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100 Bible Verses about Gods Love And Mercy

John 3:16 esv / 46 helpful votes helpful not helpful.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV / 44 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Hebrews 4:16 ESV / 43 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Titus 3:5 ESV / 37 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV / 37 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Matthew 5:7 ESV / 36 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

James 2:13 ESV / 35 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Luke 6:36 ESV / 35 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Micah 6:8 ESV / 35 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 9:13 ESV / 32 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV / 30 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,

Proverbs 28:13 ESV / 29 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Psalm 86:5 ESV / 29 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Ephesians 2:4 ESV / 28 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

Micah 7:18 ESV / 28 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.

Psalm 23:6 ESV / 28 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

1 John 1:9 ESV / 26 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Peter 1:3 ESV / 26 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

2 Peter 3:9 ESV / 25 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Lamentations 3:22 ESV / 24 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

Isaiah 30:18 ESV / 22 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Psalm 86:15 ESV / 22 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

Romans 12:1 ESV / 21 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Jeremiah 3:12 ESV / 21 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord . I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord ; I will not be angry forever.

Psalm 145:9 ESV / 21 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

Romans 5:8 ESV / 19 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Colossians 3:12 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

Psalm 40:11 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

As for you, O Lord , you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!

Psalm 25:6-7 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Remember your mercy, O Lord , and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord !

2 Chronicles 30:9 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For if you return to the Lord , your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

2 Samuel 22:26 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;

Deuteronomy 4:31 ESV / 17 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Matthew 18:21-22 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Matthew 6:14 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,

Isaiah 55:7 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord , that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Isaiah 55:1-57:21 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. ...

Psalm 130:1-2 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord ! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

Psalm 51:1 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 51:1-2 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

Psalm 23:1-26:12 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...

Nehemiah 9:31 ESV / 15 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

1 John 4:16 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Philippians 1:29 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

1 Corinthians 12:9 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

Romans 9:15 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

Romans 6:15 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

Romans 5:15 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

John 3:3 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Luke 1:50 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

Matthew 23:23 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Malachi 3:17 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.

Jonah 4:2 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord , is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.

Psalm 112:5 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.

Psalm 112:1-115:18 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Praise the Lord ! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord , who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. ...

Psalm 103:11 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

Psalm 103:8 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Psalm 90:17 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

2 Samuel 24:14 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord , for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”

Exodus 34:6 ESV / 14 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord , the Lord , a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

Psalm 103:17 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,

Psalm 51:2 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

Jude 1:23-25 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Colossians 3:13 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Luke 6:36-37 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Psalm 103:1-22 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Of David. Bless the Lord , O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord , O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. ...

Exodus 34:6-7 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord , the Lord , a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

1 John 3:1 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 John 4:18 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

1 Timothy 1:16 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Romans 8:37-39 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:5 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

John 13:34 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

2 Peter 3:18 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Hebrews 12:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Matthew 5:1-48 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ...

Jeremiah 31:3 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Exodus 33:19 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord .’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

1 John 2:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

James 3:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ...

John 3:16-17 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Revelation 11:1-19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. ...

1 John 4:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

We love because he first loved us.

1 Peter 2:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

James 5:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Hebrews 13:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Hebrews 11:1-40 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. ...

Hebrews 9:24 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Hebrews 7:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Titus 3:4-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 3:15-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Philippians 4:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 2:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Ephesians 5:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 5:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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Heidelberg Seminary

Strengthening the Church in the Comfort of the Gospel

December 24, 2018

God’s Sovereignty (5): Love, Mercy, and Grace

God’s sovereign love, mercy, and grace.

If man is loved, it is because God initiated this by His sovereign decree. God loves those whom He chooses to love (Eph. 1:4,5). It is not because man was so inherently loving or loveable, but simply because God sovereignly choose to love some and save them. “ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us .” and, “ We love him because He first loved us .” (I Jn. 4:10,19)

Paul recognizes the unconditional character of God’s love when he says, “ Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him ?” (Rom. 11:35)

God’s mercy to man is likewise sovereignly given to whomsoever He wills. Romans 9:15, 16 teaches, “ 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 .”

And certainly God is sovereign in manifesting His grace to men. By its very nature, “grace” is undeserved favor–a free gift to enemies. No man can claim the right to grace. Similarly, no man has the right to demand a gift. A gift is not a payment for some good rendered, but, by its very nature, is freely given out of love. What sinful arrogance is expressed if we receive a gift and later claim that we received it due to our own efforts or that we were worthy of it because of some inherent good in us. That attitude destroys the very nature of a “gift” and of “grace.” The Apostle Paul says, “ And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work .” (Rom. 11:6) Paul is careful to show the gracious nature of saving faith when he says in Eph. 2:8, 9 “ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast .”

Certainly fallen man does not have the right (much less the ability or desire!) to claim salvation as his prerogative or entitlement. Man is justly under the curse of God. “ For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us .” (Rom. 5:6-8 NIV)

Every page of Scripture is replete with the teaching that God is a “sovereign” God. Each person of the Trinity exercises this sovereignty. If this very essential aspect of God’s nature is removed, then He ceases to be the God of the Scriptures.

To Deny God’s Sovereignty is Idolatry

Any denial of the sovereignty of God, whether in salvation or in providence, is an idolatrous denial of God and a violation of the First Commandment. If God does not perform all things according to the counsel of His own will, then there must be another power equal to (or above) God. This is idolatry. Any concept of salvation that denies the fact that it is sovereignly administered by God is a perversion of the true gospel.

The nature of this doctrine is such that if any man would remove God’s sovereignty he would then be claiming that very right for himself. The same is true if it is said that God is sovereign only in some areas and not in others. Sovereignty, by its very nature, demands complete and total sovereignty or it has no meaning.

These are critical matters beyond the realm of compromise, doubt, or opinions. Remember when Job questioned the “right” of God to cause his suffering, the Lord said, “ Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge ?” (Job 38:2). The very foundation and understanding of our salvation rests on this teaching.

Notice how strong a warning the Bible gives in regard to a denial of this teaching. “ But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed .” (II Pet. 2:1-2)

We also see this urgent warning in Jude 4, “ For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord .” (Jude v. 4, NIV)

Where Do You Stand?

We stand at a theological crossroads here. We must either adopt a theology that is man-centered or God-centered. It will become clear through a study of the Five Points of Calvinism that the Bible presents only one path of salvation–one which rests on the sovereign grace of God alone. In these studies we will attempt to unveil and understand the errors of Arminianism, but not so we can win some theological battle. The real prize in understanding the sovereign grace of God is the comfort and joy that such salvation brings to our hearts. Only when our salvation is properly understood and believed can there be real assurance of it.

Blog post content is taken from Rev. Paul Treick’s book,  Faith of Our Fathers, Living Still: A Study of the Five Points of Calvinism . It is posted with the gracious permission of the author. If you’ve enjoyed reading it,  you can purchase a copy for yourself . If you’d like to read the other blog posts in the series, start here .

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What Is Mercy and Why Do We Need It?

What Is Mercy and Why Do We Need It?

Mercy fuels compassion, providing promising glints of light in a darkened world. It’s kindness, forward forgiveness, and empathy. Mercy chooses not to be offended, and compassionately sees a hurting heart behind hurtful words. God’s mercy is reflected in the cross of Christ, a direct reflection of His love for us. Mercy is an extension of and expression of love, “an act of kindness, compassion, or favor.”   Mercy is a characteristic of the One True God.

What Does the Bible Say Mercy Is?

god's love and mercy essay

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” ( Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

God’s plan stems from His merciful love for His people. Knowing there was nothing we could do to earn our way into His presence, He made a way through the crucifixion of Christ. Defeating death, Jesus opened up access to God for us. Through prayer, God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit living in us, each day brings fresh new mercy. Every morning, God is faithful, even though every day, we fall short. Mercy is God’s gift to the repentant heart. The following verses define this element of God’s love:

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” ( Psalm 86:5 NIV )

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved.” ( Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV)

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” ( Titus 3:5 NIV)

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What is God's Mercy?

The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy.” ( James 3:17 NLT)

God’s mercy is closely akin with forgiveness . What we do in response to God’s mercy sends an important message to the people in our lives. James is very clear in his letter that though deeds are not required to earn God’s favor, or to be a Christian, a repentant heart that loves God will surely be evident by the lives we live. In his article “Have Mercy on Me,” David Mathis says “When God shows his mercy, he does so with utter intentionality and strength , and we as his creatures get our deepest glimpse of who he is not just in his sovereignty but his goodness.”

God has  chosen to be merciful to His people. Mercy is an expression of who He is, and His love for us.  (Exodus 34:6-7)

What Are the Benefits of God's Mercy?

“Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” ( Luke 6:35-36 NIV )

The benefits of God’s mercy include peace, love, and joy. None of the behaviors Luke speaks of come naturally. In Christ, mercy and truth meet together.   Christ-centered people see the world through His perspective, and His love flows through their lives. When we are merciful to others, it brings their hearts, and ours, joy. When we submit to His merciful ways, we choose to acknowledge peace. Apart from Christ this is impossible. Thankfully, His mercies are new every morning.  Psalm 86:15 -16 says, “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength on behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you.”

“ Mercy” is a cornerstone characteristic of God, evidenced by its repetition in Scripture . It’s mentioned 262 times in the King James Version, 157 times in the English Standard Version, 99 times in the New American Standard Bible, 170 times in the Amplified Bible, and 146 in the New English Translation, according to Bible Gateway. However, it’s mentioned additionally as “mercies,” and “merciful.”

Are Mercy and Grace Related?

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” ( Ephesians 4:32 ESV)

Love is the common denominator between mercy and grace. “Mercy is what gets us out of trouble,” writes Dr. Ray Pritchard . “Grace gives us what we don’t deserve.” By grace Jesus saved us, and mercy flowed from Jesus last words, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do”   ( Luke 23:24 ). Mercy and grace, love and forgiveness are characteristics of the One True God, functioning in tandem as He sits sovereign on the throne of heaven . The mystery of our Triune God knits these traits together in a beautiful tapestry of redemption and restoration for all of us.

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Four Examples of Mercy in the Bible

1. the israelites in the desert.

“If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” ( Exodus 16:3 NIV )

God certainly chose to be merciful to His people; He loved them despite their rebellion and ungratefulness. God’s covenant with them was out of His mercy. He chose to bless them with what they did not deserve. “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” ( Exodus 16:12 NIV) He answered their complaints with food, water, protection and provision. The story of the Exodus is repeated many times in the Bible, and referenced in regards to many of the characteristics of God, including mercy.

2. King David

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love.” ( Psalm 51:1 NIV)

David, a man after God’s own heart, slayer of the giant Goliath and chosen king, committed adultery with someone else’s wife and then had her husband killed in battle ( 2 Samuel 11-12 ). Sin has the power to overtake even the most arduous followers of Christ. Consequences will always become our reality, as they were for David, but God will never falter in His mercy for us.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” ( Psalm 51:10 NIV). David pleaded, and God heard Him. “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die” ( 2 Samuel 12:13 NIV). Though the consequences for our bad choices are hard and harsh, our merciful God never leaves us.

“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ … And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.” ( Acts 7:59-8 :1 NIV)

Paul, formerly Saul, supported the crusade against Christianity. He was responsible for the death of Christians. Then, he ran into Jesus. “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied” ( Acts 9:5 ). Saul was struck blind but opened his eyes to see Jesus. Jesus’ mercy to forgive him ignited his faith and propelled him forward. Paul went on to survive shipwrecks, jail, beatings, and other calamities, all the while writing letters to encourage the churches he was planting along the way. “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God” ( Romans 1:1 NIV). Paul, in every letter he wrote, magnified mercy. He had experienced it firsthand.

4. The Adulterous Woman

“Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with His finger … But let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” ( John 8:6-8 NIV)

We don’t know what he was writing in the dust, but Jesus’ mercy spoke loud enough for all to hear and be convicted. The men scattered, and to the woman Jesus said, “’Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?’ ‘No, Lord,’ ” she said. And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I. Go and sin no more’ ” ( John 8:10-11 NIV). Mercy is forgiveness and compassion extended to those who do not deserve it. The accusers  and the adulterers. He chooses to extend mercy to us, and He is unchanging. We cannot fail our way out of God’s love.

