02_Mercy and Consecration: The most vital point of the Steps to conversion.

While speaking to His disciples, Jesus made the following statement, illustrating the root cause of sin/disobedience: “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:“ Matthew 15:19.

What Jesus illustrates is that there is a condition in the hearts of man that causes it to produce evil thoughts, murders and every other kind of sin imaginable. This is due to the fallen condition of man and Paul further describes this condition by stating that “the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:7. (**Mind and heart in the Bible are used synonymously)

For this reason, in order to deal with the problem of sin, Jesus wants to deal with it at the heart, or at the root cause. If there is to be any change in the life of a man from one of sin to one of obedience, there must of necessity be a change that takes place in the heart. It was with this in mind that Jesus said the words to Nicodemus, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” John 3:7

Consider the idea: that it Is “by mercy and truth iniquity is purged” (Prov. 16:6), not just pardoned. God wants to bring us into an experience of what that means, to bring one to a practical experience of being purged (cleansed) from ones iniquities.  

Notice God’s promise:

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean (or purged): from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].” Ezekiel 36:25-27

Only as the heart is changed and renewed can any true obedience be rendered to God.  This is the truth which all must know who desire to live aright after having repented, confessed and forsaken their sins.

The reason this is so is found in Jesus’s words: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4-5 (emphasis added). God knows that in the hearts of man, there is nothing in them that grants him the ability to render the true service which Gods law requires, thus in Jesus is provided all that man needs to live so as to please God. Without a vital connection with Jesus that comes with a change of heart, man can of himself do nothing.

In order for this heart change to take place, there must then be a surrender of the entire heart and life to God. To Ezekiel, God’s promise is that “I will take away the stony heart…”( Ezekiel 36:26), but God will not do that by force. The heart must be surrendered  to Jesus. There must be a full surrender before any real change can take place in the motives and inclinations of sinful man.

Notice the words of the wise man, words which are in likeness to God’s words to us: “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” Proverbs 23:26. Before one can be able to observe (carry out) God’s ways, one must first give to God his heart, to cleanse and transform it.

This is the step which we may call consecration.  To decide to devote ones heart entirely to the service and will of God, in order to carry our His aims and purposes. This means submission of one’s own will to the will of God. To say, like Jesus, “not my will, but thine be done.” (Matt. 26:39)

This is the secret to true success in the Christian walk, and there is no other. Jesus alludes to this idea of heart surrender and transformation in Matt. 12:33. He says the following: “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt: for the tree shall be known by his fruit.”

Notice the idea: the reason why a tree produces the kind of fruit it does, lies in the condition of the tree itself, not so much in the fruit. So it is in the spiritual. A man may find that in His life, the fruits are only corrupt: evil thinking and imaginations, shortness of temper, sinful practices and habits. He may try by all means to reform these; in some instances it may even seem as though he has been able to gain the victory (to have cut off the fruit). This may last until after some time (perhaps in a time of severe difficulty) he finds himself falling back into the same sinful practices (the fruit has grown back). Jesus gives a formula that guarantees success: that of transforming the entire tree to one which will bear the fruits of righteousness. This is only through the surrender of the heart to God and entering into a vital connection with Jesus.   

To show that Jesus, in the illustration, likens the tree to the heart He further says: “how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” Matt. 13:34-35. This is the root cause, and it is to work a transformation of that very heart that Jesus bids us to give Him the heart, that we may thus be enabled to observe His ways (Pr. 23:26).

As the heart basically refers to the mind, the surrender of the heart to God is to bring one’s own will into submission to the will of God; to make a decision, to choose to accept the service and will of God as the first and highest objective one’s life.

This consecration demands a surrender of those things that seeks to cause a separation between the soul and Christ.

In 2 Tim. 2:16, Paul admonishes Timothy to “shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” There is something about vulgar and unprofitable discussion that leads to more and more ungodliness in one’s experience, and because of the effects of these things, Paul admonishes Timothy to avoid them. This instruction can be extended to other things which make a person more and more ungodly: Pauls counsel is to shun them.

A few verses further, Paul continues to emphasise the reason for this. He says, “If any man purge himself from these (profane and vain babblings), he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified (or consecrated), and meet (as in suitable) for the masters use, and prepared unto every good work.” (verse. 21)

Notice the sequence of ideas: In order for one to be made a vessel suitable for the Master’s use, in being “prepared” for every good work, one must first shun anything that will lead to more ungodliness. In verse 21 Paul use the stronger word: “purge” (as in to remove or eliminate). He says that “if any man purge himself of these,” thus the removal of these things must be a personal surrender of them.

Thus we find that in order to be prepared for every good work in receiving the new heart which Jesus offers, there must be a personal surrender of the things which seek to separate the soul from Jesus.

