Grace, Mercy And Peace

by J. Miller | Category: General | Feb 1962

In all the epistles in which we have the salutations of the writers at the beginning of their epistles, the salutations are "Grace" and "Peace," save in the two epistles of Paul to Timothy and the second Epistle of John. In these three epistles the salutations are of

Grace, Mercy, Peace." The order in which these three words are found is the order in which we know these excellencies which are the fruit of divine love toward us. Of grace an eminent scholar writes, that in the Greek schools,

Grace implied ever a favour freely done, without expectation of return - the word being thus predisposed to receive its new emphasis, its religious, I may say its dogmatic, significance ; to set forth the entire and absolute freeness of the lovingkindness of God to men. Thus Aristotle, defining grace, lays the whole stress on this very point, that it is conferred freely, with no expectation of return, and finding its only motive in the bounty and free-heartedness of the giver."

While grace has ... reference to the sins of men, and is that glorious attribute of God which these sins call out and display, His free gift in their forgiveness, mercy has special and immediate regard to the misery which is the consequence of these sins."

In the order of the manifestation of God's purposes of salvation the grace must go before the mercy, the grace must go before and make way for the mercy. It is true that the same persons are the subjects of both, being at once guilty and miserable; yet the righteousness, which it is quite as necessary should be maintained as His love, demands that the guilt should be done away, before the misery can be assuaged; only the forgiven may be blessed. He must pardon, before He can heal; men must be justified before they can be sanctified."

These helpful words of this eminent writer are worthy of being remembered. Paul and Peter in their letters to the saints are occupied with the thought in their salutations that grace which is entirely unmerited on man's part has brought believers into such freedom from guilt and into a state of abiding peace with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. But in the personal letters of Paul to Timothy, and of John to the elect lady and her children, in referring to mercy they touch a tender chord in the relief from sorrow and misery which God's forgiveness has given to the heart.

Another writer says of mercy and grace,

"Mercy, love of pity to man, as a sufferer; grace, the freeness of divine love to man, as a sinner. In the divine mind mercy precedes grace, but in the reception of the divine blessing grace (pardon) must precede mercy. The sense of unpardoned sin must be removed before the misery of sin can be mitigated."

"As mercy is the effect of grace, peace is the joint result of grace and mercy ... peace denotes an inward repose and security."

"Grace, the divine love manifesting itself to man, and peace, the state that results from a reception of it."

J. Miller | Feb 1962
General