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The parable of the prodigal son certainly shows God to be “the father
of mercies” (2 Cor. 1:3) and the God of all comfort.
As James put it, “The Lord is full of mercy” (James 5:11).
Paul referred to himself “as
one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful” (1Cor. 7:25). He said
that even though he had been “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man,
I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief “(1Tim.1:13 NIV).
There are promises of mercy to all believers (Matt. 5:7).
Paul even starts his letters with this phrase, “Grace, mercy, and
peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord” (1Tim. 1:2; 2Tim.
1:2; Titus 1:4; 2 John 3).
In fact, there were the early promises of mercy with the birth of Jesus
Christ. See
Luke 1:46-54, 67-78.
In writing to the Romans, Paul makes a main point by showing that the
Jews failed to recognize God’s mercy and sought righteousness by works.
The Gentiles were also included in God’s mercy and that everyone is a
sinner and needs God’s mercy.
He concludes with this statement:
“For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to
all” (11:32 NAS).
When
we put Matthew and Luke together, we see that the “perfection” (“Be ye
perfect”) consists of the duty to be merciful.
See Matt. 5:48; Luke 6:36).
On two different occasions, Jesus borrows from the prophet Hosea 6:1.
One occasion he was eating with the publicans and sinners (irreligious
Jews). He was
accused of the Pharisees.
He then told them, “But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come
to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" (Matt. 9:13 NKJV). And
then again when the Pharisees accused His disciples of breaking the Sabbath
because they picked grain on the Sabbath.
Again, he said, “But if you had known what this means, 'I desire
compassion, and not a sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent
“(12:7 NAS).
A
way of showing mercy was to give to the poor.
The very word that is related to the Greek word of “mercy” was
translated into old English as “alms”.
Alms were merciful acts that came from the heart and were not forced by
external demands. That’s
why there is an emphasis on them in Luke 11:41-42).
How can a Christian turn his/her back on a suffering brother and have
God’s love? See
1John 3:17.
We are to “Be kind and compassionate to one another” (Eph. 4:32).
Jesus takes time to show that mercy in action through merciful
forgiveness and patience toward another.
See Matt. 18:23-35.