06/11/10

The Lord's mercy, do not take it for granted

Matthew 18:33 - Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?


In the past few mails I have showed a little different face of God from the one we have known since long. We have always been told and have pictured God as ever loving, ever forgiving, His mercy flows without boundaries.

In my few past mails I have shown God as one who get angry, one who takes account and as one who also punishes sometimes without mercy. Is this a wrong image of God?

In today's message the Lord is also shown as a merciful God and there is no doubt about Him being merciful. When Lord came as man Jesus on earth He made available abundant grace (mercy as much as required to get the job done) for all mankind, yet it is received only by those who believe in Him. Jesus could have saved every human but that is not so, it is only those who believe in Him are those who are saved.

With regards to forgiveness Jesus did not did not sign a blank cheque for all mankind. Only those who repent are forgiven. When asked how many times should a person be forgiven Jesus did not say unlimited or eternally, He gave a figure and the figure was seventy times seven. I had read before from people who explained that seven was a cardinal number therefore means endlessly but that goes against scriptures for example Jesus Himself say at the end He will come again to judge. Now if a person is forgiven for everything where does the question come of judgment?

It is only when one understand the number seven stands for Christ that one will understand the scriptures. Seventy times seven does not mean eternally but means fullness in Christ.

God is a righteous God and has set limits to everything that is not of His Kingdom. Even sin which He allowed to grow, He has set a limit for it and when the limit has reached He will take action.

Do not take God for granted and His nature for granted, it is only when we come to know of Him we will have fear of Him. There are some sins we may a million times and still be forgiven but there are some which we may do even once and be out of grace.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, You are a merciful God and your mercy is beyond man's imagination. But Lord, help us realize that we cannot take your grace and mercy for granted. Help us always be repentant and change so that we grow in you. You have a purpose for us and that it be fulfilled in us...

We make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Luke 17:3-4
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Matthew 1:21
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

1 Timothy 1:12-16
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering (slow to anger), for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

James 2:12-14
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)