Mercy and grace may easily be confused with injustice or weakness. To see a man walk away when he should be punished or given a prize he has not earned are examples of both virtue and sin. Discerning between the two is almost impossible by a party that only has third-person perspective.
Judgment between mercy and injustice comes only occurs within the relationship of the individuals involved. Recognizing the possessor of authority reveals whether goodness has been demonstrated or evil has prevailed.
Criminals who maintain authority or power in and receive zero punishment for their crime hold the power during injustice. A judge forced, manipulated, bullied or overcome by the transgressor to give freedom is not the wielder of power. He was weak or sentenced injustice.
A criminal who is given freedom based on the authority of a judge, without any hope of prodding or procuring his own escape has no power in the situation. Here we see grace distributed.
It is the same in everyday life for everyday people. To be manipulated, controlled or forced to grant a verdict of non-correction within a relationship is injustice and weakness at its greatest. Conversely, when no penalty is held against an individual, based only on the benevolence of the judge/harmed, grace and mercy are truly present.
No one can judge this interaction fully from the outside. The parties involved always know who has the power and authority. It is through the possession of the authority from Jesus that we are able to bestow grace on individuals who have wronged us, yet avoid injustice. Likewise, our authority in Jesus cannot be overcome unless we give up our possession of it to those who have wronged us.
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