What could prompt one to make such a surrender?

Paul makes such an appeal for whole hearted surrender to God. He says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1

Paul makes clear the relationship between surrender and the experience of heart transformation. Before there can be a transformation which comes by the renewing of the mind, the life must first be presented to God as a living sacrifice. Of all the motivating arguments that Paul could present, the highest motivating factor Paul uses is the mercies of God. Therefore, the thing that should inspire any man to make a complete surrender of the heart and life to God, is nothing other than the fact that God has been merciful, that though I ought not to even exist because of my sins, God has still not dealt with me according to my sins.

Thus we find that even in the work of consecration, of wholehearted surrender of heart and life to God, the mercy of God (the manner in which God treats us with kindness and love, even as fallen man) must be the driving force.

02_Mercy and confession_Part 2: A case study

We can look briefly at a case study while on this subject of mercy and confession.

After His moral fall in committing adultery with the wife of Uriah, and the attempts to cover up his sin afterwards (2 Samuel 11), the king David was later brought to the realisation of his guilt, and the fact that what he did was deserving of the punishment of death (2 Samuel 12).

Having been granted sincere repentance, David’s confession has some pointers for us on the kind of confession which God accepts, and its relation to the Mercy of God. This confession is found in Psalms 51. We read his words:

“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  For I acknowledge (or confess) my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me.” Psalms 51:1-3

David pleads with God to wash him “thoroughly” from His iniquity, and it is “By mercy and truth (that) iniquity is purged (or washed and cleansed)…”, and the argument he presents to God is that “for I confess my transgressions…” Not as though the act of confession somewhat earns him the forgiveness, but he realises that he meets the condition of Prov. 28:13, that:

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh [them] shall have mercy.”

1.       David’s prayer of confession was specific in nature.

Of his transgression, he says to God; ”Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight:” Psalms 51:4. There was no effort on the part of David to excuse his sin. He did not pass any blame on either his circumstances or on Bathsheba, but fully acknowledged that what he did was wrong.

2.       David had a true willingness to change.

This confession of wrong is accompanied with the plea to God to “create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right sprit within me. “ v.10. David had a longing for a heart that would not transgress God’s law again. This shows that his confession was over the very sin itself, and not merely on the consequences which come as a result of the sin. This is what must accompany true confession, a willingness in heart to turn from the sins which so easily beset.

3.       In his confession, David hoped in the mercy of God.

The very first words of David’s confession read, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” Psalms 51:1. David realises that the only hope he has of having his sins being blotted out is the multitude of the tender mercies of God. Were God not merciful, David realises that he would have no hope of his sins being blotted out. Thus It is not to say that acknowledging the guilt has somewhat earned him the mercy, otherwise it wouldn’t be mercy, but rather that he has fulfilled the condition upon which God has promised to grant His sin removing mercy.

Thus, even in the case of David’s confession, at this crucial step in the experience of conversion, mercy plays an important part. What confidence this should then give us to confess all to the God who can purge away our sins. We may come boldly not because we are deserving, but because God is merciful, and it is just a part of who He is to pardon, cleanse and remove iniquity from the heart of the one who confesses.

“While it is a disgrace to sin, it is no disgrace, but rather an honor, to confess one's sins.” Testimonies for the Church, vol.5 p.509.1

02_Mercy and confession_Part 1

I feel like I haven't been posting in a long time... Just been editing each section and I think I may add 2 more sections to the overall outline of the series (I'll update on these as we continue).

Continuing though on the section of "Mercy and the steps to conversion". 

As we have learnt in the first section of posts (http://s-thinks.blogspot.com/2014/08/mercy-and-everlasting-gospel02salvation.html), it is by the mercy of God that sin is expelled or removed from the heart (Prov. 16:6), and God has outlined the steps we need to take for us to obtain that mercy.

The next step in our experience of conversion is the work of Confession.

Once the penitent sinner has realised the guilt of his sins, and in his remorse seeks to be made right with God and be cleansed of his unrighteousness, the next step following repentance is confession.   We will consider what exactly true confession involves and how that relates to the mercy of God.

The means of obtaining mercy

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13.

Confession of all the known sins is the condition for receiving mercy, the pardon and the removal of the sins which separate the soul from God. Thus John writes: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. That forgiveness and complete cleansing, the mercy which purges man’s sins, is freely availed to all, and the condition to receive it is simply that of confessing ones sins to God.

There are 3 points though that must be considered regarding the kind of confession which is acceptable with God.

1.       Confession must be of a heartfelt, and definite.

True and genuine confession need not just be a general, “Lord forgive us for our sins,” without a real regard of what it is one has done to grieve the heart of God. But the confession which God calls for is to confess all the known deeds and habits which are displeasing to God and to point them out by name.  

