So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy (Romans 9:16). God's mercy is not earned by our efforts, because "it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs." Will power and personal efforts can never save you. God's mercy is your salvation in Christ.
God's mercy is in Christ crucified for your sins. That is to say, the sacrificial death of Christ satisfies the demands of God's holiness and wrath against your sins. God's justice is satisfied for all who trust in Christ alone for mercy and justification. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2).
God's mercy takes away your sins through the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7). Mercy transforms your life. God's mercy changes your heart to change your life. Only God can change your heart. The word heart is a symbol for your inward nature. That is your mind, will, and emotions.
God's mercy transforms and renews you in Christ (Romans 12:1-2). God's mercy enables you to repent and trust in Christ. The word "repent" comes from two Greek words. Meta means change. Nous means mind. God's mercy leads you to repent (Romans 2:4).
