Under the dispensation of Law in the Old Covenant, in order to obtain favor from God, the Israelites needed to perform according to what the Law required plus, offer up the various type of sacrificial offerings ordained by God.
In the account of Moses praying to God to lead His people, he prayed: “If You are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with You. Remember that this nation is Your people.” Moses as the minister of Law, needed to perform and comply with the requirements of the Law in order to have favor in the eye of God.
Likewise, when we look at the account of prophet Daniel, he also needed to resolved first not to defile himself with the royal food and wine from king Nebuchadnezzar, then the Lord granted him favor and mercy in the eye of the official. Under Law, men needed to perform to deserve favor from God. This favor from God in the dispensation of Law was conditional.
As for mercy, the Israelites in their dispensation were blessed not because they obeyed the Law completely but they offered sacrificial offerings according to the provisions of the law when they failed. Their blessings were also depended on their high priest. If God accepted their high priest that year, they were blessed. It was the mercy of God to ordain His people to offer up sacrifices the moment Moses brought down the two tablets of stone from Mount Sinai. God could be merciful and forgive all their sins, but they were still sinners and needed to offer up sacrifices repeatedly. This is what mercy could do...
In the dispensation of grace after Jesus had died on the cross and resurrected on the third day of His death, His shed blood and His finished work at the cross had turn God's favor into GRACE and God's mercy into RIGHTEOUSNESS! After the cross, we do not have to do anything to deserve His grace.
2 Timothy 1:9 ~ Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
While we were still sinners, His grace was there waiting for us. We did not do anything good to deserve God's favor to be saved. We were all saved by GRACE through faith. When sin abounded, grace much more abounded! That is why we needed these extra words of “unearned, undeserved, and unmerited” to be added in front the word "favor" in order to define His GRACE. His GRACE is unearned, undeserved, and unmerited favor from God!
Likewise, when we received Jesus as your Savior, Father God not only had mercy on us by forgave ALL our sins, and because of Jesus' shed blood and His finished work at the cross, He went beyond the limitation of what mercy can give by giving us Jesus’ righteousness and consequently, made us a righteous man! We can now come boldly unto His throne because He did not just give us mercy, He added on to His mercy and gave us Jesus' RIGHTEOUSNESS! Oh Hallelujah...! What a finished work that our Lord Jesus Christ had done! Indeed, the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ speaks better thing! Wow...!!!!
We are all made righteous by faith not by work. If you understand this truth, you will not ask for favor and mercy anymore but instead, you will be wise enough to ask for the abundance provision of grace and the gift of His righteousness.
Romans 5:17 ~ For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
Do not settle for the things that we deserve. This is the mentality of a servant. In the dispensation of grace, we are all called the sons of God and we have the best. So receive the abundance provision of grace and the gift of His righteousness and you will reign in life!
