Extending mercy

[Gail]

Heard a great sermon by our conference president yesterday on the subject of mercy.

He gave us four ways that we as Christians are to extend mercy:

1) Be patient with those who are different from you.

Whether they are disabled, from another culture or just hold differing beliefs, we can take into consideration where they are coming from

2) Forgive!!!!

Let it go! Don't allow a root of bitterness to spring up. Get over it.

3) Help the hurting

Remember, extending mercy will always cost you something.

4) Do good to your enemies

The Bible gives believers no other option- see Lk.6:35,36

[BibleOnly]

I think these are all good things for anyone to do, Christian or not. But, the main way we show mercy is by telling people how they can be saved. Of course, if we don't do these other things, we should not expect them to care about what we say, but, the Gospel is what a Christian is here for, not 'just' being a nice person.

[Gail]

I would go even farther than that. If you think of the martyrs of the Middle Ages and Reformation, often their witness was their death.

Also, in NT Roman Empire, many Christian slaves opted to remain and serve their masters faithfully. I once read about Paul while he was in house arrest in Rome, reached even Nero's household.

You do what you can and take advantage of what you can. The Holy Spirit knows how to reach a heart!

[Gail]

But how would you relate that to the concept of standing for one's own rights?

[Woody]

As a Christian - one has no "rights" in my view. WE give those up by treating our neighbor as ourselves.

[BibleOnly]

But how would you relate that to the concept of standing for one's own rights?

If someone were to threaten my kids, I would defend them. If someone came in to this house with intent to do harm, I would seek to neutralise them. But, in my day to day life, I would seek to try to meet people where they are, and understand their reasons for being the way they are, and for the Gospel to be my prime focus. If the home invader ended up in jail, I'd try to take the chance to visit them, and share the Gospel with them.

I don't think that being a Christian is an advertisement that people can take advantage of you, and do you harm.

[M. T. Cross]

Anyone that I actually considered an enemy would have to be someone that harmed or threatened harm to my family or very close friends. I have a real difficult time with the concept of mercy for them.

[BibleOnly]

I think mercy is only an option after the threat is neutralised. Then is when I'd feel I had a chance to show the compassion of God. Until then, I'd be more concerned with protecting my family. I'd react far more to a threat to my kids, than one to myself, but I'd certainly defend myself, also.

[M. T. Cross]

We may have a different view on neutralising threat. I don't trust the legal system much so if someone takes it upon themselves to do or threaten harm to my kids, I would gladly make sure that option was never available to them again. Of course that is all in perspective of what kind of harm is being done or threatened as well.

[Gail]

It takes a certain kind of courage to do what Jesus asks sometimes, doesn't it?

[fccool]

It takes a certain kind of courage to do what Jesus asks sometimes, doesn't it?

Perhaps, but courage should not indicative of virtue. It took quite a bit of courage to fly those planes into the buildings. Courage is not exactly a virtuous thing. At times it's plane stupid.

[cheddar]

I’m not sure who coined this phrase ‘present truth’ but there is a lot of wisdom behind it.

Would ‘turning the other cheek’ and ‘doing good to our enemies’ be present truth for our day?

When these concepts were introduced 2000 years ago by Jesus the world was a lot different place.

Kindness and mercy were unheard of and seen as a sign of weakness. This is not the case today where these attributes are fairly commonplace and practiced by Christians and non-Christians alike.

Should we still be following the rules of 2000 years ago or is there a ‘present truth’ for our day?

[BibleOnly]

This sounds to me like 'The Bible is out of date'. I don't think it is. I think that the overall concept that Jesus presented is as valid as ever. The Bible also says to be kind to your enemies, because there's no virtue in being kind to your friends. I don't think people are kind to their enemies today, if anything, I think common courtesy is becoming less and less common, even when dealing with people you feel neutral towards.

[M. T. Cross]

It takes a certain kind of courage to do what Jesus asks sometimes, doesn't it?

I wonder though Gail, if Jesus lived in a time and a nation where auto theft holds a heavier penalty than child molestation - would he still say that we should extend mercy to our enemies?

