Many of us Christians who have been born again and have accepted the finished work of Christ on the cross tend to have a poor view of mercy at times. For some, it is no longer necessary because Christ has imputed his righteousness on us therefore before God we are righteous and not in need of mercy. Still, for others, it is what Christ did on the cross that is considered mercy. In truth, none of those views are wrong, yet despite the work of Christ on the cross we still need mercy in our daily lives as sinners living in a fallen world. Just as each day has enough trouble of its own, we need mercy on a daily basis. Thank God that it is available to us! As the writer of Lamentations says “his mercies are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). This week, I was reminded of my need for mercy daily, I was reminded that without it, I am nothing and can do nothing. So much of what I do can not be attributed to me, even though in the eyes of the world I am the one ‘doing’ the act, in reality it is the mercy and grace of God flowing through me. I am realizing more and more that I am not that great, it is very humbling, and tough on my pride. The more you get closer to God, the more you realize that you are a sinner deserving His wrath. I am just thankful that we serve a good God, a merciful God, a compassionate God, a God that abounds in steadfast love, a God that is slow to anger, a God that forgives the sinner, a God of justice. What a privilege to be counted among His people, what a privilege indeed to have done nothing yet be a recipient of such favour! Today’s post, I would like to encourage you to look at men of the faith who after realizing their state hung daily to the mercy of God.
The first one we will look at is the apostle Paul. I know he is a famous apostle but what I personally like about Paul is that he never looked at himself as being accomplished, as having ‘arrived’, no, despite his pedigree that he so well details for us in the book of Philippians, Paul found his confidence in the finished work of Christ, not in himself! Paul recognized that his good deeds were like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). As a matter of fact, he wrote something similar to the Romans because it became alive in his own life. The moment Paul was rescued by Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, he never went back to his old ways, he wholeheartedly followed Christ regardless of the cost. In his letters, the gentleness with which Paul wrote could only show you that this was a man who knew in and of himself he could do nothing. The mercy of God makes the power of God in your life visible, and it makes you humble. Paul wrote again in 2 Corinthians that it is in our weakness that the power of God is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). Once Paul received mercy from God, he acted in humility and obedience. He relinquished any control or power he thought he had, Paul learned to be a child again, he learned to be a student again, he learned to be under authority. This is a common trait we find in people who have understood their daily need for mercy.
The second one I would like to look at is the apostle Peter. Once Peter tasted the mercy of God, his goodness, he never looked back. Peter just became obedient until death, living his life for Christ and not himself. When Peter was told by God to go to the Gentiles home, even though it was contrary to what he had been taught in the law of God, Peter went (Acts 10). Not only that, Peter did not withhold the message of salvation to Cornelius’ household because they were Gentiles, instead he told them about Jesus Christ and how his death on the cross made a way for them too to receive eternal life and be spared from the wrath of God. Peter understood that the mercy of God in his life was not just for him alone and that God was free to have mercy on whom He wanted to have mercy (Romans 9:15-18). Not getting the punishment his sins deserved and still being used by Christ after having deserted him, Peter was the perfect man to bring to a Gentile’s home because he knew where he himself was coming from. There is a direct consequence of mercy in the life of the one who has received it and it is gratefulness. This gratefulness causes the one who receives the mercy to regard his life as not his own but one to be lived for the mercy Giver.
So when I look at examples like the above, men who had a lot to offer for the kingdom of God, men who were used mightily by God, yet none of them would have said they are no longer in need of mercy, who am I to think that I am okay? I do not want to nullify the work of Christ on the cross but I also do not want to dismiss the power and effect of sin in my life. So, while I rejoice that through Christ’s work, I am now counted as righteous before a Holy God, yet I know the battle between my spirit and my flesh is an ongoing one and I cannot win it on my own. I too, like the cloud of witnesses before me, want to adopt an attitude of humility, reminding myself daily that if not for the mercy of God in my life, I would not be where I am. If not for the grace of God, I would not be where I am so I pray I am able to push forward by not looking at what is around me, what I am lacking instead focusing on the greatness of the One that lives in me and my identity in Him until He comes back.
A Word Aptly Spoken 