Mercy is often used to describe an act in which someone in power was kind and lenient to forebear the punishment that was due someone. The Bible uses ‘Mercy’ in a couple of ways – firstly, it uses it as to how most of us understand it. The punishment (wages) of sin (and we all are sinners) is death, but God’s mercy is that while we were sinners, God in the personhood of his son, Jesus Christ was kind and lenient to forebear the punishment due us, by intervening and taking our place and paying the debt (wages), being crucified for our sins. In other words, God was punished for man. Mercy in this case is “forebearance”, “lieneancy in punishment”, “paying the dues” and so on.
Another usage of the word ‘Mercy’ is that it is used interchangeably with “loving-kindness” which the Bible describes as better than life itself. The loving-kindness of God is unexplainable and can only be experienced. The Psalmist who experienced this writes – O taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8).
Irrespective of what ‘Mercy’ is defined as, I like to think of Mercy as the MERit + Christ + You a.k.a., it is the MERit of Chirst for YOU. Isn’t that really cool?
Suresh Chandra Bose
Would like to quote one more definition for Mercy which I learnt from other preachers:
Mercy: Unmerited favor of Christ
thepauls
I have heard a few preachers say something similar which is Mercy is God NOT giving us what we deserve, in contrast with Grace which is God giving us what we DONT deserve.
Should it have been based on our works and merits, then I figure we don’t have a chance to be in favor with God. Thank God, it is unmerited, and is not dependent on our merits.
Thank you Suresh for calling it out.