The All Encompassing Efficacy and Potency of God’s Mercy Towards Humanity

1. Introduction

The reason for heavens is the earth. The reason for the earth is man. The reason for man is mandate and purpose driven. Mandate (earth) driven to be fruitful, multiply, replenish, subdue and dominate the earth and purpose driven to worship God, fellowship with God and man, be Christ-like, serve God and humanity and propagate the gospel of peace.

Our life is a star based, suggestive of five purposes, which we must keep in balance. These purposes are summarized in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of Jesus. These two statements sum up the God’s five purposes for our life:

I. “Love God with all your heart”: We were planned for God’s pleasure, so our purpose is to love God through worship.

ii. “Love your neighbor as yourself’: We were shaped for serving, so our purpose is to show love for others through ministry.

iii. “Go and make disciples”: We were made for a mission, so our purpose is to share God’s message through evangelism.

iv. “baptize them into… “: We were formed for God’s family, so our purpose is to identify with his church through fellowship.

v. “teach them to do all things… “: We were created to become like Christ, so our purpose is to grow to maturity through discipleship.

Man failed initially through Adam in the process of achieving both the mandate (FMRSD) and purpose driven Agenda, hence God regretted creating man. ‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. But Jehovah El Hanun decided to have mercy on man by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to die on the Cross of Calvary in order to re-admit us to God to reign as kings and priests here on earth. A commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will make us great Christians that can attract the mercy of God. This Bible Study engages us in detailed and deep rooted expositions on ‘Have Mercy Upon Us O Lord’.

1B. Research Questions

The study seeks to address and answer the following research questions:

1. What are the two key agenda God envisioned for man which he failed to do? (that necessitated the need for mercy of God?.

2. What is mercy / grace?

3. Who needs mercy? And why?

4. (I). What are the benefits of mercy?

4 (ii). What are the benefits of Grace?

5. What are the distinctive qualities of God’s mercy?

6. How does God demonstrate the generosity of His mercy in his dealings with the people?

7. What shall we do before attracting mercy from God?

8. What are the attributes and requirements for getting generous mercy of God?

9. What are the qualifications or Properties of God’s mercy?

10. What are the 3 key activities for generating God’s mercy?

11. What are the hindrances to God’s mercy?

12. What shall we do to be graciously entreated in God’s mercy?

13. What are the steps to obtain divine favour which we can find in the book of James?

14. Conclusively what is the master key to the attraction of God’s mercy?

2. Meaning of Mercy / Grace

Mercy is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as: (1) compassion or forbearance shown to an offender or subject; clemency or kindness extended to someone instead of strictness or severity; (2) a blessing regarded as an act of divine favour or compassion; (3) relief of distress; compassion shown to victims of misfortune.

• A good way to understand the meaning of mercy is to see how it relates to grace:

1. Mercy–not getting what you do deserve / withheld punishment

2. Grace–getting what you don’t deserve / unmerited favour

Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 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 transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.

Grace is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as: 1) beneficence or generosity shown by God to man; especially divine favour unmerited by man: the mercy of God as distinguished from his justice; 2) a short prayer either asking a blessing before or giving thanks after a meal; 3) disposition to kindness, favour, clemency or compassion: benign goodwill; the display of kindly treatment usually on the part of a superior. [Bible passages regarding grace show that all three in the Godhead express mercy: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.

3. Who Needs Mercy?

Everybody needs the mercy of God: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. All have sinned – In Adam, and in their own persons; by a sinful nature, sinful tempers, and sinful actions. And are fallen short of the glory of God – The supreme end of man; short of his image on earth, and the enjoyment of him in heaven. Both Jew and gentile sinned and forfeited God’s glory, and both are justified through the free gift of his grace by being redeemed in Christ Jesus who was appointed by God to sacrifice his life so as to win reconciliation through faith. In this way God makes his justice known; first, for the past, when sins went unpunished because he held his hand, then, for the present age, by showing positively that he is just, and that he justifies everyone who believes in Jesus. So what becomes of our boasts? “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the wicked unpunished..

4 (I). The benefits of Mercy: That is; God not giving us what we do deserve. We deserve Hell. We are wretched people. We fell out of his grace. But we have got the benefit of mercy. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” Not according to what we have done but according to his mercy, he saved us. He is a merciful God. ” Mercy triumphs over judgment.” God’s mercy restrains His anger; removes our sins and remembers our frailty.

