Truth or Mercy?

I struggle with a real tension in my Christian life. When should I show mercy to another and when should I tell them the hard truth? Jesus asks serious disciples to carry His message out into the world not just to hang out together in a church sanctuary. That message is one of God’s great love, of humanity’s great sin, and of the gift of life eternal for those who receive Him in faith and follow after Him.

He warned that “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”  (Mark 13) The Gospel is great news BUT it runs head-on into human rebellion, calling people to surrender to God and that is a message of offense!

One temptation which all serious Christians face in this culture urges us to take the edge off of the Message, to only speak of the love of God, to ignore sin. The texts about God’s mercy and love are so much more acceptable than those that call us to change our ways and conform to His will, aren’t they?

So, how do we live faithfully to the call of Christ?

First, there must be humility.
Those who love Jesus are sinners saved by grace. We cannot forget His mercy shown to us and assume a place of moral superiority. The weeds of hypocrisy grow in fields of spiritual pride.

Second, we remember that PEOPLE matter.
Every interaction we have must begin with genuine acceptance that wordlessly announces: “You matter to me because you are a person.”  

Some would suggest that loving that person requires us to affirm their choices, making them feel good about who and what they are. There is the real rub. We cannot claim to love a person who is living in open rebellion against God and say to them - “You are fine, just as you are.” 

Third, we avoid taking the role of a judge.
Jesus counsels us that when we interact with those who have sinned that we  “First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”  The call for others to repent and be reconciled to God through Christ is not delivered from a lofty perch. We get down into the dirt of life and offer a hand, show the way, weep with the broken, and give bread to the hungry.

Fourth, we seek to understand and put the Gospel into real life context.
How people act and what they do have a backstory, and Christians do well to listen before they speak, to understand the situations into which they speak.

Jude teaches us that a one-size-fits-all approach misses the will of God. "Build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives." (Jude 20-23, NLT)

Some need mercy, a genuine compassion that sees where life Is beyond their control, where they are captives of their experience, their past, or their incomplete understanding. 

Others need rescue! We have to stage an intervention. Risking offense, we tell them the truth about the way they live and their ultimate end, judged by God. 

Jude says it’s like reaching right into the fire and pulling the stick out before it’s burned. What an image. And, for such a person, we need a healthy fear of the power of temptation so we don’t get drawn into their disobedience.

Fifth, our message must be offered out of our own relationship with Jesus.
The mission to which Jesus calls us is not just to make church members or to share our particular religious convictions. We invite others to KNOW the One who has given us life and hope.

Our own relationship with Christ must be fresh! We encourage each other, pray real intimate prayers, and remember that we are all saved by merciful grace. Nothing speaks more powerfully than a rich, current, and deep love of God. It makes us shine.

Taking the Gospel into our world is no easy calling. It requires the insight and wisdom of the Spirit, which is given to us all. I hope you agree that real love never just leaves others alone, out of some mistaken sense of privacy.

My prayer – “Lord, keep us in your love and let us be merciful people of healing, sharing Truth, and giving light to dark places in this world. Amen.”

Video of this blog

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

 

Hope that holds me together

Somebody once said, "blessed are those who expect nothing, for they will never be disappointed." True enough, but is that really how anyone wants to live? Is the path to serenity paved with apathy?

You might say, "I don't know and I don't care." If you did, you would be among millions of Americans who choose to live a life detached, not truly alive in fact, but simply existing!

Daring to hope creates the possibility of disappointment! 
HOPE creates opportunity for fulfillment and joy!

The true foundation of lasting hope is God’s care.  The ancient preacher says - "Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with her who lies in your embrace be careful of your words. But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." (Micah 7:5,7 NIV)

Paul was inspired to give us this direction. "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." (1 Timothy 6:17, NIV)

People, even those who are close, may abandon you when you need them most.
Wealth, here today, lost tomorrow, can never provide real security.
But, the Lord sustains hope through times of sickness, war, recession, and even death.

What does it mean to 'put our hope in God?'

We transfer our expectations to His promises -
that He will provide what we need, not what we want;
that His love will never fail or falter,
that  "He is faithful, even when we are faithless;"
that He gives us eternal life through Christ Jesus.

Even professing Christians sometimes get it wrong, thinking they are hoping in the Lord, while in reality making God into a kind of personal magician who is expected to grant them all the joys of this present world, with little or no passion for spiritual things. 

Hope in God enters into our present pain. It does not seek to escape it. More times than I can remember, I have stood with families who have come to grief, with those who have a diagnosis of terminal disease, with people whose lives have gone upside down. I too have known that kind of experience. My choice?  I wait in hope. I trust God.

That choice is not always the easy or simple one! It is made in faith in God, the assurance I know that He can keep us when we hurt, hold us together when life is crumbling, and do what is beyond my comprehension at the moment. This kind of faith does not erase the pain of missed expectations. But, it allows real hope to grow.

Are you struggling to make sense of life today?
Is some disappointment causing you anguish?
Have you given up hope, choosing to live in apathy?

Put your hope in God! In faith, accept the love of Jesus, deep, sustaining, limitless love. Pray that the Holy Spirit will change your heart so that you will come to desire His love and let Him become the reason you live. Actively hand over your doubts and disappointments to Him in prayer. Look upwards beyond your present ache, feelings of lack, and/or fears and a new tomorrow will take shape.

Here's a word from the Word. "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure." (Hebrews 6:11, NIV) "We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever." (Hebrews 6:18-20, NIV)

Video of this blog

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55