Grace and mercy of God

God’s grace and mercy are made kno

The abundance of God’s grace and mercy

Ephesians 2:4–8 AMP

But God—so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation). And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus. For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

See also 2 Sa 24:14; Ps 69:13; Ps 84:11; Ps 102:13; Ro 2:4; Ro 5:17; Ro 9:23; 1 Ti 1:14

God’s grace and mercy are always unearned and unmerited

Deuteronomy 7:7–8 AMP

The Lord did not set His love upon you and choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the fewest of all people. But because the Lord loves you and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

See also Dt 9:5–6; Eze 36:22; Da 9:18; Ro 9:16; Eph 1:6; Eph 2:8–9; Eph 3:8; Tt 3:5

God’s grace and mercy are a source of blessing

Genesis 21:1–2 AMP

THE LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for her as He had promised. For Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time God had told him.

See also Ge 33:11; 1 Sa 2:21

God’s grace and mercy are expressed in the covenant relationship

Je 31:3 Hebrew “hesed” (translated as “love”, “loving-kindness”, “unfailing love”) expresses specifically the grace and mercy that underlie the covenant relationship.

See also Ex 34:6; Dt 7:9; Dt 7:12; Ne 9:17; Ps 6:4; Is 55:3; La 3:22; La 3:32

Salvation comes by grace

Titus 2:11 AMP

For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind.

See also Mk 10:25–27 Jesus Christ’s words to his disciples; Ro 5:15; Eph 1:5–6; Eph 2:8; 2 Ti 1:9–10

This is ultimately shown in the cross of Jesus Christ

Romans 3:24–25 AMP

[All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, Whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.

See also Ro 5:8; Eph 1:7; Heb 2:9; 2 Pe 1:10–11

God’s grace and mercy are offered to sinners

Punishment is withheld

Ezra 9:13 AMP

And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant,

See also 2 Ki 13:22–23; Eze 20:15–17; Ho 11:8; Joe 2:13

Sin is forgiven

Mic 7:18; 1 Jn 1:9

See also Ps 32:5; Pr 28:13; Is 55:7; Je 3:12; Je 33:8; Da 9:9

Sinners’ prayers are heard

Ps 51:1; Lk 18:13–14

See also Ps 6:2–3; Ps 123:3; Hab 3:2

The favour of God

Examples of those who found favour with God

Ge 4:4 Abel; Ge 6:8 Noah; Ex 33:12 Moses; Jdg 6:17–18 Gideon; 1 Sa 2:26 Samuel; Ezr 7:27–28 Ezra; Lk 1:30 Mary; Lk 2:52 Jesus Christ; Ac 7:46 David

Examples of those who seek the favour of God

Ex 32:11 Moses; 2 Ki 13:4 Jehoahaz; 2 Ch 33:12 Manasseh

Nehemiah:

Ne 5:19; Ne 13:31

Da 9:17 Daniel

Promises relating to the favour of God

Le 26:9 It is given to the obedient (see Lev 26:3); Ps 5:12 It is given to the righteous; Ps 30:5 It lasts for a lifetime.

The OT predicts a future age of God’s favour

Isaiah 49:8 AMP

Thus says the Lord, In an acceptable and favorable time I have heard and answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I will preserve you and give you for a covenant to the people, to raise up and establish the land [from its present state of ruin] and to apportion and cause them to inherit the desolate [moral wastes of heathenism, their] heritages,

See also Is 60:10; Is 61:2; Eze 36:9

Implications for believers of the grace and mercy of God

God’s grace and mercy are to influence the character and conduct of believers

Romans 6:1–2 AMP

WHAT SHALL we say [to all this]? Are we to remain in sin in order that God’s grace (favor and mercy) may multiply and overflow? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?

See also Ac 11:23; Ro 6:14; Ro 12:1; Tt 2:11–12

Believers must humbly rely on God’s grace and mercy

Galatians 2:21 AMP

[Therefore, I do not treat God’s gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.]

See also Pr 3:34; Jas 4:6; Jon 2:8; Ro 2:4; 2 Co 6:1–2

God’s grace strengthens believers for service

Ephesians 3:7–8 AMP

Of this [Gospel] I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s free grace (undeserved favor) which was bestowed on me by the exercise (the working in all its effectiveness) of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God’s consecrated people), this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless) riches of Christ [wealth which no human being could have searched out],

See also 1 Co 3:10; 2 Co 12:7–9; Ga 1:15–16; Eph 4:7; Eph 4:11

Illustrations of God’s grace and mercy

God shows grace to Noah, saving him from the flood and afterwards establishing a covenant with him:

Ge 6:8; Ge 6:22; Ge 9:9–11 God shows mercy in saving first Jonah and then (following their repentance) the people of Nineveh; Jon 1:1–3; Jon 1:17; Jon 2:1–3; Jon 3:1–10; Lk 15:11–32 The forgiving love of the prodigal’s father illustrates the divine mercy of God.