THURSDAY August 27, 2020

God’s Mercy and Compassion

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Romans 9:14-18

Paul asked a major question about God’s righteousness. God is not unrighteous––perish the thought! In answering his own question, Paul, who constantly quoted from the Scriptures, showed people God’s magnificent jewel of mercy as proclaimed to Moses in Exodus 33:12-19. God shows His mercy and compassion on whom He wills!

Understand, as Christians, we can pray for people to be saved as we share with them the Gospel. However, we are not created like the angels; we are created with a will, so we can choose whether to receive Him or reject Him.

Remember how God raised up Pharaoh? It was so God could show Himself powerful in delivering His people from Egypt. Paul quoted what God has said in Exodus 9:16: “…For this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Pharaoh had the opportunity to repent ten times, but he never did. He hardened his heart against God and became a vessel to dishonor (2 Timothy 2:20-21). God honored his choice. That is what happens when people continue to reject the mercy and grace of God.

We do not deserve God’s mercy, we deserve hell; but God desires no one to perish. Do you know people who have hardened their hearts towards God? You share the Gospel with them, and they reject it. They are rejecting God! There will come a time and place when God will honor their decision. Are you a sinner in need of God’s mercy? Then cry out to Him in repentance for your sin, and you shall have His mercy––it is freely given.

God leads us to eternal life not by our merits but according to his mercy.
~Augustine~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!