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?

Ministry Thanks to Mercy

This morning I was brought to Paul’s 2^nd letter to the Corinthians. In the 4^th chapter, he writes of “The Light of the Gospel”, Jesus. I am studying the word “mercy” and verse one is where I find the word.

“¹Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.” — 2 Corinthians 4:1 (ESV)

I will admit, that when reading this verse, I was a little unsure of what to think. Yet, I read on and that is where I find the depth of where Paul began.

Paul tells that we are to just keep on keeping on doing the work of the LORD. I am to spread the gospel and know that God will do the work to open the eyes of those to receive it. In this world, there are plenty who scheme to hide the truth. The thing is that the light of Jesus Christ will always win out. When there is a dark room, the light from a single candle exposes that which is in the room and so it is with the light of Christ. Those who hide the truth are counting on the darkness and Jesus’ light exposes the truth.

In the keeping on with the work of the LORD, I am spreading the light of Christ into the world. I am not concerned with myself and what will become of me as that has already been promised. I just keep spreading the gospel and allowing the light of Christ to shine in all the places of darkness. His light will win out and provide the same promise that was provided to me.

“⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” — 2 Corinthians 4:4-5 (ESV)

Now that I know my work is to just keep on keeping on, I know that my impact/ministry is reliant on God. All that I am doing is for Him to manifest results, not me. It is through His mercy that my impact/ministry’s results are realized. I am only here to do the work and give all glory to God in the process. I have to remember that without the mercy of God and the light of Christ, I am simply contributing to the darkness around me. I carry the light of Christ and through His mercy I am making an impact.

“⁶For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV)

What contributes to your impact/ministry? Are you relying on your own work and hoping for to be rewarded with the result? What if you took the approach that your impact/ministry was thanks to and reliant on the work of God and His mercy, you simply carry the light and spread the gospel and allow Him to manifest the results since your reward has already been promised?

God’s Mercy Allows for Trust

“²⁵Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.” — 1 Corinthians 7:25 (ESV)

I have continue to indicate in my writings and in all that pertains to my study of God’s Word and its impact on me that I am not an expert. I have not been to seminary and am only a sinner working through this world working to live out my kingdom purpose. The above verse from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians lets me know that I am indeed headed in the right direction. God’s mercy allows for my words and actions to be trusted. I know, how can I be trusted. Well, let me try and explain my thoughts on it.

As a follower of Christ I have dedicated my life to doing that which is pleasing to Him. I am tasked with spreading the gospel and ensuring that all who I come in contact with have the opportunity to receive and experience the salvation that He offers. As I have dedicated to the LORD, I have been forgiven of those area where I fail. The sins I have committed have been forgive as have those sins that I will commit. My actions to bring the gospel to everyone require that I provide mercy to all as all are in need of mercy. As noted in the beatitudes by Jesus in His sermon on the mount;

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

Thanks to the LORD, I have received mercy and I will continue to do His will in my life. As the LORD can be trusted, so can I as I have been trained up and sent out to do His work.

“¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

Paul was sent out by God to do His work and was counted as trustworthy in God’s Word. He was understood to love all and only want was in the best interest of all as pertains to the gospel and the mercy of the LORD. The Lord’s mercy provided to Paul allowed for Him to be trusted with the gospel and ensuring that God’s Word was indeed spread as far as he could reach. So it is for me. I, thanks to the Lord’s mercy, can be trusted with and to spread the gospel as far as I can reach. God’s mercy allows for trust.

What is it that allows for you to be trusted? Are you looking to worldly knowledge and authority? What if you were to simply use the mercy provided by God to spread the gospel and His Word to reach all in your path?

Mercy is Greater

Money and monetary gifts are important as they allow the acquisition of other things. In the gift giving seasons, we make it a habit to give expensive items to “show” how much we care for the other. Where it is good and right to “show” that we care for others and provide for their monetary needs, it is their other needs that should be of more concern for us.