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What Does Mercy Mean for Christians?

“ Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it.” ( Proverbs 3:27 GNT)

Society is entrenched with entitlement alongside the ever-prevalent needy and oppressed. We are not to sit idle. “Our natural tendency is to act in sinful, selfish ways; it is only with a transformed heart that we can truly be merciful toward someone else,”  writes Crosswalk.com editor Liz Kanoy.  Mercy releases human understanding in order to adopt the command to love the people He places in our lives. Rick Warren wrote, in his article, “Seven Characteristics of Mercy,”  that “learning to be an agent of mercy transforms our relationships.”

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” ( Matthew 5:7   ESV)

“ ‘God, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Jesus, have mercy.’ When we pray like that, we will find the mercy we need from God,” writes  Dr. Ray Pritchard . Mercy allows us to experience love, forgiveness , compassion, peace and joy, whether we deserve it or not. When we see others striving to see the other side of someone’s anger, crossing a picket line to forgive, or pulling over to help a wandering soul, then love, encouragement, and joy permeate the thick fog of confusion and entitlement. In Crosswalk.com’s “First 15” daily devotional it says “We would be wholly lost if it weren’t for the abundant mercy of our heavenly Father.” He has mercy on us, so we are to have mercy on others.

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What Does Mercy Reveal About God's Character?

“Love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.” ( Romans 13:10 NLT)

Mercy reveals how just and fair, yet loving and compassionate, God is. My anthem to my children is “You are always forgiven, and never loved less.”I don’t want them to associate who they are with the mistakes they are bound to make every day. Mistakes can do a number on our self-esteem if we don’t stop to breath “ Yahweh ” into our situations and remind ourselves we are His children.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need” ( Hebrews 4:16 ). We are forgiven because of God’s mercy. “ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even on a cross!” ( Philippians 2:8 NIV ). David Mathis writes “God’s mercy not only shows us who he is, but also tells us something about ourselves.” We are children of the One True God. He has written our names as citizens in heaven, by His mercy.

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A Prayer Thanking God for His Mercy

Today, we praise you for mercy. How you see us for who we are, mess and all, and choose to embrace us completely. Always forgiven, never loved less. We come to you with contrite hearts, praying for the redemptive stature you desire from our hearts, and forgiveness for the sins we commit daily. The mistakes we make are endless and forthcoming, making your mercy so important to our joy and hope. Daily, your mercies are new. Daily, we can come to you for forgiveness and know that we are still loved, called, and purposed. Thank you for the sacrificial death of Christ, which opened up the channel of communication through your Word and prayer. Send your Spirit to help us understand and embrace your truth, applying it to our everyday lives. Father, bless and heal our hurts. Bring healing to the pain that touches our lives, and the lives of those around us. Remind us daily, you are good.

In Jesus’ Name,

“Megs” writes about everyday life within the love of Christ. She stepped out of her comfort zone, and her Marketing career, to obey God’s call to stay home and be “Mom” in 2011. From that step of obedience her blog, Sunny&80, was born, a way to retain the funny everyday moments of motherhood. (https://sunnyand80.org) Meg is also a freelance writer and author of “Friends with Everyone.”  She loves teaching God’s Word and leading her Monday morning Bible study, being a mom, distance running and photography. Meg resides in Northern Ohio with her husband, two daughters, and Golden-Doodle … all avid Cleveland Browns fans. 

god's love and mercy essay

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The Love and Mercy of God Part One

The key Old Testament word for God’s mercy is hesed. Scholars have translated it frequently as “mercy” or “lovingkindness.”

Hesed appears 245 times within 27 books of the Old Testament, 1 indicating that mercy or lovingkindness (for brevity, I will usually refer to it as mercy) is a significant attribute of God.

The Relationship of God’s Love to His Mercy The Bible reveals that God’s love prompts His mercy. God said the following concerning Israel: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jer. 31:3). The word translated “lovingkindness” is hesed .

God’s mighty deliverance of the Israelites from their prolonged slavery in Egypt was an example of His mercy. Moses told them God’s love for them prompted His mercy on their behalf.

The Lᴏʀᴅ did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lᴏʀᴅ loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lᴏʀᴅ has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt (Dt. 7:7–8).

Consequently, Old Testament scholar Gerhard Wallis wrote, “The deeds Yahweh does in behalf of his people are to be explained out of his love for them.” 2

The Relationship of God’s Covenant Commitment to His Mercy Deuteronomy 7:7–8 indicates that God’s love for the people of Israel was not the only reason for His mercy toward them: He was committed to keeping the oath He had sworn to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Exodus 32:13 sheds light on that divine oath:

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.”

In that statement Moses referred to the promises that constituted the Abrahamic Covenant that God established forever and exclusively with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the people of Israel. The following passages also record these promises:

Genesis 15:5. God told Abraham, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

Genesis 15:18. “On the same day the Lᴏʀᴅ made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.’”

Genesis 17:7–8. “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you [Abraham] and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Genesis 17:19–21. After Abraham fathered a son named Ishmael, God declared the following: “Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.”

Genesis 28:13–14. Years later God promised Jacob, one of Isaac’s sons, “I am the Lᴏʀᴅ God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 35:10, 12. “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”

In Exodus 32:13 Moses indicated that God swore these promises into effect by His “own self.” Many centuries later, the writer of the book of Hebrews referred to this significant fact: “For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, ‘Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you’” (Heb. 6:13–14). He also explained the significance of God’s action: “For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath” (vv. 16–17).

This was God’s way of guaranteeing His irrevocable commitment to keeping His promises that constituted the covenant He established with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the nation of Israel forever.

Since that commitment was another reason for God’s mercy toward the people of Israel, it indicated that His attribute of lovingkindness would always be available to them.

Thus, when God’s Son was about to be born as the Messiah many centuries after Moses’ statement in Deuteronomy 7:7–8, something significant happened to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist:

Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham” (Lk. 1:67–73).

Zacharias’s Holy Spirit-prompted prophecy associated God’s mercy with the covenant God swore into effect with Abraham.

In light of the fact that God’s mercy for the people of Israel is the result of His love for them and His commitment to keeping the covenant that He swore into effect with their ancestors, Old Testament scholar D. N. Freedman correctly stated, “The word hesed is a covenant term most often meaning ‘covenant love.’…A relationship built on hesed is meant to be long-term. Hesed should be kept.” 3

Three Principles Involved in Mercy Old Testament scholar H. J. Zobel presented three aspects or principles involved in mercy or lovingkindness:

(1) It involves action that is prompted by an attitude. It is an act that protects or improves life; that alleviates suffering, calamity, loss, disappointment, and sorrow. 4

God’s attitudes that prompted His merciful actions for the Israelites were His love for them and His commitment to keep the covenant that He swore into effect with their ancestors.

(2) It always involves interpersonal relationships. 5

Moses indicated that God established a unique, interpersonal relationship with the people of Israel: “For you are a holy people to the Lᴏʀᴅ your God; the Lᴏʀᴅ your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth” (Dt. 7:6).

(3) It must endure and be reliable throughout time for the sake of a tolerable interpersonal relationship. 6

King David wrote, “Who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people….You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lᴏʀᴅ, have become their God” (2 Sam. 7:23–24).

Because God’s mercy toward the people of Israel involves His commitment to keep His covenant with them, and because He established that covenant forever, He will never allow Israel to be annihilated. There will always be Jewish people to experience His mercy or lovingkindness.

God has promised that, despite Israel’s sins, it will never be destroyed.

In Deuteronomy 4:30–31, Moses told the Israelites,

When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lᴏʀᴅ your God and obey His voice (for the Lᴏʀᴅ your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.

In Jeremiah 30:11 God said, “‘I am with you,’ says the Lᴏʀᴅ, ‘to save you; though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, and will not let you go altogether unpunished.’”

The apostle Paul told the Gentiles, “Concerning the gospel they [the people of Israel] are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:28–29).

  • H. J. Zobel, “hesed,” Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (hereafter cited as TDOT ), ed. G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, trans. David E. Green, translated from Theologisches Worterbuch zum Alten Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986), 5:45.
  • Gerhard Wallis, “ababh,” TDOT, ed. G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, trans. John T. Willis (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1974), 1:106.
  • D. N. Freedman and J. R. Lundbom, “hanan,” TDOT, ed. G. Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, trans. David E. Green (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986), 5:25.
  • H. J. Zobel, TDOT, 5:51.

god's love and mercy essay

(1936-2019) Renald E. Showers was a world-renowned professor, theologian, and author who served with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry for more than 30 years. He retired shortly before the Lord called him home on April 4, 2019.

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The holiness of God refers to the absolute moral purity of God and the absolute moral distance between God and his human creatures.

The core idea of divine holiness is absolute moral purity. God’s holiness is an enduring thematic thread throughout the Scripture often associated with divine theophanies when God “shows up” in the midst of and on behalf of his people. The theme of holiness develops in unexpected ways with the advent of Jesus and the Pentecost experience of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Divine holiness closely attaches in mysterious ways to both divine justice and divine mercy and is the clearest explanation of the death of Jesus on the cross.

Holiness: Attractive and Dangerous

The holiness of God refers to the absolute moral purity of God and also the absolute moral distance between God and his human creatures. The prophet Isaiah declared, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty” (Isa 6:3). It is the only description of God repeated in the three-fold formula—a literary device to bring great emphasis. God is not just a little bit holy. God is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY holy. This served to remind Israel in the original context, and us at present, that God’s holiness is a matter of enormous spiritual significance. It also serves as a warning that we humans are not holy. Holiness is a central marker of the fundamental divide between God and the sinful human creature—most especially in their fallen condition but also in the redeemed state entirely dependent upon God for any holiness that might reside in them.

The core idea behind holiness is absolute moral purity. God is not only perfectly good; he is the very source and standard of goodness. In this regard, goodness has a permanence to it precisely because it is rooted in the eternal and everlasting God. Goodness does not change because God does not change.

God’s absolute moral purity often carries the connotation of danger as well. It was a great fear within Israel to get too close to God lest they be overwhelmed by his holiness. God’s presence was a great comfort to Israel while at the same time being a great threat to their own unholy lives. One did not lightly or superficially come before God. Most often, one would need a mediator to go before God on their behalf lest they suffer the consequences of being in the presence of absolute holiness while themselves not being holy.

Holiness in the Old and New Testaments

Throughout the Old Testament this was symbolically signified in various ways. During the time of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph) circumcision was enacted to symbolize the seriousness of being cut off because of sin from the covenant with God. The theophanies of the Mosaic period (burning bush, ten plagues, the exodus, lightning and thunder at Sinai) all carried a fearful and awe-inspiring experience when God “showed up.” In the tent of meeting (Exod 26) and later at the temple (1Kgs 6–8), the place of God’s presence was known as the “holy of holies.” The intensity of God’s presence also entailed that only a proper representative could enter in the holy of holies, and only then with a proper sacrifice that would serve as a substitute on behalf of the sins of the people. The annual rite of The Day of Atonement (Lev 16, 23; Heb 9) was a time when the High Priest in Israel would enter into the Holy of Holies with the blood of a sacrificed lamb without blemish and sprinkle the blood on the altar as the means to symbolize the death of a substitute for Israel. The only proper response in the face of divine holiness connected to all of these diverse ways in which God’s holiness became manifest was prostration and worship.

In the New Testament, divine holiness is mostly clearly attached to the Spirit of the God—referred to as the Holy Spirit some eighty-nine times in the New Testament. The holiness of God, which served as the primary obstacle that separated God from unholy people, was now lodged in the person of the Trinity that was poured out on his unholy people and by which God’s holiness took up residence in human hearts. The Holy Spirit brought holiness where there was none, and he was/is the means by which believers participated in the holiness of God personally.

God’s driving passion from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation is to make the universe a holy dwelling place for himself. The consummation of that motive in the new heavens and new earth (Rev 21–22), hearkens back to the original garden of Eden (Gen 2–3) when God created a place of fruitful goodness. However, the consummation also completes that which was lost in the garden and which was redeemed most fully in Jesus—namely, a people for God’s own possession that would be “at home” in his presence and holiness.