4 (ii).The benefits of Grace: That is God giving us unmerited favour. “For the grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men.” Grace brought Salvation. A lot of people think you can get it by signing your name on church roll call. You cannot get Salvation without Grace. There is no other name under heaven by where / which we must be saved. He is the God of the Americans, the God of the Germans, the God of the Russians, the God of the Japanese, the God of the Africans and He is able to save them to the uttermost. His grace is sufficient for all. For by Grace are ye saved through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. It’s a gift. “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” There’s nothing nowhere that God’s grace will not be sufficient. We are… saved by grace; Forgiven by grace. Sustained by grace; Healed by grace. Liberated by grace; Restored by grace; Used by grace; Transformed by grace; we Give by grace; We are to live by Grace; Grow in Grace and Express Gratitude for Grace.

5. Distinctive Qualities of God’s Mercy

(I) Great mercy. “Then Solomon said, ‘You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for Him this great mercy, that you have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

(ii) Covenant mercy. “I said, ‘I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and mercy for those who love Him and keep His commandments’.

(iii) Abundant mercy. “For You, LORD, are good and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all who call upon You”.

(iv) Everlasting mercy. “For the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children”.

(v) Tender mercy. “Because of the tender mercy of our God, with which the Sunrise from on high will visit us”.

(vi) Rich mercy. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us”.

(vii) Full mercy. “We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful”.

6. How God Demonstrates the Generosity of His Mercy in his Dealings with the people

God as a Parent

God’s mercy and compassion to those in distress

In judgment, God’s mercy is just and true

God may choose to show no mercy

God’s mercy shown in his actions

The act of salvation- salvation was seen in physical, as much as in spiritual, terms

His forgiveness

Moses concerning idolatry.

God’s Demonstration of His Mercy through Jesus Christ: “God set Christ forth to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness.” Every day, God is merciful and kind to you and me on both a corporate and individual basis. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus points to His Father’s mercy and kindness toward even those who are evil and unthankful, when He commands all of us to act in love toward those who are our enemies and would hurt us if given the chance.

7. What to Do Before Attracting Mercy from God (Our Obligations)

Paul tells us what God has provided for us and what God expects of us. These are the things we should do before attracting God’s mercy. He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. This I say therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH, EACH ONE of you, WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour,. Put away WACEMB; SHE DRAWS EVU FILMS; WIP DUMB CHIEF.

8. Positioning Ourselves for the Generous Mercy of God: Attributes and Requirements

Mercy is the result and effect-of God’s goodness. God is essentially good in himself, and relatively good to us. “You are good, and do good.” This relative goodness is nothing else but his mercy, which is an innate propensity in God to pity and support such as are in misery:

[I] It is the great design of the Scripture to represent God as merciful. “

[ii] God is more inclined to mercy, than wrath. Mercy is his darling attribute, which he most delights in. “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?

[ii] There is no condition-but we may spy mercy in it. When the church was in captivity, she cried out, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed.”.

[iv] Mercy sweetens all God’s other attributes. God’s holiness without mercy, and his justice without mercy-would be dreadful. Mercy sets God’s power on work to help us; it makes his justice become our friend.

[v] Even the worst people taste God’s mercy. Such as fight against God’s mercy, taste of it; the wicked have some crumbs from mercy’s table. “The Lord is good to all.”

[vi] Mercy coming to us in salvation, is sweetest. To have health is a mercy-but to have Christ and salvation is a greater mercy.

[vii] All the mercy in the creature is derived from God, and is but a drop from this ocean. “The Father of mercies,” because he begets all the mercies in the world. If God has put any kindness into the creature, how much kindness is in him who is the Father of mercy!

[viii] Mercy stays the speedy execution of God’s justice. Sinners continually provoke God, and make “the fury come up in his face.” Why is it, that God does not immediately arrest and condemn them? It is not that God cannot do it, for he is armed with omnipotence-but it is from his mercy.

B. The qualifications or PROPERTIES of God’s mercy.

[a] God’s mercy is FREE. “He has chosen us in him, according to the good pleasure of his will.” Justification is free. “Being justified freely by his grace.” Salvation is free.

[b] God’s mercy is an overflowing mercy; it is INFINITE. “Plenteous in mercy.” “Rich in mercy.” “Multitude of mercies.”.

[c] God’s mercy is ETERNAL. “The mercy of the Lord is from eternity to eternity.” “His mercy endures forever,” is repeated twenty-six times in Psalm 136.

