Mercy

 Matthew 5:7 ESV

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.


At first glance, this verse seems to suggest we can earn our salvation. If we're merciful to others, it seems, maybe God will feel obliged to be merciful to us. If we think that, we've got things the wrong way round.

If we receive mercy from God, we will be merciful. If we claim to have received God's mercy but are unmerciful, we betray the fact we never received his mercy in the first place. The evidence of a recipient of God's mercy is that they're merciful.

The world is a merciless place. If someone messes up, they're ostracised and turned into a pariah. Thankfully, God is merciful.

Christ died to pay the price for our mess. Because he bore Father God's wrath at our sins, we can receive God's mercy. If we do, we will be merciful to others.

'Merciful Father God, please forgive us our sins and help us to forgive those who wrong us, for we ask in Christ's name, amen'.

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