Who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
The dividing line for this verse is the cross. This verse describes the Christian before he entered the plan of God and after he entered the plan of God.
who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy
There was a time when we had not received mercy from God. The phrase “had not obtained mercy” indicates we existed without mercy for a long time.
Mercy is not grace. Grace emphasizes God’s provision for us in salvation. Mercy emphasizes God’s decision to spare punishment for our sins. He forbears punishment in the light of His grace. Because of Christ, God is free to exercise mercy toward us. “Mercy” means to receive grace. Before we became a Christian, we did not experience grace.
What is God’s attitude toward the non-Christian? Since he is spiritually dead, God must deal with him on the basis of justice. The unbeliever has not received the God’s justice through the cross, therefore, he must take the punishment for sin himself. God is not free to exercise mercy on one who does not accept the provision for mercy.
God cannot tolerate any sin. God’s character must remain the same whether a person is a Christian or not. If a person does not accept God’s solution for sin, he must pay for sin himself. Since the Christian has accepted God’s solution for sin, God is free to extend mercy to him. God must always act consistently with Himself, or else He would not be God.
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:4-5).
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
Principle:
God is free to exercise mercy to us because of the cross.
Application:
Do you know that God wants to extend mercy to you? He is free to do it because Christ has taken all the punishment for our sin. He paid for it all on the cross. God is now free to exercise His mercy to you, if you will receive it.
You may not feel you deserve mercy. That is not the issue with God. We can understand God’s mercy but we cannot give mercy to ourselves. We violate God by injecting our own thinking about forgiveness into God’s plan for salvation. God will extend His mercy to any and all who accept His son’s payment for sin on the cross.
This is also the case with the Christian. Many Christians cannot forgive themselves for what they have done. God has forgiven them and does not hold it against them anymore. God is faithful to give mercy:
Lamentations 3:22-23 “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”
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