Grace

I had once been told that Grace means 'unmerited favor'.

It's receiving what we certainly do not deserve in light of how we really are.

What then is mercy?

The  definition that I read this morning is:

compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.

Grace and Mercy are new every day in Christ towards those who believe.

It's an interesting sadness that comes to me when I hear of people who claim to be Christians who do not treat others with the same Grace and Mercy that Jesus gives to them.  They are judgemental.

There is a difference between judging and evaluating what is before you.  Yes, a many times often misquoted passage is the "you shouldn't judge".

We do not have the authority to enter into condemnation against another. This much is true.  However, as workers in the Harvest of God, we ARE indeed to evaluate the fruit of others.

God gave and gives discernment.  It's a valuable tool used to evaluate one thing from another. 

It is, like many other things that come from God, a tool with a double edge.

It can be used in its right way, to provide insight in how best to deal with people.  Such as the example of not casting your pearls before swine. 

It can also be wrongly used to justify berating others or simply not forgiving or forgetting the transgressions of others.

The key thing to understand and remember is the Grace and Mercy of God covers all YOUR sin. If you are unwilling to show that towards others, who are also claiming to be believers, then YOU are saying that the finished work of Jesus wasn't enough.  You are saying that you have the right to enter into condemnation against another.  That my friend is wrong.

Either the blood of Jesus covers all sin or it covers no sin.  Either His grace and mercy are perfect or they are not. It HAS to be one or the other.  There is no middle ground. 

Peter, who hours before professed his unswerving love for Jesus. Would die for Him!  Ended up swearing and cursing the point that he didn't know the man.

His soul was crushed.  He was even told what was going to happen and did it anyway. 

Now, Jesus had every right to withhold Grace and Mercy from Peter.  But He didn't.   Consider the rest of Christ's words to Peter upon telling him that he was about to deny Him 3 times.  That He prayed for him.  But that wasn't the end.  Consider how Peter WOULD have been like had Jesus not interceded on Peter's behalf!  After the Resurrection, Jesus restored Peter.  Grace and Mercy flowed.

Christians ought not to be like the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus day. Wagging their fingers at others. Looking down on them.  When is it ever our place to say that someone doesn't deserve what Christ gives us?  Notice the tense of the word. Gives. Not gave.

Grace and Mercy are not a one time thing.

It is renewed every day.

Every

Day.

Remembering our own place before God should help us remember where others are before God.  If we harden our hearts towards others, where will that put us before Jesus?

Jesus said to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and spirit.   Love your neighbor as yourself.

Is there any room in those two for denying grace and mercy to others?

So why do some do that?

They themselves have a problem with God.  Rather than dealing with it, they attempt to deny others.  They are the ones who have a heart that's not right with God.  Not forgiving others erects a wall.  It puts up a barrier.  Since God's apparently not doing or has done something, allowed something, they are bitter and angry with Him. 

Get over it.

You can sit there and hold your breath before God all you want. He will remind you that He invented air.  Don't put yourself in a place where Jesus will need to deal with you. 

Show the same Grace and Mercy He brings to you. 

Life is more than movies, places to go.
It's more than the things you own.

All of those things are going to go away in time.  It's your relationship with God that's eternal.  How do you want Jesus to speak to you when you face Him some day?

I am so grateful that Jesus doesn't give me what I deserve.