[BibleOnly]

Are you claiming to live in such a nation now ? Actually, I suspect He DID live in a nation where theft was treated more seriously than child molestation. The Jews were not upholding their law, and the Romans mostly cared about protecting their property, I'd expect.

In fact, the concept of 'childhood' is relatively new, or at least it disappeared until fairly recently. There was no such thing as 'child molestation', a few hundred years ago.

[Gail]

Who then should we extend mercy to?

[M. T. Cross]

Who then should we extend mercy to?

I will be honest. That one is tough for me.

See, I will not extend mercy to anyone that tries to hurt my family in an overt way. Others who my incidently hurt me or my family I could.

But that mercy is at a cost. I don't think you do anyone any favours by simply forgiving them if they say sorry. If I see an honest effort to correct the wrong then yes. No reason to make them suffer. Then you are just as wrong as they are.

[BibleOnly]

Who then should we extend mercy to?

Again, the core way we show mercy is by sharing the Gospel, and that's something we should always seek to do. There is no mercy in letting someone hurt you or your family. There is mercy in forgiving after the fact and even that falls short, if we don't also tell them how to turn their lives around and live forever.

[fccool]

Quote:

I wonder though Gail, if Jesus lived in a time and a nation where auto theft holds a heavier penalty than child molestation - would he still say that we should extend mercy to our enemies?

Actually, Jesus lived in a nation that would get you stoned for lesser crimes... like picking up sticks on the Sabbath.

It's difficult to talk about it from Christian standpoint, because Christianity holds that some (actually most of the people who lived on earth) don't deserve mercy if they did not believe or accept it.

The picture is of God holding the sword and telling people "I don't have to cut off your head, I offer you mercy", and people saying "I don't believe in your mercy", and God swings the sword with "Well, I've tried, but I can't save you against your will" type of sentiment.

How merciful is that? Isn't it the ultimate mercy to offer it to people who don't even deserve it? Isn't mercy undeserved by definition? If there are people who are "more deserving of it" then what is merciful?

[BibleOnly]

None of us 'deserve' it. The point is that God is righteous. He's not random and He can't just change what is fair. Jesus died so God COULD save us without changing who He is. He's not holding the sword, in that sense. He's more like a guy who sees the building is on fire and tells you where the exit is.

[olger]

Complete in Thee

No work of mine.

Can take Dear Lord

The place of thine...

g

[phkrause]

Heard a great sermon by our conference president yesterday on the subject of mercy.

He gave us four ways that we as Christians are to extend mercy:

1) Be patient with those who are different from you.

Whether they are disabled, from another culture or just hold differing beliefs, we can take into consideration where they are coming from

I agree with this. Even on this forum, we see so much negative arguing. Its one thing to argue both quite another to just argue for the sake of arguing.

[phkrause]

Heard a great sermon by our conference president yesterday on the subject of mercy.

He gave us four ways that we as Christians are to extend mercy:

2) Forgive!!!!

Let it go! Don't allow a root of bitterness to spring up. Get over it.

There many people that have lost there health because they refuse to forgive. They hold a grudge for so long. I believe that no one is saying that you have to forget what has happen but you definitely need to forgive. Reminds me of the sorry of the couple that lost there son. He was killed by another, and after the trial or even before, not quite sure. They asked to see the young man, to tell him that they forgive him. After he was found guilty and sentenced the couple visited him just about everyday. He eventually became a Christian because of these people, and they wound up adopting him as there son. Can you imagine that. I cried as I read this story. I have to see if I can find it, because I might have a few things a little incorrect, but the major parts like forgiving and adopting I'm sure about. I have heard of others also that have forgiving someone that has killed someone in there family. Again this does not mean that that person doesn't pay the penality of there crime. I've read a really good book about forgiveness, will have to look for it and let you know.

[olger]

...

[phkrause]

Heard a great sermon by our conference president yesterday on the subject of mercy.

He gave us four ways that we as Christians are to extend mercy:

3) Help the hurting

Remember, extending mercy will always cost you something.

This is actually great therapy I understand, for those that are hurting, to help those that are hurting. Takes your mind off of your trouble and lets you see that you are not the only one.