Mercy triumphs over judgment!

(James 2:13)  “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

An obvious trap we as Christians often face is the trap of doubt or uncertainty over certain discussion in our lives. Our enemy looks for us to always reason in the realm of ambiguity; plainly put we look for an apology to excuse our sin. It causes instability in our rational and that is the playground of the devil. Our beloved brother James highlights this for us in his epistle; “For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:7-8) 

It is when we find grace to overcome the obstacles of life that we find peace; it must begin with our lives and we must not be too worried about those around us as this is another trap for us to skirt our own issues. If we ignore the sin in our lives we will be unstable in all our ways. Just as the mercy of God has set us free from the judgment of God, we too must show mercy on others when we are wronged as it will then set us free. “Mercy triumphs over judgment”. – “For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shown no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. Take notice here, (1.) The doom which will be passed upon impenitent sinners at last will be judgment without mercy; there will be no mixtures or allays in the cup of wrath and of trembling, the dregs of which they must drink. (2.) Such as show no mercy now shall find no mercy in the great day. But we may note, on the other hand, (3.) That there will be such as shall become instances of the triumph of mercy, in whom mercy rejoices against judgment: all the children of men, in the last day, will be either vessels of wrath or vessels of mercy. It concerns all to consider among which they shall be found; and let us remember that blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew Henry)

Our lives will begin to produce fruit when we walk in faith with a correct understanding to the application of biblical faith. “Faith without works is dead”, let us not therefore mislead ourselves that we have faith if there is no fruit to our lives. They work hand in hand! And the only way we will begin to produce faith in our lives is when we as Charles Spurgeon encouraged us yesterday to trust our God and to visit the “hill of faith” on a daily basis. Only then will we begin to understand the purpose of God in our lives.

“What must be the apostate professor’s doom when his naked soul appears before God? How will he bear that voice, “Depart, ye cursed; thou hast rejected me, and I reject thee; thou hast played the harlot, and departed from me: I also have banished thee for ever from my presence, and will not have mercy upon thee.” What will be this wretch’s shame at the last great day when, before assembled multitudes, the apostate shall be unmasked? See the profane, and sinners who never professed religion, lifting themselves up from their beds of fire to point at him. “There he is,” says one, “will he preach the gospel in hell?” “There he is,” says another, “he rebuked me for cursing, and was a hypocrite himself!” “Aha!” says another, “here comes a psalm-singing Methodist-one who was always at his meeting; he is the man who boasted of his being sure of everlasting life; and here he is!” No greater eagerness will ever be seen among Satanic tormentors, than in that day when devils drag the hypocrite’s soul down to perdition. Bunyan pictures this with massive but awful grandeur of poetry when he speaks of the back-way to hell. Seven devils bound the wretch with nine cords, and dragged him from the road to heaven, in which he had professed to walk, and thrust him through the back-door into hell. Mind that back-way to hell, professors! “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.” Look well to your state; see whether you be in Christ or not. It is the easiest thing in the world to give a lenient verdict when oneself is to be tried; but O, be just and true here. Be just to all, but be rigorous to yourself. Remember if it be not a rock on which you build, when the house shall fall, great will be the fall of it. O may the Lord give you sincerity, constancy, and firmness; and in no day, however evil, may you be led to turn aside.” (Charles Spurgeon)

The Lord Jesus has so love us that He was prepared to die for the repentant sinner, may we come with boldness to the “throne room of grace” and find grace to overcome our temptation, as we too must be tested to see what it is, we truly believe.

We pray for strength Father God to lose our lives for your name sake so that we may find an eternal inheritance; whatever the cost our hope must be heaven! Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone