Not Works, Mercy

“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)

God provided salvation out of mercy for me, not due to my works. First, I was saved young in life and at that point, was not out looking for salvation through my works. I was simply living life and was offered salvation and I accepted. So I did not really have the chance to accomplish a lot in the way of works to “earn” salvation. Second, as a sinner, I will never be able to “earn” salvation. I was, am, and always will be a sinner and that makes me not worthy of God’s grace, yet he gives me grace thanks to His mercy for me.

Lately I have been struggling with things not seeming to ever go right. I feel as though I am ignored and no matter the work that I perform, I am not even acknowledged for my existence. Oh, there is the cursory, “thank you” that comes out of politeness, yet there is no recognition that I have actually done something that others did not. In fact, there are those who are fully recognized and celebrated for simply doing what is expected of them and therefore I have gotten to the point of “why keep doing it”.

As I look into it all and work to understand, I have come to the conclusion that due to my continued doing more than what is expected, I have simply raised the bar for what is expected of me. My doing of the work, no matter how much I excel and take things to the next level, it is simply now the new expectation, FOR ME. And if I happen to miss one of those things that are clearly out of my scope, because I had been doing them before, I have somehow failed in the expectation.

“¹⁰And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, ¹¹though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls” – Romans 9:10-11 (ESV)

I know, this is a lot to read into, but let me wrap up my thoughts. I have to be comfortable knowing that I have done the work. I have to also know that no matter the work, God loves me and provides grace for me. He does not look at my works as the payment for my salvation. He looks at my works as the result of my salvation. I have to do the same. Others not recognizing my worth I have to put behind me. I have to remember that they are not the one I am glorifying, it is God, and He has called me, and provided me salvation and grace through His mercy.

What are you trying to “earn” through your works? Are you looking to your works as somehow the definer of your worth? What if you accepted that God does not look at your works as the payment for your salvation, but rather the result thanks to His mercy?

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?

The Promise, The Law, Now Faith

I am continually reminded of God and His wisdom and faithfulness. This morning I am reading in Galatians and have been led to the passage of the law and the promise in chapter 3. As I am reading I find that God started with the promise of a savior in the lineage of Abraham. And the promise is not amended or updated or changed by anyone. God made the promise and then kept it as we all should have as well.

Next, the law was introduced to keep the promise as the human spirit will always look for the ways to get around things. The law was not to take the place of the promise, only to keep things in line until the promise was fulfilled. Once the promise was fulfilled the law will then become obsolete.

And then the promise was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus. He provided the completion of the promise and faith now takes the place of the promise as that promise was kept. A new promise was made and again it will not change by anyone, God or man the like.

“¹⁶Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ. ¹⁷This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void…²³Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. ²⁴So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” — Galatians 3:16-17 & 23-24 (ESV)

So why the law in the first place, if the promise was to be kept? Why not just bring faith immediately instead of waiting “430 years”? Well, my thoughts are this way. What good would it be to promise something and then meet the promise at that moment. Wouldn’t it be just to act on as opposed to promising to act on? I know that I my work, I have things that are to be done and there are things that are done. If they are done, there is just the completion of the work. If there are things to be done, I commit to taking care of them by a point in time. Credibility in the promise is what is gained as the work is not that impactful in the grand scheme of things. I see that God has gained the credibility with the grand impact of Jesus. He promised and then delivered.

Until I am able to deliver on the commitment to complete things to be done, it is my duty to provide updates as to where I am in the process. I can complete things early, or if not able to meet the point in time, I am able to negotiate or report on the new point in time when expected to complete them. God provided updates in the form of laws to guide us through the time between the promise made and fulfilled. We had no defined point in time when the promise would be fulfilled, yet the laws were there to keep us on the path moving forward as we waited on the fulfillment of the promise. God gave us the promise and the updates to keep us engaged in the promise until fulfilled.

“¹⁹Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. ²⁰Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.” — Galatians 3:19-20 (ESV)

As I sit here this morning, I have to take away, once again, that our approach in this world to completing work is driven by the example God provides for us. God makes promises (I make commitments), God provides laws until fulfillment (I provide updates), then God fulfilled with faith (I provide completion). I am thankful for the LORD and His wisdom in my life to guide me through it all. God promises (to come again) and then fulfills those promises (returns with victory), yet He does not leave me unattended through it all, He guides me with His Word until the promise is fulfilled.

What beliefs are you finding in this world? Are you leery of the promises that you have been given? What if you were to lean on the promises that God has made and fulfilled as the example of how we should proceed?