Jesus Explained Mercy What does Mercy mean? Mercy
is a word that is often, if not misunderstood, so at least confused with other
words. There are not many people, not even among clergy, who really understand
the difference, and relationship, between the words mercy, grace,
and charity. Jesus Explained Charity In order to understand mercy properly, one must
start by understanding the word charity.
Charity is the very central characteristic of deity. It is more than love; much
more. Charity is the intrinsic drive to make sure that no created being is
going through more suffering than that being should do. Having said that,
it is important to bear in mind that there are three just causes for suffering,
one being wickedness, the other the quite opposite; some blessed people have
agreed, either in the pre-mortal life, or in this life, to take upon them great
sufferings in order to further the work of the Lord. Such people will be
eternally compensated for such suffering. Charity is founded in truth and justice. It is impossible for God to deliver the wicked man from their just
suffering just because he is suffering. This suffering is the law-bound result
of being wicked. If God were to take away such punishment he would not be just,
and would cease to be God. However, if the wicked man truly repents, his lawful
suffering for wickedness will be traded in for the suffering of knowing the
awful harm he has caused God and his fellow man. This suffering is a good
suffering, and it is a suffering that God can replace with eternal joy. Jesus Explained Mercy Is it really just to let a wicked man be delivered when
he repents? After all, the suffering of the
wicked must be unto death! Yes, it is just; because someone
with bowels of mercy took the wicked man’s just suffering unto death. Thus,
justice has been served. But which was the mechanism, or action, that moved the
suffering from one to another? The mechanism, which is
the arm that charity can extend, is mercy. So, when charity is an
intrinsic characteristic, mercy is the mechanism, -action, or power by which
blame, suffering and consequences of wrongful acts are moved from the guilty to
the innocent. Jesus Explained Mercy If we possess charity, we not only can, but we must,
extend mercy. If there is no sign of mercy in a man, there
is no charity found in him. When we give our clothes to the naked, or food to
the hungry, the suffering passes from him to us. Granted, many of us can do
this without feeling that it is a sacrifice, but God looks to the heart. If the
giving is done without charity, well, what does Paul say? 3 And though I bestow all my goods to
feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it
profiteth me nothing. (1
Corinthians 13:3) Jesus Explained Mercy There is no salvation without mercy. We could not be saved, were it not for the charity of Jesus, which he
proved by extending his mercy. And we cannot be
saved if we are not filled with the same charity, proving it by extending our mercy; 34 Then shall
the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye
gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was
sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 41 Then shall
he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and
ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a
stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in
prison, and ye visited me not. Jesus Explained Mercy Charity is the pure love of Christ. It is a trait that all good men can and must acquire. Charity cannot
exist in the heart of evil men. So, whenever an evil man performs a deed that
appears to be an act of mercy, you can be absolutely certain that it does not
stem from charity, and therefore it is not mercy. You can be certain that there
is an alternative motive. Evil trees cannot bear good fruits. Jesus Explained Grace So what is grace? We now know what charity and mercy is, but what is grace? Every man and
woman on earth fails to obey the commandments of God from time to time. Quite
often we do it without even thinking about it. The law of justice says that by
this we deserve to die. The law is no different for us than for Adam and Eve; 17 But of the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou
shalt not eat of it: for in
the day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt
surely die. (Genesis 2:17) God has the right to end our lives at the same
time as we willfully break any of his commandments. But he usually doesn’t do that, but rather he
extends our lives until such a day or time when we find it in our hearts to
repent of our wrong-doings. This extended time is an example of the grace of
God. Not only does he give us that time to repent, he also sends prophets and
teachers to persuade us to repent. These are also examples of the grace of God.
Sometimes we will be prompted by the Holy Spirit of God to leave our wicked
lives behind, and start a new life in Jesus. This is yet another example of the
grace of God. Grace, then, is every
opportunity that God grants us to repent, that we in no wise have deserved. We are in every
way unprofitable, but God grants us every resource, be it time, teachings,
promptings, persuasions, strength, etc., that will lead us towards the day of
our repentance, while the arms of mercy
are still extended towards us.
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