The God of Mercy and Grace

Every human being since Adam (God’s first created man) needs mercy and grace, whether it is acknowledged or not. The problem is that without exception, every human being has sinned. We read: “For there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22,23). Sin means “to miss the mark,” that is, anything that falls short of God’s glory is sin. God’s word declares: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

In his commentary, William MacDonald wrote: “The availability of the gospel is as universal as the need. And the need is universal because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Everybody sinned in Adam, when he sinned, he acted as the representative for all his descendants. But men are not only sinners by nature; they are sinners by practice. They fall short, in themselves, of the glory of God” (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p.1687). 

The very first sin that was committed wrought moral ruin to the human race. The Bible states, “Wherefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). The consequence of the first man’s sin was that “the many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19); “one trespass led to condemnation for all men” (Romans 5:18). We must therefore conclude that the existence of sin in the world is the result of our inheritance from Adam. Sin as an act, is the violation of, or want of obedience to, the revealed will of God. As a state, sin is the absence of righteousness. And as a nature, sin is enmity toward God.  

There is absolutely no remedy for sin except in the shed blood and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). There is no salvation without Jesus Christ. And this was the specific purpose for which He came into the world. Even His name says it. “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

God Almighty has clearly set forth in His word the tragic nature of sin in the world, how it originated, and the moral ruin of the human race. Because of this, God acted in mercy and grace to provide the needed remedy for this situation. Mercy and grace are two of God’s many great attributes. 

Mercy means compassion or forgiveness, leniency, and generosity to someone who deserves punishment. In seeking divine intervention and help in certain situations, some of us have prayed to God to “have mercy on us.” There are frequent references to God’s mercy in the book of Psalms. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, God’s “mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22,23). 

Mercy is God actually withholding from us the punishment we deserve for our sin and rebellion against Him. David had experienced the mercy of God on many occasions. In his supplication to his compassionate God, David prayed: “But  you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15)