What is the difference between the words “gracious” and “merciful?” Is there a difference? We often hear that God is both gracious and merciful in the same sentence. The phrase “gracious and merciful” is repeated many times throughout the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 30:9, Nehemiah 9:31, Psalm 111:4, Psalm 145:8, Joel 2:13). Are these words synonyms, or do they describe different attributes?
The word “merciful” is distinct from “gracious.” While “grace” is receiving something you cannot earn and do not deserve, “mercy” is not receiving something you do deserve. And our God surely is merciful towards us!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” 1 Peter 1:3, ESV
We are sinful beings, and because of this, we deserve punishment and death. But God shows great mercy towards us by allowing us to be forgiven and saved and justified through Christ’s death and resurrection. According to God’s mercy, we are cleansed of our sins, and the Holy Spirit is poured out on us (Titus 3:5-6). Our God is rich in mercy, and His mercies never end (Ephesians 2:4-5, Lamentations 3:22-23)! But Christians aren’t the only ones to receive the mercy of God,
“The LORD is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made.” Psalm 145:9
God’s mercy is over ALL – Christians and non-Christians. Now, this does not mean that non-Christians are saved or forgiven of their sins, but it does mean that non-Christians do experience some amount of His mercy. Jen Wilkin writes,
“The fact that you are currently inhaling and exhaling at this very moment means that you are a recipient of mercy.”[1]
Every person who has breath in their lungs and blood pumping throughout their body is experiencing God’s mercy. God could have ended our lives after our very first sin. He could have ended all of humanity after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. But our God is merciful! He loves us and desires relationship with us, and He has given us life so that we may come into relationship with Him, receive full mercy, and worship Him in everything.
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1
Out of His great mercy, God has given us life! Therefore, we must give our lives and our bodies back to God so we can be used for His great mission on this earth. We honor and glorify God by giving ourselves to Him and His purposes. And because He has shown great mercy towards us, we must also show great mercy towards others. As He is ministering to a great crowd, Jesus preaches-
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:35-36
Our Father is merciful! We have received God’s full mercy, so it is so important to show others, especially unbelievers, what this full mercy looks like. We are to be generous, loving, and kind towards those who don’t deserve it. We are to forgive those who wrong us and turn the other cheek (Matthew 18:21-22, Luke 6:29).
Throughout your life, you are going to come into contact with people who don’t seem to deserve your kindness, generosity, or forgiveness. But God has been kind to you! He is so generous and merciful, and He has forgiven all of your sins! And you did nothing to deserve that. You have been given your life, your body to further God’s kingdom. Be merciful today as your Father in Heaven is merciful to you. And if you find yourself in some sin, remember that God’s mercy towards you never ends! Turn away from that sin, and pray-
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” Psalm 51:1
[1] Jen Wilkin, In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018), 73.
