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Application Paper
THEO 104-C02
Domonique Burch
Liberty University Online
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Introduction
Whenever a person reads the bible, you often read about God’s grace and mercy that he has
shown and continue to show his creation on earth. Most often people get mercy and grace
confused, which is understandable as both terms have similarities. However, they don’t share the
same meaning. The meaning of mercy in biblical scripture is God not giving us what we all
deserve which is death “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, New King James Version). Having said that, every day that we
wake up is a day that God is showing us his mercy. Grace is God showing people his kindness
and love when we are unworthy to receive it. In the bible it states “For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV).
Grace
Theological Definition:
Grace is biblically defined as undeserved favor from God. God shows people favor daily,
or provides for us in ways that are needed and sometimes wanted. Humans could never earn the
grace of God. Anything and everything good that happens to us is an example of God’s grace.
Theologians describe God’s grace “This means that the resistance that all human beings exert
against God every day (Rom. 3:10-12; Acts 7:51) is wonderfully overcome at the proper time by
God’s saving grace for undeserving rebels whom he chooses freely to save. (Piper, J. (2013).
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Biblical Foundation:
All of us have sinned and therefore deserve death by God’s judgment. However, God
loves us so much that he sent his only begotten son to die for our sins and in our place so that we
could have everlasting life. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace" (Ephesians 1:7). King David, the man after
God’s own heart knew of God’s grace in his life. “David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against
the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die’ (2
Samuel 12:13). For instance, God’s grace is also shown in the bible when Joseph brothers sold
Joseph to slavery and God forgave them and saved them all. “But now, do not therefore be
grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to
preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in
which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a
posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (Genesis 45: 5-7).
Practical Application:
The grace of God in our lives, is arguably the most important notion for all of us to
understand and live by in our daily battle to be more like God. The true importance of God’s
grace is shown to us by the enemy causing so much controversy on this topic. However, if you
study about God’s grace and apply it to your life then a person can truly experience a loving
relationship with God and overcome sin. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are
not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14).
Mercy
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Theological Definition:
Theologians have described mercy as God’s love for his creation. “In Christianity, mercy
takes on a central moral importance, both for God and for God’s people” (Tuckness, A., &
Parrish, J. M. (2014). “God is very merciful to all us sinners, and law-breakers. This means that
even though God knows of our guilt, He doesn’t always issue the punishment that we deserve”.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). Because of God’s mercy in
our lives we are forgiven.
Biblical Foundation:
Simply, we are all sinners and are guilty of wrong doing, so we don’t meet the basic
standards of righteousness that God wanted us to have. However, through God’s mercy and
grace, God gave us a way for our sins to be forgiven through our accepting and belief of his son
Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into
the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
Practical Application:
An example of mercy in the bible is shown in (Micah 6:8) “He has shown you, O man, what
is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with your God?”. This was meant for all of God’s human creation to follow. God offers
mercy to everyone because He is the creator of the entire universe. He has shown us what He
expects from all of us. In the bible book Micah, God was asked a question about His mercy for
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His creation “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of
the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in
mercy” (Micah 7:18).
Conclusion
Although Grace and Mercy have similar meanings, they are clearly not the same. Mercy
and grace is shown to us through the salvation that is available through believing and accepting
Jesus Christ. Christians understand that they all deserve judgment, however, by a person
accepting Jesus Christ as their savior, God gives them His mercy and they are saved from God’s
judgment on their lives. Moreover, in the place of God’s judgment, they receive God’s grace,
mercy, salvation, and they will live in heaven for eternity. “Now I saw a new heaven and a new
earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then
I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a
bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:1-2).
References
1. The Holy bible: New King James Version. (1982). Wheaton, IL: Thomas Nelson
Publishing.
2. Tuckness, A., & Parrish, J. M. (2014). The decline of mercy in public life. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
3. Piper, J. (2013). Five points: Towards a deeper experience of god's grace. Ross-shire,
Scotland: Christian Focus.
