Mercy Not Judgment

I have increasingly witnessed in this world a lean toward special privilege for certain people. Whether it is for the rich, the physically disadvantaged, or the socially constructed. There seems to be a leaning to giving preferential treatment to grant them certain things that others may not be granted. Is this not judgment or showing partiality? I believe it is just that, judging them based on a characteristic that others may not be privy and being partial to that characteristic.

James speaks to this judgment and partiality in the first passage found in chapter two of his letter. He make the case against by simply speaking to the idea of granting a seat in an assemble to one wearing “fine clothing” and asking the one in “shabby clothing” to stand against the wall. This is judging or showing partiality based on status and not treating everyone equally.

“¹³For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” — James 2:13 (ESV)

He then speaks to this judgment in relation to providing mercy. Here James makes the case for simply providing mercy to all and that provides the equality that is warranted in the situation.

I have to remember that it is not about forcing things to create equality. In fact, by forcing things, I am showing partiality to the one over the other in a reverse situation. By granting the seat to the one in “shabby clothing” over the one in “fine clothing” I am creating the judgment and partiality on the reverse basis. I have to conscious of simply providing the seat to the one who is there and directing the other to the wall to stand. I am to provide mercy regardless of who and only in regard to the circumstance.

Mercy: a fortunate circumstance. Merriam-Webster Online

The above is one of the defined meanings of mercy. The fortunate circumstance James was referring to is who arrived first to get the seat in the assembly. That is the person to receive the seat and not based on what or how they are dressed. Yes, there is certainly more to the definition of mercy, yet it seems to me that this one gets overlooked in favor of the others. I believe we should be holding to the full and complete definition and not simply picking and choosing.

James indicates that we are to lean on the side of mercy and leave the judgment to God. When I am doing so, equality is realized as we err on the side of the immediate situation and not something that was generated due to someone’s station in life.

When have you judged as opposed to providing mercy? Have you every looked at the situation and granted someone something based on who they were and not on the situation itself? What if you were to look at and provide equal treatment of all through mercy in all situations as opposed to judging the individual?

Mercy = Access to God

This morning’s passage of scripture to study as relates to “mercy” is in Hebrews and I must say took a minute to resonate with me. I was focused on the “mercy seat” referenced and not the passage and it’s significance.

“⁵Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.” — Hebrews 9:5 (ESV)

My focus on the “mercy seat” and the time it took for me to understand was warranted and well worth it in that I did just that, understand. Again, there is more to it all than just the verse itself. I have to remember that just selecting a verse and looking to apply it is not the intention of God’s Word. Those singular verses can and are often misapplied.

The writer of Hebrews here is describing the Tabernacle and the significance of it and the rooms contained. It is not until I read the entire passage and understand that I see that access to God was provided thanks to His mercy. In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle was divided into multiple “rooms” and those rooms were restricted to those who were counted as worthy, priests and high priests. The people were not “allowed” to enter and therefor did not have direct access to God. The mercy seat, is more aptly understood to be the dwelling place of God and by it proximity in the tabernacle, was not available to the people.

“⁸By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing” – Hebrews 9:8 (ESV)

God then demonstrated His mercy. Jesus came and was sacrificed on the cross for our sins. He was presented by God as the sacrifice, taking the place of the people, me included, so I did not have to experience the agony and death attributed to sin. And thanks to God’s mercy through the death of Jesus, the people have direct access to Him.

“⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last.” — Luke 23:44-46 (ESV)

God’s mercy provided access to His dwelling place. Now you and I have the chance to come directly to Him at any and all times. Where as the mercy seat or dwelling place of God was restricted before, thanks to His mercy, there is now unrestricted access to Him. There is no longer a wall between He and I. I do not have to wait for the time of atonement. I can engage with God now and forever by simply calling on Him. His mercy equals access to Him.

What was/is your thoughts on access to God? Did you believe it was something that you had to earn, and that somehow He was too great for you? What if you just embrace the idea that before Jesus, there was restricted access to Him and thanks to His mercy, we are now have the unrestricted access to Him forever?

Saved by Grace Thanks to God’s Mercy

Each morning I approach God’s Word with an open mind and heart for Him to lead me in what it is He would have me. I only have a plan on where I will start and that is I continue with a word study from the concordance of my ESV Bible. Right now I am studying the word “mercy” and go one or two verses at a time in the day. The only expectation I have is that I will be impacted in some way by the word as used and meant in the verse, or from the passage as a whole. I do not force the study on a particular topic. This morning is no different as move to Ephesians and Paul’s passage titled “By Grace Through Faith”.

“⁴But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,” — Ephesians 2:4 (ESV)

Above is the verse that started my study this morning. Simple enough. God is rich in mercy and love for us. But when I look only at the verse, I am still confused and need more. So, I read on, starting at the beginning of the passage and find why Paul installs this verse into his letter.

“¹And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” — Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)

Paul writes of the mercy and love of God to let know that we are in need of it. The Ephesians and we were enslaved by the evil one. We were following the destructive path. “But God” provided the way out through His mercy and love.

“⁵even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:5-7 (ESV)

When I read past verse four I find that there is so much more thanks to God’s mercy. I have been not only given mercy and love, but I have also been given grace and salvation and the eternal reward of heavenly citizenship.

Putting it all together gives me the context of just what has been done for me and what my reward is. I was dead in sin, “But God” had mercy on me and loved me, regardless of my past. Thanks to that mercy, God offered me salvation through His grace free of charge and all I have to do is continue to have faith in Him.

