The Kindness and Severity of God

"Behold, the kindness and severity of God..." (Romans 11:22).

As a follower of Christ, I have been the blessed recipient of immeasurable mercy and extravagant grace. I am forever grateful that's "by grace through faith" because this places the free provision of God in reach of us all. But, of late, I've become disturbed by certain misunderstandings of grace and mercy that have crossed my path, clothed in the choices and actions of fellow believers. These misunderstandings, though they may not be intentional, serve only to excuse us from the Cross and, therefore, are harmful to us. The way of Life, the way of growth in Christ, is the way of the Cross. There is none other. So, understanding grace and mercy properly is crucial to our life with Jesus.

Grace is the free, extravagant provision of God by virtue of what He accomplished through the Christ-event: the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. No matter what needs we encounter in daily life, we have access "by grace through faith" to any and all of the immeasurable riches and resources of God through Jesus Christ. Grace, therefore, is God's scandalous generosity.

Mercy is different. Mercy is one of the super-abundant provisions of grace. Mercy is being released from a just and due punishment. When you get what you don't deserve, that's grace; when you don't get what you do deserve, that's mercy.

The thing that bothers me is that I hear Christians using the word "grace" in a way that best describes mercy. They say things like, "Show him some grace", when speaking of letting someone "off the hook" for some wrong. Neither grace nor mercy excuse or ignore the crime, but this misuse of the term "grace" comes close. This misuse gives the impression that grace means to overlook the offense and to remove all consequences. But the scriptures say something different and we need to be reminded of the workings of grace and mercy.

What we have forgotten is that we can suffer loss through our choices. In 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, the Apostle Paul says that we build with imperishable things or we can build with perishable things. The former is eternal and remains, the latter is "wood, hay, and stubble" and will be burned up by the fire. "If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss" (v. 15). In the same epistle, Paul exhorts us all to "run in such a way that you may win" (1 Cor. 9:24). This is not legalism. This is discipline and excellence being encouraged.

When the woman was caught in adultery and brought before Jesus (John 8:1-11), He demonstrated grace and mercy in response to her sin. In saying, "Neither do I condemn you", Jesus demonstrated mercy. He knew (and she knew) that she was guilty - of that sin and even more - but He released her from the punishment due. But when He said, "Go, and sin no more", He demonstrated grace. In that command, He was also imparting to her the resources to fulfill it. Jesus knew that she couldn't do it without the grace of God and that one sentence He revealed to her, in the light of her need, the scandalous generosity of God. Had Jesus merely released her from the punishment (which what the misuse I spoke of earlier does), He would have done her a massive - maybe even eternal - disservice. She would have been off the hook and free to do what she had always done, with hopes of never getting caught again. Instead, He released her from the punishment of her crimes against God (mercy) and gave what was needed to no longer be criminal (grace).

Thank God for mercy - and for grace!