before you stubbed your foot, how consistent was ur prayer life.
Oh, yes, that is right. We should always be thankful in every circumstance! So easy to say. Impossible to do without grace from God, doing it for us, creating that thankfulness in us.
Exactly. 😀
I’ve never read or heard anything about the subject of mercy v. grace. Very interesting. Because of God’s mercy, we are saved. Because of His grace, we can strive toward living righteously!
It is even by His grace that we are saved, through faith, and even that is a gift. The Greek word for “grace” is “charis” which actually means “gift”. If we do a word study just on “grace” we learn so much! The angel told Mary she was “full of grace”. Was “grace” even how Jesus was conceived? It seems it.
Amazing, grace! 🙂
But, yes, grace is the strength we need to do what He desires. Grace is like God is putting His hand in a glove, and we are the glove. Amazing.
AMEN. Amen, and amen. That’s about all I’ve got in the way of comment. Thank you.
Grace is all we have and all we need. Christ in us: the hope of glory. 🙂
The best thing about God’s grace is that with it we have salvation and power while with his mercy we have complete forgiveness from God. Its wonderful being a child of God, we get to experience the best and most beautiful, important and valuable parts of life and have a beautiful eternity too. Being God’s child rocks.
Amen, Sister! 😀
Hi honey. Check my blog as soon as you can. I think I have a new page that’ll interest you on prayer.