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Religion With and Without Mercy By Laurie Nyhus and Don Hooser Should religion make one more merciful or less merciful? By looking at the attitudes and actions of many religious people around the world, one would conclude less merciful!
ou would think religion would make people more merciful. But do we see this today? The worst extreme we hear about is people who use their religion as an excuse for torturing, terrorizing and killing others. Then we hear of harsh and cruel punishments for infractions of religious rules. And it is common to hear of overly severe penalties exacted for people's sins and mistakes, including attitudes of scorn and condemnation. Furthermore, a tendency exists for treating all sins and mistakes alike -- major and minor, impulsive and premeditated, those done in ignorance and those done with full knowledge. And cold-hearted "judges" often do not look at the attitude of the person's heart and do not show mercy even when the person is sorry and repentant. As well, judgmental people are often hypocritical, being guilty of the very things of which they are castigating others. In fact, some people seem to have a compulsion to correct sins in others that they themselves continue to commit. "The guilty dog barks," goes the saying. Because they cannot or do not want to overcome the weakness in themselves, they psychologically project their weaknesses onto others, making themselves feel more righteous by condemning the failings in others. Exalting mercy But God's true religion exalts mercy! Over and over throughout the Bible, we see mercy as one of God's paramount teachings -- a character trait He emphasizes as essential in His followers! But it's not just non-Christians who are unmerciful -- no one is perfect in mercy, even the people sincerely seeking to live by the Bible. We must all examine ourselves, study God's Word to better understand mercy and continually seek the transforming power of God to be merciful as He is merciful. Our Creator is a God of justice as well as mercy. God's laws are eternal and very much in effect, so God commands obedience.
God is "rich in mercy" (Ephesians 2:4). "The Lord is very compassionate and merciful" (James 5:11). "The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy" (Psalm 145:8). The Bible repeatedly says "His mercy endures forever." Examples of mercy By far the greatest example of mercy is God the Father and Jesus Christ being willing for Jesus to be incarnated, suffer terribly and die so that we sinful humans could be forgiven and saved. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). God's grace includes unmerited pardon for repentant sinners. "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities" (Psalm 103:10).
Unintended effects of religion Religion can have unintended effects. When people learn God's commandments or other rules for living, their standards of character are appropriately raised. But they can easily start feeling superior and self-righteous and become more critical and unmerciful toward others. However, the followers of Jesus Christ must focus on how they are being saved by God's grace and mercy, not by any merit of their own. Jesus set a perfect example of humility, mercy and love to the very end. Even when He was dying on the cross, Jesus prayed for His executioners, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). Likewise, Stephen prayed for those stoning him, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin" (Acts 7:60). Mercy encompasses several related things -- forgiveness, kindness, compassion, gentleness and relief or alleviation of suffering. Jesus exemplified all aspects of mercy.
The Pharisees had the Scriptures, but knew little about mercy and practiced it less. In Luke 7:36-50 is the story of a Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house and have a meal. While Jesus was eating, a woman begins to wash His feet with her tears and to anoint them with fragrant oil. This was a woman with a reputation as a sinner -- not someone most people then would allow to touch them. What was Jesus' surprising conclusion? He knew her heart and knew she was repentant and worshipful. She loved Christ and would love Him even more because of His mercy and forgiveness. But, the self-righteous Pharisee was in denial about having any sins and, therefore, was unrepentant and unloving. God's merciful character To have the merciful character of God, Christ admonished us to "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you" (Luke 6:27-28). Later He said, "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven" (verses 36-37).
God forgives even the worst of sins when there is true repentance. Consider the story of Jonah. Jonah was angry with God because He spared the city of Nineveh. (Nineveh was considered an enemy of Israel.) Jonah complained, "I know that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm" (Jonah 4:2). This is a good lesson for all of us, because sometimes we tend to be like Jonah. When we read the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, we should examine ourselves. Would my attitude be like that of the father (merciful) or like that of the elder brother (unmerciful)? Concern for every person The following account shows how deeply concerned God and Jesus Christ are for every single person: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance" (Luke 15:4-7). There are many more excellent scriptures that speak of mercy. Daniel 9:18; Micah 6:8; Micah 7:18; and Zechariah 7:9 are some of them.
"For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). "Sacrifice and burnt offerings" are being religious. But there are things that God desires more than being religious. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7). "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering" (Colossians 3:12). For additional reading, request the free booklet . Copyright 2006 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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Origin of article "Religion With and Without Mercy"
Keywords: mercy judging forgiveness
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