We are given an idea of what kind of confession God would require of us. The wise man writes “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper…” The comparison made is between one who confesses, and on the other hand one who covers (as in hides or conceals) his sins. So we may already grasp the idea that in true confession, one cannot cover his sins. The sinner must be plain between himself and God regarding his transgressions of God’s law. 

We see God calling for this sort of confession. In the book of Jeremiah, we read the sad account of God’s people who had backslidden from God to commit spiritual fornication with idols and other false gods. This was at a time when the 2 tribes had long been split into the camp of Israel and the camp of Judah (which eventually became the Jews). In God’s earnest and merciful pleadings to them, we may find a lesson about God’s mercy for ourselves.  We read:

“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return (or repent), thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever.” Jeremiah 3:12

Look at God’s response to the stubborn children of Israel in their rebellion. While they were still persistent in their sins, God’s first response was to still call them to return to Himself as their God. He invites them and lets them know that He will not cause His anger to fall on them even though they deserve it and He would be right in doing so. But why is that? Why does God still choose to chase after a rebellious people? Why has He not punished us with fire and brimstone immediately as we deserve? Well, as He says to Jeremiah, because He is merciful; and for that very fact, He will not keep His anger forever, though that anger is entirely justified.

Now look at the one request which God makes of them in order to obtain that mercy:

 “Only acknowledge (or confess) thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.”  v.13

God invites sinners to return to Him, the only thing that He asks is that we might sincerely confess and acknowledge that we are wrong, that we have gone astray from Gods instruction. His promise to such is that He will not pour out the punishment which they now acknowledge that they deserve.

True confession is not just to inform Him of the sin which one has committed, but it is to be honest to God that the act committed is deserving of punishment and request, sincerely, for His pardon. And we are assured that it will be given, because He is merciful (mercy is a part of who He is). 

The opposite of this is to justify (as in to defend, explain or excuse) one’s self. Which is exactly what the backslidden nation was doing at first before God calls them. We are told that “The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah” Jeremiah 3:11. That is not the kind of confession God calls for. To seek to justify ones sinful acts, to explain to God why one has transgressed, is no different than to cover them, and “he that covereth his sins shall not prosper” but we may thank God that we are assured that “whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

Within the private quarters of prayer, we may take all our transgressions to God, and the promise is that He is faithful and just to forgive, once we have met this simple condition.

2.       True confession must come with the willingness to do away with the sins confessed. A willingness to reform.

Having confessed ones sins, there is a decided change that must take place. The one who obtains mercy is one who not only “confesses” but also “forsakes” the sins he has brought before God. (Prov. 28:13)

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:7

How profound the idea. Mercy is offered to the wicked, granted that one is willing to forsake, to reject and abandon ones sins. That mercy is not only the promise but it is also the driving motivator to forsake sin.

Now let us not forget, it is according to God’s mercy that He saves us (Titus 3:5), and it is He that purifies us of our iniquities by the very same mercy (Prov. 6:16). So the call to forsake sin before coming to God is not necessarily that the sinner must have cleansed himself before coming to God, but rather it is that I may come to God with a sincere desire to “break up”, so to say, with my sins and have them removed from me by His mercy. 

Thus there’s more to confession than acknowledging ones sins and accepting the fact that one is a sinner, but the truly repentant heart wants to forsake the very sin itself. To such a one God promises that He will have mercy, and that He will “abundantly pardon.”

It is therefore possible to confess ones sins to God over and over and not obtain His transforming mercy, simply due to not being willing to forsake the sins being confessed. But we may claim the promise “it is God that works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure…” Phil. 2:13. Thus, where we are not willing to forsake particular sins, we may even confess that to God, and He will give that willingness to the one who asks. As we continue with these steps to conversion, we shall see how God does the work of turning a man from his sins.

3.       Confession must hope in the mercy of God. We may have confidence, when confessing, that God will accept our sincere apology.

In Luke 18, Jesus relays a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector that illustrates this point. We read:

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican…” Luke 18:10-11

Notice the attitude of this Pharisee. Jesus “spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous” (Luke 18:9) and this Pharisee is an example of that. He may not feel as thou he needs any mercy exercised towards him, but rather that he deserves whatever blessings he may have, On the other hand:

“the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke 18:13.

Unlike the Pharisee, when the publican comes to God, he realises that there is nothing about him that can commend him to God. There is nothing that he can point to as a reason why God should even give him any attention. The publican realises though, that as a sinner, he can claim the mercy of God. God’s mercy, the fact that God is a God who “hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities...” is what gives the sinful publican hope.   Psa. 103:10

Now notice the result of such an attitude. Said Jesus,” I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased (brought low); and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”  Luke 18:14.

