Mercy and Forgiveness

Besides the Love of God that many speak about we are just as appreciative of the Mercy and Forgiveness that He shows to us. It is God’s Mercy and Forgiveness that plays a big role in our lives. How many times has He shown mercy on us for what we have done throughout our lives? There has undoubtedly been many a time that we have been spared some form of punishment that we deserved for sinning and yet He showed us Mercy. How about when we ask for Forgiveness that God grants us that Forgiveness from the wrong we had committed?

What we need to remember is that we should never take God’s Mercy and Forgiveness for granted. Though God may show and provide these things to us we need to not forget that there is a limit to the Mercy and Forgiveness if we continue to sin without repentance and not turn from our ways. Paul touches on this problem when he speaks about if we should sin more, so that the grace of God abound more (Romans 6:1). We know that he was not telling use to sin more, but that the idea of sinning and just asking for Forgiveness without truly meaning it and not repenting from that sin is the same as sinning and not asking. Those that really love their lives and don’t really care about truly changing will get their wish and they will not be able to change from the path that they have chosen to take (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

It is not the asking of Forgiveness that is all we have to do, but it is the repenting that should take place afterwards that needs to be done. David is mentioned as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) and yet when we look at his life we see all kinds of crazy sins that David committed. What made David a man after God’s own heart is that David repented from each of those sins that he committed and never repeated them again unlike so many that continue to sin over and over again in the same sin. The most memorable of David’s sins is the one that he had committed with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-27). Later Nathan comes to David to bring to David’s attention the great sin that he had committed (2 Samuel 12:1-14). God shows Mercy to David and He Forgives David of this sin, but David would be punished for what he had done. This is a lesson to us that even if we ask for Forgiveness and we repent from the wrong that we commit there is at times that we will receive a punishment, though it may not be as harsh as we deserve, but we will get some form of punishment for God loves those He chastens (Deuteronomy 8:5; Revelation 3:19).

Too many want to ignore the fact that we being the children of God will also receive chastening from our Father in Heaven. Who has children that if they sin they don’t measure out some form of punishment? If children are not punished in some way they will only grow up to be more rebellious and selfish. We as children if not punished in some way we will become more rebellious and selfish. God shows us Mercy by not measuring out the full punishment that we deserve, but reduces what we receive as punishment. It seems no one wants to take responsibility for their actions anymore, but rely on what they have been taught in church that if you do something wrong just ask for forgiveness and *puff* all is forgiven and the sin you committed is gone along with any punishment that should have gone with it. Do not think that if you confess your sins continually and ask for forgiveness that somehow the punishment is stopped. Remember that the price of sin is death, so in the case of that punishment we are spared because of the sacrifice that Jesus made, but we do not escape the chastening from God.

When we make mistakes in our lives we should never feel as though we can’t come before God and ask for Forgiveness and Mercy for what we have done, as long as we come before Him with a humble and repenting heart. We also need to remember that though we may escape the true punishment for the sin that we had committed, we may receive a lesser punishment for the sin. I for one am grateful for the chastening that my Heavenly Father gives me for I know that He cares enough to keep me on the right path. It is when we sin and nothing is done that we need to worry. I am not one that goes looking for a chastening, but neither am I one that gets upset with God and think that He has done me wrong when He does chasten me. Many, I feel think negatively when they receive a chastening, but those are the ones that also want to get away with committing their sins and living in their unrighteousness.

Let us strive to be good and acceptable children of God that learn from their mistakes and receive corrections with an open heart.