I am truly blessed to have Christ with whom I can trust. He provides for me thanks to His immeasurable mercy, love, and grace. Thank you LORD!

What are you looking at to be saved? Are you working to somehow earn salvation? What if you just accepted that God’s mercy, love, and grace are enough and all you have to do is put your faith in Him?

We Don’t Earn Mercy

God provides mercy, it is not earned. I know it is challenging to understand all that God provides in His Word. As when we read the Beatitudes, Jesus even says to get mercy we have to give mercy.

“⁷Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” — Matthew 5:7 (ESV)

Well, that may be said, but here is what I understand after reading and studying more of God’s Word and not just picking and choosing the passages that suit me. I cannot earn the mercy of God. Mercy is something that I am compelled to give thank to the salvation provided by God. There is not something that I must do.

“¹⁵For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ ¹⁶So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.” — Romans 9:15-16 (ESV)

I read the words of Paul and at first glance may think that he is contradicting Jesus. He is saying that God has already decided to provide mercy to those He does. Jesus is saying that those that provide mercy will receive mercy. Well, here is what I believe to be. Paul’s words go hand in hand with Jesus’. You see, God has and will decide who receives mercy, and it is those who provide mercy at the compelling of being a child of God. It is not something that is earned rather something that is part of who we have become.

Those in the world are fully in the world and do things in that world for the world. Where there may be a lot of good that comes from their doing, it is in the world and the impact may be short sighted and self-aggrandizement. When we are doing things for the sake of God, it is for His glory and not our own. The good is for God and He will then take the good and multiply it even more, as we may have only been there to get things started and then move on to the next opportunity to give to others.

I am here to spread the gospel of Jesus to the world one action at a time and through the mercy, love, and compassion of Him who has tasked me to do so. I am not looking for mercy, I am giving it. In return for my giving, I am given even more than I have realized to this point. I do not earn mercy as it has already been given. I simply have the chance to see that which is provided me by God as He has said He would.

What good are you doing in the work as pertains to providing mercy to others? Are you looking for something in return? What if you looked at mercy as not something earned, but something given, by you to others and to you by God?

Added to the Family of God

I think about all that takes place to be added to a family here in this world. Well first there is the natural order of child birth. That is not the simplest of things and takes a good amount of time. Second, there is adoption and that can be time consuming and expensive and there is a lot of work to be done. There is a lot to it being added to a family here in this world. What about to be added to the family of God?

“⁴¹So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls…⁴⁶And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” — Acts 2: 41 & 46-47 (ESV)

I read this morning in Acts that what is required to be added to the family of God is receiving the Word of God. Only the need to hear and be added. All can happen in a few minutes. No long time to prepare. No money needed. Only to believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and to devote yourself to Him.

“²¹And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’” — Mark 10:21 (ESV)

The only requirement is to believe and follow Christ to be added to the family of God. It is not hard to be added, and the cost does not seem high. There is only to follow Christ and believe in Him to be added. And as noted from the rich young man’s story in the following verse, it is still more than most are willing to commit.

“²²Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” — Mark 10:22 (ESV)

Being added to the family is an undertaking. Whether it is adding to this worldly family and going through all the work and or time it takes. Or is it being added to the family of God and giving all of yourself to Him. Either is something that takes commitment. Although to become a member of the family of God is easy in the actions needed and only takes a moment, it is not to be done without the commitment to Christ. The devotion to Him is an in kind devotion He has to me. I have to give all of myself to Him and know that for it, I have received salvation and a relationship with Him, and my final rewards are not of this world, but in heaven.

It is worth the commitment to me. I have family here in this world that took work and continues to do so each day. I have been added to the family of God and where being added was not as difficult, my commitment is one that takes work and continues each day.

What does being added to the family of God look like to you? Are you resistant to the thought of what is required? What if you accepted the Word of God to be added to the family and then committed to the work that continues each subsequent day?

Nothing Can Be Added

As I have been studying, I have thought about and written that nothing should be added or taken away from the Word of God. This morning I have been reminded in God’s Word that nothing can be added to His work.

“¹⁴I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. ¹⁵That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.” — Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 (ESV)

God endures forever and therefor His work endures forever. I forget that sometimes as I work my way through this world. I continue, as a man, working to do for myself and forget that God has already worked everything out for me as noted in verse 15 above. He has already outlined the day and the days to come for me and it is my role to dig into His word and find that outline for me and execute.

Where I am to execute the plan that God has for me, I am to do the work to get the result He has already accounted for. I refer the idea of “commander’s intent – (the desired endstate) – https://www.nwcg.gov/sites/default/files/wfldp/docs/Shattuck.pdf, page 2” in accomplishing the work. I am tasked with conducting the work and allowing God’s plan to be realized through my work. The “endstate” has already been determined by God an I am here to carry out the work to reach the “endstate”. I do not know how the work I do impacts the “endstate”, I only know that I am to do the work. The work of God is already predetermined, at least the result is, and there is nothing I can or should do to add to or take away from that end result. Each instance is its own and God has already determined it all and only the completion of the work assigned should be in my purview.

I have and will do enough to accomplish the work that God has for me. I only need to do the work assigned and allow God’s work to shine through my work. I am just the hands doing the physical labor as God is the architect of the end result. His plan has already been established and I am not here to add to that plan or take from that plan, only to execute to realize the plan.

What have you been doing as relates to the work of God? Are you trying to do more than your task to somehow further impact the end result? What if you simply did the work that God has for you and allowed for His plan to unfold based on that work?