 Between these 2 individuals who came praying to God, the Pharisee who trusted in all his good deeds went away without being justified. On the other hand, the publican whose only hope was the mercy of God, went away justified (pardoned and cleansed).

The point to be gained is that when the publican confessed his sin, his only claim for forgiveness was the fact that God is merciful. This was His hope; and when it comes to our heartfelt confession of our sins, we can be hopeful that God will forgive us not because of any inherent goodness we may have within ourselves (for we truly have none), but because He is merciful. For this reason, he went away “justified” (forgiven).

 “The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in His mercy” Psalms 147:11. Those whose hope is in the mercy of God are pleasing to Him, and He will gladly accept their sincere confessions. God accepts the sinner because He is a God of mercy, and since “His mercy endureth forever” this mercy may be our hope.

 

Why such an effort on "Mercy"

Along with many other reasons which I mention throughout each "thought nugget" of the series, these are really the 3 main reasons why I have been taking a keen effort to write on the subject of Gods mercy:

1. It is a neglected subject that must requires attention.

"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:22. The word “behold”, means to look attentively at something, it’s a call to observe or pay close attention (one definition says it means “to feast your eyes on”). In this instance God is calling us to focus our attention on 2 things: His goodness and His severity.

As it relates to the severity of God, one does not doubt that many are familiar with this. Many talk of His severity, and in some cases it is even the primary motive why some are Christians: because the fear the severity of God.

On the other hand though, God’s goodness, His mercy, is very often neglected if ever considered (paid attention to) at all. Now the verse is not talking about merely mentioning these ideas, or to merely have them as ideas in the back of our minds. Paul, under the ministration of God the Holy Spirit guiding His mind is instructing the reader to fix our attention on Gods goodness, AND His severity.

God’s goodness is His mercy. “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good:” but why is God good? “…because his mercy endureth forever” Psalms 118:1. The reason God has been good towards fallen mankind is because He is merciful, eternally so. This idea is the summery of the whole of Psalms 136, the fact that the goodness of God is the expression of His eternal mercy.

When we say “God is good… all the time”, and “all the time His mercies endure forever” it is an expression of the same idea: that the reason He is always good is because He is always merciful, His goodness is an expression of His mercy.

This point must be restated, because God calls us to “behold therefore the goodness and the severity of God”, to give focus and pay careful attention to both in their right proportions. One believes that there has been a widespread imbalance in how men view God, and this results in an unbalanced Christian experience. Either God’s mercy is not considered (given careful attention) at all, or that it is not given enough attention: that is to say it is merely mentioned and glanced over, but not really considered.

Now before moving to the next point, it must also be stated that it is possible to do the very same thing in the opposite direction: to push so hard in the direction of “mercy and goodness” that one entirely does not consider His “severity.”

It is the aim of this series to consider the subject of mercy as a characteristic of God which is widely overlooked.

2. It is a vital point of contention in the great controversy:

“In the opening of the great controversy, Satan had declared that the law of God could not be obeyed, that justice was inconsistent with mercy, and that, should the law be broken, it would be impossible for the sinner to be pardoned. Every sin must meet its punishment, urged Satan; and if God should remit the punishment of sin, He would not be a God of truth and justice. When men broke the law of God, and defied His will, Satan exulted. It was proved, he declared, that the law could not be obeyed; man could not be forgiven. Because he, after his rebellion, had been banished from heaven, Satan claimed that the human race must be forever shut out from God's favor. God could not be just, he urged, and yet show mercy to the sinner.” Desire of Ages p.761.4 (Emphasis added)

Along with satan's continued claims that it is not possible to keep God's law, satan also throws the accusation against God that He cannot claim to be as merciful as He says He is. Now there are some, for whom I thank God, who have made it their lifework to exalt the law of God to its rightful position as holy and just and demanding of man’s exact obedience. On the other end of the scales though, the other claim which satan brings against God, has to do with the subject of mercy.

The feature of Gods mercy then, is just as vitally a part of the great controversy as the very commandments themselves. As such, it demands our focus and consideration.

As a result a result of neglecting this aspect of God’s character, one has seen (and also been guilty of) exalting the righteousness/justice of God, without His mercy. Without this mercy of God brought forth, the idea of obedience to the law is also thus affected (something we shall see as we continue with the series). Just as much as the righteousness of Christ as expressed in His law must be carried to the world, the mercy of God must be carried along with it (because God’s mercy, as a part of His character, cannot be separated from His righteousness).

3. It is God's desire to have His mercy revealed through His people

As somewhat of a response to the condition described in the previous point, God would answer the claims of satan through none other than His people. God wants to reveal through mankind that His law can be kep, and with that He wants it to be made manifest through their lives that He is a merciful God.

“The children of God are called to be representatives of Christ, showing forth the goodness and mercy of the Lord. As Jesus has revealed to us the true character of the Father, so we are to reveal Christ to a world that does not know His tender, pitying love. "As Thou hast sent Me into the world," said Jesus, "even so have I also sent them into the world." "I in them, and Thou in Me; . . . that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me." John 17: 18, 23.” Steps to Christ, p.115

Point no.2 & 3 can be shown Biblically, the 2 passages quoted just summarise the ideas well.

For these reasons, Gods mercy deserves more than just a casual brush over. Throughout this series, in studying out this wonderful subject of God’s mercy, I have personally felt like I was learning a side of God which I had altogether been unfamiliar with. It is easy to think that we know something merely because we can mention it every now and again, but God calls us to “behold”, to give careful attention to, this side of who He is.

Repentance & Mercy – Part 2

Before moving on to the next step of the series of steps in the experience of conversion, I was really impressed to go back to consider 2 fundamental points of what repentance is. That is that:

1.       Repentance involves a true and heartfelt sorrow for sin

2.       Repentance is not just a sorrow for sin, but a turning from it in heart. To seek to divorce ones sins so to say.

Let’s see these 2 points from scripture, and possibly find where this idea relates to the idea of God’s merciful character.

Heartfelt sorrow for sin

In speaking to the church at Corinth, Paul refers to “godly sorrow” that “produces repentance (as in a turning away) leading to salvation, not to be regretted...” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NKJV). With genuine and lasting repentance, there comes a sorrow which is after a godly sort. As one writer puts it, “We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.” ¹

It is this kind of repentance that leads to a change in the life. Of the very same Corinthians, Paul speaks of the change that was produced by their godly sorrowing of repentance, saying “For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” Verse. 11. The sorrow over their wrong worked a repentance which was manifest in the change that took place.

In the experience of David, after his moral fall of committing adultery and a number of successive sins after that, God revealed his sins to him and thus placed true repentance in his heart. After his repentance and confession he was able to state that “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalms 51:17. In another place, David writes, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:17.

Thus we find that in the experience of conversion, there comes a genuine sorrow for the very sins one seeks to be freed from. Not a sorrow merely for the consequences that come with the sins, but a sorrow over the very acts of disobedience themselves which seeks to have those sins removed.

Thus, repentance includes: Turning away from sin

As it relates to this second point, we may understand the word repent to mean the same as turning. Thus in many instances in the Old Testament, when God urges His people to repent, he calls them to turn from their sins and to turn to Himself as their redeemer. .

Notice Ezekiel 14:6:

“Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God; Repent, and turn [yourselves] from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.”

 God calls the Israelites to repent, and to turn from all their idols. From this we may find that true repentance includes a turning from sin. God’s call for these men to repent from their idolatry was a call for them to turn from their sins.

Now notice where these idols were. Just 3 verses earlier God tells Ezekiel: “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their heart…” Ezekiel 14:3

God does not call for a mere outward change of the externals, but the work which Christ wants to accomplish is that which reaches the every heart. Thus, with the case of the men of Israel, God calls men to repent from their sins, which lie rooted in the heart too; whether it be the idol of pride, envy, evil thinking and resentment, or any other idols which may be found in the heart.

At this point, let us consider as we have noted before: it is the mercy of God as contained in His goodness “that leadeth [us] to repentance” (Romans 5:2). Thus our heart, which are naturally at enmity with God, may receive a true sorrow for sin when we realise our transgressions. This kind of repentance comes from Christ  Himself (Acts 5:31), thus, one need not wait until he feels like he is sorry before coming to Christ, or turning from his idols; but we can and must remember that true repentance (heartfelt sorrow and turning from sin) is a gift from God. This gift is as freely given as the very forgiveness of the sin itself (Acts 5:31).

When convicted of our wrongs, by the sweet Holy Spirit, like the psalmist, we too can pray can cry out for true repentance and pray: “Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved” Psalms 80:3

The above 2 ideas may be considered by looking at the 2 Hebrew words which are translated as “repent”:

The first, nacham (pronounced “naw-kham”), means “to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret.” This is sometimes used in reference to God, speaking of the sorrow He continually feels as a result of the sins of man.

The other word is the word shuwb (pronounced “shoob”), which means “to turn back, or to return.” To have a 180^O change in direction so to say.

Both of these words are commonly used when God calls His people to repent: He calls for true sorrow and turning in heart from transgression of His law.

Now tying these 2 ideas together with mercy.

