Hello Beloved,
In this article, we will continue to deal with God’s attributes as it relates to His sensibility. Remember that an attribute could be defined as a quality, character, characteristic, or property that describes the essence of who God is. Defining God’s attributes helps us to understand the particular manner in which divinity exists and operates. For the purpose of these articles, we are describing God’s attributes in relation to his intellect, sensibility, and will.
Two months ago, we began speaking on God’s sensibility, His moral attributes, by focusing on His holiness, and last month we focused on God’s Love. In this article, we will focus on the many characteristics that connect with God’s love including His mercy, grace, and kindness.
We begin by describing God’s kindness or benevolence, a concept that connects God’s goodness with His manner of tenderness toward His creatures. God desires to promote happiness and well-being. As the psalmist states of God, “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Psalm 145:15-16 (ESV)
God’s mercy, oftentimes translated ‘loving-kindness,’ is descriptive of His covenant faithfulness as perceived in the Hebrew term “hesed.” One has often heard that mercy is man not getting what he deserves, but it is also God’s condescending love in action. God often reveals a compassionate response, connected with sympathy for the sufferer, so as to meet a need without concern of status or merit for the one who receives it. Mercy flows from God’s goodness, responding to one’s need. It involves a demonstration of pity by relieving the misery of the sinful and suffering, giving instead unmerited favor or grace. Such a picture can be exemplified in the Good Samaritan who cared for an unknown man that had been beaten and robbed. Luke explains, “But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’”
Luke 10:33-35 (ESV) Such mercy is also to be descriptive of Christ’s follower.
The Scriptures communicate that mercy is an essential quality of God (Ex 34:6-7). Mercy is God’s delight (Ps 52:8). God is called the Father of mercies (2 Cor 1:3). God is rich in mercy (Eph 2:4). Mercy is associated with God’s forgiveness (Ex 34:7), forbearance (Ps 145:8), covenant (Deut 4:31), justice (Ps 101:1), and truth (Ps 85:10). Finally, the mercy of God is everlasting (Ps 100:5). As we consider God’s mercy, we must also remember that He is sovereign in the exercise of his mercy, noting that the creature cannot demand mercy of God and that He will have mercy upon whom He wills (Ex 33:19; Rom 9:15,18).
Next, we connect love with God’s grace. Grace is God’s free bestowal of kindness, mercy, or favor on one who has no claim to such special approval. God exhibits goodness to those who do not deserve it or who have no right to its claim based on merit. Grace, like mercy, is a quality of God (Ex 34:6), associated with God’s covenant (2 Kings 13:23), and the basis by which He forgives and restores
(2 Chron 30:9). Grace is the basis of God’s election (Rom 11:5; Eph 1:4-6), and the basis of redemption in the forgiveness of sins (Rom 3:24-26; 1 Cor 15:10, Eph 1:6-7). Finally, grace is the basis of our future hope (2 Thes 2:16: 1 Pet 5:10). Further, like mercy, God is sovereign in His exercising of grace. Salvation begins in grace because it begins with God’s initiative, and salvation ends in grace as it is He who gives life and raises the dead. Grace, as it relates to our salvation, does not mean that God simply overlooked our sin, because God’s holiness and righteousness could not allow such a thing. However, God showed grace by providing for man’s sin through the voluntary, substitutionary, redemptive, and propitiatory death of Christ. In other words, what God’s holiness demanded His grace provided through Christ’s death on the cross. In the words of Julia Johnston,
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.
Dark is the stain that we cannot hide;
What can we do to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
o Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!
Until next time, this is Pastor Daniel writing, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
*Material for this newsletter article are taken from the notes of Jim Smith, Professor of Bible and Theology at Brookes Bible College.