Mercy, Grace or both???

August 25th,2017

Hebrews 4:16  (KJV):  “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

The two words that has drawn my interest are “mercy” and “grace”.  My questions were, are they the same and if not what is the difference to the dead and those who are alive in Christ.

Bible facts:   Mercy 208 x’s OT:  54 x’s NT     262 total

    Grace 37 x’s OT:  122 x’s NT     159 total

Grace is used by Paul 84 x’s of the 122 x’s used.  Although a few are used in the greetings.  John did use grace three times: John 1:14, 16 &17.  

This is how i understand this passage as applies to me (Ro 15:4).  If any have input to help my understanding or to correct me, i’m open to learning.

When Adam sinned in his disobedience of partaking of the tree God could have destroyed Adam, Eve and all off spring of theirs immediately.  But God demonstrated mercy and allowed Adam an additional 930 years.

Sidebar:  It doesn’t state that it (counted age) was before and after the fall; i’m of a mind that those years of Adam were after his fall.  When Adam sinned he started to die physically from that point on making him mortal.  No where does scripture tells us how long after the creation of Adam to the day of sin was.  Was it a day, week month year, we don’t know, but i don’t believe it was immediate to their creation, it could have been millions or more years.  i believe that the reason for not telling us is that information hasn’t any bearing on mankind’s death or salvation needs.  So for me the starting point for Adam’s age was at the time of the fall; your thoughts?

So then, what ever, God showed mercy upon His creation.  God started dispensations with man,  i.e. that through out the rest of time God did, would and will deal with man in different ways.  Patriarchal period with no law.  Period of law, by the giving too Moses.  Period of grace as revealed to Paul.  Then the tribulation & millennium. Lastly the introduction into the Kingdom of God, were eternity commences, but not as a period of time.

Sidebar:  Eternity is a word that we as humans can use but have a most difficult time to explain.  It is hard to explain something that one has no experience with.  Eternity has never had a beginning, will never have an end.  We are captive of time in eternity; the best way i have come to understand it is this:  it’s always now, there is a past and a future, but all i have or will have, is the now, the now of eternity.  Easy to say but oh so hard to comprehend, i’ll accept it by faith and leave it to God’s knowing.  This may be difficult, but to me God is still just as much now at the “In the beginning God” and before to the forevermore to come. He created time when it reads “In the beginning God”  that started time for what God wants us to know (Deut 29:29), i’m satisfied with that.

But grace:  grace came by Jesus Christ who “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:14-17.  Jesus was, is and will be,  grace and truth, there isn’t any lacking in Him, He was truly complete, without sin, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:9.  

Because of mercy man was allowed to continue to live a physical life.  But spiritual life comes by grace: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8.  We, all mankind are safe by mercy until man is made conscience of sin (Ro 3:23) and to see “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” Titus 2:11.

Sidebar:  There are those in trying to make a case against God’s wisdom, will say what about those Hoten Toot’s in deep Africa or those who have never heard; leave that to God’s judgement.  Its not for the unbeliever to make excuse as to why, what about them: but to the hear and respond.  Either “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10    OR     “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”  Revelation 20:11-15.  

It reads “and they were judged every man according to their works.”  That is an individual judgement, it’s on everyone that has ever received the breath of life, becoming a living soul to stand and give an account unto God.  i see that the question at judgement may very well be “What did you do with Jesus?”  Will one’s answer be “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;”  John 16:8-10 or will it be by believing “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”  1 Corinthians 15:1-4.  There no middle ground but to believe God (Titus 1:2) or to believe satan (2 Cor 4:3-4)

Thank You Lord Jesus for loving me and giving me Your life, unending, eternal and everlasting.  i never deserved it and can’t;  nor have ever been worthy of.  i believe You, that You have done all for me that You have declared to be needed.  i’m most thankful, really thankful;  so joyously glad that You were so merciful and are so gracious to me, whom You have made right with Yourself, by faith alone; the only true God, the Lord Jesus Christ by and through Your perfect spotless blood, then giving me life by and through Your resurrection so that by that i do have life, life in You.  Forever indebted to You for doing the work You demanded from me, which i can’t not ever could do, but to rest in Your completed work on my behalf.  Thank You, In Jesus’s name, Your name, the only name “full of grace and truth”. . . . . . .