Holiness and its Relationship to Justice and Mercy

There are several closely related ethical themes in Scripture to divine holiness, most notably justice/righteousness and mercy. Divine justice is one outworking of divine holiness, marking out the ethical consequences of actions—dividing righteous actions from evil actions. The just consequences of evil actions are a punishment proportionate to the action. The Old Testament standard of “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” may seem distasteful to modern ears, but it simply is an ancient colloquial way of saying the punishment should fit the crime. Actions have consequences. Standards of justice determine how consequences should be fitted ethically to the prior actions. Israel’s case law in the book of Leviticus laid out the just consequences for many actions though clearly not every possible action was considered. Divine justice is the standard by which all human actions will finally be judged. The reminder throughout Scripture that God cannot be bribed (Deut 10:17) nor does he show partiality (2Chron 19:7), was the powerful reminder that God’s judgment will be entirely and perfectly just.

The great and unexpected irony of Scripture is that God shows mercy to the unjust. The promise even in the garden with Adam and Eve that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent (Gen 3), was a promise that God would defeat evil justly while also showing mercy to those who were undeserving (Gen 3:15; Gal 3:16). The covenant established with Abraham (Gen 12–15) was grounded in God’s mercy, the only appropriate response of Abraham and his descendants was trust in God’s mercy. There was no allowance that Abraham nor his descendants could earn God’s favor. Yet, the question remained—how would their sins be dealt with? Would God merely and arbitrarily forget their sins? Would God put aside his justice in order to show his love? Would one half of God’s character (righteousness/justice) be sacrificed for the other half of God’s character (mercy/love)? The answer to all of these questions rested in an adequate understanding of God’s holiness—which did not sacrifice his justice nor undermine his mercy. All of the manifest representations of God’s holiness across the Old Testament foreshadowed the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. The shocking reality was that God himself would take the punishment himself (on the cross) for the sins of his people, and thereby show them mercy in the forgiveness of their sins. This mercy was undeserved, which mercy must always be, but was also entirely just since the entire punishment and penalty was paid (by Jesus). Divine justice was not obliterated by divine mercy, but neither was his mercy impeded by his justice. The great mystery of the cross is the reality that it is the full satisfaction of divine justice and the full display of divine mercy (Rom 3, 4).

God’s holiness is the underpinning to the entire narrative arc of Scripture. His holiness means that all of the created order functions within a fixed moral order wherein good and evil are never simply relative terms contingent upon a culture’s moral taste buds. Human flourishing is always a function of delighting in that which God delights and desiring that which God desires. God’s holiness gives us the clearest frame of reference for human corruption and dysfunction across the whole of Scripture. God’s holiness also marks out the remarkable appearances of God into human history in ways that are mysterious, stupendous and scary. The greatest hope of an Israelite was to see God and their greatest fear was to see God—because absolute holiness is always both attractive and terrifying. The holiness of God runs right through the entirety of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It is why so few of Jesus’ contemporaries understand him on the pages of the Gospels. When God shows up in history, his presence is inscrutable. The first appropriate reaction is always worship and gratitude and only afterwards may a modicum of understanding emerge. When God sends his holiness into our lives and communities by his (Holy) Spirit, the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf spreads even to the nations. When God brings a final defeat to evil, there will no longer be a need for a temple with a “holy of holies” for the Holy God will dwell in the midst of his people forever and ever.

Further Reading

  • Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness (NavPress, 2016)
  • Jay Sklar, “ How to be Unholy as You Pursue Holiness ”
  • R. C. Sproul, “The Holiness of God” ( video series )
  • Paul Tripp, “ The Doctrine of Holiness ”
  • John Webster, Holiness (Eerdmans, 2003)
  • David Wells, God in the Whirlwind: The Holy Love of God (Crossway, 2014)

This essay is part of the Concise Theology series. All views expressed in this essay are those of the author. This essay is freely available under Creative Commons License with Attribution-ShareAlike, allowing users to share it in other mediums/formats and adapt/translate the content as long as an attribution link, indication of changes, and the same Creative Commons License applies to that material. If you are interested in translating our content or are interested in joining our community of translators,  please reach out to us .

This essay is has been translated into Farsi .

god's love and mercy essay

A Close Look at the Meaning of God's Love

Exploring the hebrew word khesed.

god's love and mercy essay

God loves you. In fact, God’s love is so amazing and enduring that there is an entire poem enthusiastically celebrating God’s love in the Bible . You’ll find it in Psalm 118. The poem begins and ends with this line:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

The Hebrew word translated as “love” in Psalm 118 is khesed .

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his khesed endures forever.

Translating Khesed

Let’s take a closer look at the word khesed . You may have seen this word before spelled as “ chesed .” The problem with this spelling for English speakers is that we will likely pronounce the “ch” like the beginning of the word “cheese.” But in Hebrew, the sound is in the back of your throat like you are lightly coughing. That is why we spell it as “ khesed .” The “ kh ” is to remind you to do that little back of the throat tickle.

There is no good English translation for the word khesed , as we don’t have a word in English that encompasses all of the nuanced meaning of the Hebrew word. Khesed is a type of affection you have for someone, but it’s more than affection. It’s also a loyal commitment to be generous to that person for the long run. Can you think of an English word that captures that meaning? Bible translators have been trying to figure it out for generations. And you can see this by how many different translations have been done for this important Hebrew word.

The most famous use of khesed is in Exodus 34:6, where God calls himself “ compassionate , gracious , slow to anger , abounding in khesed and faithfulness.” Take a look at the different translations of khesed in this verse.

The Wycliff Bible (late 1300s) translates khesed as “steadfast love.” A modern translation, the ESV, uses this same phrase.

The King James Bible (early 1600s) translates khesed as “goodness.” The Geneva Bible, from the same time period, uses this same word.

Young’s Literal Translation (1862) translates khesed as “kindness.”

The World English Bible (1901) uses two words in their translation, “loving kindness.”

The NASB (1960s) translates khesed as “faithfulness.”

The NIV (1978) simply translates khesed as “love.”

Notice the different choices over generations: steadfast love, goodness, kindness, loving kindness, faithfulness, love. When we come across such a large discrepancy in translations, this tells us that the Hebrew word is unique and can’t quite be captured with any one word.

At BibleProject, we use our own translation of khesed , loyal love .

Yahweh, Yahweh, a God compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loyal love and faithfulness.

Khesed is a kind of love you can depend on. When we long for love, what we are really longing for is khesed . Affection can come and go, and it doesn’t satisfy our innate need to be loved without condition. What we really want is a loyal affection not driven by strict or begrudging obligation but by deep compassion.

When we treat someone as a close friend or family member, doing what is necessary to ensure their well-being and the health of the relationship, we can call that an act of khesed . While the action may be an obligation or duty, khesed also refers to the emotional motivation of love that drives overabundant expressions of generosity and care.

Khesed assumes a pre-existing relationship and refers to actions that demonstrate loyalty to that relationship—to preserve and protect it and allow it to flourish. Khesed does not refer to any one specific type of action. Rather, khesed describes a posture in the relationship that can be expressed through many different acts.

In the Bible, we see humans show khesed to one another. Here are a few key examples. Jacob asks his sons to show khesed by promising to bury him in his homeland, which would require a pilgrimage out of Egypt (Genesis 47:29). Ruth , an immigrant, loses her husband and children but decides to stay committed to her mother-in-law, which is described as an act of khesed (Ruth 1:8; 3:10).

God's Loyal Love

While we see these acts of khesed throughout the Bible, the one who shows the most khesed is God . The Bible introduces us to a God who has a generous commitment to his human partners. Throughout the story of the Bible , humans continually show how faithless, selfish, and self-sabotaging they are, but the Bible makes clear how enduring God’s khesed is for us.

In the story of the Bible, God’s khesed is focused on one family, the family of Abraham. God pours his khesed out on them even when they don’t deserve it. He does this because he wants them to become the type of people who can take God’s khesed to all nations.

God shows khesed to Abraham’s family time and again. Jacob is a great example of God’s loyalty to this family. Jacob lies and cheats and steals, yet God upholds his covenant to Jacob. And Jacob recognizes how unworthy he is of that treatment.

I am unworthy of all the khesed and of all the faithfulness which you have shown to your servant.

The entire nation of Israel consistently rebels against God, despite his continued deliverance and forgiveness. Eventually, they are made to wander in the wilderness as a result of not trusting God, but God, in his khesed , is moved to rescue them.

In your khesed you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

Please forgive the guilt of this people in accordance with the greatness of your khesed , just as you also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

Despite their rebellion God forgives them, which is called an act of khesed . Later, the entire nation of Israel rebels against God again, and they are exiled to Babylon. During these dark times, Israel’s prophets look at God’s past acts of khesed as the basis for hope of future khesed and their rescue from exile.

Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face And forget our misery and oppression? We are brought down to the dust; Our bodies cling to the ground. Rise up and help us; Rescue us because of your unfailing khesed .

God continues to show abundant khesed to Israel because through them, he will show his khesed to all the nations. This leads us to Jesus. He came to fulfill God’s relationship with Israel by being the faithful human who lives every day in the security of God’s khesed and succeeds in showing khesed back to God. Jesus is the embodiment of God’s khesed . God’s relentless, loyal love arrives in Jesus, and his affection for us drives him to give us the ultimate act of loyal love in his life, death, and resurrection.

god's love and mercy essay

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Mary, Mother of Mercy. Christ the Power of Merciful Love

Merciful love is a strong love, is capable of withstanding the cross, both difficulties and challenges.

Where does the title, “Mary, Mother of Mercy,” come from? We have many popular prayers that speak of Mary as Mother of Mercy. For example, “Hail holy Queen, Mother of mercy” … and, later: “turn, then, your eyes of mercy towards us.”  In another prayer, the Memorare , we hear : “To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful, O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petitions but in your mercy, hear and answer me.”  Moreover, in the lives of the saints, we hear Mary referred to as “Mother of mercy.” Once, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska had a vision of the Blessed Mother. Mary said to Sr. Faustina: “I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the Mother of Mercy, and your Mother” ( Diary of St. Faustina ,330).  Also, Pope John Paul II refers to Mary as Mother of Mercy in his 1980 encyclical, Dives in Misericordia :

Mary is also the one who obtained mercy in a particular and exceptional way … Mary, then, is the one who has the deepest knowledge of the mystery of God’s mercy. She knows its price, she knows how great it is. In this sense, we call her the “Mother of mercy” (§9).

Note that the Hebrew word for mercy, rahamim , comes from rehem , a mother’s womb. God’s mercy must have something of a maternal warmth about it—unconditional, intimate, and nurturing love, symbolized by a mother’s womb. God’s mercy is, therefore, tender and affectionate, life-giving and indispensable.  God chose Mary to reveal this merciful love to us. Therefore, we need Mary in our lives as Christians. Many people, many sects, will tell you that you don’t need Mother Mary. Have you heard that? One elderly Jesuit I know told me once that some people were arguing about how we don’t need Mary in order to know Jesus. They told him to go directly to Jesus. He replied that God has given us Mary for a reason, suggesting finally: “Okay, you go directly to Jesus; I will go through Mary. And we will see who gets there first!”

God has given us a mother for a reason. At the foot of the cross, Jesus said to his beloved disciple, St. John: “Here is your Mother,” and he said to Mary: “Here is your son” (Jn 19:27). Mary was able to stand firm at the foot of the cross—a merciful love is a strong love! Merciful love is capable of withstanding the cross; capable of withstanding difficulties and challenges. How many times in our lives are we in need of that firm and strong love of Mother Mary?

Do you know the statue by Michaelangelo, called the Pieta ? Mary is holding the dead body of Jesus in her hands. The left hand is small and feminine, but the right hand is under Jesus, supporting the weight of his body. What does it mean? It means that the love of Mary is gentle and feminine, yet, also strong and firm. It is a love that does not give up. St Paul even said that love believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things—the mercy of God, likewise, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things.

