4 ¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great
love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are
saved;)
Titus 3:5 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; 6 Which
he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should
be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
We should always be thankful for a Holy God’s mercy toward us,
and for His love. He saved us where we were, not where we should have been.
Romans 5:8 But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us.
Nothing can separate us from that love.
Romans 8:38 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.
God has quickened us with Christ, whom He raised from the
dead. To quicken is to make alive that which was dead (defined by phrasing in Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you).
Note that we have the same power in us that raised Christ from the dead.
Colossians 2:13 ¶ And you, being dead in your sins and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having
forgiven you all trespasses;
We are saved by God’s grace, his unmerited favor and mercy
toward them that believe, favor and mercy they have not and could not earn. Mercy
and grace go together. You deserved something other than what you received at
God’s hand. We are not under the Law given to Moses, an important point as many
Pastors and Preachers want to put you under that Law so they can control you.
Just notice the number of sermons given out of the Old Testament Law.
John 1:17 For the law
was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:14 For sin
shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under
grace.
Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might
be justified by faith.
We are saved, not by anything we have done or could do but
because mercy is in God’s character. The Psalmist says;
Psalm 25:11 For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine
iniquity; for it is great.
Here, two things are acknowledged. It is in God’s
nature to pardon. He will pardon for His name’s sake. In addition, the Psalmist needs pardon like a
sick person needs a doctor. The greater the illness the more reason the doctor
is necessary. Here, the Psalmists sin is great and his need of God’s mercy is
great. The awfulness and greatness of your sin is no impediment to God to have
mercy on you. In fact, a perfect, Holy God is as far above the greatest saint
and He is the most vile sinner. He extends His mercy to all regardless of their
self-perceived merit or lack thereof.
He came to us when we were dead in sins. He didn’t
require us to “get right” before He saved us. He saved us right there in the
sin, the muck, and the mire in which we were stuck and made us alive in Christ.
If you are at a point in your life where you feel you have done so much wrong
that you could never be forgiven remember that it is God’s mercy that is
extended to you now regardless of how bad you think you are or how good you
think you are. It’s not about you. It’s about Him. Be forgiven. Call on Him now
where you are.
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