Library Home
>
All Subjects
>
M Subjects
>
Mercy
Mercy
Subject download …
Download PDF
Print
Share on Facebook
Share on X (Twitter)
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
See
GRACE
.
From Anstey’s
Doctrinal Definitions
:
Mercy
is
“not getting what we deserve”—
i.e. being judged for our sins.
It is often mentioned in contrast to
grace
, which has to do with
“getting something we don’t deserve”—
i.e.
salvation
and the many blessings associated with it.
Thus,
God
extends His
“mercy”
to men in their sins (
Eph. 2:4
4
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (Ephesians 2:4)
) because He does not want any to perish in a lost eternity (
2 Peter 3:9
9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
).
On the other hand, the
"mercies"
of God have to do with
temporal
things that God grants to men providentially in the vicissitudes of
life
on
earth
(
Gen. 32:10
10
I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands. (Genesis 32:10)
;
Psa. 40:11
11
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. (Psalm 40:11)
;
Lam. 3:22
22
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (Lamentations 3:22)
;
2 Cor. 1:3
3
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (2 Corinthians 1:3)
;
Phil. 2:1
1
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, (Philippians 2:1)
;
Col. 3:12
12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (Colossians 3:12)
). This would be things having to do with His care for people amidst the dangers of life, etc. Thus, in contrast to our
blessings
which are heavenly,
spiritual
, and
eternal
, the
mercies
of God are earthly and temporal provisions that He grants to men on earth. This distinction between
mercy
and
mercies
is a general thing in
Scripture
; there may be exceptions. (
“Mercies”
in
Romans 12:1
1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)
should be translated
“compassions”
).
The following quote from
The
Christian
Friend
magazine (E. Dennett,
editor
) is helpful in this regard: "In verse 3 [of Ephesians 1] we find the best kind of blessings, in the best place; they are in Christ, and they are all there. We have temporal mercies assuredly, but that is just a kind of passing thing, and not our portion" (
The Christian Friend,
vol. 9, 1882, pp. 213-214).
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Authors
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
All Authors
Bibles
Books
All Books and eBooks
Commentaries
Hymnbooks
Magazines
Reference
Stories & Bios
Subjects
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
All Subjects
Bible Truth Study Bible
Español (Spanish)
More
All Articles
Audio
Charts
Conferences & Events
Hymnbooks
Illustrations & Quotes
Maps
Magazines
Poetry
Sunday School
Store