In warning His people of the impending wrath that is to come upon the earth on all that do wickedly, God says these words to His very own people:

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning (or sorrow): And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God…” Joel 2:12-13a

The passage really summarise all that we have mentioned thus far as involved in repentance (sorrow for sin, a turning away from it and a whole hearted turning to God), but Joel continues to give us the highest motivation for such an act of repentance, he continues with the words: “…For (or because) He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.” Verse 13b.

What a lovely idea to consider: God is calling man to repent of the evil that they commit; and the motive He gives us is indeed because of the results that will come on account of the disobedience, but more that, God calls men to repent because He is a merciful God. His mercy must lead us to repentance. Seeing exactly what it is that our sins really deserve, and the fact that God has not given us what we deserve (as in, He has been merciful towards us), must motivate man to seek out how he may be turned from those sins which bring grief to such a good God.

Thus we find that as it relates to repentance, this essential step in the experience of being converted in heart and life, mercy is a very crucial element. It is God’s mercy, together with grace, that must motivate man to repent.

1.       White, E. Steps to Christ. p.23

02_Mercy and the steps of Conversion: Repentance

The gospel, the everlasting gospel by which we may be saved from sin, is a message of faith and repentance.

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” Mark 1:14-15

In Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, Peter preached a very powerful sermon. In Jerusalem were gathered a large majority of all the Jews for the ceremony of Pentecost and these made up his audience. We learn, through Peter’s sermon that these are the same Jews which crucified Jesus (verse 36), just a month and a half before when they had gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. In his sermon, Peter makes a compelling argument to the hearers in showing how the man whom they had crucified was none other than the very Messiah for whom they had been longing and waiting for. They killed the One who had come to save them.

And so we read: “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:38

They were brought to the realisation that they we “foolish, disobedient…hateful” (Titus 3:4), that Jesus, who could have (rightly) chosen to destroy His murderers, still chose to die for their very sakes. They were brought to the realisation of the love and mercy of God in not giving them what they deserve and as a result they were pricked in the heart, they were “drawn” to the Christ whom they despised just a few weeks back.

In response to their question, Peter’s response is a response for all: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38. What Peter made clear to the Jews, was that repentance was necessary for salvation and for the remission (that is the putting away) of sin.

Repentance precedes remission of sin, but doesn’t necessarily precede “coming”.

With that being said, this brings us to a very important point to consider: that true repentance comes from God. In another occasion, standing before the Sanhedrin, Peter says these words: “Him (Jesus) hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:31.

Repentance includes a sorrow for sin and turning away from it, and it is required in order that one may receive pardon; but there is nothing in man that is capable of leading Him to repentance. Jesus is the one who was exalted for to give repentance to sinners. We could not even repent except it were by, and only through Christ. Repentance, just as much as the forgiveness of sin, is the gift of God.  Thus, even before the sinner has repented, he may respond to the drawing of God and the call of Christ to come to Him just as he is, sinful, erring and weak. The sinner must not wait to feel that he has repented, before he can thus come to Christ; he may respond to the drawing of God who gives repentance and forgiveness of sins, having been led to realise his need.

 I love how one writer puts in, stating “Christ is the source of every right impulse. He is the only one that can implant in the heart enmity against sin. Every desire for truth and purity, every conviction of our own sinfulness, is an evidence that His Spirit is moving upon our hearts." (1) 

And how does God lead one to repent? It is through none else than His mercy.

Paul states in Romans that “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” (chapter 2:5b), and in the goodness of God is where we find His mercy.

We may recall when God said to Moses that He would “make all [His] goodness pass before [Moses], and will proclaim the name of the LORD” (Exo. 33:19); in fulfilment of this promise, when God did make His goodness pass before Moses, “The LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious… keeping mercy for thousands.” (Ex 34:6-7). When God made His goodness pass before Moses, in His declaration was contained His mercy.

Thus we find the relation between repentance and mercy. In contemplation of the mercy of God, men are lead to be sorrowful for, and turn from, their iniquities. It is for this reason that satan is ever trying to obstruct man’s view of God’s mercy, but every impulse in the desire for God is an evidence of God’s drawing on the heart in order to lead men to repentance.

Were it not for the fact the God is merciful, we would not be lead to repentance. Thus, even at this most crucial step of heartfelt sorrow for - and turning from – sin, mercy is a very essential element.

 

1.    White, E. Steps to Christ

 

02_Mercy and the steps of Conversion: Gods love for man and the sinners need for Christ

Note: The "02" in the title is just to note that this is the second portion of the series which will be looking at God's mercy as it relates to the steps of Conversion

In the previous section, we found that it is according to God’s mercy that mankind may be saved. We also saw that mercy, together with truth, is the means through which ones sins or iniquities are purged (removed, eliminated). The question may then arise as to how does one gain access to that mercy, where and how that mercy which purges iniquity is obtained.

