Mercy and Love of God 14 June 2015, Siegfried Maré A suggestion how the content of this manual can be used: The content of this manual are based on bible verses (obtained mainly from the King James bible and using the Strong s concordance to obtain the full meaning of the words used in the verses) which are the basis for the points or views that are discussed. For your convenience you will find the Strong s and other references used at the end of this manual. Use this manual as a guide for your own study of the WORD of GOD. Enjoy and let your mind be renewed by your Saviour. Love the Word of God. It is your source of life. Please note that this manual has no copy right. Die AkkerChristelike Kerk is an Afrikaans Church in Johannesburg South Africa. This manual is written in English so that it can be used all over the world. For more information about us please contact us at info@dieakker.co.za Points that are discussed in this manual Introduction... 2 1. What must be different being a son/daughter?... 2 a. Being saved from evil... 2 b. Understand the will of God... 2 2. How can I affect this difference?... 2 a. Yield... 3 b. Obey... 3 c. Understanding... 3 3. My responsibility has changed when I became a son/daughter... 3 a. Mercy... 3 b. Expectation... 4 Summary... 4
Xxx... 5 Introduction Finding our identity as a son/daughter of our heavenly Father brings its own questions: What must be different being a son/daughter? How can I affect this difference? Did my responsibility change when I became a son/daughter? This manual will look at answers to the above questions. Love Jesus. He loves you. His love is sure even though you sometimes do not feel it you can read about this great LOVE in the bible. 1. What must be different being a son/daughter? In Eph 5:16-17 (NKJVS) we read: 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. a. Being saved from evil We all have been saved from evil slavery as is written in: Eph 2:1-4 (NKJVS) 1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, b. Understand the will of God Therefore our difference is that we CAN understand the will of God which includes: i. the knowledge of those things which pertain to salvation ii. the ability to put together, i. e. (mentally) to comprehend; by implication, to act piously iii. to perceive the will, choice, inclination, desire and pleasure of the Lord 2. How can I affect this difference? We have been saved from evil and came to the understanding of God s will for us because of God s: Mercy; and Love. To be able show mercy (Point 3a in this manual) I have found that I must first be able to LOVE. To have love there must not only be a ME, because love does not seek its own (I Co13:5) but a YOU also. Mercy 2
To be able to love I must remember that I also have been loved (Eph 2:4). This love has been shown to me by God having mercy for me, saving me from evil and has shown me the will of God. 1Ti 3:14-16 (NKJVS) shows us how we can love: 14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: Let us spell it out. Love will seek (believes, hopes and endures all things) that YOU can also: a. Yield Yield to the Great Mystery of the will, choice, inclination, desire and pleasure of the Lord so that you also can perceive it when you: b. Obey Obey God and experience how His WORD is manifested in the flesh. In other words: To manifest i.e to be plainly recognised or known to (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specially), a human. When you YIELD to God s will for you by obeying His WORD (Jn 4:34) you will come to: c. Understanding Understanding being Justified in the Spirit. To be justified in Spirit is to be: rendered righteous. To be rendered righteous is to be shown, exhibit, evince, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered to declare, pronounce one to be just. The justification happens as the Spirit leads you by grace to give yourself wholly to the Spirit of God which refers to God s: i. rational soul (Having reason or the faculty of reasoning) ii. vital principle (being that on which life depends) iii. mental disposition (meaning: - mind, understanding), Think about it. This is an amazing mystery! The difference is not just YOU but ME also (discussed in the next section under Mercy and Expectation). Because there is a me also, I have a responsibility when I became a son/daughter. 3. My responsibility has changed when I became a son/daughter a. Mercy To show mercy is to be compassionate (by word or deed, specifically by divine grace): - have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy (on). Mercy 3
I have received mercy and can show mercy because: 1Ti 3:16 (NKJVS) says God was seen by angels. I understand this mystery better when I look at the following verses: 2Jo 1:3 (NKJVS) 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. Exo 25:22 (NKJVS): 22 And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel. God s mercy is with me as His son/daughter because I have been justified by the Spirit of God as is written in As a son/daughter my responsibility is therefore to make opportunity to: i. look at God (for His thoughts and understanding), ii. behold to allow one's self to be seen (justified by His Spirit), and then iii. For God to appear. God will manifest Himself through an angel, pastor or messenger from God. Therefore I can have an expectation that His Love will be affected on ME and YOU. b. Expectation Because I have obtained mercy I can love with the expectation that YOU can also obtain mercy: Mat 5:7 (NKJVS) 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. I can therefore preach (proclaim, publish) boldly this good news (gospel) among the Gentiles because I know once: YOU believe (commit to trust God by obeying God) YOU also will be received up in glory which in turn will give YOU also : i. dignity, ii. glory (- ious), honor, and iii. the ability to praise and worship YOUR LORD JESUS Summary Yielding ourselves to God shown by our obedience to His WORD we found an understanding that godliness is a mystery obtained by the Mercy of God through His Spirit. Therefore we can expect a great reward when we diligently seek God as is written: Mercy 4
Heb 11:6 (NKJVS) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Xxx Mercy 5