These two words are common in Christian circles. And are often used to describe God’s actions and attitude/heart toward us. That is about where the similarities end.
Mercy is God sparing us the things we have justly earned: judgement, death, in short the wrath of a quintessential Good being that He is. “For we have all sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” This means we can not stand before the Father as we are B.C. (Before Christ is our Lord and Savoir)
Grace is God giving us things(faith, peace, love, joy, the rest of the fruits & Everything else in our life) that we could never earn or deserve. Grace is extended to us by the Father through His Son. Who took on human flesh, lived a blameless life and died a horrendous death. ALL in the name of showing us mercy. He died so we could live with him and the Father forever more. Jesus paid our debt, in the ultimate act of mercy Jesus for all time took our punishment(mercy) and made it so we could have an intimate relationship with the Father and then sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us(Grace).
The cross merges the 2 into the confusing mess that they are today. And this doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want “because he has and will forgive me”. Yes He has, but that is such an unhealthy relationship dynamic. Would you ever treat another human that way, if not, don’t treat God that way because that is an abuse of His Divine love which we ARE NOT ENTITLED TO!!!! That is part of His Grace; we can’t earn His love and we definitely don’t deserve it.
He lived on earth. He role modeled how to live, where and what our priorities should be (Beatitudes – read them love them, live them) and he constantly told us it would be hard and people would not like us for it. But, we are children of the Creator of the Universe and he loves us and and Hehas shown us how we should live. If we have read and heard what the Bible has to say.
