“For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.
God gives no mercy to the person who refuses to demonstrate mercy to others. God does not show mercy to those who show partiality toward fellow believers. An individual who lives a life of selfishness and lack of mercy to others is the kind of person God will judge.
PRINCIPLE:
God’s compassion ultimately does not extend to those with no compassion.
APPLICATION:
Discrimination demonstrates a lack of compassion. God will not extend His mercy indefinitely on earth if we continually fail to show mercy to others. If we expect mercy from God now, we must show mercy now.
Since God is wholly impartial, He expects us to be wholly impartial. A person who lives with impartiality is selfless. If we live by mercy, God will reward us with mercy. This is an essential function of living by grace toward others.
Does this mean that merciless people are not truly saved? We don't show mercy to earn mercy or give forgiveness to get forgiveness from God, but aren't we supposed to have evidence of these things in our lives if we are saved?
Karen, the entire book of James is written to believers. The issue is not salvation but how to live the Christian life.
I have come to believe (and I believe “gracefully so”), my salvation is secure in Christ!! Our Father’s Word is pure and true…”Faith alone” unto eternally living with Him!
Next is how we live in growing our “holiness”…the fruits of His Spirit that indwells us. His Spirit is our guidance counselor in how to live a life that represents Him & to present us to the world to show Him!!
It’s a “life long” process and not everyone grows at the same rate!! His love is eternal and eternally forgiving.
That is the evidence of the freedom to grow due His Son’s sacrifice of blood for us!