MERCY AND GRACE - THE DOORS TO INFLUENCE

     The truth is sometimes harsh! We think of Baptists today as being on either of two sides; liberal and permissive or militant and legalistic. But what should true Christianity look like? Should we abandoned truth to be more accepted and likable? Or should we take a hard stand and insist on the unrealistic standard of perfection? The answer to these questions lies in the balance of grace, mercy, and truth! 

Ephesians 4:9 “But speaking the truth in love”

    1. God expects us to use Mercy and Grace.  

“shouldest not thou have also had compassion on thy fellowservant” Matthew 18:33

     In Matthew 18:23-35 Jesus tells us the story of a king and his two servants. The king had mercy on the first servant who owed him, and yet the first servant would not have mercy on the second servant. Jesus shows us His thoughts about when we have little or no mercy on others when He has blessed us with so much mercy and grace. Without mercy and grace we are going to hell, with no hope of ever receiving forgiveness. God acted before we could ever ask for forgiveness. Even after we have received this mercy and grace, we cannot do anything to be worthy of it! How can we not freely and unconditionally give it to others?

     2. Mercy and Grace allow for restoration.

“restore such an one in the spirit of meekness” Galatians 6:1

Without mercy and grace there is no restoration! We could not have been restored to fellowship with God except for the mercy and grace that Jesus bestowed on us! Likewise we must humbly show mercy and grace to those who have fallen, realizing that but for the grace of God THERE GO I!

     3. Mercy and Grace commands respect, and warrants following. 

“Let love be without dissimulation” Romans 12:9

     Of the twelve children of Jacob which one had the most influence on the world and the Israelites? Which of the twelve do we still tell stories about today? Joseph and his coat of many colors! Joseph’s life was marked by mercy and grace in everything that he did and everywhere that he went. Genesis 49:22-26 lists the blessings that were given to him and end with “the blessings..have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors (direct ancestor) unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills:...the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.”

     The statement “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care” may sound like a cliche but it is very true. Mercy and Grace are the doors through which you will gain influence and be able to reach a lost world for Christ. Mercy and Grace are the doors through which you will be able to develop a true “son” or “daughter” in the faith, as Paul did with Timothy. I wonder if that relationship (Acts 16:1-3) was possible because Paul had just learned something from Barnabas about Mark (Acts 15:37-41)? Proverbs 3:3-4 “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

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Written by: Joel Wallace
Associate Pastor 

 Hendrix Road Baptist Church

www.hendrixrdbaptist.org

“Speaking the Truth in Love” Eph 4:8

TRUTH, THE FOUNDATION OF GRACE

Romans 8:31-39

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Amazing Grace how sweet the sound” 

      The grace of God truly is amazing. But what gives grace such a powerful and life altering meaning? Many times we think that some of the attributes of God (such as holiness, grace, truth, mercy, etc.) are more important than others, or we try to put them in a list starting with the most important one first. The mistake we make when we do this is that we are automatically downplaying the other attributes of God. No one attribute of God is better or more important than the other. Without condemnation there is no need for salvation. Without righteousness there is no need for mercy. And without truth there is no need for grace! We must speak the truth, despite peoples feelings, because without truth grace is left weak and useless. 

 “That saved a wretch like me...” 

     Consider the truth of our wretchedness and where we were before God. That is what makes this passage (and song) so wonderful. Truth is what gives grace meaning, and what makes it so wonderful. Truth is the foundation of grace!

1)  TRUTH IS, BY DEFINITION, EXCLUSIVE 

     (only one way, i.e. If the answer is A, it cannot be B.)

     John 14: 6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

     There is a right way and a wrong way. To pretend that there are no absolutes is to ignore the clear teaching of scripture (not to mention the way everyone lives their life). Everyone has something that they think is wrong (murder, rape, ect) likewise everyone has something they think is right (kind to fellowman, charity, ect). Anyone claiming that there are no absolute truths, is not thinking about the issue clearly.

2)  TRUTH IS NOT RELATIVE. IT IS FINDABLE AND KNOWABLE.

     (relative - considered in relation or in proportion to something else)

     John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

     Would God command us to know the truth in order to be free, and then not give us the truth? As Paul would say “God forbid.” The truth is there for us to know and understand. We are simply either too self-centered, lazy, or worldly to find and recognize the truth. Where is the Truth? 

      John 8:31 "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;"  

     The Bible is the source of all Truth!

1)  TRUTH IS OUR SCHOOLMASTER (TEACHER)

      Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

     Before salvation we must first realize why we need to be saved. We must believe that we are sinners before God. Jesus' words to the people who knew they were sinners was always hope and grace (the woman at the well, the Philippian jailer, etc). Yet His words to people who did not already know the truth (the way God thought about their sin) was always one of judgment and condemnation (Pharisees, Rich Young Ruler, etc). The truth must be known BEFORE grace can be extended!

      Is abortion murder? Is sex before marriage okay? Is God okay with a homosexual lifestyle? If I die without accepting Jesus Christ will I go to hell? God has clearly answered these questions. And for any of us to down play, muddy the answer, or refuse to speak the truth because we think that it may be too harsh or hurts someone's feelings is equal to not warning people of impending destruction because they do not wish to be disturbed. Often we simply do not wish to feel uncomfortable or unappreciated. As Peter and John said in Acts 4:20 “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”  

     Truth is the foundation of grace!

Check back next week for a follow up post on "The Importance of Graciousness”.

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Written by: Joel Wallace
Associate Pastor

 Hendrix Road Baptist Church

www.hendrixrdbaptist.org

“Speaking the Truth in Love” Eph 4:8