Mercy – A Building Block of Faith – Jude 20–25
One day while I was making my chaplain rounds in the hospital, a doctor asked me to help him understand the concept of forgiveness. Forgiving and actually being able to forget are so hard to do. So I thought of God’s Mercy as it relates to me being forgiven. [Jude 20‐25 NIV] [20] But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. [21] Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. [22] Be merciful to those who doubt; [23] snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear‐hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. [24] To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy‐ [25] to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. As A Christian: Forgiveness involves mercy and Jude opens my mind to the idea of exhibiting mercy. • I FORGIVE because I have been forgiven. • I LOVE because I am loved. • I SHOW MERCY because I have been shown mercy. There is the cry for mercy manifested in salvation from sin, fellowship with the Holy Spirit and the realization of a new creation. [Ps 51:1‐4 &10‐13] [1] Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. [2] Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. [3] For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. [4] Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak [10] Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. [11] Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. [12] Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. [13] Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Building Up A Holy Faith: This is a faith that is not in mankind, nor things, or myself. All these will fail at some time in my live. The result will be anxiety, frustration, depression and guilt, all symptoms of a faith in those things of this world. This is not a Holy Faith but a faith that is an empty and worthless faith. Not so with God. God will never fail me. A faith in God is a Holy Faith which is complete, full, total, of great value, and priceless. The reason is that first God is the focus of this faith and second God offers eternal rewards that are beyond the ever‐changing conditions of this creation. Thus that which makes my faith Holy is not me, but is determined by the object of that faith, God. Building Upon The Rock: Jesus Christ is the rock of my salvation. His banner over me is love. This banner or protection is seen in the Cross. It is through the event of His Cross, His Death, Burial and Resurrection that I receive His Love, the Mercy of God. Without the foundation rock of the Cross I will receive what I deserve, the Justice of God. However, through this event, the Cross, I can build a new life upon the Mercy and Love found in Christ. As a recipient of Gods’ Mercy I realize that God through His Spirit is now in me as a comforter, a helper, a guide, working with me and for me. This knowledge helps me to maintain my faith, allowing self to surrender to Christ who brought me from sin and opened the way to receiving the Mercy of God. God’s mercy was in Christ on the cross working, as God’s Justice was being spent upon Christ as He showed me how much He really loved me. I can choose to receive mercy or justice. The question comes down to what is of more value. Jesus said, "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's shall save it.” [Mark 8:35‐36 NAS] Mercy granted will create a new creature that will obey the commandments of God and proclaim the great joy found. When Jesus went about healing people they went away praising God and spreading the goods news to others. As one who has received mercy, healed, saved from my sins, I need to become obedient to God’s commands. Through my faith in what I have from God, I will extend mercy to others. I will learn to forgive, to share salvation and to strengthen others all the while taking care that I do not stumble myself. Loving the sinner but hating the sin is the lesson. [Gal 6:1‐3 NIV] [1] Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. [2] Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. [3] If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. So when it comes time to consider the concept of forgiveness, faith and mercy, Jesus asks me, what is it that I value most, self or Christ? Will I bear the cross of justice or take up the mercy cross of Jesus Christ? Jesus wants me now, today, just as I am, not tomorrow but right now, just as I am. Let Him create in me and in you a new creature in faith, with mercy and a new life eternal. Jesus said, "…Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. [Mark 16:15‐17 NIV] The Best To You! Edward E. Healy The Abiding Word [www.TheAbidingWord.com]
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