Through Mary, the divine life is born in us In those words, spoken by Chris from the cross, “This is your son,” Mary is given her mission:  to form the image and likeness of Christ in each of her children. In some ways, the mercy she shares with us is to help form the face of Christ in us. It helps me to imagine a mother’s womb. What is a mother’s womb? It is the place where new life grows, where the growing child is nourished, nurtured and protected. Mary, our Mother, desires that the life of Christ grows in us, his divine life in us grows and becomes strong. When we come to Mary, Mother of mercy, when we ask for her help, what is it for? Is it to help the life of Jesus grow in us? Is it so that we can become more Christ-like?

Approaching our Mother of mercy—she is also our Lady of Perpetual help—it is not only to ask for material help. “Mary, help me to pass my board exam to be a doctor.” But, afterwards, when I do become a doctor, is it to really reflect Christ? Or, is it just to become rich? To ask for material help from Mary is fine. But afterwards, do I forgive others?

Sometimes, in coming to Mother Mary, we treat her like a first aid kit. What is a first aid kit? I go and get the medicine, like the Omega lotion for back pain. In treating Mother Mary like a first aid kit, we are just coming to her in emergencies, for more money, for health. But, Mary wants to give us, not merely the Omega lotion, but the Alpha and the Omega , Jesus himself. Do you think it pleases our Mother if we come to her, ask for blessings, and then go home where we scold our children, shout at our husbands, and curse those who work for us?

Through Mary, Christ is born in us, Christ matures in us The desire of Mother Mary is to see that each one of us grows up as her children: growing up in faith, growing up in charity. If we draw close to her, she will teach us how to be more mature in our following Christ.  For many years, I lived my faith in a very immature way. I did not know Jesus; I felt distant from him. I went to Church on Sunday, but I did not know Jesus.  I was working as a doctor, a surgeon. Many people would admire me for my career: “Wow, you are a surgeon, a plastic surgeon!” I was doing my work and being praised. But my love was quite immature. It needed to grow up. I remember saying a prayer before a job interview, one of those prayers when you make a promise to Mary: “Mother Mary, I want this job. Seeing as it is for three years, I will go to Lourdes three times as payment.” It is like making a business deal with her! So, I went to the interview, got the job, and, then, forgot the promise. What happens when you forget the promise you make? Bad luck? Mary is the Mother of Mercy, remember? A year later, I walked into a church, where I saw a poster which read: “Doctors needed for Lourdes!” with a big finger pointing at me. Next to the poster, there was a statue of the Virgin of Lourdes! “Okay,” I said. “I surrender. You win. I’m going!”

I was so very cautious to get to know the love of God. I don’t know about you, but sometimes, we are so afraid of God’s mercy: “What will he ask me? He will take something away. He will make me do something I don’t want.” These are all signs of immaturity in love. It is the selfish, adolescent syndrome: “Gimme, gimme, gimme…!”  But, little by little, Mary was teaching me how to trust more in the Lord, to trust in his mercy over my life. She taught me not to be so stingy in front of him! I learned, instead, to be more generous.  In that experience of Lourdes, Mother Mary helped open my eyes to the power of Christ’s merciful love in my life. When I went back home after my time in Lourdes, many of my colleagues were teasing me about seeing miracles. Some people only believe if they see miracles. They asked: “Did you see the lame walking? Did you see the deaf hear?” So I responded: “Yes! I saw a blind person opening his eyes.” What? Even the atheists responded: “Thanks be to God!” But the miracle was that I opened my eyes, and saw the need for the mercy of God. That is what the world needs, as well: to experience the power of Christ’s merciful love. This love can fix our brokenness.

The merciful love of Christ can fix the brokenness of this world I went back to work in Sydney, Australia, and saw things differently. I remember one man coming into the hospital after cutting his wrists, because he did not want to live. He was broken. We went to the operating room at midnight, and the surgery took eight hours, sewing all the tendons and nerves together. When I went to visit him the next day, I told him he should be pleased that it went well. “You should be happy, we fixed your hand,” I said. But he just started to cry, saying: “Who will fix my life?”

What can fix a person who is broken? The answer is, the mercy of God will fix it. We have many people who have been badly treated by the world, who have been abused. They feel hurt and wounded. Is there a love powerful enough to heal them? Recently, Cardinal Rosales published a pastoral letter for all the churches in Manila on the topic of abortion. He was prompted by three recent cases where babies were abandoned: one on an airplane, one in a church, and the other in the Manila cathedral. There is so much brokenness around. Is there a love strong enough to heal the brokenness and misery?

Where God’s mercy meets human misery The Latin word for mercy, misericordia , is derived from two words, “poor” and “heart.”  As such, misericordia is where the merciful heart of God meets the misery of man. Where does this happen? In Jesus, in his crucified love, he receives all the human misery, pouring out his merciful love on the world. The cross is like a great yellow ribbon; a visible sign of God’s love for us. This mercy can heal the brokenness of the world of today! This merciful love can put back the broken pieces, making the person whole again.

We have many examples of this, for instance, look at the life of St Paul:  “I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man, but I have been mercifully treated” (1Tim 1:12-13). In fact, he was present at the execution of St. Stephen, but look at the transformation that God made in his life. When each one of us looks at our own life carefully, we can see what the mercy of God has done for us; it has made us new! If we are here today (at this pastoral conference), it is because of the mercy of God. Sometimes, we think it is because of our own merits! “I am a good person, a good Christian!” But, we are not just called to sing our own praises, but to recognize God’s work in our lives.

To be sharers of God’s mercy to others In Lk 6:36, Jesus gives us a commandment: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” We are called to be instruments of God’s mercy, revealing the power of God’s mercy in our lives. It is not only to experience mercy, but that others can experience his mercy through our lives. Do people experience God’s mercy through me? For example, if I keep a record of all the wrongs done to me, is this being merciful? Merciful love does not keep a record of wrongs done against me (1 Cor 13:6). We need to see others with the eyes of mercy. We pray to Mary, “Turn, then, your eyes of mercy towards us.” We know that Jesus looks at us with eyes of mercy. But what if we look at others with eyes of revenge? Do you think that makes Jesus happy? Be merciful! How do we see others? Do we see them with the merciful eyes of Jesus?  When you look at others, what do you see? Do you see Christ? If you see Christ, why do you so easily get angry with others? Even the children experience this anger; so many times they are shouted at!

Jesus asks us also to show merciful love by reaching out to the “lost” ones, too. In his parables of mercy, he talks of the lost son, the lost coin, and the lost sheep. He wishes us to seek out the lost until they are found, in the same way that we have been found. Sometimes in our families we have black sheep, who may have not performed so well. Jesus invites us to seek out these lost ones, and not give up for lost anyone we know. It reminds me of Edison and his assistant. His assistant was asked to carry out to him the world’s first light bulb, but he dropped it! Edison asked him a second time, and his assistant was surprised that Edison still trusted him to carry the first light bulb that Edison created. The inventor said that he trusted him because “you will be the one who will take the most care now.”

One family I know is struggling because their son has just come out of rehabilitation. They are trying to show their son God’s merciful love, continuing to support him, even though he is a bit troublesome. Another mother I know is trying to show God’s mercy to her children who no longer go to Mass.

Let us not be discouraged by any situation. Instead, let us rely, more and more, on God’s mercy, believing that Christ’s merciful love is powerful. May we be thankful that we have a God who loves us so much, being able to say “thank you” for his great mercy! In French, the word for “thank you” is “ merci !” So, we are able to say “ merci !” for God’s mercy, to say “thank you” to our Lord for the gift of our Mother, our Mother of mercy, who desires that Christ’s love be mature in us. Let us give thanks to Jesus, who asks us to be merciful to others. He desires that our families be as good as they can be, that we try to love each other as much as we can. He does not want us to become discouraged by our limitations, but rely, more and more, on the merciful love of Christ, which he has for each one of us. Amen.

Fr. James McTavish

Fr. James McTavish, FMVD, MD, STL, is a Verbum Dei missionary, currently assigned in Rome as a General Counselor of his community. He is originally from Scotland. He did his undergraduate studies in medicine at Cambridge University, England. He graduated as a medical doctor in 1992, pursuing a career in surgery, eventually gaining his fellowship in general surgery with the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. While specializing in pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery, he met the Verbum Dei missionaries in Sydney, Australia. He entered religious life in 1999, spending his formation years in Cebu and Mindanao, Philippines, before finishing his studies in Rome, receiving a license in moral theology from the Accademia Alfonsiana (Redemptorist Higher Institute of Moral Theology in Rome) and a MA in bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, Rome. He has published various articles in the Linacre Quarterly (of the Catholic Medical Association, USA) as well as for the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. He combines his teaching with an active apostolate, helping to form the laity in prayer and evangelization.

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Fr. James, You wrote “Through Mary, the divine life is born in us In those words, spoken by Christ from the cross, “This is your son,” Mary is given her mission: to form the image and likeness of Christ in each of her children. In some ways, the mercy she shares with us is to help form the face of Christ in us…” Why don’t we see the authors of the New Testament teaching that Mary is our mother and that she has mercy to share with us?

Fr James McTavish

But we do see it! Read John 19:27. Anyway, as Catholics we do not rely on Scripture alone, but we also have the Tradition of the Church and the Magisterium to help us interpret Scripture. All agree – Mary is our Mother!

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Thank you, Fr. McTavish, for this article. The whole article is well-worth the reading and the prayerful pondering that it provokes. I am especially grateful for this one bit of information that forms and informs so much of the theology of the article: “Note that the Hebrew word for mercy, rahamim, comes from rehem, a mother’s womb. God’s mercy must have something of a maternal warmth about it—unconditional, intimate, and nurturing love, symbolized by a mother’s womb.”

If I ever did understand God’s mercy, my understanding has been radically altered and enhanced by this one data point in the divine revelation of His mercy, as received by and as transmitted through His Hebrew people. Mercy is then the “feminine” side of His love, HIs condescending and uplifting love, His love as seen in the maternal love of a mother. Beautiful, and very pregnant with meaning and implication.

[…] Mary, Mother of Mercy, Christ the Power of Merciful Love – Fr. Jame McTavish, H&PR […]

[…] Mary, Mother of Mercy. Christ the Power of Merciful LoveWhere does the title, “Mary, Mother of Mercy,” come from? We have many popular prayers that speak of Mary as Mother of Mercy. For example, “Hail holy Queen, Mother of mercy” … and, later: “turn, then, your eyes of mercy towards us.” In another prayer, the Memorare, we hear: “To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful, O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petitions but in your mercy, hear and answer me.” Moreover, in the lives of the saints, we hear Mary referred to as “Mother of mercy.” Once, St. Maria Faustina Kowalska had a vision of the Blessed Mother. Mary said to Sr. Faustina: “I am not only the Queen of Heaven, but also the Mother of Mercy, and your Mother” (Diary of St. Faustina,330).…more […]

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Faith Forum: Does God show favoritism?

We posed our panel of distinguished religious leaders of the region the following question:

As it is generally believed among people of faith that God is in control, God does what God wants and God produces and sustains the universe; it is natural for many to conclude that in all perfection, God should treat everybody fairly and distribute God’s love equally.

But it appears to many that God does play favorites as they see widespread inequality among peoples and nations—wealthy and poor, free and bonded, healthy and sick, etc. Sometimes many tend to feel that God favors and blesses undeserving people and nations. Sometimes one also wonders: Is God impartial in God’s evaluation of me?

Many of us sometimes conclude that “life is not fair”, but still hold out to the expectation that God will ultimately be fair to us.

What is the formula to become God’s favorite? Are there any conditions to be met before one is even considered?

Here is what they have to say:

NO FAVORITES

Stephen B. Bond, Senior Pastor of Summit Christian Church, Sparks

The Bible declares that “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11). God loves everyone equally. There is nothing we can ever do to make God love us more and there is nothing we can ever do that will make God love us less.

Yet even though we’re loved by God, we still have a dire dilemma. Every human being is less than perfect and cut off from God because of our sin. But God took dramatic action to rescue us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Thus, to receive the full benefits of God’s lavish love requires belief. Believing in Jesus is essential to be adopted as God’s child. “…those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

AN UNFAIR CREATOR?

