Mercy & Grace
Once upon a time, in a kingdom not as far away as you might think, lived a benevolent king. He was known for his goodness, but also for his justice. He was wise. He was kind. He was fair. His subjects knew his laws and followed them, wanting to please their king and desiring to stay in his good-graces - because his graces were so very good and his mercies were beyond their merit.
As Christians, we hear and use the words mercy and grace a lot. They both appear repeatedly in scripture and songs. Often we become so familiarized to them that we can forget what they mean. They are two very different things and are not interchangeable. We might think we have a handle on what His mercy and grace affords for us, yet, for me anyway, this is where I become either complacent or calloused. We need to contemplate these words, their meanings and their implications.
To explain the differences in grace and mercy, I think of the king and the kingdom described above and below in the following scenario:
A thief is caught red-handed with an apple from the king’s orchard. He knew it was against the rules to take an apple, but he did so anyway. His life would be demanded from him. A steep price for an apple, but that was the law required.
Yet the king had compassion on the thief. First, he showed the thief mercy. He did not give the thief the punishment he deserved. Then, he showed the thief grace. He enthusiastically gave him all the apples and all the trees in his orchard. The king gave the thief what he could never earn, or afford, or deserve.
How could the king do this without going back on his word? Without changing the law? Without losing the respect of his subjects? By allowing someone else to take the penalty for the thief’s crime. You see, the king’s own son, his only son, the prince volunteered to take the thief’s penalty and die in his place.
My analogy could be further developed, but even a casual reader of the Bible can recognize the roles of God the Father as the king, and God the Son as the prince. Mankind is the thief and the idea of substitutionary atonement is generally described. However, by looking at how the king displays mercy and grace, we can see the words rightfully defined.
Mercy - The thief is NOT given the punishment he deserves. He is guilty. He should be punished, but the king. The king shows mercy and does not dole out the prescribed punishment. He doesn’t have to show the thief mercy, but he does.
However, the king does not stop there. He could have. He could have just negated the penalty and moved on, but he doesn’t. He gives more than mercy. He gives grace.
Grace - The king graciously goes far above and far beyond by gifting the thief the apples and the orchard, giving him provision and position. The thief wasn’t worthy, yet the king shows grace. The king gives what isn’t deserved.
As sinners ourselves, we deserve the punishment of death (Romans 3:23). But God shows us mercy by not sentencing us to eternal separation from Himself. Then God grants us grace, by bestowing upon us the numerous benefits of being in a relationship with Him.
Sure, there are “common graces,” or blessings God showers upon all of mankind - from the multi-faceted tastes of various cuisines (God didn’t have to make our food taste good!) to the advancements God has ordained in the “man-made” fields of medicine and technology. But the graces God gives His followers extends into heaven itself, but it starts with the work of His Spirt within us as we learn to walk with Him. Peace, joy, love, purpose, identity, validation - all the things that we watch each and every generation try to achieve and accomplish on their own. Even that, the inability to be satisfied without Him and His graces, is in itself, a grace.
Can you imagine the feelings of the thief? Can you put yourself in his shoes? Knowing what you deserve and receiving the king’s mercy? Then knowing the last thing you deserve is any kind of kindness but having been given the king’s riches?
When we realize the depths of both the mercy and the grace that we’ve been given, we can’t help but respond in grateful service to our King. We are then compelled to pay forward what was administered to us, showing those in our lives who don’t deserve it, mercy and grace.
We read in our Bibles of mercy and grace. We sing in our worship of mercy and grace. We talk in our small groups of mercy and grace. But when was the last time we truly stopped and reflected on God’s good gifts of mercy and grace?
Weekly, as a part of our worship service, we are led in a time of confession, where we admit to our continued struggle with sin and our continued need of mercy. Then we are reminded through scripture of God’s grace, assuring us of His forgiveness and restoration. Through the preaching of the word and the careful selection/progression of music, as we gather together we see ourselves of recipients of God’s mercy and grace. This regular practice is important. We stop and contemplate these two words and our worship is fueled with their implications.
Daily, as I read my Bible, looking for what it says about who God says He is, I see both His mercy and His grace displayed in His faithfulness to His people, the Israelites, the early church and to me. Intentionality in considering these two, little, five letter words compels me to action: repentance, gratitude, worship, service, ministry.
Mercy and grace are not the elements of a fairytale like magic or mythological creatures. However, the royalty and majesty of our King is very real. He is loving and He is just. The mystery of His mercy and grace is actual. Only by grace alone do we begin to grasp the real implications of the depths of both.
Wrestle with mercy. Discuss grace. Pray, thanking God and praising God, for both.
Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash