GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
BEREA KENTUCKY




THE MERCY OF GOD

By Jim Murriner


Much credit for this message must also be given to the Late C.D Cole, and the book "Definitions of Doctrine I
Rom. 9:18
"Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom he will He hardeneth."
This verse emphatically declares that God is not obligated to extend mercy unto anyone, but that He is sovereign in His administration of mercy. Yet though this verse states that God have mercy on whom He will or on whom He wants to have mercy, this verse does not say that mercy will be denied to any sinner who comes to Christ.
Often we speak of God showing mercy to whomever He will, and hardening whomever He will, people get the idea that lost sinners are sincerely crying out to God for mercy and He is turning them away.
John 6:37 assures us however that this will not happen.

"All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
Several portions of scripture verify that whosoever will may come unto Christ for salvation, and receive salvation.
Luke 12:8

"Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God."
John 4:14

"But whosoever drinketrh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well springing up into everlasting life."
I John 5:1

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth Him that begot loveth him also that is begotten of Him."
Rev.22:17 

"And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
So we can see that Rom.9:18 which declares that God is sovereign in bestowing mercy, does not teach that some are crying out to God for mercy and cannot get mercy."
Our text shows two Devine acts, which are opposite to one another. We are told 
"Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy..", then in contrast to mercy we are told, "..and whom He will He hardeneth." 
Whatever God does in hardening a sinner, He does the exact opposite in excercising mercy.
We must note however that in hardening a sinner, God does not put any sinful principle in the sinner. That would make God the author of sin.
James 1:13 assures us that God never causes sin.

"Let no man say when He is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:"
Eph.2:3 reminds us that we have sinful principles by nature

"Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh fulfilling the desire of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath even as others."
When God hardens a sinner, He simply leaves them alone to act out their own sinful desires, yet at the same time controlling that sinner in such a way, that the sinner does not overthrow the purpose of God
Acts 14:16-17 shows us this

16   "Who in time past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways."

17   "Nevertheless He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
God shows mercy in both an objective sense and also a subjective sense. When God shows mercy unto those who come to Christ and plead His blood as their payment for sins, this is objective mercy.
Phil.2:13 gives us an illustration of God's subjective mercy.

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."
When God makes the sinner willing to come to Christ, this is mercy from God. He does not have to make the lost sinner willing to be saved. God could be just as righteous as He is if He never caused anyone to desire to be saved. It is the subjective sense in which God shows His mercy that we see both in Phil:213 and also in Rom.9:18.
It was in mercy that Christ died for us, and it was also in mercy that the Holy Spirit enlightened our sin darkened understanding.
Titus 3:5 speaks of this enlightening, and in this verse we can see the subjective mercy of God.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
We are told first that we are not saved by any work of righteousness which we have done, and then we are told that we are saved by mercy and then we are told that it is by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit."
If salvation is according to the mercy of God, and it is, then we who are saved, have no room for pride, but we must become a humble, and a thankful people. God is pleased not with a spirit of pride but with a meek and quiet spirit.
I Peter 3:4 reminds us of this.

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptable, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."
God sees the spirit of meekness and quietness as being an ornament of great price
We have talked some now about mercy, but just what is mercy? What does the word "mercy" mean?
Webster defines mercy as the compassionate treatment of an enemy, and this is in agreement with the things which we have already stated.
Romans 8:7-8 tells us that all who have not experienced the mercy of God are enemies of God.

7   "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
8   "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
If God were to leave each of us alone, in our lost sinful condition, we would have been happy to remain enemies of God and would not have sought mercy from Him.
Rev. 3:17 tells us of those who were in the same condition.

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and incressed with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor and blind and naked."
Perhaps you fit into this group today. You think that you have no need of God, yet His word declares you to be in great need of a savior.
Mercy implies that the sinner has nothing to say in his own defense. We understand the meaning of mercy when the defendant throws himself on the mercy of the court. By this he is saying that he is guilty and nothing of merit to plead before the law. This is our very exact condition before the bar of God's justice. Mercy is our only hope. We cannot ask God for justice. To do so is to ask to be sent to Hell.
Lets look now at what God's word tells us about God's mercy.
IKings 3:6 tells us His mercy is great.

"And Solomon said, thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
Psa.86:5 tells us that His mercy is plenteous.

"For thou Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee."
Luke 1:7 tells us that it was through the tender mercy of God that Jesus Christ came to pay for our sins.

"Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us."
IPeter 1:3 speaks of God's mercy being abundant.

"Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
Psa.103:17 tells us that God's mercy is everlasting.

"But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children's children;"
The psalmist was so excited about the mercy of God that in Psa.59:16 he sang about it.

"But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of they mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defense and my refuge in the day of my trouble."
Mercy is a lot like grace, yet there is a difference. Grace can be exercised where here is no sin but mercy can be shown only to sinners. This can be seen in God's dealing with the angels which did not fall.
ITim. 5:21 calls them the elect angels.

"I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality."
God did not have to elect these angels. He could have allowed them to fall with Satan. This was grace, yet they had not sinned, so there was no mercy shown here.
Mercy and love are similar but yet they are different. Love may be shown unto an equal, but mercy can only be shown unto an inferior. We show love to God,but we cannot have mercy on God.
The mercy of God is demonstrated in the gift of His Son to die for sinners. Lets look again at Luke 1:78
"Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us."
It was not justice but mercy that sent Christ to redeem us from the curse of the law.
The mercy of God is also seen in the regeneration of sinners. For the most Holy God to make us alive when we were dead in sins was as much an act of mercy as was the giving of Christ to die for us.
Eph. 2:1-3 describes the condition of all lost sinners as being dead and controlled by Satan.. then in verse 4-5 we can see God's mercy.
(4)"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us," 
(5)"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)."
In these two verses we do not see the sinner doing anything to cause God to regenerate him, but we see the mercy of God having the victory over human depravity.
Listen dear child of God, we owe our salvation to the mercy of God.
If you feel that you deserve the mercy of God today, you are not saved. To deserve mercy is to have a contradiction of terms.
May God extend His mercy unto you this very moment and give you faith to trust Jesus Christ as your own personal savior.
 




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