Kenneth G. Lucey, UNR philosophy/religion professor

It is obvious to anyone who thinks about it that some people are “favored” over others. Some are more beautiful, intelligent, or lucky, etc. than others. This is a fact of life. A theist believes that there is a divine being called God who created everything. God shows favoritism in creating different people with different degrees of beauty, talent, intelligence, etc. Not all religions accept that view. Some of the oldest religions subscribe to a doctrine of karma , in which people are responsible for their own condition from one reincarnation to another. Behave badly in one life and in subsequent lives you’ll pay the price, because of your accumulated karma . The atheist does not have to account for the “favored” status of some human beings. She does not believe that there is any deity responsible for the distribution of favors. Theists must wonder why God treats some people so unfairly.

ONLY FAITH & PIETY

Sherif A. Elfass, Northern Nevada Muslim Community President

God is never unjust. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “In the Sight of Allah, all people are equal, and the only superiority anyone can have over anyone else is his fear of Allah and faith in Him.” it is inevitably that some of us will experience some adversity in this life. However, that does not mean that God does not love us. Because if this is the case, then how about God’s Prophets, who are the most beloved persons to Him. They also suffered the unimaginable depth of adversity in order for them to fulfill their Devine missions. It is all a test. Allah says in the Quran: “And We shall test you until We make evident those who strive their utmost and persevere in patience,” [47:31]. Meanwhile, those who believe in Allah, do good deeds and abstain from bad deeds are the winners in this life and the hereafter.

GOD’S LOVE IS UNIVERSAL

Matthew F. Cunningham, Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno Chancellor

Even though Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden after the fall, God promised that he would not abandon the human race but would restore the relationship between humanity and himself. Abraham and his descendants, the Hebrew people, were God’s “chosen people” through whom redemption would be accomplished. Jesus, however, sent his followers to bring the “Good News” of salvation and God’s love to all: Jew and Gentile alike.

God shows no favoritism and his love extends to all people. Yet the Scriptures clearly speak of God’s preferential concern for the vulnerable: orphans, widows, the ill, the lame, the destitute, the homeless, and the alien among us. A concern we must share. God’s graces and benefits are available to anyone who, in faith, tries to live in accord with his commandments. We have freedom and can choose God or not. God cannot be manipulated with special formulas.

UNIVERSAL SANGHA RELATIONS

Jikai’ Phil Bryan, Reno Buddhist Center Priest & Meditation Guide

For Buddhists, “God” is not active. Buddhists live by “natural laws,” including Karma (action, cause, and effect). Everything is up to us both individually and cooperatively. People and societies, not Nature, show favoritism. Natural laws are driven by neutral forces. Spinoza, Einstein, Suzuki and many modernists have called Nature --God. The only way to overcome any perceived “unfairness” is through cooperation, education, and working together for improvements. Buddhists call such cooperative work “Sangha Relations.” If we treat Nature and each other poorly, suffering eventually results for everyone. Much imputed “unfairness” is simply neutral nature in action. The recent chemical spill (no blame intended) in West Virginia contaminated water for thousands who were “innocent.” Only people can “fix” such problems through improved understanding and controls. Droughts occur naturally in nature and through “natural” human impacts. “God” is innocent. Right Effort means better human relations. That’s Buddhism.

RIGHTEOUS ARE FAVORED OF GOD

Sharla S. Hales, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints area public affairs director

Our Heavenly Father loves all of us, without regard to social class, physical characteristics, or other irrelevant distinction. He does, however, bless or “favor” those who keep his commandments and walk humbly through life: “Behold the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God.” 1 Nephi 17:35.

God invites all to enjoy the blessings of righteousness. These blessings naturally flow from obedience to the principles that will bring them: “when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” Doctrine and Covenants 130:21. For instance, when we are honest we are blessed with peace of mind.

God’s blessings are not necessarily material wealth or an easy life. Sometimes what we need most is not ease, but challenge. God’s blessings then come in the form of tender mercies as we meet our challenges with his grace.

AFFLICTION OF THE FAVORED

ElizaBeth W. Beyer, N. Tahoe Hebrew Congregation & Temple Beth Or Rabbi

Who are G-d’s favorites? Those who yearn for G-d are special, but one should be careful of one’s wishes or yearnings. The path to G-d is not easy. More often, it is filled with suffering. Sages say G-d provides “yissurin shel ahavah” (sufferings of love) to those G-d cares about, for the purpose of benefiting the recipient. Brachot 5a. G-d polishes us up through challenges.

Rav Solovetchik says, “The pangs of searching and groping, the tortures of spiritual crises …sanctify man. Out of these torments there emerges a new understanding… a powerful spiritual enthusiasm.” One’s spiritual stature is formed by the pain endured on the spiritual journey. As one may imagine, such “favoritism” may not be the source of pleasure, but just the contrary. Thus, the Sages state that an individual may choose to avoid the afflictions and their accompanying rewards.

GOD GIVES GENEROUSLY TO ALL

Stephen R. Karcher, St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church Presiding Priest

God does indeed show favor, and our Saints show that he has favorites. However, it’s to the entire world that he demonstrates his love by sharing his life. In fact, just being called into existence is a special gift of his kindness. Certainly there are challenges in this world, but we’re meant to become citizens of Paradise. Knowing this I can acknowledge that my sense of justice isn’t the same as divine justice, that what I think I want isn’t necessarily identical to what God knows I need, that my ideas of prosperity are much different than treasure from heaven, and that misfortune and hardship don’t automatically indicate God’s displeasure with me. There are holy men and women who’ve learned that their decisions in life count, and who choose to move ever-closer to God. In this way they’re blessed to experience more of his favor, more peace and more grace.

UNITY IS THE CONDITION

Bradley S. Corbin, Bahá’í teacher

“All the inhabitants of earth are recipients of the bounty of the one phenomenal sun, and none are preferred above others; so, likewise, all receive the heavenly bestowals of the Word of God; none are specialized as favorites.” Abdu’l-Baha

The strife of everyday life and religious disagreements veil the simple purity and beauty of God’s blessings and cloud His light so that disunion results. To receive God’s favors we must make use of our intelligence and reason so that we may dissipate the clouds from our hearts, recognize the oneness of all the Prophets and focus on divine questions. As an example: a seed produces a tree, from that tree another tree can be produced. Therefore, the seed is an expression of the whole tree. We are a seed of mankind; we each express the whole, living in this condition of unity we receive of God’s favors.

Guest panelist

WHAT IS LOCUS & NATURE OF GOD

Rebecca H. Allen, Circle’s Edge Center for Spiritual Living Senior Minister

Asking if God plays favorites presupposes the intrinsic nature and location of God. The question suggests that God is vindictive and judgmental. My faith presumes a kind, loving deity, dwelling within all things. All of humanity, the earth and the cosmos are the sacred locus of the Divine.

Given this perspective of the loving, inclusive nature of the Creator, we come to the conclusion that Spirit is caring, adoring and present in all creation. It is unfair to suggest God embraces one and rejects another. To hint at a punitive deity who shows favoritism and demands redemptive behavior before bestowing blessings, is disrespectful of the true, loving, unified essence of the Divine.

Inequity and injustice occur when humans believe in, and perpetuate, separation and disparity. Divine love, comfort and peace are available to all. To catch the winds of Grace, however, we must raise our sails.

Next week’s topic:

Why Nevada ranks very low on religiosity?

NOTE FOR READERS: If you have any suggestions/comments on Faith Forum or you would like to have a question answered in a future Faith Forum, you can contact Rajan Zed at [email protected]

Faith Forum is a weekly dialogue on religion coordinated by Rajan Zed.

god's love and mercy essay

Love, Mercy and Grace

god's love and mercy essay

Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. ( 2 John 3 ) What is the difference between the love, mercy, and grace of God? We read in Ephesians 2:4,5 , “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;).” This is such a wonderful scripture because it combines all three: Paul says that God is rich in mercy , and because of His great love for us, He saves us by grace .

What is the love of God? Well, God is love. Before anything was created, God was love. Love is the nature of God; it is what is called an attribute of God. But the interesting thing is that the love of God never saved a sinner. The love of God caused God to move in the direction of mercy and grace; it caused Him to exercise mercy and grace.

What is the difference between mercy and grace? Dr. Chafer very exactly expresses it: “Mercy…is that in God which duly provided for the need of sinful man.” God is rich in mercy. Why is He rich in mercy? Because He is love. And because God is love, He, by mercy, provided for the need of sinful man. But mercy didn’t save man. Again, I quote Dr. Chafer: “Grace is that in Him which acts freely to save because all the demands of holiness have been satisfied.” God today is free to act in grace. You are a sinner who cannot provide anything for God. You haven’t anything to offer to Him. But grace means that God can come to you, a lost sinner, and say, “I am love, and I am rich in mercy. I love you, and I have provided by My mercy a Savior for you.” Now if you will trust Him, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” ( Ephesians 2:8 ).

There is a fine distinction here between these words. Salvation all stems from the love of God, but God does not save by His love or His mercy. After all, our God is holy, and the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…” ( John 3:16 ). You see, God did not so love the world that He saved the world — He didn’t do that. God so loved the world that by His mercy He provided a Savior for the world, and He can now save by grace.

There is something else here that is important to see. Salvation is not only the expression of the love of God, but it is also an expression of His justice and righteousness. We not only need John 3:16 , but we also need Romans 3:26 : “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” In order to justify you when you trust Christ, God has to be righteous and holy and just. He cannot simply open the back door of heaven and slip you in under cover of darkness. You and I are not fit for heaven. We are alienated from Him. We have no fellowship with Him. Communication broke down in the Garden of Eden, and He is the one who renewed it. Because He must be just and righteous, His mercy provided a Savior, and it was because He loves you. He can be righteous and do this — “that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Therefore, John can write, “Grace be with you [that is the way God saves you], mercy [mercy provided a Savior], and peace [when you have all this, then the peace of God that passeth all understanding is going to keep your heart].”

Our study of the Song of Solomon continues as we find the young Shulamite girl and the shepherd boy growing in affection for one another. Join us at the king’s round table as Dr. J. Vernon McGee explains the parallels between their interactions and our relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

How have you experienced God’s love?

god's love and mercy essay

God is love. On this point, the New Testament letters and the Gospel of John allow no argument. God is present when one experiences love and whenever one extends love to another. Every act of love, then, is an encounter with God.

It is easy to miss these divine encounters. Love seems like one of many emotions, and not a particularly powerful one at that. Although many have experienced the transformative and healing power of love, many have also experienced the way that love “comes and goes” when a relationship that started out strong comes to a sad conclusion. Likewise, love does not appear particularly compelling. Many have found love easy to give up in exchange for power, greed, lust or hate. Seeking God’s presence in something as ephemeral as love might not make intuitive sense.

‘I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.’

What practices help you remain aware of God’s love?

How has service to others helped you share God’s love?

This is, however, exactly what Jesus teaches his disciples to do. Jesus experienced a profound sense of God’s love, unencumbered by the confusion of sin. Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus called this love “the Father.” This title provides insight into Jesus’ own thinking. Although the title “Father” exists for God in the Hebrew Scriptures, it is not particularly common. For Jesus to use it suggests that he finds something particular in it that describes well the divine presence he encounters within. The divine love that Jesus knows, far from being a weak and shifting feeling, is the fierce urgency of a dedicated parent.

In John’s Gospel, divine love has a mission. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). The Father’s love had a goal: that Jesus should teach others how to experience and share the same love. The resulting gift is a life like God’s own.

Divine love is God’s presence in a world of confusion. John often plays with the language of truth and ignorance, light and shadow, day and night. With these symbols he illustrates a duality that exists in the world between those who know God’s presence and those who do not. This is a literary motif found elsewhere in the Judaism of Jesus’ day (e.g., Wis3:9-11), but John brings out the essential character of God’s presence: “I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them” (Jn 17:26).