“²³Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. ²⁴You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” — Matthew 23:23-24 (ESV)

Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees here and giving them a basic scolding on the lack of actions that they take while telling others they should be more mindful to do the right things. Jesus is explaining to them that they are the proverbial “do as I say” people. In the above verses, Jesus exclaims the woe in their actions of giving some “monetary” gifts (as spices where used as currency in this time) and yet they were neglecting the more thoughtful and useful gifts of justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

It is easy to simply “cut a check” for something and difficult to provide something more. I look at those who do charity work and those who are credited with charity work. Those donors are celebrated for providing for the charity work to be done, yet when the work really needs to be done, they are off jet setting around the world and are not bothered with getting their hands dirty. Those who do the work are struggling to get by financially, but are living the high life thanks to their giving of themselves and the fulfillment that comes with it.

Now I am not saying that the giving monetarily is not needed, as I noted above, this is how the purchase of goods and services come about. But as Jesus says, “the weightier matters of the law; justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” It is the giving of these gifts to support the whole of the others that is more important than the monetary.

Mercy is better than money. Justice is better than money. Faithfulness is better than money. Each of these provide more to the individual than money and they demonstrate more thoughtful and sincere giving than just cutting the check. I have to remember to give of myself and not just of my pocketbook. I have to provide for the other needs of the individual and not just the monetary needs.

What gifts have you given simply because they were easy? Are you neglecting the other needs of the individuals? What if you gave the easy and then provided for the more difficult “weightier matters” in the individual’s lives, “justice and mercy and faithfulness”?

Mercy is God’s Not Man’s

It is more important to follow the law if God as opposed to the law of man. Yes, I have a responsibility to do that which is right under the law and a large amount of the time following the law of man is going to align with the law of God. It is in those times where there is conflict between the two that I have to remember to follow the law of God and whatever consequences come from man as a result, I will endure for what was done was right under the law of God which is above the law of man. Mercy is God’s and falls under His law as opposed to man’s.

I am reading this morning in the book of Matthew and the passage titled in my bible “Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath”. In those days, the Sabbath was a sacred day and doing work was not permitted. The people were expected to sacrifice their physical well being by fasting on this day in observance of the LORD. Yet, the priests were somehow allowed carry on as usual. The priests were above (or rather the exception to) the law of man.

When Jesus came, all changed for man. Now Jesus represented the law and it was not the following of the law of man that mattered, but following the law of God. No longer was the Sabbath a day of sacrifice, it was a day of observance and glory to the God. Following the law of God, meant doing the work of God, and in that work, there is mercy and service for those in need.

“¹At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ²But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath’…’⁷And if you had known what this means, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.’” — Matthew 12:1-2 & 7-8 (ESV)

Now, the Sabbath is the day of observance and glory to God and I should be focused on Him during this time, however, I also have an obligation to serve and provide mercy to those in need. It is in that service that I am providing the glory to God and doing his will. I have to remember that all I do is for Him and not for me. By providing the mercy to others, I have opened the door for mercy to be given to me when I am in need.

I am bound to the law of God and less so the law of man. Where the two intersect, that is a great thing. I, however should not be looking fully to the intersection and focus my attention on the law of God and doing His will. Mercy is that place where God’s law stands above man’s law. Providing for others is fully in line with God and I have to be looking for those chances regardless of when or where they might lie in the relation to the world and man’s view.

What are you doing that aligns with God’s law? Are you more interested in doing that which is right in eyes of man? What if you were to provide for others by serving and giving out mercy to do the will of God and focusing on doing that which is right in the eyes of God as opposed to man?

To Whom to Delve Out Mercy

I was recently watching the news related to the 2024 election cycle and was impressed with the candidate who took time to engage and interact with those supporting the other party. He was there to understand and learn from them. What I learned here is that I have to step out away from those who are like me and into the environment where I can meet and interact with those who are in need of what the LORD has for them and work to fulfill the work He has for me.

“¹⁰And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’” — Matthew 9:10-11 (ESV)

Jesus regularly went to where the people were, regardless of who those people were. He traveled with His disciples, yet spent time with those who were not exactly of like mind. He was there for the people and not the other way around. Yes, there were those moments when Jesus met with and counseled His disciples to ensure that they were learning and preparing to take over when His time was done, but the bulk of His time was spent with those in need and not those of like mind.

“¹²But when he heard it, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³Go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’” — Matthew 9:12-13 (ESV)

Jesus taught me that those who are in need of mercy are those who are lost. Those who are like me are not regularly in need on mercy (although God provides it when needed) for they are the ones doing the work of God as they have received Him already. I have to remember to engage with those in need as Jesus says in verse 13 above, “For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”. “Those who are well have not need of a physician, but those who are sick.” In order for me to bring mercy to those in need, I have to engage with those in need.