We find our answer in the letter to the Hebrews:

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15

Mercy is obtained at the throne of God, God is the giver of mercy; but in order for us to obtain that mercy, the writer tells us that we must do our part of coming to God.

This presents us with a slight problem. Paul writes concerning humanity:

“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” Romans 3:11

Human beings are not born with any desire to seek after or come to God. Our hearts as fallen humanity are in a condition that is described as being at “enmity (as in hatred/ constant warfare) against God”, because they are “not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:7) As a result of that, there exists in man no natural desire to come to God in order to obtain mercy.

How then would God get a resisting race to “come boldly to the throne of grace” (the only place where salvation and mercy are obtained)? Noting the fact that God is a God of mercy, He would not use force or compulsion to have men come to Him; so how then would this happen?

Note the words of Christ: “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:” John 6:44.

What an idea to consider. God, knowing that in us there no desire to come to Him, still draws us to Himself. But how does God draw us? Well, He says:

“Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee” Jeremiah 31:3. Since God has loved us with an everlasting (undying and unchanging) love, the medium he uses to draw resistant sinners to Himself is none other than His loving-kindness.

 

Thus, in order to impress us to come and obtain the mercy which we so need for our salvation, God draws us with his love. The highest expression of God in showing His love was in giving His son, not merely to live among us, but moreover to die for man’s sins. Hence Christ could say: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This He said, signifying what death He should die” John 12:32-33. When one takes the time to consider Just what manner of death Christ dies, the just and innocent dying the death of a murderer, for nothing other that the sake of saving those who deserved to die that death, one grasps a bit of the everlasting love of God.

What an idea to consider. Think on the thought: We are helplessly rebellious by nature, and yet God makes the very first effort to sinful man in order to give to man what man does not deserve, in order to grant us His mercy.

Paul makes a practical reference to this idea, (also showing this close relationship between God’s mercy and His love):

In Titus 3:3, Paul makes reference to earthly rulers and mentions that “We ourselves (like them) were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” The question to Paul may then be, ‘but what happened to bring about the change?’ Hence he follows with the words: “But after that, (that is, after our foolishness, and disobedience) the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.” (Verse 4).

The idea being presented is that the reason why Paul, and the rest of the church, are no longer living the unrighteous lives they used to live is because the love and kindness of God appeared to us, us who were disobedient. But what would motivate God to reveal His love and kindness to a disobedient foolish and hateful race who do not deserve it? The very next verse tells us why: because it was “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us…” (v.5)

God, by reason of His mercy, revealed His love and kindness towards us sinful human beings, and as a result we who were sometimes foolish and disobedient were drawn by that everlasting love to come to Him where we may obtain the mercy needed to remove sin from our lives.

Mercy and the Everlasting Gospel_02_Salvation and Mercy

In Romans 1:16-17 Paul says the following words regarding the gospel:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

Paul defines the gospel as being the power of God for the salvation to those who believe. We read of Jesus in Matthew 1:21 that when He came to this earth He came to “save His people from their sins.” So the salvation Paul is referring to is none other than salvation from sin, or salvation from disobeying God’s law (see 1 John 3:4).

So in the gospel, the “power of God unto salvation”, God exercises His power to save man from sin. Thus the gospel is good news about that very fact.  And this power is none other than the power God used to create the universe, because “He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.” (Jeremiah 10:12) Catch the idea: the same power that was used in the creation of the universe is the same power God uses to transform a man from a sinner to a righteous saint. All this is bound up in Jesus’ mission, because He is “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” by which we may be saved from sin.  

Now In Titus 3:5 Paul shows us the driving force behind what we have just mentioned, that it was

 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...”

 In the gospel we find God exercising His almighty creative power to turn man from sin, but what Paul brings about is that this is carried out as prompted by the fact that God is merciful.

We are saved according to the mercy of God. That is to say, if God were not merciful, we would not have a hope at being saved.

Jesus came to save His people from their sins, and it is “By mercy and truth (that) iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD [men] depart from evil.” Proverbs 16:6. Mercy, along with truth, is an essential ingredient in the work of purging (removing, abolishing) a man’s iniquity from him.

The reason God wants to save man lies and originates with Him, and not so much in us who are the receivers of His mercy and love. What a powerful idea this is to oneself personally: God’s motive for saving me lies in who He is as a merciful God. This becomes more beautiful when one considers the words: “For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)

What motivation this should then bring to the one who realises his/ her own unworthiness. When a person looks at themselves, they may realise that they are not worthy of God’s love, not deserving of receiving anything from such a holy God. This is indeed true, but the reason He wants to save is not because of anything good possessed by the individual, but because of who He is as a God who is abundant in mercy: For that reason we can have hope.

