Dear Church,
This past Sunday Stuart continued his series on the book of Jude with a focus on the theme of God’s mercy and our necessary response to it. Jude begins and ends with mercy: “May mercy, grace and love be multiplied to you” (v. 2); “…waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ… And have mercy on those who doubt… to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh” (v. 21-23). Stuart exhorted us to consider how pervasive the theme of mercy is throughout Scripture (if you need any convincing, just start scrolling down this link). In his letter, Jude implores his readers to hold to the mercy of God in a context of surrounding and impending apostasy. This mercy is not just a doctrinal issue, but a matter of the heart; and in a context in which we might be tempted only to go “head to head” with the twisters of orthodox doctrine, we need to remember the need to go “heart to heart” as well. Those who spout false teaching and those who are drawn to it are no less in need of mercy than the rest.
Stuart helped to define mercy for us, and its relationship with grace. The two go together, but there are different nuances. Where God’s grace is addressed at our sins, his mercy is aimed at our misery. Where grace brings pardon for the undeserving, mercy provides relief to the helpless. Where grace focuses on God’s bounty, mercy focuses on our need.
Behind Jude’s appeal to mercy is the story of the Exodus (cited in v. 5), and along with this story comes the revelation of God’s name to Moses on Mt. Sinai: “The LORD, the Lord, A God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty…” (Exodus 34:5-7) In the revelation of God’s name there is both the comfort of those who will run to the merciful One, and warning for those who spurn this mercy. So Stuart talked about the CLAIMS of mercy and the CAUTIONS of mercy.
THE CLAIMS OF MERCY
It is only the mercy of God that gives us any ground for an appeal to Him, any hope of confidence to approach his throne for help and blessing. We have no merit to bring to the bargaining table. The prophet Daniel understood this profoundly when he prayed, “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him… we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy” (Daniel 9:9, 18). And David knew that it was only on the basis of God’s mercy that he could have an audience with the Lord: “Have mercy on me, O God… according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions” (Psalm 51:1). So mercy is the ground for our pleas. It is also the ground for our praise: “I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy” (Psalm 31:7, KJV). We can worship without self-consciousness because of our confidence in God’s character of mercy toward us. It is furthermore the ground of preaching and pastoring: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God…” (Rom. 12:1); “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God…” (2 Co. 4:1)
THE CAUTIONS OF MERCY
Mercy does not only warm the heart; it also warns the heart. It can be either a green or a red light. Jude’s letter exhorts us to keep ourselves in the love of God, as we wait for the mercy offered in Christ consummately at his second coming (v. 21). And among those who had previously encountered the merciful LORD at Sinai, there were many who fell away (v. 5). We can wrong mercy by neglecting its offer (2 Co. 6:1-13); by denying its truthfulness and remaining in self-pity; by self-glorification, ignoring that we have accomplished what we have not on the basis of our own efforts but on the basis of God’s mercy; by presuming on it as we persist in sin; or by simply forsaking it by holding on to our idolatry (Jonah 2:8)
So, are we claiming God’s mercy? Are we cautioned by it? These are things for each of us to ponder, but we should also consider one more response to mercy: Are we reaching out in mercy? Does the mercy of God toward us move us not only to a more humble and confident relationship with the Lord, but also to a more concerned attitude toward the real need around us. This need is not limited to physical poverty, for Jude’s appeal for mercy is directed in his letter most specifically to those who have been intellectually seduced by false doctrine. To those in danger of such seduction, for those have serious doubts, or who have begun to “play with fire” (v. 22-23), Jude asks us to reach out in mercy.
May we continue to persevere in mercy as we wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessings,
Ben
