What is the difference between grace and blessings

Question

Answer

Mercy and grace are closely related. While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not exactly the same. Mercy has to do with kindness and compassion; it is often spoken of in the context of God’s not punishing us as our sins deserve. Grace includes kindness and compassion, but also carries the idea of bestowing a gift or favor. It may help to view mercy as a subset of grace. In Scripture, mercy is often equated with a deliverance from judgment (e.g., Deuteronomy 4:30–31; 1 Timothy 1:13), and grace is always the extending of a blessing to the unworthy.

According to the Bible, we have all sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). As a result of that sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23) and eternal judgment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12–15). Given what we deserve, every day we live is an act of God’s mercy. If God gave us all what we deserve, we would all be, right now, condemned for eternity. In Psalm 51:1–2, David cries out, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Pleading for God’s mercy is asking Him to show kindness and withhold the judgment we deserve.

We deserve nothing good from God. God does not owe us any good thing. What good we experience is a result of the grace of God (Ephesians 2:5). Grace is simply defined as “unmerited favor.” God favors us—He shows us approval and kindness—in blessing us with good things that we do not deserve and could never earn. Common grace refers to the blessings that God bestows on all of mankind regardless of their spiritual standing before Him, while saving grace is that special blessing whereby God sovereignly bestows unmerited divine assistance upon His elect for their regeneration and sanctification.

Mercy and grace are evident in the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. We deserved judgment, but in Christ we receive mercy from God and are delivered from judgment. In Christ we receive eternal salvation, forgiveness of sins, and abundant life (John 10:10)—all gifts of grace. Our response to the mercy and grace of God should be to fall on our knees in worship and thanksgiving. Hebrews 4:16 declares, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

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grace | blessing |

As nouns the difference between grace and blessing

is that grace is (not countable) elegant movement; poise or balance while blessing is some kind of divine or supernatural aid, or reward.

As a verb grace

is to adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.

Other Comparisons: What's the difference?

grace

Noun

  • (not countable) Elegant movement; poise or balance.
  • (not countable) Charming, pleasing qualities.
  • * 1699 , , Heads designed for an essay on conversations
  • Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace : the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it.
  • * Blair
  • I have formerly given the general character of Mr. Addison's style and manner as natural and unaffected, easy and polite, and full of those graces which a flowery imagination diffuses over writing.
  • (not countable, theology) Free and undeserved favour, especially of God. Unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification.
  • (not countable, theology) Divine assistance in resisting sin.
  • (countable) Short prayer of thanks before or after a meal.
  • (finance) An allowance of time granted for a debtor during which he is free of at least part of his normal obligations towards the creditor.
  • (card games) A special move in a solitaire or patience game that is normally against the rules.
  • Verb

    (grac)

  • To adorn; to decorate; to embellish and dignify.
  • He graced the room with his presence. He graced the room by simply being there. His portrait graced a landing on the stairway.
  • * (rfdate) (Alexander Pope)
  • Great Jove and Phoebus graced his noble line.
  • * (rfdate) (Shakespeare)
  • We are graced with wreaths of victory.
  • To dignify or raise by an act of favour; to honour.
  • * (rfdate) (Knolles)
  • He might, at his pleasure, grace or disgrace whom he would in court.
  • To supply with heavenly grace.
  • (Bishop Hall)
  • (music) To add grace notes, cadenzas, etc., to.
  • blessing

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)

  • Some kind of divine or supernatural aid, or reward.
  • A pronouncement invoking divine aid.
  • *, chapter=5
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Then everybody once more knelt, and soon the blessing was pronounced. The choir and the clergy trooped out slowly, […], down the nave to the western door. […] At a seemingly immense distance the surpliced group stopped to say the last prayer.}}

  • Good fortune.
  • (paganism) A modern pagan ceremony.
  • The act of declaring or bestowing favor; approval.
  • A thing one is glad of.
  • A prayer before a meal; grace.
  • A group of unicorns.
  • * 2008 , Betsy Schiffman, " Time To Trash the Intellectual Property System, Says Report", Wired , 11 September 2008:
  • And since we’re laying out our wishes, we’d also like a blessing of unicorns and one million dollars.
  • * 2009 , Andrew Orlowski, " Facebook music dashboard: Revenue at last?", The Register , 13 September 2011:
  • Then a blessing of unicorns charged into the studio, and I was carried away to be re-educated.
  • * 2011 , Suzette Mayr, Monoceros , Coach House Books (2011), ISBN 9781552452417, page 94:
  • She just wants to talk to her friends on www.unicornwillsaveus.com or write in her journal or flump on her bedroom floor with her blessing of unicorns: her posters, figurines, stickers, temporary tattoos of anatomically correct unicorns.

    Derived terms

    * blessing in disguise * count one's blessings * mixed blessing

    Is blessings the same as grace?

    1. Grace is a free and unmerited gift from God, while a blessing is a merited reward from God. 2. You can get grace even if you're not worthy of it, but you can only get a blessing if you deserve it.

    What is the biblical meaning of grace?

    grace, in Christian theology, the spontaneous, unmerited gift of the divine favour in the salvation of sinners, and the divine influence operating in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification.

    What does blessings of grace mean?

    The Meaning of Blessing This describes a believer as being in an enviable position for receiving God's provisions (favor) – as being an extension of his grace. This happens with receiving the Lord's inbirthings of faith (HELPS Word Studies).

    What are the 4 types of grace?

    John Wesley and the Wesleyan Traditions speak of four types of grace: prevenient, justifying, sanctifying, and glorifying.