Be Merciful!
We appreciate your coming to the site to read our post concerning mercy. Sadly, we don't see enough of it in our society. We are trusting that as you read our study today, you will be blessed and yet encouraged to follow more closely the commands of our Lord. Eric
The world I grew up in was so different than what we see in our society today. Back then, aside from a few with rogue behavior, the encounters and interactions with friends, neighbors and strangers were infused with attitudes of kindness, friendliness and respect. In our efforts to display those same attitudes today, we can still encounter those who will respond in kind. However, in the general public, we encounter many who are impatient, angry, frustrated, judgmental, entitled and more ready to condemn than show kindness and mercy.
Sadly, some of these attitudes are seen even in the church. There are those who have left or not gone back to a church because of the attitudes and behaviors they have encountered there. This should not be. Some believers have fallen away from or lost sight of the expectations and commands of our Lord, Savior and Master.
Micah 6:8 (NLT) instructs, " No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Darash the Hebrew word translated 'requires' in this verse means demand. We need to understand these are not suggestions of optional attitudes and behaviors we might exhibit - these are His divine mandates, or His absolute expectation of us. What does He require of us? That we 'act justly' - man must do what is honest and right with integrity; 'to walk humbly with God' - to walk with and follow along with God while displaying no pride or self-reliance but rather humility and submission to God's will. Walking humbly with Him shows our dependence on God and our aligning our life with His power. This verse also teaches that God demands that we 'love mercy.' This aspect of God's command will be our focus for the remainder of our teaching today!
"'Love' ahabah or shavah, in the Old Testament, frequently is associated with agape, the primary New Testament word for God's unconditional sacrificial love. Ahabah depicts a reality rooted in God's own character and purposes. Throughout the Old Testament, shavah intertwines divine initiative with human response." (Bible Hub Topical Lexicon). God loves His people and they reveal their love for Him by their obedience.
Let's define 'mercy' and 'merciful.' 'Mercy' hesed means: "goodness, loving kindness, faithfulness. It involves heart felt commitment and showing compassion. 'Merciful' oiktirmon expresses visceral (deep inward feelings, not from the intellect) compassions such as God has for people who look to Him for help in their difficult situations." (HELPS Word-studies). When we are merciful, we feel a compassion and have an active desire to remove the cause of distress, such as happened with the Good Samaritan in Luke 10;33-37. Mercy is to be a common practice for a believer.
Even before we get into more Scripture, we can see that the Lord has a very high level of expectation for His children. See, when we become a believer, we are a child of God and we are to be set apart from the rest of the world. We are to reflect our Heavenly Father's heart and love. That includes our giving mercy and being merciful to every one we meet.
"To be merciful a man goes beyond mere righteousness - he has risen beyond the seeking of that which is right into the seeking of that which is good and kind and generous and the doing of kindly things towards his fellow man." (Charles Spurgeon).
Ephesians 2:4 and 5 (BSB) reveals that Jesus is the ultimate expression of God's mercy. It reads, " But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved." God's love, what He prefers is from the root word, agape, and centers in moral preference. 'Rich in mercy' reveals God's abounding compassion and forgiveness. 'Rich' conveys abundance, inexhaustible and freely given. God's motivation behind all his actions is love.
We were spiritually dead in our trespasses. We were in a place of complete separation from God and yet because of His rich mercy, even while we were still rebellious toward Him - He initiated salvation for us!
In Luke 6:35-38 we are instructed to love our enemies and to do good to them, expecting nothing in return.
Luke 6:35-38 (ESV) instructs us, "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. 37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." 'Loving our enemies, (those who are openly hostile and animated by deep-seated hatred and hostility toward us) does not mean we deny the enmity exists. However it means we are to overcome it by the presence of God's love in us.
To 'be merciful' (verse 36 ) means we show concern, feel compassion and have a desire to remove the cause of people’s distress. Don't miss this part though - 'he is kind (gentle, pleasant) to the ungrateful and the evil (wicked)' and 'our Father is merciful.' This is what He expects us to do even to our enemies.
Is it always easy for us to fulfill the commands and expectations of God? No! We are sinners saved by grace. But, because it is not easy, do we give up? Say it is too hard for us? Absolutely not! Why is it so important? The answer to this question is given to us in James 2:13 (BSB) which reads, "For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment." If we do not live a life in which we choose to show and give mercy, we will not receive mercy from God. The Word of God is very straightforward concerning His expectations and commands concerning this.
Fellow believers, God's judgment is fair and impartial, reflecting His holy nature. There is divine justice. "In biblical context, judgment refers to God's righteous assessment of human actions." (Bible Hub Study Bible).
Luke 6:37 (ESV) , "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven" 'Judge' krino conveys distinguishing, separating and coming to a decision, positive or negative. To judge means: "making a decision or determination of right or wrong (innocence or guilt). To 'condemn' katadikuzo means to pass judgment against.” (HELPS Word-studies). The only one who has the right, power and authority to condemn is God alone. (Matthew 10:28).
Let me reiterate. Here is the truth, if you do not show mercy to others - you will face a similar lack of mercy from God. If you 'judge' others, you will be judged and if you condemn others, you will be condemned.
Mercy involves compassion and forgiveness toward others - even when they don't deserve it
Psalm 103:8 (ESV) reveals, "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." The word translated 'merciful' (rachum) means compassionate. This verse, in part, describes God's nature. He is full of compassion, mercy, patience, longsuffering and abounds in loving devotion or steadfast love. Thank You Lord!
But, how is it possible that we to be like Him? Well, He has given us the Holy Spirit to live in us for one thing. Look at 2 Peter 1:3 and 4 (BSB), "HIs divine power has given us 'everything' (His comprehensive provision) we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."
God's own power (dunamis - strength, ability, might and power) is part of the believer's source of God's comprehensive provision! 'Life' refers to our physical and spiritual being and 'godliness' refers to a life that reflects God's character! 'Through' the knowledge of Him. This 'knowledge' epignosis is knowledge gained through first hand relationship. (contact knowledge or first hand, experiential knowledge.) . The way we enter into that 'first hand relationship' is our getting to know Him though reading His Word and spending time with Him in prayer and worship.
Luke 6:38 (ESV) reveals, "give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you." What we 'give' will be given to us. Let's read that again,: Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over." Whatever we give - love, forgiveness, mercy, joy, kindness, friendship, respect, grace...will be given back to us in great abundance! That is our reward for being merciful.
We are commanded to 'put on' kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering (patience) and tender mercies. (Colossians 3:12 NKJV).
We must choose to be the holy people He desires us to be and loves.
Help us Lord!
Will we be perfect?
No!
However, that is what we strive for continually.
When we miss the mark - we confess and ask God to help us do better.
Help us Lord, to be merciful as You are merciful!
Scripture comes from:
NLT New Living Translation
BSB Berean Standard Bible
ESV English Standard Version
NKJV New King James Version