Mercy Wins!
My Grandfather used to say “Have mercy” or “mercy” a lot when we would visit (four rowdy kids barging through the door all at once is probably reason enough). It was just another expression of mild woe similar to the Yiddish “oy vey” or a “sheesh” or a “oh my.” I never really thought much of it, other than it was pretty neat because nobody used it anymore. At least not in that way. I said it a lot as a kid. Sort of. When an older brother is smothering you and there’s nothing to do but give in, some sort of phrase calling for mercy was necessary.
Unfortunately, many Christians treat mercy the way my older brothers did. I’m right, you’re wrong, and I’ll beat you up until you give in. They look at mercy as something that is given when the other person submits to them. I suppose you could argue that that is ultimately how it works with God. When we submit ourselves to Him, He gives us mercy. His mercy is offered before we submit, but still contingent on a submission of our will to His.
At first I was going to compare our view of mercy with the use of the word for a generation as slang. But after thinking about it for awhile, maybe they had it right. Maybe our calls for mercy should permeate our daily lives. When we are tempted to roll our eyes and get disgusted, angered, or feel empty pity, we should call for mercy.
I believe that we should judge the sin of our brothers (so that we can restore them), but mercy is more important than judgment. (Note that mercy given is not equal to ignoring or allowing sin.) In fact, mercy is so much more important than judgment that James says to “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (2:12-13 NIV)
What do you know, mercy wins.
So for everybody that writes for, comments on, or reads articles posted on this website: “Have mercy!”
Have mercy for each other when another says something condemnable (especially when you’ve probably done it too or wanted to do it.) Can we correct? Yes. But do it gently with a loving heart. If you are angry, perturbed, or whatever, just don’t type. A number of us have shown that we have trouble not sinning in our anger.
I’m sure this post could have been written better. I’m sure I should have said something more, I’m sure that at times I say things I shouldn’t. But please, have mercy.
June 22nd, 2008 at 7:38 am
Mercy is only relevant when you need it.
Rick Frueh circa A.D. 2008
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:03 am
Which reveals a real lack of ackowledging the depth of our own need of mercy - every day.
Rick Frueh circa 2008 A.D.
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:26 am
Amen, brother!
Amen!
June 22nd, 2008 at 4:52 pm
When the sins of a brother have inadvertently come to our attention, we must treat them as redemptive responsibilities given to us by the Father. But we must never search for them in order to expose them to the entire world. That is the ministry of the Accuser.
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Agreed Rick, you’ll notice there was no mention of searching out sin.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 am
But that’s what us Christians like to do…
Expose other’s sins to as many people as we can to feel OK about our own.
Rick is right, we need to beware the ministry of the evil one. He gains the most ground when Christians do the work for him, inadvertedly even.
June 23rd, 2008 at 2:42 am
I want to ask the ODM’s why…
Why do you think you must be the protectors of truth? Do you think that truth is weak that it needs your protection? “The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” - John 1:5
Why do you try to defend the truth by attacking other Christians? Does it make you feel better about yourself?
Why do you use fear as a motivator? Fear that the Kingdom of God and the church will be over run by the kingdom of darkness? “Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” Matthew 16:18
Why do you think that your perspective of God, scripture and doctrine is the only right one? Can’t you see that your view is subjective? Can’t you see that you can learn from another Christian’s viewpoints?
Why can’t you let mercy triumph over judgement? Please help me understand your way of thinking.
June 23rd, 2008 at 5:23 am
“Agreed Rick, you’ll notice there was no mention of searching out sin.”
I began searching out your sin, Christian, but very quickly I saw the task was daunting.
June 23rd, 2008 at 6:52 am
Eugene,
Great questions… and I have asked even more than that as I also want to know which “truth” I am to follow?
Steve Camp’s?
Ken Silva’s
Ingrid’s?
Pastorboy’s?
Mike Ratliff’s?
Team Pyro’s?
John MacArthur’s?
Luther’s?
Calvin’s?
and on and on… all disagree on some major theological points, yet I am to follow “their” truth and forsake whatever “lie” they think I am following?
Yet, the bigger quesition is why do they not give answer?
1 Peter 3: 15b “… Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16. keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. ”
Personally I have yet to see any real “good behavior” but I have seen a lot of maliciously slander from them.
Why are they unable to “give an answer”?
I believe it is because they cannot with a clear conscience… it exposes their own sin and shows them for what they are… so they avoid the “truth” and continue in their own lie and sin.
Mercy can only be given when one has experienced it. I have yet to see any mercy from ODMs… I see a lot of condemnation and judging, but little if any mercy.
That should be proof of their “fruit”… to anyone.
iggy
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:30 am
Calvin of course! He’s the only one that got it right. Sheesh.
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:39 am
Eugene, problems with the ODM approach aside, the church is made up of people and one of the way God works is through people. We overcome by the Blood AND the testimony. Contending for the faith is performed by people using the tools God gave us (His Spirit and His word being primary). These tools can be abused, but the kingdom (made up of people) is revealed and expanded by the Gospel (spread primarily by people) and defened by God working through people, not exclusively of course, but primarily.
June 23rd, 2008 at 8:25 am
John H,
The thing is though, John MacArthur teaches that the Kingdom of God is not now, but only in the future.
http://www.biblebb.com/files/macqa/1301-C-1.htm
But I like Jesus’ teaching over John’s any day…
Jesus stated:
I see it is now, at hand and within and to be fulfilled… all at the same time.
iggy