Key Activities for God’s Mercy

Activity one: We are to look upon God in PRAYER, not in his judgment robes

Go to prayer with confidence in God’s mercy; as a cold person goes to a fire, saying, “it will warm me, not burn me.”

Activity two: BELIEVE in his mercy. “I will trust in the mercy of God forever.” God’s mercy is an open fountain..

Activity three: Speak and Act on the WORD of God

9. Hindrances to Receiving God’s Mercy

It’s time to forgive and release both the offenses and the offenders and be set free of unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The following are the issues that can hinder God’s mercy:

I. Self-condemnation will keep you from receiving God’s mercy.

When you condemn yourself for all the bad things you have done and the devil points them out to you, you begin to get in agreement with him. Remember, Satan is the accuser of the brethren., “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.”

ii. Self-righteousness will keep you from receiving God’s mercy.

The account of the Pharisee and the publican in the parable Jesus shared in Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed that he was not a sinner like the other men who are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. But the publican, prayed and confessed his sins and pleaded with God to be merciful to him as a sinner. Jesus confirmed that: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. The publican who acknowledged that he was a sinner was forgiven, but the self-righteous Pharisee was not forgiven. Self-righteousness builds a wall and blocks the mercy of God.

iii. A “works syndrome” will block the mercy and grace of God. If you get over into a “works syndrome” that you are pulling it off with your own money and efforts, then you are right back in the same place as those who are attempting to reach God by the works of the law. But if you realize, “All the money I have has come from God,” then you will acknowledge that whatever harvest or blessing comes back to you is because of the mercy and grace of God. Take a stand against assuming that works will attain righteousness. You do the works because it’s your responsibility. You feed, clothe, reach out, witness, touch, share and give because freely it has been given to you.

iv Failure to give mercy will block the mercy of God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy”. If you are merciful to others, you will receive mercy. Jesus said: Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. The way you give mercy is the way others will show mercy to you. If you want mercy in good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, then you need to give it in the same measure to others.

v. Unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment will block God’s grace and mercy. When people are unmerciful, unforgiving and they hold grudges and resentments, they stop the healing power of God from coming into their body. In fact, all of God’s blessings are blocked by unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment.

10. What shall we do to be graciously entreated in God’s mercy?

(I.) Be sensible of your needs. See how much you stand in need of pardoning, saving mercy.

(ii.) Go to God for mercy. “Have mercy upon me, O God!” Lord! let me have saving mercy and loving-kindness. Give me such mercy as speaks your electing love to my soul.”

(iii.) Be upon Gerizim-the mount of blessing and praising. [Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin].

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!”

(iv.) Love God. Mercy should be the attraction of love. “I will love you, O Lord, my strength.”

(v.) Imitate God in showing mercy. As God is the Father of mercy, show yourselves to be his children-by being like him. Show mercy to others.

(vi.) Fear God ( Obedience to God’s word and Practice of same)

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,. It is the fear o f God that will prompt you to worship Him in spirit and truth and with true loyalty.

The condition for obtaining the mercy of God is simple, just and reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some grievous thing in order that we may obtain his mercy.

B. Steps to obtain divine favour

• Submit to God

• Resist the devil and he will flee from you

• Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

– Seek God with all your heart with all your mind, with all your soul

• Cleanse your hands (Spiritual cleansing). “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”

• Purify your heart (repent for being double-minded)

• Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord with:

• Confession

• Repentance

• Contrition

• Weeping for our sins.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

11. Conclusion

The tender mercy of our God moves Him to provide salvation for those who are in desperate need. The mercy of God is new every morning. The mercy of the Lord is a much spoken subject in the Word of God that it appears in the Bible for over 250 times. The central importance of God’s mercy to the existence of man and his salvation cannot be overemphasized in Christendom. Evidently and conclusively in this Bible Study, we submit that the master key to the attraction of God’s mercy is wisdom. Wisdom means knowledge of God’s word with understanding and practical obedience to follow the detects and provisions of the WORD through total submission. Let us go back to the purpose that God has given us to achieve or do and graciously desire to do them with the fear of God, because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom = SIG2MAP2. It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

Capstone Recommendation: Worship (APLOT); Christ-like (LJPLGGFMT;; Service {(SHAPE); Fellowship (CO&CG); Evangelism (Self testimony, sharing of the goodness and benefits of salvation). Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.

Derivative Implications: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all; Amen. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.