Here you go...

FINALLY! HERE is the promised excerpt from the Nancy Leigh DeMoss (& Tim Grissom) study, Seeking Him, that we've been doing on Fridays nights. This is how they illustrate the difference between mercy and grace:

If a young man is killed through some random act of violence, and his father tracks down the guilty person and kills him, we would call that vengeance. If, however, the father calls the police and the murderer is arrested, tried, convicted, and executed, we'd call that justice. If, at the trial, the father pleads for the guilty man's life to be spared and the judge and jury consent, we'd call that mercy.

Now imagine this: in addition to pleading for the guilty one to be spared, the father actually appeals to the judge to release the offender into his custody and care. Miraculously gaining approval, the father takes the young man into his heart and home, adopts him, and raises him as his own son...that would be grace!

And I think that is a very beautiful picture of God's way with us---his mercy spares us the punishment for our sin. His grace goes beyond that to not only make us acquitted, but accepted and loved and cherished inspite of our rebellion and trespasses. Amazing, grace. Isn't it?