Divine love requires humility and service. Love can indeed fade, and human awareness of divine love can dim over time. When Jesus, fully aware of what he was doing, washed the feet of the men who were about to abandon him, he taught his disciples how to strengthen their awareness of divine love. To take an example from Matthew’s Gospel, divine perfection is symbolized by God sending his rain on the just and the unjust (Mt 5:45). Jesus understood this to guide his own behavior, and he expected his disciples to do the same. Living as God lives increases one’s awareness of divine activity in the world. The service that Jesus offered to the disciples had a contemplative aspect. It could reveal God’s presence better than any other formal instruction or ritual practice could provide them.

Finally, as Jesus expresses in the prayer we read this Sunday, divine love is unifying. It is “vertically unifying.” A disciple who starts to love in a way that resembles God’s manner of loving receives a share of God’s glory. Likewise, it is horizontally unifying. Disciples who care for each other the way Jesus cared for them will find in that love a bond that no destructive power can break.

All we have is love. It is the only power that God gives his disciples to save humanity. Arrayed against the forces of greed, war, alienation and poverty, it may not seem to be enough. Christ’s disciples today must always remember that the smallest act of love contains within it the full power of God. Our own response to divine love, halting and compromised as it may be at times, lets love come to perfection in each of us and in the church. Like Jesus, we become vessels of the divine presence, and through us, the world can encounter the divine love that will turn back every threat of death.

god's love and mercy essay

Michael R. Simone, S.J., teaches Scripture at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry.

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What is the true meaning of mercy?

god's love and mercy essay

Associate Professor of Religion, College of the Holy Cross

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Mathew Schmalz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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The world seems to be witnessing increasing levels of violence, fear and hatred that challenge us each day. There are ongoing debates about how or whether to welcome immigrants and refugees to the United States; news headlines remind us about the plight of Syria and about the horrors of the Islamic State .

In such times, talk about mercy may seem more like wishful thinking. But mercy matters – now more than ever.

The extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy called by Pope Francis ended in November 2016. Pope Francis has encouraged President Donald Trump to draw upon “the rich spiritual and ethical values that have shaped the history of the American people.”

I recently wrote about mercy in a book, “Mercy Matters: Opening Yourself to the Life Changing Gift .” Mercy has touched my life in many ways – such as in my recovery from alcoholism and through my experiences as an adopted child. So, to me, mercy is a “ love that responds to human need in an unexpected or unmerited way .”

At its core, mercy is forgiveness. The Bible speaks of God’s love for sinners – that is, for all of us. But the Bible also relates mercy to other qualities beyond love and forgiveness.

So, how can we begin to understand the true meaning of mercy?

Mercy in the Hebrew Bible

Christians usually understand the “Hebrew Bible” as the “Old Testament,” which is replaced by the “New Testament” of Jesus Christ as found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

How Christianity has interpreted the Hebrew Bible, often not fully appreciating its Jewish context, continues to be a matter of scholarly debate. But many Christians see connections between themes expressed in the “Old Testament” and Christ’s later teachings about the importance of mercy.

god's love and mercy essay

In the Hebrew Bible, there is a cluster of related words that are often translated as “mercy,” depending upon where they appear in the text. There is “ahavah,” which refers to God’s enduring love for Israel, much like the love between husband and wife. Then there is “Rachamim,” which comes from the root word “rechem,” or womb, and therefore might be more literally understood as suggesting a “maternal connection” between God and human beings.

In a famous passage from Psalm 85 that speaks of the Israelites’ return from exile , it is said that when “mercy and truth have met together, righteousness and peace have kissed.”

“ Chesed ,” the word translated as “mercy” in this verse, additionally suggests God’s quality of “steadfast loyalty.” The psalm thus relates steadfastness and mercy with “truth” – in Hebrew “ emet ”– which means behaving ethically and being faithful to God’s will.

Mercy in the Christian gospels

A point of connection between the Jewish and Christian traditions is what is called the “Great Hallel.” Hallel means “praise” and refers to a group of psalms regularly recited at the time of the new moon as well as during important Jewish feasts like Tabernacles or Sukkot , which commemorates the period the Jewish people spent in the desert on their journey to the Promised Land .

The great Hallel is the refrain of Psalm 136 that celebrates how God’s “ mercy endures forever .” Some scholars believe Jesus sang the Great Hallel with his disciples when they went out to the Mount of Olives after the Last Supper , the final meal that he shared with his Apostles before his crucifixion.

Mercy sets the context for many of Jesus’ teachings. In the Gospel of Matthew , Jesus tells the story of the “ unmerciful servant ” who has his own debt wiped away but refuses to forgive another servant who only owed him a few cents.

The story teaches us that we need to forgive others, because we have been forgiven ourselves.

Jesus as the face of mercy

Also in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells his disciples to understand the meaning of the phrase:

“I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Perhaps most significantly for Christians, Jesus shows us what it means to be merciful: He healed the sick, welcomed the stranger and pardoned those who persecuted and killed him.

As Pope Francis tells us in Misericordiae Vultus , his letter introducing the Holy Year of Mercy, Jesus’ mercy is not abstract but “visceral” – it’s something that quite literally changes us from the inside out.

And Christians believe that this visceral aspect of mercy comes in the personal relationship Jesus promises to all of us: a relationship based on forgiveness and love, reconciliation and truth. As Pope Francis writes in the very first sentence of Misericordiae Vultus ,

“Jesus Christ is the face of God’s mercy.”

Practicing mercy

According to the Bible, mercy does matter: It matters because we all need forgiveness. But mercy also matters because it is what can join us all together in spite of our differences.

god's love and mercy essay

But what does it mean – in concrete terms – to be merciful to the refugee, the immigrant , not to mention to those nations, institutions and communities that face the challenge of welcoming them? What does mercy mean in Syria? What is a merciful response to the atrocities of the Islamic State, or ISIL/ISIS – a group that has been merciless in persecuting Christians, Yazidi and the Shia ? How might mercy shape the Trump administration’s response to Iran following its missile tests , or to the Chinese expansion in the Spratly Islands and the South China Sea?

I certainly can’t say how mercy can be specifically applied to these challenges: The possibilities, and pitfalls, are as numerous as the various meanings associated with mercy in the Bible itself.

But I would like to suggest a starting point for thinking about how mercy matters. In a recent discussion about my book “Mercy Matters ,” a participant related how she’s been watching both Fox News and MSNBC in a effort to expose herself to different views about crucial issues facing the United States. I never learned whether she was a Democrat or a Republican; a liberal, conservative or libertarian.

But what I did learn is that mercy begins by opening oneself to those with whom one might strongly disagree. Mercy doesn’t end there, of course, but it begins with such small acts of understanding, which can lead to life-changing experiences of love.

  • Forgiveness
  • Syrian refugees
  • Jesus Christ
  • Muslim immigration
  • Trump administration
  • Old Testament
  • New Testament
  • immigration ban
  • Hebrew Bible
  • Ethical values

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How Is Mercy Different from Grace, and Why Is It So Crucial to Christianity?

Through divine mercy, we are invited into a deeper relationship with God and empowered to embody His love and mercy in the world.

How Is Mercy Different from Grace, and Why Is It So Crucial to Christianity?

Many people confuse mercy with grace. In speaking with a young man a few years ago, he gave me the definitions for both, but they were the same. Essentially, both meant “not getting what we deserve.” 

On one level, this is true. Yet grace and mercy are different forms of not getting what we deserve, and we require both. Grace and mercy work together, which is why we often see them mentioned together. 

Grace is God’s favor and power to enter into a relationship with him, which of course we can’t earn. Grace gives us good things we don’t deserve. 

But mercy is different. Oxford Dictionary defines mercy as, “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.” Mercy, essentially, is not getting the punishment we deserve through forgiveness we don’t. 

God shows mercy. The top of the Ark of the Covenant , where God manifested his presence in the Holy of Holies, was called the Mercy Seat. What does divine mercy mean? 

What Does the Bible Say About Mercy? 

The Bible speaks extensively about mercy, portraying it as a foundational attribute of God’s character and a virtue to be practiced by believers. Mercy, often intertwined with compassion and forgiveness, is an expression of God’s loving kindness.

One of the most famous verses concerning mercy comes from Micah 6:8 , where the prophet declares, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” For those of us who have been shown this mercy, we must walk in mercy with others. Therefore, mercy is a core aspect of righteous living, highlighting its importance alongside justice and humility.

Throughout the Old Testament, God’s mercy is demonstrated repeatedly in his interactions with his people. In Exodus 34:6-7 , God reveals His character to Moses , proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin.” God emphasizes mercy as a central aspect of His nature, characterized by compassion, patience, and forgiveness.

Moreover, the Psalms are replete with references to God’s mercy and steadfast love. Psalm 103:8 declares, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” This echoes the sentiments in Exodus—God’s mercy is an enduring attribute that extends to all generations.

In the New Testament, Jesus embodies the perfect expression of God’s mercy through his life, teachings, and ultimately His sacrificial death on the cross. In the Beatitudes, Jesus pronounces blessings upon the merciful, declaring, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” ( Matthew 5:7 ). This statement underscores the reciprocal nature of mercy, highlighting the connection between extending mercy to others and receiving mercy from God.

Furthermore, Jesus’ parables often illustrate the importance of mercy and forgiveness. In the Parable of the Prodigal Son ( Luke 15:11-32 ), for example, Jesus portrays God’s extravagant mercy toward a wayward son who squanders his inheritance but is welcomed back with open arms by his loving father. This parable serves as a powerful reminder of God’s willingness to forgive and restore those who repent.

In addition to God's mercy, the Bible also calls us to embody mercy in our interactions with others. In Colossians 3:12 , we are exhorted to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, reflecting the mercy we have received from God. Similarly, James 2:13 emphasizes the importance of showing mercy to others, declaring, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

What Does the Bible Say We All Deserve? 

In John 16 , Jesus promises the Holy Spirit and explains the role the Spirit has with the world, the unsaved. The Holy Spirit will reveal sin, righteousness, and the judgment to come. The Spirit of Christ is righteousness, so when he shows himself to us, the contrast is clear. He is righteous, and we have fallen far short ( Romans 3:23 ). Then God tells us of a future judgment where we will all be held accountable for our sins. 

Can we understand mercy without the truth of the punishment we deserve? God doesn’t think so. 

The Bible teaches that every human being deserves judgment and punishment for their sinfulness and rebellion against God. Consequently, the Bible portrays humanity as deserving of God’s wrath and condemnation due to our disobedience and rebellion against Him.

For example, in Ezekiel 18:4 , the prophet declares, “For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.” This verse highlights personal responsibility for sin and the consequence of death that accompanies it. Similarly, the book of Psalms frequently depicts God’s righteous judgment upon the wicked. Psalm 7:11 declares, “God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day.” This verse underscores God’s role as a just judge who punishes sin and upholds His moral order.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul affirms the universality of sin and its consequences. In Romans 6:23 , he writes, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This verse reveals the inevitability of death as the penalty for sin, contrasting it with the gift of eternal life offered through faith in Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, Paul describes humanity’s state apart from Christ as being “dead in trespasses and sins” ( Ephesians 2:1 ), emphasizing the spiritual death that results from sin. He also speaks of God's wrath being revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men ( Romans 1:18 ), indicating the seriousness of sin in God’s sight and the consequent judgment it incurs.

What Does It Mean to Waste Time with Jesus?

What Does It Mean to Waste Time with Jesus?

When God reveals the truth of the punishment we deserve, this is conviction, not condemnation. Conviction spurs to action and change. Condemnation can happen later, but Christ reveals these things to us to lead us to repentance to escape the judgment to come. For salvation, we must begin with the reality of what God saves us from, eternal punishment, but God didn’t send his Son to condemn the world. It’s already condemned ( John 3:16-19 ). God sent Jesus to save the world. We are humbled and praise God for the mercy he shows us through Christ. 

What are Biblical Examples of Divine Mercy? 

Throughout the Bible, there are numerous examples of God demonstrating mercy towards humanity. 

One prominent example is found in the story of Noah and the ark. In Genesis 6-9 , God observes the wickedness and corruption of humanity and decides to bring judgment upon the earth by sending a great flood. However, Noah finds favor in the eyes of God, and God instructs him to build an ark to save himself, his family, and representatives of every kind of animal. Despite humanity's sinfulness, God shows mercy by providing a way of escape for Noah and preserving life on earth. 

