This blog is designed to make you "think". Also to encourage,exhort,edify and "Warn" the saints of God as we see the day of The Lord on the horrizon.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

The Mercy and Kindness of God Toward Sinners

God extended his Mercy, Love and Kindness to us all, when we were not in the least worthy.
As it is written:
And you hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins:
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:1-7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Peter 1:3

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Titus 3:5

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.   Matthew 9:13

God did not come to save the righteous, but rather to bring sinners to repentance. He came for those who needed His forgiveness, who needed His Mercy. God didn’t save any one of us because we were worthy of it, there will be no one in heaven who will be able to say "Well I know why I’m here; I was just such a good person".

As it is written:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

God did however, and still does, know our hearts.

But if any man love God, the same is known of him. 1 Corinthians 8:3

God knows us inside out, the creator knows His creation, and He expects us to walk in a way that is pleasing to Him.
Good works will follow Salvation, because His people want to please Him.
Others may think you’re not worth much, that you don’t do things correctly, but if you have a heart for God, you are precious to him.
The world may not see all you do but God does, and He sees how your heart breaks at the wickedness you witness in the world around you. He sees the time you spend praying for others, the people you try to help. God judges you by your kindness, longsuffering, meekness,  your compassion toward others, your love and your faithfulness to Him in all these things.
Jesus said, "For so much as you did this not unto them, you did it not unto me". God is concerned by the depth of our love, our capacity to forgive others. We all need the forgiveness and Mercy of the Lord, so therefore we must be willing to show that forgiveness and Mercy to others.

As it is written:
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  Colossians 3:12-13

We continue to receive the mercy of God as we extend that same Mercy towards others.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7

For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. James 2:13

Jesus was the one who showed mercy, who came to deliver those bound in the chains of sin, to set the captives free. Man because of his religious blindness closed their hearts to their deliverer. They were comfortable making their traditional sacrifices to the temple to atone for their sins, only to go right back out and commit the same sins again.

As it is written:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matthew 23:23

Many are quick to judge, and many have great faith, but quite often both of these traits are not tempered with mercy, which you can see in the above scripture, is sandwiched right in between Judgment and faith.

And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
Luke 1:50

As it is written in relation to the good Samaritan:
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Luke 10:30-37

The scriptures above show us that as God has extended His Mercy to us all, then we are to have mercy one to another.

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James 5:11

Read Nehemiah 9:11-31 Scan these verses to see the miracles of God for the people of Israel, to see the repeated sins of Israel, and yet in turn, the Great Mercy of God.

Read Psalm 106:1, Psalm 107:1-28 scan rest of psalm. We must remember always that it is purely by the mercy and grace of God that we are saved. May you be blessed as you study God's Word.