Mercy and Grace
Mercy and grace are closely related expressions of God’s goodness toward sinners. Mercy stresses God’s compassion in withholding deserved judgment, while grace stresses his undeserved favor in giving blessing and salvation.
At a Glance
Mercy and grace are closely related expressions of God’s goodness toward sinners. Mercy stresses God’s compassion in withholding deserved judgment, while grace stresses his undeserved favor in giving blessing and salvation.
Description
Mercy and grace are biblical themes that describe God’s kindness toward people who cannot save themselves. Mercy commonly refers to God’s compassion toward the miserable, needy, or guilty, especially in not giving the full judgment sin deserves. Grace commonly refers to God’s free and unearned favor, especially in giving forgiveness, reconciliation, and salvation through Jesus Christ. Scripture often joins these themes because God both withholds deserved wrath and gives undeserved blessing. The distinction should not be pressed in a rigid or technical way in every passage, since biblical usage can overlap, but as a general summary it is sound and pastorally helpful: mercy emphasizes God’s compassionate restraint, and grace emphasizes God’s generous gift.