Note the promise: “Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy; to deliver their soul from death, to keep them alive in famine.” Psalms 33:18-19. Those who hope in his mercy are the ones whom God will deliver (as in save) from death.

God’s mercy is not changed, increased or lessened by our circumstances and conditions, for it is a part of who He is as God. Our condition does not make God merciful, but rather it is a chance for Him to express how merciful He already is. 

In this segment, the thought must be observed that God’s mercy is a crucial point as it relates to our salvation, so much so that without it, we could not be saved.

From here we’ll take a look into the Steps of conversion; how it is that we can obtain that salvation from sin and in doing so we will see how the mercy of God is a vital part at each and every step.  

Mercy and the everlasting Gospel: "Table of content"

By God's grace, one has through the study of God's mercy sort of drafted the things I've been going through into an overall skeleton. I have, again, been greatly blessed by the topic of mercy and  hope to share the gems which I have been gathering on the subject. Together with some of the overall things I' have already shared, this is mainly the things I hope to post of my study notes on the subject of "Mercy and the everlasting Gospel." [The points are the bite sized "thought nuggets" to make for more comfortable reading]

·        General outline/ Table of Content

·         01_Mercy and the everlasting Gospel - Introduction

o   A chief Characteristic of God

o   Defining Mercy

·         02_Salvation and mercy

o   Mercy and the steps to conversion

§  God’s love for man and the Sinners need

§  Repentance

§  Confession

§  Consecration

§  Faith and acceptance

§  Bearing fruit

·         03_Mercy and the great controversy

o   God on trial

o   Satan’s accusations

o   The foundation of God’s throne

o   Mercy and justice

o   Calvary, the highest manifestation of God’s mercy thus far seen

·         04_Mercy in action, what does mercy look like

o   God’s response to unrighteousness 

o   How mercy is expressed

·         05_Mercy and the final generation

o   How can we know last generation

o   The experience of Mercy

       o   Mercy and the church of Laodicea.

A blessed Sabbath to all.

Mercy and the Everlasting Gospel_01: Defining Mercy

It may be helpful at this point in our study to spend a few moments in defining what is meant by the word “mercy.” There’s a section I’m yet to post, entitled “Mercy in action/ What mercy looks like” where I dwell more on the idea, but for the sake of understanding as we continue, this part may be vital.

An understanding of what mercy is may be found in looking at an example of mercy being exercised. In Ps. 103:10 we read:

“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”

When man transgressed the law of God, justice demanded that man be destroyed: “The wages of sin is death,”(Romans 6:23). The just punishment for sin is the eternal death of the sinner; yet what we find is that with that still being the case, God has not dealt with sinners the way that they deserve. The question may be then as to why/ how could God do that? We find the reason why in the verse that follows:

‘For as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him…” Psalms 103:11.

So the reason God has not dealt with us just as we deserve, in giving to man the due reward of their sins is on account of the fact that God is merciful; says the prophet : “This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed…” Lamentations 3:21-22. The reason man has not been consumed (as justice demanded that man should) for his, for our, transgressions, is found in none other than the fact that God is merciful.

Thus we may find our definition of mercy: Mercy is when God does not treat an offender/ transgressor just as he deserves to be treated.

Now one must early one observe the dilemma that God has been placed in in exercising this regard. If “the Lord is righteous in all His ways...”  (Psalms 145:17) then God must still carry out the justice which the law demands in granting eternal death of the transgressor. The question then arises as to how can God be just and merciful at the same time? How can He not give to sinners exactly what they deserve without doing away with the law which the demands justice (see Matt. 5:17-18- God’s law is eternal)? This question is dealt with in the section on “Justice and Mercy.”

With our definition of mercy, it must be noted that this is somewhat distinct from grace. Let’s note the following words to help us see the distinction:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8.

Speaking of salvation, Paul describes it as something which is given to man as a gift: that is to say that man did not deserve that salvation. This act of giving to man what he has not earned or worked for is called an act of God’s grace. Thus we may understand grace then to be when God gives to man that which he does not rightly deserve, it is “unmerited favour” as some would describe it.

So the distinction between mercy and grace may be described then to be as follows:

Mercy	Grace
When God does not give man (sinners and transgressors of His law) that which man does deserve	When God gives to man, that which we do not rightly/naturally  deserve

 Although these 2 are distinct, the almost always travel together:

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” Psalms 103:8

“The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious…” Exodus 34:6

This definition of mercy is the overall definition which will be considered throughout the series, (unless another aspect of God’s mercy is being touched on, which will be stated whenever that is the case.)

This then is God’s mercy, and it is to be the kind of mercy we exercise as those who hope to obtain mercy.

 “Be ye therefore merciful, as your father also is merciful.” Luke 6:36