A.W. Tozer in his book, “Knowledge of the Holy” wrote, “Mercy is an attribute of God, an infinite and inexhaustible energy within the divine nature which disposes God to be actively compassionate.” Mercy is part of what the Lord is! HE SHOWS MERCY BECAUSE HE IS A MERCIFUL GOD!

We read in Lamentations 3:22-33, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” His mercies are renewed every day. If not for that, we would be consumed (destroyed). How blessed we are when we consider this never-ending supply of mercy from our loving Lord.

Let’s consider the words of Exodus 20:5-6, “…I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” In the giving of the Ten Commandments, the Lord reminded His people that while showing “mercy unto thousands of them that love me”, He also is actively “visiting the iniquity” of those who hate Him. In this instance, to ‘visit’ means to punish or avenge. Although our God is a merciful God, He is also a just God. To quote A.W. Tozer again, “He has always dealt in mercy with mankind and will always deal in justice when His mercy is despised.”

While speaking of the grace of God in Romans 5, the Apostle Paul poses this question in Romans 6:1, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” Understanding that God loves to show grace to undeserving people, should we sin more so that God’s grace might abound towards us? Paul answers his own question in verse 2, “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” We who know Christ as our savior are now positionally ‘dead to sin’. It is not proper that we should ‘continue in sin’. No, we should “live unto God.” (Galatians 2:19). We should “live unto righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24).

May we learn more about the mercy of our merciful God. May we seek to understand Him better so that we might become more familiar with His mercy. May that cause us to fall prostrate before Him in praise and worship. May we NEVER seek to use God’s mercy or grace to justify sin in our lives. Let us take to heart the instruction of the Lord to the woman who had been caught in the very act of adultery. After extending mercy towards her, the Lord said to her, “…go, and sin no more.” (John 8:11). (319.4)