{"id":83018,"date":"2025-01-08T11:41:37","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T17:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=83018"},"modified":"2025-01-08T11:41:37","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T17:41:37","slug":"mercy-and-grace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/mercy-and-grace\/","title":{"rendered":"Mercy and Grace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

by Perry Hall<\/p>\n

Are mercy and grace the same? As with many things, metonymy can combine multiple things under a single word (i.e., faith often includes obedience and being saved by grace). Even with that example, faith and works are distinguishable. Faith is inward first (like mercy), being trust, and then demonstrated outwardly second (like grace), showing obedience. In this example, as obedience follows trust, so does grace follow mercy.<\/p>\n

A Thought Exercise to show the difference:<\/p>\n

Hebrews 4:14-16 shows the true fulfillment of the holy of holies.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Instead of Aaron and his descendants being high priests, we have the great high priest.<\/li>\n
  2. Instead of passing through a curtain, the heavens are passed through.<\/li>\n
  3. Instead of the sons of Aaron, we have the Son of God.<\/li>\n
  4. Instead of a high priest who has sinned, we have one without sin.<\/li>\n
  5. Instead of the high priest entering into the presence of God, all can draw near to God.<\/li>\n
  6. Instead of a mercy seat, there is a throne of grace.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    That last point might not be as powerful today as the first-century Jewish mind.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. The seat is now called a throne. The ark of the covenant was topped with the mercy seat, which was considered the meeting place of Yahweh with His people (Numbers 7:89). Jesus is both king and priest. Jesus is Yahweh.<\/li>\n
    2. The seat of mercy is now the throne of grace. Never in the Old Testament is the word “grace” (chen<\/em>) connected to the ark of the covenant. It is always the “mercy seat” (kapporet<\/em> 26 times). Surprisingly, the word “mercy” (tahinna<\/em>) is not even found until the book of Joshua (Joshua 11:20).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Why did the Aaronic high priest enter into the holy of holies? To offer an atonement sacrifice.<\/p>\n

      Why was an atonement sacrifice needed? For sins of the people and himself.<\/p>\n

      This is why Jesus was tempted yet without sin. We sin. He did not.<\/p>\n

      All this makes the distinction between mercy and grace more poignant.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Israel went to the mercy seat to receive mercy, which meant not receiving what they deserved – destruction. That was the emphasis. Atonement is a covering of sin.<\/li>\n
      2. Believers go to the throne of grace to receive both mercy and grace, but now the emphasis is on receiving what we do not deserve. Atonement now is full forgiveness.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Now compare Hebrews 2:17-18 with Hebrews 4:14-16. The emphasis is not just on withstanding temptation but deeper – when we don’t withstand temptation. That is why Jesus is the high priest (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14-15) and the atonement sacrifice (Hebrews 2:17), and the mercy seat is now the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).<\/p>\n

        If these Hebraic believers do not accept Jesus, they are missing the fulfillment. They are missing the great high priest. They are missing the divine king. They are missing grace in their time of need. Jesus didn’t let His sufferings stop Him in our time of need. Will these Hebraic believers allow their sufferings to stop them in their time of need?<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        by Perry Hall Are mercy and grace the same? As with many things, metonymy can combine multiple things under a single word (i.e., faith often includes obedience and being saved by grace). Even with that example, faith and works are distinguishable. Faith is inward first (like mercy), being trust, and then demonstrated outwardly second (like…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[48,519],"class_list":["post-83018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-grace","tag-mercy"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":57347,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-these-fall-under-grace-or-mercy\/","url_meta":{"origin":83018,"position":0},"title":"Do these fall under grace or mercy?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: First of all, know that your website has been so very helpful in my journey to mature in Christ. I am struggling with recognizing sins that will keep me out of heaven.\u00a0 Below are a few examples: At a counter there is a sign out to take 1 face\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58392,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/obeying-the-lord\/","url_meta":{"origin":83018,"position":1},"title":"Obeying the Lord","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 24, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 8, Feb. 20, 2009. Question: How can one talk about \"obeying the Lord\" in the light of what is said in\u00a0Titus 3:5\u00a0and\u00a0Ephesians 2:8? Answer: First, let us notice what these two passages say: \"Not by works done in righteousness, which we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58371,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-obedience-of-faith\/","url_meta":{"origin":83018,"position":2},"title":"The Obedience of Faith","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 23, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Steve Dewhirst via Gospel Power, Vol. 12, No. 17, April 24, 2005. How odd, that one of the Bible's most fundamental teachings should have become so puzzling to folks. God is not the author of confusion, but man is. And during the centuries since Jesus walked the earth, the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":91157,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/by-works-or-not\/","url_meta":{"origin":83018,"position":3},"title":"By Works or Not?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton An atheist thinks he sees the following verses as \"contradicting\" each other. Atheist: Salvation by Faith or Works: \u2022 Ephesians 2:8-9: \"For by grace you have been saved through faith\u2026not a result of works.\" \u2022 James 2:24: \"You see that a person is justified by works\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38682,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-redemption-in-christ-an-examination-of-romans-319-521\/","url_meta":{"origin":83018,"position":4},"title":"The Redemption in Christ: An Examination of Romans 3:19-5:21","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 29, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Sean P. Cavender Paul indicted all people, both Jew and Gentile, as guilty of sin before God (Romans 3:19). It is due to man's ungodliness that the wrath of God is revealed, and He will judge all sin as worthy of death (Romans 1:18,32). The reality of sin is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":69201,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/pharisaical-works-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":83018,"position":5},"title":"Pharisaical Works Salvation?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton One fellow said the following: \"Terry Wane Benton, why must you be so wrapped up in your salvation by works just like the Pharisees? Jesus despised the Pharisees for this very mentality that you are showing. Grace and grace alone allow you to enter into heaven.\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83018\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}