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The following story is told by a former teacher from a private school. This story is copied from the Lavista Church of Christ web-site from a lesson called My God of Mercy Several years ago I taught High School math and science in a private school. As occasionally happens, one student copied from another and turned in the assignment. The school s policy was to give zero grades to both the cheater and the one from whom he copied. This was felt to be the only fair thing to do since it was hard to determine who did the work and who copied. It also encouraged students to retain control over their work. Fortunately the school did not have a zero tolerance plan. Teachers were allowed to modify the policy as they saw fit. On handing out the grades, I informed both boys that I had caught them, that they received zero grades as per the school policy, and that they were to write a short paper on a set of verses that I gave them as a punishment. 2
To the boy that I was fairly certain cheated I gave a list of verses on the subject of laziness. To the other boy I gave a much shorter list of verses on responsibility. When they turned in the assignments, I privately asked each boy what he had learned from the assignment. The cheater took the opportunity to complain that I had given him a longer list of verses. He went on to grumble about how unfair life was for him. The other boy, when asked, won t look me in the eye. He humbly explained that he realized he bore responsibility for the result because he let the other boy borrow his notebook that contained the finished assignment. I told the second boy that I was restoring his grade. He looked up at me in complete surprise. You don t have to do that! I was wrong! 3
Yes, you were, I replied, and you are exactly right, I don t have to do this. But I am going to do it because I want you to learn another lesson: I want you to understand the meaning of mercy. Mercy means to be compassionate The teacher demonstrated mercy by not punishing the student like he really deserved! God demonstrates His mercy towards us in similar fashion. The Psalmist tells us of the mercy of God Ps 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 4
Again the Psalmist says God is merciful Ps 86:15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. Joel tells us that God is merciful Joe 2:13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Even God, Himself says He is merciful! Ex 34:6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, Peter speaks of the mercy of God 1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 5
Paul tells Titus about the mercy of God Tit 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Finally, Paul tells the Ephesians about the mercy of God. Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), All of us have done things that are deserving of death! God s law since the beginning of time has been, the punishment for sin will be spiritual death. This was the law God gave to Adam and Eve. Ge 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." 6
Paul reminds the Roman Christians of this eternal law Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. James also points out this principle Jas 1:15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. All men are under the penalty of spiritual death because all men have sinned! Ro 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, What a relief it should be to know that our God is a merciful God! The Bible, in both the old and new testaments emphasizes how merciful He is. Some of the most beautiful verses in the scriptures talk about how merciful God is towards mankind. It is only thru the great mercy of God that we will be able to escape the punishment we deserve for the sins all of us have committed. 7
Jas 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. The strict requirements of God s law demand punishment of sin. But, thru the mercy of God we can escape that terrible punishment. Some may incorrectly think, What a relief, God is going to save me even though I am a sinner And since God is going to save me even though I am a sinner then there is no need for me to quit sinning Many people today believe and live their lives according to this false idea. They believe, since God is merciful, that He will save them no matter how they live their lives. This false doctrine is nothing new. Paul had to address this same idea with the church at Rome. Ro 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 8
He also addresses this same problem with the Christians at Galatia Ga 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Christians have been liberated or freed from the punishment of sin by the mercy of God! However, the ability to have our sins forgiven is not a license to then involve ourselves in the works of the flesh or sin! One of the problems with this kind of thinking is that I have decided whether or not God will have mercy on me. However, it s not up to me to decide if God will show me mercy. God decides who He will show mercy to! Ro 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 9
God owes mercy to no man. Let s not get the idea from this that God is going to arbitrarily dispense His mercy on some men and not others. That s the idea behind predestination There is nothing arbitrary about the way God will dispense His mercy. As a matter of fact, God has told us who He will have mercy on! Ex 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. God states here that He will have mercy on some and punish others. Who are these people He will have mercy on? 10
If we go back a few chapters, then we will see a principle mentioned that teaches us who God will have mercy on. Ex 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. This same principle taught in the Old Testament holds true for us even today. God has decided that He will show mercy to those who love and obey Him! Heb 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, Ro 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 11
17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. When did God through His mercy free them from the penalty of death? When they obeyed! Conclusion Our God is a loving and merciful God! He wants to show mercy to all men. He doesn t take any pleasure in the destruction of the wicked. Eze 33:11 "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel? 1Ti 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 12
Conclusion Even though God wants to show mercy to all, He will not show it to those who don t obey Him! Heb 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, God is ready and willing to show us mercy and forgiveness Ps 86:5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. We don t need to waste the limited opportunities we have to obey God and seek His mercy! 13