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 works can never save us. God shows mercy in Christ.
God shows mercy in Christ crucified for our sins. That is to say, the sacrificial death of Christ satisfies the demands of God's holiness and wrath against our sin. God's just wrath is satisfied for sinners 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 shows mercy in the blood of Jesus taking away all our sins (1 John 1:7). Mercy through the gospel of Christ transforms our lives. God's mercy changes our hearts to change our lives. Only God can change our hearts. The word heart is a symbol for your mind, will, and emotions.
God shows mercy working within us. God's mercy renews the mind to understand the will of God (Romans 12:1-2). Such a change enables us to repent and come to faith in Christ. The word repent comes from two Greek words. Meta means change. Nous means mind. God's mercy leads us to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 2:4; 10:9).
