Mercy is divine compassion and forgiveness extended to those deserving of punishment. To truly know God, the creator of heaven and earth, is to comprehend the profound meaning of mercy. The Bible consistently illustrates God’s compassion and forgiveness toward humanity, a humanity that, from its earliest days, warranted destruction due to disobedience.
Romans 3:23 reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” signifying that no one inherently deserves God’s assistance. Furthermore, Romans 6:23 declares, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This means we all deserve physical, spiritual, and eternal death. The very fact of our existence is a testament to God’s immeasurable mercy. Humanity, by rights, should be extinct due to sin, but God, in His boundless mercy, offers us a chance at life.
Mercy Through Jesus’ Sacrifice
Consider the immense sacrifice: would any parent offer their child, especially for an evil person, let alone a good one? Our human minds struggle to fathom the depth of God’s grace in this act. This is why salvation cannot be intellectually grasped; it can only be understood spiritually.
In John 10:10, Jesus states, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Jesus granted us access to what we legally had no claim to, demonstrating mercy at its purest. We deserved to remain oppressed by the devil, facing both temporal and eternal death—the prescribed fate for sinners. Yet, we experienced mercy from our Creator.
God the Father, witnessing our impending doom, chose to show compassion. He made the ultimate sacrifice to atone for our sins, enabling our salvation. He sent His only Son to earth to live as a man, embracing human weaknesses. Though Jesus lived a holy and blameless life, He not only carried our sins but became our sins, dying the death we all deserved. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
This act of mercy bestowed upon humanity a second chance at life, a life experienced both now and eternally. As a forgiven sinner, I find God’s mercy elicits an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Understanding salvation is profoundly humbling. When one truly grasps their sinful nature and God’s mercy, gratitude overflows. Many remain unaware of their sins, of the deserved consequences, and of the profound depth of the Father’s mercy in sacrificing His Son.
To comprehend this sacrifice, one must first understand sin and its implications. This understanding then allows for a clearer assessment of one’s thoughts and actions, revealing one’s own sinful nature and the true consequences of personal and ancestral sins. Finally, it illuminates the alternative offered through the sacrifice on the cross.
For those granted a second chance at life through this sacrifice, the only response is to dedicate this new life to the Kingdom of God. This life no longer belongs to us but to our Savior. We therefore submit ourselves to God as living sacrifices for His Kingdom. Romans 12:1 urges, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.”
Once we accept this second chance at life, receiving the Son’s sacrifice and allowing Jesus’ blood to atone for our sins, the least we can do is offer this new life to God. When the depth of what we were saved from is truly understood, offering our bodies as a living sacrifice becomes effortless. If you struggle with this, or with living for Jesus rather than yourself, it suggests you haven’t fully grasped the magnitude of your salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:15 states, “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” If you have been saved through Jesus Christ, your life is no longer your own; it belongs to Him. This means living in accordance with His will, following and obeying Him. To someone who doesn’t understand Jesus, this may seem daunting, even like slavery. However, what is perceived as a “free life” before salvation is, in fact, true slavery, for we are slaves to sin.
Romans 6:6 explains, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him, so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Many who believe they live freely are unaware of their enslavement to their sinful nature. The idea of surrendering one’s life to God often seems like daunting servitude. Yet, our lives were never truly ours; we are Yahweh’s property. He simply grants us the free will to choose His ownership or another.
1 John 3:8 clarifies, “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.” Therefore, when we are saved, we are essentially choosing God as our owner, rejecting the devil. This choice necessitates understanding God’s nature, as submission requires complete trust. Those who readily submit to God have come to understand His character: He is truly trustworthy and faithful. Your life is safe in His hands; He has your best interests at heart. Submitting to Him opens you to receive His love, a love none of us deserves apart from His Son’s sacrifice.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 describes the true love our Father has for us. When we offer our lives and allow Him to be their author, we access His love on a deeper level—an act of mercy in itself.
In conclusion, none of us deserves life; we live because God is merciful. None of us deserves forgiveness, salvation, or deliverance from sin. Yet, through the blood of Jesus, we have access to all of this because our Creator is a merciful God. To comprehend God’s sacrifice through Jesus Christ His Son is to comprehend His profound mercy for humanity.
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