Jude 21 says, "Keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." This verse shows us that today we should keep ourselves in the love of God. Until the Lord comes again, that is, until He appears to us, we should await His mercy unto eternal life. Before we are raptured, we should await His mercy. Today while living on this earth, we receive not only mercy, but also grace. Thank the Lord that we have been saved and belong to God, but there is still one problem. Our bodies are not yet redeemed. Although we are no longer of the world, we are still in the world. It is good not to belong to the world, but this is not enough. Sooner or later the Israelites had to leave Egypt. Sooner or later Noah had to leave the ark to enter into the new age. Sooner or later Lot had to leave Sodom. And the day must come when the Christians must leave the world. While I am being attacked in this world, I await the mercy of the Lord Jesus. While I am being entangled by sin in this world, I await the mercy of the Lord Jesus. While I am being buffeted by Satan in this world, I await the Lord's salvation. Hence, while we are living on earth and keeping ourselves in the love of God, we await the day when the Lord will show mercy to us. Therefore, it is still necessary for His mercy to be upon us. We have to await His mercy until the day that we are raptured.

The Bible shows us one thing more concerning mercy and grace. Both in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament, the word mercy is always preceded by either show or have. Mercy is something that is shown, and those who are shown mercy are said to have received mercy. Why does the Bible say "to show mercy" instead of "to give mercy"? It is because mercy does not require our doing. Grace, on the other hand, requires some doing. When we obtain grace we obtain something definite. But when we receive mercy, it is only a receiving; all that we have to do is to receive.

Hebrews 4:16 exhorts us to come often to the Lord to pray. When we come to pray before the Lord, we will receive mercy and find grace for timely help. Some versions use the expression obtain mercy. But actually, in the original language, the word is not obtain. Obtain is something too active. The word is more passive in Greek. It should be translated "receive." We are to receive mercy and to find grace. What is to receive? To receive means that everything is here; it is always ready for use anytime. What is grace? Grace is something that you have to "find," because it is something that God will do. Grace is something positive; it is something to be worked out. That is why it says to "receive" mercy and to "find" grace. The Bible is very clear about mercy and grace. There is no confusion between the two.