Now, as I mentioned above, Jesus did meet with and work with His disciples to counsel, teach, and prepare them for what lie ahead, but He was focused on spreading the Gospel to those in need. In my career as a training professional, it is important that I work with my peers to counsel, teach, and prepare them (as well as learn from them), yet I have to spend the bulk of my time working with those in need of my educational services. I have to bring them the growth and learning that will help them.

I have to remember to delve out mercy to those in need of it and that is going to be those who are a little (or even a lot) less like me. I have to step into those environments and bring what the LORD has for me to bring into them. I have to let them know that the LORD loves and has compassion for them and wants nothing but the best for them.

What about you, where are you spreading mercy? Are you finding yourself continually in the environments of those who are like you? What if you where to step out into the environments of those who are not like you to delve out mercy to those who may not be aware it is available and are in need of it?

Sinners, Hearts at Odds

I hear all the time about the squirrels out there that bounce from item to item as they are distracted by the next shiny thing. It is our focus as man that gives us the ability to complete tasks efficiently and effectively. The challenge we have as man is that our mind is one place and our hearts are another and that puts us at odds.

“¹What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” — James 4:1 (ESV)

Here I see that we as man are sinners as we are not following one path, but multiple ones and that may be the thing that causes us to sin as we are not focused on the one thing in our heart that is righteous. It is the heart that should be directing me. I have long said and will continue to do so as relates to a career, “do what you love doing and find a way to monetize it”. Well, finding what you love requires the heart, and that is where we have to begin to remove that which is at odds.

“⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” — James 4:8 (ESV)

Alignment and focus of purpose. I have to start with my heart and then align the rest of me with my heart. What better place to align than with Christ. I have to go through the process of purifying my heart to Christ. Once I have done so, I will have the opportunity to align the rest of me there.

I have been given the gift of salvation, and where that does not remove the sin from me, it does give me direction and alignment. I am still a sinner and always will be, but I have to do the work to avoid sin. It starts in my heart. I have to remember that I have been given this salvation and forgiveness and I have to embrace that salvation and forgiveness to move forward with God’s plan for me. I have to focus on Him and the work for Him and that will aid me in avoiding the sin that plagues me. I have to remain vigilant with the work and not allow myself to become idle so that my mind can wander into the desires of the world as it those desires that lead to sin.

“¹⁴But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” — James 1:14-15 (ESV)

I have to remember to stay aligned. I have to start with my heart that has been given to God. Once I am focused there, I must bring my mind into the work to guide my actions that are done with my hands. All of this will then work to remove the “at odds” in me and I will be more able to actively avoid sins. I will still sin, but my sin will not be active and will be greatly reduced and, I am still responsible for the repentance of those sins that I was unaware.

What is the status on your inner self? Is your heart, head, and hands pulling you in different directions? What if gave your heart to God and aligned the rest of you there?

Paul and Me, Sinners Saved by Grace

God sent His son Christ Jesus to save sinners. He came for me and the worst of us. Paul was one of the worst.

“¹⁵The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” — 1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV)

I am a sinner yes, and all of my sins are egregious as all sin is. Whether little white lies or those that are in direct disobedience to the ten commandments, all sin is terrible in the eyes of God. At this moment, I want to talk about in the eyes of man. Make no mistake, I am not condoning any sin and know that God looks at things much differently than man.

Paul (at the time known as Saul) was one of the worst sinners in this world. He was a direct persecutor of those who followed and believed in Jesus as the Messiah. He tracked them down and stoned or killed them just for what they believed. In the eyes of man, Paul was an awful person.

“¹²I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ¹³though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” — 1 Timothy 1:12-14 (ESV)

Jesus came for Paul and in His great wisdom and plan, provided the grace needed for Paul to turn to Him and become one of the greatest advocates and apostles to the gospel. Paul was seen as a sinner by God, no different than me. I have every opportunity to do the same or at least to the work that God has for me and in the eyes of man, am not as awful as Paul, so I should have even more opportunity.