Another notable example of God’s mercy is seen in the story of Jonah. The prophet Jonah is sent by God to preach a message of judgment to the city of Nineveh because of its wickedness. However, when the people of Nineveh repent and turn from their evil ways, God relents from bringing disaster upon them. Jonah 3:10 states, “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” This demonstrates God’s willingness to show mercy even to those who are undeserving.

Jesus’ interactions with sinners throughout the Gospels demonstrate God’s mercy in action. In John 8:1-11 , Jesus shows mercy to a woman caught in adultery when he refuses to condemn her, instead telling her to go and sin no more. This act of mercy emphasizes God’s desire for repentance and restoration rather than judgment and condemnation.

Another example of God’s mercy is seen in the life of the Apostle Paul. Before his conversion, Paul, then known as Saul, was a persecutor of Christians. However, on the road to Damascus, Jesus appears to him in a vision, and Paul is transformed into a devoted follower of Christ. Despite Paul’s past actions, God shows him mercy by calling him to be an apostle and using him to spread the Gospel throughout the known world.

What Does Divine Mercy Mean for Us Today? 

Can God be both completely just and extend mercy? The answer is yes. 

First, we must understand God’s idea of justice. For God, justice isn’t primarily punitive. God designed all of Creation, including humanity, and called it good. Being a good God, he desires to bring all Creation out of corruption and into the right relationship with himself. God’s justice, therefore, is redemptive, the ultimate victory over all corruption. 

To accomplish this, he sent Jesus. Rebellion has occurred, and there is a cost: physical and spiritual death. Through Christ, he paid all the price, and we can be redeemed through the lamb who provided the payment with his blood and body. Through repentance, and turning to Jesus, we experience both forgiveness of our debts and physical and spiritual eternal life. Mercy and grace together as one. 

This divine mercy serves as a source of assurance, assuring us of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. Along with this trust in God’s love, mercy offers us hope, reminding us that no matter how far they may have strayed or how deep our sins may be, God’s mercy is available to them. Romans 5:8 affirms, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

Divine mercy also plays a transformative role in our lives, inspiring us to extend grace and forgiveness to others. Ephesians 4:32 exhorts us to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Moreover, divine mercy serves as a catalyst for spiritual growth and renewal, prompting us to repent of our sins and turn back to God. 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Lastly, divine mercy provides us with a framework for understanding and responding to suffering and injustice in the world. Micah 6:8 declares, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” This verse emphasizes the importance of embodying mercy in our interactions with others, to seek redemption over punishment, particularly those who are marginalized or oppressed.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Javier_Art_Photography

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The Power of God’s Love

By Elder John H. Groberg

Of the Presidency of the Seventy

Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others.

What is it about true love that touches every heart? Why does the simple phrase “I love you” evoke such universal joy?

Men give various reasons, but the real reason is that every person who comes to earth is a spirit son or daughter of God. Since all love emanates from God, we are born with the capacity and the desire to love and to be loved. One of the strongest connections we have with our premortal life is how much our Father and Jesus loved us and how much we loved Them. Even though a veil was drawn over our memory, whenever we sense true love, it awakens a longing that cannot be denied.

Responding to true love is part of our very being. We innately desire to reconnect here with the love we felt there. Only as we feel God’s love and fill our hearts with His love can we be truly happy.

God’s love fills the immensity of space; therefore, there is no shortage of love in the universe, only in our willingness to do what is needed to feel it. To do this, Jesus explained we must “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, … soul, … strength, and … mind; and thy neighbour as thyself” ( Luke 10:27 ).

The more we obey God, the more we desire to help others. The more we help others, the more we love God and on and on. Conversely, the more we disobey God and the more selfish we are, the less love we feel.

Trying to find lasting love without obeying God is like trying to quench thirst by drinking from an empty cup—you can go through the motions, but the thirst remains. Similarly, trying to find love without helping and sacrificing for others is like trying to live without eating—it is against the laws of nature and cannot succeed. We cannot fake love. It must become part of us. The prophet Mormon explained:

“Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love” ( Moro. 7:47–48 ).

God is anxious to help us feel His love wherever we are. Let me give an example.

As a young missionary I was assigned to a small island of about 700 inhabitants in a remote area of the South Pacific. To me the heat was oppressive, the mosquitoes were terrible, the mud was everywhere, the language was impossible, and the food was—well, “different.”

After a few months our island was struck by a powerful hurricane. The devastation was massive. Crops were ruined, lives were lost, housing was blown away, and the telegraph station—our only link to the outside world—was destroyed. A small government boat normally came every month or two, so we rationed our food to last four or five weeks, hoping the boat would come. But no boat came. Every day we became weaker. There were acts of great kindness, but as the sixth and seventh weeks passed with very little food, our strength slipped noticeably. My native companion, Feki, helped me in every way he could, but as the eighth week commenced, I had no energy. I just sat under the shade of a tree and prayed and read scriptures and spent hours and hours pondering the things of eternity.

The ninth week began with little outward change. However, there was a great inward change. I felt the Lord’s love more deeply than ever before and learned firsthand that His love “is the most desirable above all things … yea, and the most joyous to the soul” ( 1 Ne. 11:22–23 ).

I was pretty much skin and bones by now. I remember watching, with deep reverence, my heart beating, my lungs breathing, and thinking what a marvelous body God has created to house our equally marvelous spirit! The thought of a permanent union of these two elements, made possible through the Savior’s love, atoning sacrifice, and Resurrection, was so inspiring and satisfying that any physical discomfort faded into oblivion.

When we understand who God is, who we are, how He loves us, and what His plan is for us, fear evaporates. When we get the tiniest glimpse of these truths, our concern over worldly things vanishes. To think we actually fall for Satan’s lies that power, fame, or wealth is important is truly laughable—or would be were it not so sad.

I learned that just as rockets must overcome the pull of gravity to roar into space, so we must overcome the pull of the world to soar into the eternal realms of understanding and love. I realized my mortal life might end there, but there was no panic. I knew life would continue, and whether here or there didn’t really matter. What did matter was how much love I had in my heart. I knew I needed more! I knew that our joy now and forever is inextricably tied to our capacity to love.

As these thoughts filled and lifted my soul, I gradually became aware of some excited voices. My companion Feki’s eyes were dancing as he said, “Kolipoki, a boat has arrived, and it is full of food. We are saved! Aren’t you excited?” I wasn’t sure, but since the boat had come, that must be God’s answer, so yes, I was happy. Feki gave me some food and said, “Here, eat.” I hesitated. I looked at the food. I looked at Feki. I looked into the sky and closed my eyes.

I felt something very deep. I was grateful my life here would go on as before; still, there was a wistful feeling—a subtle sense of postponement, as when darkness closes the brilliant colors of a perfect sunset and you realize you must wait for another evening to again enjoy such beauty.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to open my eyes, but when I did I realized that God’s love had changed everything. The heat, the mud, the mosquitoes, the people, the language, the food were no longer challenges. Those who had tried to harm me were no longer my enemies. Everyone was my brother or sister. Being filled with God’s love is the most joyous of all things and is worth every cost.

I thanked God for this choice time and for the many reminders of His love—the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the birth of a child, the smile of a friend. I thanked Him for scriptures, for the privilege of prayer, and for that most marvelous reminder of His love—the sacrament.

I learned that as we sing the sacrament hymns with real intent, phrases like “How great the wisdom and the love” or “Dearly, dearly has he loved! And we must love him too” will swell our hearts with love and gratitude (see “How Great the Wisdom and the Love,” Hymns, no. 195; “There Is a Green Hill Far Away,” Hymns, no. 194). As we sincerely listen to the sacrament prayers, phrases such as “always remember him,” “keep his commandments,” “have his Spirit to be with them” will fill our hearts with an overwhelming desire to be better (see D&C 20:77, 79 ). Then when we partake of the bread and the water with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, I know we can feel and even hear those most wondrous words “I love you. I love you.”

I thought I would never forget these feelings, but the pull of the world is strong and we tend to slip. But God continues to love us.

Several months after I regained my strength, we were caught in another violent storm, only this time at sea. The waves became so big they flipped our small boat over, throwing the three of us into the raging, churning ocean. When I found myself in the middle of a tumultuous sea, I was surprised, scared, and a little upset. “Why has this happened?” I thought. “I’m a missionary. Where is my protection? Missionaries aren’t supposed to swim.”

But swim I must if I wished to stay alive. Every time I complained I found myself underwater, so it didn’t take long to quit complaining. Things are how they are, and complaining doesn’t help. I needed every ounce of energy to keep my head above water and make it to shore. Having earned my Eagle Scout Award, I was a pretty confident swimmer, but over time the wind and the waves began to sap my strength. I never quit trying, but there came a time when my muscles simply would move no more.

I had a prayer in my heart, but still I began to sink. As I was going down for what could have been the last time, the Lord infused into my mind and heart a deep feeling of love for a very special person. It was as though I could see and hear her. Even though she was 8,000 miles away, the power of that love came rushing across those miles and, penetrating time and space, reached down and pulled me up—lifted me from the depths of darkness, despair, and death and brought me up to light and life and hope. With a sudden burst of energy I made it to shore, where I found my shipmates. Never underestimate the power of true love, for it knows no barriers.

When filled with God’s love, we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us.

Jesus Christ was filled with unfathomable love as He endured incomprehensible pain, cruelty, and injustice for us. Through His love for us, He rose above otherwise insurmountable barriers. His love knows no barriers. He invites us to follow Him and partake of His unlimited love so we too may rise above the pain and cruelty and injustice of this world and help and forgive and bless.

I know He lives. I know He loves us. I know we can feel His love here and now. I know His voice is one of perfect mildness which penetrates to our very center. I know He smiles and is filled with compassion and love. I know He is full of gentleness, kindness, mercy, and desire to help. I love Him with all my heart. I testify that when we are ready, His pure love instantly moves across time and space, reaches down, and pulls us up from the depths of any tumultuous sea of darkness, sin, sorrow, death, or despair we may find ourselves in and brings us into the light and life and love of eternity. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Mercy — The Role Of God’s Mercy In The Bible

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The Role of God's Mercy in The Bible

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Published: Oct 25, 2021

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god's love and mercy essay

October 02, 2018

Six Old Testament Passages That Demonstrate God’s Love

god's love and mercy essay

Some Christians and many non-Christians hold, consciously or not, the false belief that the God of the Old Testament is somehow different than the God of the New Testament . When we think of the Old Testament, we think of plagues, wars, and judgments brought onto humanity by God. When we think of the New Testament, we think of Christ’s love for the church and the communion of early Christians.

Perhaps someone has asked you or challenged you in the past with this question: Is God’s character different in the Old Testament than in the New? Look to Bible in response to this, where we learn the answer is a resounding no .

I have picked out six verses to demonstrate God’s loving-kindness, mercy, and faithfulness from the Old Testament. These verses all come from the very same prophets who know God’s wrath more than others at their time. These writers forecast the destruction of cities, yet they still speak to God’s love for humanity.

Share these with a friend or a family member, and write them upon your own heart as well:

1. Nehemiah 9:17

You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

When we read the major and minor prophets in the Old Testament, we feel bombarded by judgment after judgment. It’s easy to lose perspective of where we are in the ongoing story. When we read the prophets, we need to remember that God has been with his people for a long time. His people have rebelled against him, time and time again. Centuries worth of rebellion.

This verse in Nehemiah returns us to a right perspective: God’s judgment does not mean he is unfairly angry—but his delayed judgment, the years that God bore with the sins of his people, means he is slow to anger .

And even more amazing of a testament to God’s goodness and mercy is that he did not forsake his people. God’s mercy is demonstrated through his judgment on them. It means he still loves them. It means he is working to perfect them.

2. Jonah 3:8-10

“Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

The Ninevites were some of the worst people. Jonah was either so afraid of them or thought they were so hopelessly lost that when God called him to go there he went the other way . But here, Jonah has proclaimed God’s Word to them, he proclaimed God’s offer of repentance to them. They responded in faith, and God withheld their due judgment.

