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Love and Mercy

LOVE and MERCY

Most Christians have heard that ‘God is Love (1 John 4:8);’ however, the vast majority of them and their fellow inhabitants of the earth do not know that His name and attributes are much more than that.  Additionally, most Christians do not know that entire verse, ‘He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.’  After the Exodus, the Lord “descended in a cloud and proclaimed to Moses the name of the Lord… ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in steadfast LOVE (goodness) and truth (faithfulness), keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.’ Immediately, Moses bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped (Exo. 34:5-8).”

Mature (Heb. 6:1) Christians know that we are to ‘be imitators of …Christ (1 Cor. 11:1),’ even obeying His command, ‘a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you (John 13:34).’  John puts it this way in another verse, ‘Jesus Christ, laid down His life for us; and we ought to (be willing) to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters (the brethren in Christ; 1 John 3:16).’  Moreover, John revealed to us that Christ was ‘full of grace and truth (John 1: 14);’ and in many places he reveals how Jesus is like the Father, and full of the Spirit of the Lord.  And two of the greatest attributes of God, perhaps the most paramount – for without them there would have been no Salvation for mankind – are love and mercy.

Ten ways God shows His Love
1.     God ‘gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.’ An eternal, atoning and redeeming love John 3:16
2.     ‘God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’  A sacrificing and forgiving love with grace and mercy Rom. 5:8

Eph. 2:8
3.     ‘All things were created through Him.’  He made us – shows love Col. 1:16
4.     He sent us ‘the Holy Spirit to teach us and help us’ and be our Comforter and give wisdom and understanding, etc. John 14:26

Isa. 11:2
5.     The ‘Lord gives showers of rain.’  He ‘sends rain on the the just and unjust.’ Zech. 10:1

Matt. 5:45
6.     ‘He gives food to every creature.’ Psa. 136:25
7.     ‘To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good… gifts.’ 1 Cor. 12:7-
8.     By love and ‘by grace… God has given to each a measure of faith.’ Rom. 12:3
9.     ‘God shows no partiality’ to any; He loves all in the same manner Rom. 2:11
10.  He has ‘prepared a place’ an eternal heaven for us. John 14:2

The Mercy of God; it is also translated as ‘loving-kindness,’ ‘kindness’

Ten ways God shows His mercy
1.     ‘God,  being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved…’ Eph. 2:4-
2.     ‘God is compassionate, gracious, SLOW to ANGER, abounding in love’  In His kindness, He is slow to judge us Psa. 103:8

Psa. 86:15
3.     ‘He will not abandon or destroy’ His people – Israel and those who love and obey Him Deut. 4:31
4.     After perfect justice, loving and timing, He ‘will have mercy on whom He has mercy…’ Rom. 9:15
5.     ‘His mercy endures forever.’  It is unending / eternal Psa. 136:1
6.     God has ‘spoke to’ us ‘through the prophets;’ and the Scriptures Heb. 1:1
7.     In His love and kindness – Mercy – He forgives sins. 1 Tim. 1:16
8.     ‘In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…’ 1 Peter 1:3
9.     God ‘hears us;’ he hears our prayers ‘if we ask according to His will.’ 1 John 5:14
10.   With mercy and justice, He will judge all. Rev. 20:12 
The Love and mercy that Mankind can and should have

C. S. Lewis wrote The Four Loves in which he discussed different loves described in the Greek: familial or affectionate love (storge); friendship (philia); romantic love (eros); and spiritual love (agape). Lewis wrote through many of the ancient Greeks purported that ‘friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves,’ it is seldom used as a model of the love between man and God.  And indeed, even the Greeks place agape love as the highest form of love.  To the Christian agape love can only come from God.

God showed the highest action of love to save mankind by giving His only Son as a sacrifice.  And likewise, He showed and shows His love through the resurrection.  Also, He shows his love through His forgiveness to those who repent.  And it is only through love that we can forgive.  And we must forgive others or as the scriptures and words of Christ tell us, we will not be forgiven in heaven.  Likewise, without love with can’t fulfill three of the laws of God and Christ: To love the Lord God with all our being (Soul, spirit and body; heart, mind and strength) (Matt. 22:39); to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:39); and to ‘bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).’

The early church showed love to the extent that ‘all the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold their possessions and shared with those in need… all the believers were one in heart and mind.  No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own; but they shared everything they had (Acts 2:44; 4:32).’  Try that in America or any nation today; Christians with all of mankind love the world’s goods and homes to much for that; nor can they easily find worthy apostles to distribute justly.

Yet, 200 years after Christ and the 12 disciples, Tertullian reported that Christians “offer up prayers… assemble to read our sacred writings… on the monthly day, if each likes, each puts in a small donation; but only if it be his pleasure, and only if he be able… all is voluntary… gifts… to support poor people, to supply the wants of boys and girls destitute of means and parents, and of old persons confined to the house; such, too, as have suffered… or shut up in the prisons, for nothing but their fidelity to the cause of God’s Church…  One in mind and soul, we do not hesitate to share our earthly goods with one another.  All things are common among us but our wives…”

Though we may not be able part with many of our possessions; it may not come to the point that it affects our salvation – only the lives of others; if ‘anyone loves their father or mother or child or spouse more than the Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ than they are not worthy of Him and cannot be His disciple (Matt. 10:37; Luke 14:26).’  And that surely affects one’s salvation.  Therefore, not only is sincere love significant; orderly love is also.

“What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul… (Deut. 10:12).”

“Beloved (dear friends), building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.  Be merciful to those who doubt; save some with love (compassion) and some with fear, snatching them from the fire… (Jude 20-23).”