Now I want to shift back to the grace of God and share my thoughts on His perspective. Paul and I are the same. We are both sinners who need the grace God has to provide. We both are not deserving, yet God provides for us despite our sin. Whether persecuting followers of Christ or lying to a neighbor, both of us find ourselves in the same room as sinners in need of grace.

God looks at the man (or woman) not the sin. He has to or else He would not be able to look at any of us. He takes us for who we are warts and all. He love us and came to save us despite what we have done and/or will do. Paul and I, where in the eyes of man are vastly different, in the eyes of God, we are the same. And that is what and where it counts. God loves me and came for me, the sinner.

What is your belief in the grace that is provided by God? Is one deserving of grace more than another based on the sins committed? What if you were to recognize that we are all the same in the eyes of God, sinners, and we all receive grace despite the sin we have or will commit, and we only need to accept?

The Law is for Sinners

“⁸Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully,…¹¹in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.” — 1 Timothy 1:8 & 11 (ESV)

Except for those policy making outliers, the law is constructed for those who are sinners to adhere. I am a sinner and am therefore subject to the law in my actions in this world. I do have a caveat to go along with that as I am not subject to the law of man as I am a follower of Christ and am therefor held to the law of God instead. The law of God is greater than the law of man and when following the law of God, I will certainly follow the law of man except where it is at odd with God.

The law, as noted in verse eight above, “is good, if one uses it lawfully”. Lawfully in this instance I believe means in accordance with God’s law as noted in verse 11 above. As a sinner saved by grace and forgiven, I choose to follow the law “in accordance with the gospel”, and therefore will by extension follow the law of man. The law of man was made for those who need guidance and are not in line with God.

“⁹understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,” — 1 Timothy 1:9-10 (ESV)

I know what may be thought when reading the above and comparing those “crimes” listed to those who profess to be Christians, “so ‘Christians’ are not held to the same crimes as others, there are plenty ‘Christians’ that have been found guilty of those exact crimes”. Yes, it is true that Christians have been caught up in the crimes identified above, and for that they are to be disciplined for those crimes. Christians are sinners like everyone else. And yes, there will be those times when we fall to the traps of the evil one. The difference is that I know that I am a sinner and should be doing all that is within me to avoid those crimes knowing that they are outside the law of God. When I am following the law of God, I should not be actively committing those crimes, remember the ten commandments at a minimum.

The law is for sinners like me. No matter that I have accepted Christ as my savior or not, I am still a sinner and am subject to the law of this world, except where that law is at odds with God. I am held to the standard of God’s Law and as His law is greater than the law of this world, by following His law I will by extension follow the law of this world.

What laws are you following? Are you looking to be good according to the law of this world? What if you were to confess, repent, and accept Christ as your savior and follow God’s Law, knowing that His law is greater than the law of this world?

Sinners Yes, Works Don’t Do It

I can do all the works possible, and that will still not give me the salvation or justification in the LORD.

“¹⁶yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” — Galatians 2:16 (ESV)

I have to be careful with how I look at this. It would be easy for me to abandon all good works as they do nothing for me and my salvation is from my acceptance of the gift from Christ and the relationship I have with Him. It is not the works that does it, it is my faith in Him. But, I still have to do the works to demonstrate the love of Christ and to bring the gospel to others to ensure that they have the opportunity to accept the gift of salvation and create a relationship with Christ for themselves.

I cannot go back and think that doing the work will somehow give me more. I am already a sinner and therefor there is no way for me to get out of that. I have to move forward and not go back. But, Jesus will love me always. Whether I am moving forward or falling back, I will still be His. I will not be going back to being a sinner as I never left that identity.

“¹⁷But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!” — Galatians 2:17 (ESV)

The works I do are as a result of my salvation and not a way to “buy” my salvation. I have to remember my faith in Christ and not look to the works to somehow give me more. I have already received the ultimate gift from Christ and that is in spite of my sin.

Christ died for me and it is my faith in the saving grace He provides that grants me a stay of death myself. My faith is what grants me the justification to be called a child of God. It is not the amount or gravity of the works I do that have any impact on my salvation. I do the works of and for Christ because of my salvation and not to gain salvation. Works don’t do it.

What works are you doing in the world? Are you out there in belief that somehow the more or greater the works, the less of a sinner you are? What if you just had faith in your salvation and did the works to demonstrate that salvation and not to somehow gain salvation as works don’t do it?