Remember the Ninevites’ story next time someone describes God as one who lacks mercy in the Old Testament. The Ninevites so deserved their punishment that Jonah himself—a prophet of God, having seen many conversions—still believed God would condemn them after they repented. Jonah’s lack of mercy in his story contrasts the overwhelming mercy and love God has for humanity.   

3. Isaiah 43:1-3

But now thus says the Lord , he who created you, O Jacob,     he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;     I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;     and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,     and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God,     the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

What the Lord says here through Isaiah’s writing reflects Jesus’s words in the New Testament: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is not speaking of some new truth; He refers to something that has been true forever—he is with us because he loves us.

4. Isaiah 54:10

“For the mountains may depart     and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,     and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”     says the Lord , who has compassion on you.

This verse in Isaiah speaks to the eternal nature of God’s love for us. It is more permanent than the mountains and the hills, the Lord says. What an encouragement this must have been to those faithful to him during that time — and what an encouragement it is to us today. Chaos surrounded them, as they witnessed God’s wrath upon their city. But God assures them that the most permanent thing — more permanent than anything in the world — is his love for us.

5. Jeremiah 17:9-10

The heart is deceitful above all things,                 and desperately sick;                   who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart                 and test the mind.

This passage from Jeremiah may not immediately jump out to you as a representation of God’s mercy or lovingkindness. The verse calls our heart “sick” and “deceitful.” But consider the need represented here.

We feel the sickness of our heart. We know the deceitfulness of it. We feel things we are ashamed of, and we think in ways we wish we would not. The worst part of it all is that we do not know why. We are a mystery to ourselves.

God, however, knows us. He know us better than we do. And he wants to solve this mystery for us through a relationship with him. Therefore, this verse in Jeremiah demonstrates, once again, his love for his people.

6. Nahum 1:7

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

These verses come after the prophet asks, “Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger?” (v. 6). I read verse 7 as an answer: God is merciful to the repentant, to those who believe in him and obey his commandments.

The Ninevites, on the other hand, rebelled again and God brought his judgment on them. I see two applications to make from Nahum.    

  • God demonstrated mercy to the Ninevites in Jonah’s time even though he knew they would rebel again and ignore his message in Nahum’s time. He did not have to. He knew they would rebel. But, God is a loving God—he wants people to be free from wrath. He always has.
  • However, God’s mercy is not universal. He protects those who have repented and obeyed him. He gives grace to all who believe in him. Yet there are real consequences for those who do not.

Those consequences had to become reality. As we fast-forward to the New Testament, we learn that God has not relaxed his standards one tiny bit. God gave up his perfect Son to be the propitiation and expiation for our sins. And on the cross, God’s full wrath was poured upon Jesus. Paradoxically, the same moment demonstrates God’s greatest act of love: Jesus Christ, willingly died so that we may live.

So, reader, believe in him and live.

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Luke 6:36-38 Easy-to-Read Version

36  Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy.

Be Careful About Criticizing Others ( A )

37  “Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. Don’t condemn others, and you will not be condemned. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38  Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”

Cross references

  • Luke 6:37 : Mt. 7:1–5

Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International

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What Is Mercy?

Updated 06 April 2023

Subject Emotions

Downloads 38

Category Life

Topic Mercy

Mercy is a spiritual and emotional virtue based on love, kindness and forgiveness. It is a core element of the Christian faith and a key component of many other religions, particularly Hinduism and Islam. The Bible describes a merciful God who gives and takes care of the poor and needy, and those in distress. He extends forgiveness to those who confess their sin and repent of it. He also offers healing and other forms of comfort to those who are in pain or suffering. This type of mercy is a heartfelt, sacrificial act and requires the willingness to live with people who are not necessarily good for us or to those who may have offended us. It can take a certain amount of self-discipline and commitment to this kind of mercy, but it is well worth the effort. Practicing mercy is a gift from God, and it can be life changing. It can lead to a deeper relationship with Christ, and it can also help you see the value of others’ lives. In the Bible, the word "mercy" often appears in relation to forgiveness of sins, and is used both in the Old and New Testaments. The Lord’s Prayer is a classic example of mercy, as is the story of the prodigal son. The Bible also talks about the need for mercy in the context of a person’s life, and it provides many examples. When a person comes to know Jesus, His mercy becomes evident in their lives and they are moved to give Him thanks and praise. Forgiveness is the first level of mercy. When we receive forgiveness for our sins, we become free from condemnation and a desire to continue sinning. Then we are given the opportunity to be a channel of His mercy and compassion to others, who will then see Him in us. There is a second level of mercy that is also described in the Bible. This is the mercy of God’s Spirit that works within a person to transform them from sinful to sanctified. When we experience the fullness of this mercy, it will change our entire perspective on life and our relationships with others. It will lead to a more humble and Christ-like attitude toward others, and it will cause us to live lives of deep peace and contentment. Performing acts of mercy can be a way to show love and generosity to others, whether you are a layperson or a religious leader. There are many ways to perform these kinds of acts, and they can include such things as offering help or advice, giving alms, extending hospitality, or taking the time to listen to someone’s needs. In the Christian faith, it is a core practice to offer mercy to those who have offended us and to forgive them for their mistakes. It can be difficult to do so without a spirit of superiority and smugness, but this is not the way that Christ would have us treat others.

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Savannah Guthrie: “Mostly What God Does‪”‬ Making Space with Hoda Kotb

  • Society & Culture

Savannah Guthrie joins Hoda Kotb for season 5 of Making Space to discuss her latest book, “Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere”. Guthrie opens up about the role of faith in her life, the power of divine love and the inspiration behind this collection of essays.

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  1. 10 Best God's Mercy Poems

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  2. How God Showed Me My Need for His Grace, Mercy, and Love

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  3. Mercy God Love PowerPoint Sermons

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  4. 45 Bible verses about Mercy And Grace

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  1. At God's Mercy (By rerulili

  2. Excess Love

COMMENTS

  1. The Love of God

    The love of God is the benevolent disposition or inclination in God that stirs him to bestow both physical and spiritual benefits upon those created in his image (and is thus in this respect synonymous with grace), the most exalted of all such benefits is God's selfless gift of himself to his creatures in Jesus Christ. Summary

  2. What Does the Bible Say About Gods Love And Mercy?

    Helpful Not Helpful Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Micah 6:8 ESV / 35 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

  3. God's Sovereignty (5): Love, Mercy, and Grace

    God's Sovereign Love, Mercy, and Grace If man is loved, it is because God initiated this by His sovereign decree. God loves those whom He chooses to love (Eph. 1:4,5). It is not because man was so inherently loving or loveable, but simply because God sovereignly choose to love some and save them.

  4. What is Mercy & Why We Need it: Bible Meaning & Examples

    Mercy is an extension of and expression of love, "an act of kindness, compassion, or favor." Mercy is a characteristic of the One True God. Photo Credit:Unsplash© What Does the Bible Say Mercy Is? "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

  5. The Love and Mercy of God Part One

    The Bible reveals that God's love prompts His mercy. God said the following concerning Israel: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you" ( Jer. 31:3 ). The word translated "lovingkindness" is hesed.

  6. The Holiness of God

    The covenant established with Abraham (Gen 12-15) was grounded in God's mercy, the only appropriate response of Abraham and his descendants was trust in God's mercy. There was no allowance that Abraham nor his descendants could earn God's favor. ... The Holy Love of God (Crossway, 2014) This essay is part of the Concise Theology series ...

  7. The Meanings of Love in the Bible

    January 1, 1975 The Meanings of Love in the Bible Article by John Piper Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org Love in the Bible, as in our everyday usage, can be directed from person to person or from a person to things. When directed toward things, love means enjoying or taking pleasure in those things. Love towards persons is more complex.

  8. A Close Look at the Meaning of God's Love

    In fact, God's love is so amazing and enduring that there is an entire poem enthusiastically celebrating God's love in the Bible. You'll find it in Psalm 118 . The poem begins and ends with this line: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1 The Hebrew word translated as "love" in Psalm 118 is khesed.

  9. Mary, Mother of Mercy. Christ the Power of Merciful Love

    God has given us a mother for a reason. At the foot of the cross, Jesus said to his beloved disciple, St. John: "Here is your Mother," and he said to Mary: "Here is your son" (Jn 19:27). Mary was able to stand firm at the foot of the cross—a merciful love is a strong love! Merciful love is capable of withstanding the cross; capable of ...

  10. Faith Forum: Does God show favoritism?

    As it is generally believed among people of faith that God is in control, God does what God wants and God produces and sustains the universe; it is natural for many to conclude that in all...

  11. 'God is Just, Because He is Love and Mercy'

    The following is the homily given by The Most Rev. Edward Ozorowski, Archbishop of Bialystok, Poland, on Divine Mercy Sunday at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, April 19, 2009: For His mercy endures for ever (Ps 136,1). "I love you, O Lord, my strength, O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. My God is the rock where I take refuge; My shield, my salvation's certainty, my stronghold ...

  12. Love, Mercy and Grace

    Dr. J. Vernon McGee. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. ( 2 John 3) What is the difference between the love, mercy, and grace of God? We read in Ephesians 2:4,5, "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when ...

  13. How have you experienced God's love?

    In John's Gospel, divine love has a mission. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life" (Jn 3: ...

  14. PDF The Love Mercy And Grace Of God

    And note, that all that God is and all that He does always begins with "love", not our love towards God, but with His love towards us. And may I say again, it is always that way, and it will always be that way. Love, mercy and grace always begin with God and His love. He is always the source, the beginning, the well-spring of all good things.

  15. What is the true meaning of mercy?

    The Bible speaks of God's love for sinners - that is, for all of us. But the Bible also relates mercy to other qualities beyond love and forgiveness. So, how can we begin to understand...

  16. How Is Mercy Different from Grace, and Why Is It So Crucial to

    Moreover, the Psalms are replete with references to God's mercy and steadfast love. Psalm 103:8 declares, "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." This echoes the sentiments in Exodus—God's mercy is an enduring attribute that extends to all generations.

  17. The Power of God's Love

    Those who had tried to harm me were no longer my enemies. Everyone was my brother or sister. Being filled with God's love is the most joyous of all things and is worth every cost. I thanked God for this choice time and for the many reminders of His love—the sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the birth of a child, the smile of a friend.

  18. The Role of God's Mercy in The Bible

    They fasted to the Lord, put upon a sackcloth, offered daily sacrifices of animals and even organs as omens to the Lord that he may show mercy (Walton 780). Jonah had preached repentance to the people of Nineveh, and because the Ninevites had listened and changed their ways, God displayed mercy upon them.

  19. Six Old Testament Passages That Demonstrate God's Love

    Share these with a friend or a family member, and write them upon your own heart as well: 1. Nehemiah 9:17. You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. When we read the major and minor prophets in the Old Testament, we feel bombarded by judgment after judgment.

  20. An Essay on the Mercy of God

    The Mercy Of God What would one's life amount to without the mercy of God? God's mercy holds fast the very essence of a person's faith. The God of Heaven expounds a great deal of references on His mercy throughout the Holy Scriptures. This wonderful attribute of mercy appears in twice as ma...

  21. Luke 6:36-38 ERV

    36 Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy. Be Careful About Criticizing Others 37 "Don't judge others, and God will not judge you. Don't condemn others, and you will not be condemned. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much.

  22. What Is Mercy?

    Category Life Topic Mercy This sample was provided by a student, not a professional writer. Anyone has access to our essays, so likely it was already used by other students. Do not take a risk and order a custom paper from an expert. Mercy is a spiritual and emotional virtue based on love, kindness and forgiveness.

  23. ‎Making Space with Hoda Kotb: Savannah Guthrie: "Mostly What God Does

    Savannah Guthrie joins Hoda Kotb for season 5 of Making Space to discuss her latest book, "Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere". Guthrie opens up about the role of faith in her life, the power of divine love and the inspiration behind this collection of essay…

  24. Casting Crowns Gives God Full Credit on 'All Because of Mercy'

    Casting Crowns gives God glory on "All Because of Mercy," the award-winning band's latest single.Insisting that full credit be given to Jesus for their salvation, their calling and their very lives, it's a fitting theme song for their ongoing anniversary celebration, as the group marks two decades of ministry.