The Mercy of God
The Merciful God
Mercy:
“That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart
which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender
better than he deserves. The disposition that induces an injured
person to forgive trespasses and injuries, or inflict less than law
or justice will warrant. It implies benevolence, tenderness,
mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised
only towards offenders”(Webster's 1828). Unlike
man's mercy, God's Mercy
is Unmerited, Unlimited, and Unfailing.
A.
God's Mercy is Unmerited by Men
By
its definition, we see that mercy finds its merit, not in the one
shown mercy, but in the one showing mercy. God has no reason to give
mercy to sinners, except inside of Himself. “I
will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on
whom I have compassion. (Rom. 9:15)” We
do not deserve mercy. In fact, what we have earned is wrath.
“Someday,
Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in
flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and
on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus; They will
suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence
of the Lord and from the glory of his might”
(2 Thess. 1:7-9).
His justice demands payment for our sins. He must, and will punish
all sin. There is no thing that we can do that can get us mercy. Even
the good things that we do are seen by God as filthy, disgusting, and
putrid (Is. 64:6). Only for God's pleasure and will does He extend
mercy. “God
accepts no man’s merits but has free mercy” (Luther).
The greatest example in all of history of unmerited mercy is shown in
the Gospel. In Christ, dying for rebels who deserve hell. “Since
God's Justice is satisfied in Jesus, He is free to show mercy to all
those who have chosen to follow Him” (Brazier, 24) His
mercy does not reach to all men, only those who believe. We
are saved,
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
His mercy”(Titus 3:5).
God cannot merely forgive sins. His Just nature demands his
punishment of all sins. “The
blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
"He
himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to
sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed”
(1Pe_2:24) God
punished all sin in Christ's death on the cross. When we look at
God's wrath, it makes His mercy appear more glorious in our eyes. We
awe at such mercy, His holding back of our punishment. Such mercy
should be enough to worship Him for all of eternity; and yet, He does
so much more for us. He not only holds back what we deserve; but by
the Blood of Christ, makes us as Holy in His sight as Christ Himself.
Not only does He see us as Holy, He adopts us, calls us sons and
daughters, and invites us to come to Him, no longer fearing judgment.
“Mercy and Justice are my song;
And since they both to Thee belong,
My gracious God, my righteous King,
To Thee my songs and vows I bring”
“Mercy and Justice are My Song” by Isaac Watts
B.
God's Mercy is Unlimited by the Offense
Since
sin against God is against His infinite nature, he is infinitely
wrathful against sinners. We all deserve death. “How
often might God have glorified Himself in taking away our lives? It
is mercy that our lives have not gone for God's glory” (Jeremiah
Burroughs, 28). He
has mercy on the wicked, while they are on the earth. He gives them
the breath that they use to dishonor His name. He allows them to have
pleasure in their sin. When people die, some will be in heaven, and
some in hell. When the dead are raised, they will be raised “some
to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
(Dan 12:2).“On
the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word
they speak” (Mat 12:36)
The
Lord has every right to kill us now and punish us; but, in Mercy, He
holds back His wrath towards men.“The
mercy He shows in the face of our sin is holding off the Judgment of
Justice to a later time” (Challies).
If
God is to save sinners that are deserving of eternal hell, he must be
infinitely merciful. All sins must be forgiven. He says that, “If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"(1Jn_1:9). He
will forgive every sin, no matter how evil it is, if we turn totally
to Him (Matt. 12:31). God saves sinners. He saved Paul, a murderer of
Christians. He saved Rahab the prostitute. He saved Abraham, for no
apparent reason. He used Abraham to bless all the nations, why?
Because of His mercy.
God's
mercy is infinite in
measure towards His people. But is not extended to all men. Only
those who are repentant and believing are saved. But the repenting
does not save us, because, all of the good things that we do are
filthy rags (Is 64:6). "Even our tears of repentance must
be washed in the blood of the Lamb" (Greer, 73) Jesus
did not die for every person in world, He died for every person that
the Father gave Him (John 10:25-29, Rom. 8:28-34).“When the
'world' is said to be loved and redeemed, the reference is to the
great number of God's elect that are scattered worldwide.., not to
each and every person who did, does or shall exist” (Packer, 46)
“Oh Boundless Salvation! Deep ocean of love,
O fullness of mercy, Christ bought from above,
The whole world redeeming, so rich and free,
Now flowing for all men, Come, roll over me!”
“Oh Boundless Salvation” by William Booth
C. Unfailing
"All
that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I
will never cast out" (John 6:37) His mercy means that He will
never let go of us. As we come and keep on coming, asking for
forgiveness and believing that His Blood will cover us, He will hold
us fast. He is a Strong Rock, a Unmoving Protector of those who He
has chosen. He is Jehovah-Sabaoth, my Protector. Jehovah, the
Self-existing One, will never grow weary of keeping me in the shadow
of his wings. "The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died
with him, we will also live with him; if
we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself"
(2 Tim. 2:11, 13). Commenting on these verses, Matthew Henry wrote,
“He is faithful to his threatenings, and faithful
to his promises. This truth makes sure the unbeliever's condemnation,
and the believer's salvation" (Henry, 2 Tim 2:11). "Know
therefore that the LORD thy God, he is
God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them
that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations"
(Deut. 7:9). Matthew Henry also wrote on this verse, saying, “The
Lord thy God is not like the gods of the nations, subjects fit enough
for loose poetry, but no proper objects of serious devotion; no, he
is God, God indeed, God alone, the faithful God, ready to keep His
covenant and mercy” (Henry, Deut 7:1-11) "If we confess our
sins, he is faithful..." (1Jn_1:9) "[Sin]
must be confessed, and if I am too proud to confess, I need expect no
mercy from God and no answers to my prayers”
(Moody, ch 4, point 3)
“Mercy there was great and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied to me,
There my burdened soul found liberty, At Calvary”
“At Calvary” by William Newell
Application
-The
answer to any revelation of God's nature, attributes, or glory should
always be Worship.
Worship Him for His mercy, His holding back of His Justice and Wrath
by Christ's blood.
-As
we seek to give God glory by becoming like Him, we should Forgive
those who have sinned against us, no matter how evil the crime. (This
does not necessarily mean reconciliation.)
Works
Cited/Used
Brazier,
Colin. Doctrine of God Handbook. Greenville:
EI School Of Biblical Training, 2015-2016. Print.
Burroughs,
Jeremiah. Gospel Worship internet
Challies,
Tim. Online. Accessed: 11/10/2015
Grudem,
Wayne. Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
Print
Greer,
J.D. Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart. Nashville:
B&H Publishing Group, 2013. Print.
Henry,
Matthew. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible,
e-Sword Bible Program.
Luther,
Martin. Online. Accessed: 11/10/2015 https://tollelege.wordpress.com/
Moody,
D.L. The Overcoming Life. e-Sword
Bible Program.
Packer,
J.I. Concise Theology, Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers,
1993. Print
Pink,
A.W. Attributes of God, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House
Publishers, 2006. Print
The
Holy Bible, English Standard Version, New York: Good News
Publishers, 2001. Print
Webster's
1828 Dictionary, e-Sword Bible Program.
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