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Because of His Great Love

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When I read a book in the Bible, I like to list my favorite verses and words in that book. As you may know, I spent much of the past year diving deep into Ephesians. My favorite words from Ephesians pretty much all came from this one verse:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us… (Ephesians 2:4).

It’s a small verse, easily missed. But it contains enough truth to change the world. I want to look at two words, three words, and then five words from this passage. The two words are…

But God

These two words are surely the Bible’s most redemptive phrase.

The Savior was crucified, but God…. (Acts 2:24, 13:30).

We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but God….

We were lost and without hope, but God is rich in mercy.

Thank God for but God!

If you are lost and in trouble, but God is good news. If you are a believer, but God means God has the last word (Rom. 8:28).

No matter how bad things get, our Father is the hope we cling to. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26).

Rich in mercy

Some imagine God to be miserly, but he is merciful. He abounds in compassion towards us. Whatever your need, learn to see God as your abundant Supply.

Mercy is different from grace, but God abounds in both. He is rich in grace (Eph. 1:7, 2:7, Jas. 4:6), and rich in mercy (Luke 1:58, Eph. 2:4, Jas. 5:11, 1 Pet. 1:3). He is the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10), and the Father of all mercies (2 Cor. 1:3).

At this point we may ask, “God, why are you so good to me? Why are you merciful? How can you accept someone like me?”

To these sorts of questions Paul gives a five-word answer.

Because of his great love

Some people have trouble accepting God’s mercy and grace because they have not grasped the great love of God.

“Why did you send your Son to rescue me? Why are you not holding my sins against me?”

The answer is “because of his great love with which he loved us.” Indeed, this is the answer to just about every question we might have about God.

Why did God create Adam and Eve? Because of his great love.

Why did God give us free will, knowing it would cost him everything to fix our mistakes? Because of his great love.

Why are sunsets beautiful? Why is the universe so big? Why do we have daffodils? Because of his great love.

God will never make you jump through hoops to earn his love. He won’t love you any more if you succeed, and he won’t love you any less if you fail. If you lead millions to Christ, or none at all, he will love you just the same. There is nothing you can do to make him love you more, and nothing you can do to make him love you less.

His great love endures forever.

I have given you two words, three words, and five words from this amazing passage. I want to leave you with one more word.

Great

In the New Testament two words are translated as great. One is megas, which means big, and the other is polys, which means many. The latter word is used here. God’s love for you is not a narrow, one-flavor kind of love, but a multifaceted, many-sided, all-the-colors-of-the-rainbow and all-the-words-in-the-dictionary kind of love. God’s love for you reaches so far in so many directions that it surpasses all knowledge (Eph. 3:17–19).

If some people have trouble believing the gospel of grace, perhaps it is because they are unfamiliar with the greatness of their Father’s love toward them.

Why does God have great mercy and great grace for you? Because of his great love.

—

If you liked this, you will love The Grace Bible: Ephesians.

Because of His Great Love

by

When I read a book in the Bible, I like to list my favorite verses and words in that book. As you may know, I spent much of the past year diving deep into Ephesians. My favorite words from Ephesians pretty much all came from this one verse:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us… (Ephesians 2:4).

It’s a small verse, easily missed. But it contains enough truth to change the world. I want to look at two words, three words, and then five words from this passage. The two words are…

But God

These two words are surely the Bible’s most redemptive phrase.

The Savior was crucified, but God…. (Acts 2:24, 13:30).

We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but God….

We were lost and without hope, but God is rich in mercy.

Thank God for but God!

If you are lost and in trouble, but God is good news. If you are a believer, but God means God has the last word (Rom. 8:28).

No matter how bad things get, our Father is the hope we cling to. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26).

Rich in mercy

Some imagine God to be miserly, but he is merciful. He abounds in compassion towards us. Whatever your need, learn to see God as your abundant Supply.

Mercy is different from grace, but God abounds in both. He is rich in grace (Eph. 1:7, 2:7, Jas. 4:6), and rich in mercy (Luke 1:58, Eph. 2:4, Jas. 5:11, 1 Pet. 1:3). He is the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10), and the Father of all mercies (2 Cor. 1:3).

At this point we may ask, “God, why are you so good to me? Why are you merciful? How can you accept someone like me?”

To these sorts of questions Paul gives a five-word answer.

Because of his great love

Some people have trouble accepting God’s mercy and grace because they have not grasped the great love of God.

“Why did you send your Son to rescue me? Why are you not holding my sins against me?”

The answer is “because of his great love with which he loved us.” Indeed, this is the answer to just about every question we might have about God.

Why did God create Adam and Eve? Because of his great love.

Why did God give us free will, knowing it would cost him everything to fix our mistakes? Because of his great love.

Why are sunsets beautiful? Why is the universe so big? Why do we have daffodils? Because of his great love.

God will never make you jump through hoops to earn his love. He won’t love you any more if you succeed, and he won’t love you any less if you fail. If you lead millions to Christ, or none at all, he will love you just the same. There is nothing you can do to make him love you more, and nothing you can do to make him love you less.

His great love endures forever.

I have given you two words, three words, and five words from this amazing passage. I want to leave you with one more word.

Great

In the New Testament two words are translated as great. One is megas, which means big, and the other is polys, which means many. The latter word is used here. God’s love for you is not a narrow, one-flavor kind of love, but a multifaceted, many-sided, all-the-colors-of-the-rainbow and all-the-words-in-the-dictionary kind of love. God’s love for you reaches so far in so many directions that it surpasses all knowledge (Eph. 3:17–19).

If some people have trouble believing the gospel of grace, perhaps it is because they are unfamiliar with the greatness of their Father’s love toward them.

Why does God have great mercy and great grace for you? Because of his great love.

—

If you liked this, you will love The Grace Bible: Ephesians.

Because of His Great Love

by

When I read a book in the Bible, I like to list my favorite verses and words in that book. As you may know, I spent much of the past year diving deep into Ephesians. My favorite words from Ephesians pretty much all came from this one verse:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us… (Ephesians 2:4).

It’s a small verse, easily missed. But it contains enough truth to change the world. I want to look at two words, three words, and then five words from this passage. The two words are…

But God

These two words are surely the Bible’s most redemptive phrase.

The Savior was crucified, but God…. (Acts 2:24, 13:30).

We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but God….

We were lost and without hope, but God is rich in mercy.

Thank God for but God!

If you are lost and in trouble, but God is good news. If you are a believer, but God means God has the last word (Rom. 8:28).

No matter how bad things get, our Father is the hope we cling to. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:26).

Rich in mercy

Some imagine God to be miserly, but he is merciful. He abounds in compassion towards us. Whatever your need, learn to see God as your abundant Supply.

Mercy is different from grace, but God abounds in both. He is rich in grace (Eph. 1:7, 2:7, Jas. 4:6), and rich in mercy (Luke 1:58, Eph. 2:4, Jas. 5:11, 1 Pet. 1:3). He is the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10), and the Father of all mercies (2 Cor. 1:3).

At this point we may ask, “God, why are you so good to me? Why are you merciful? How can you accept someone like me?”

To these sorts of questions Paul gives a five-word answer.

Because of his great love

Some people have trouble accepting God’s mercy and grace because they have not grasped the great love of God.

“Why did you send your Son to rescue me? Why are you not holding my sins against me?”

The answer is “because of his great love with which he loved us.” Indeed, this is the answer to just about every question we might have about God.

Why did God create Adam and Eve? Because of his great love.

Why did God give us free will, knowing it would cost him everything to fix our mistakes? Because of his great love.

Why are sunsets beautiful? Why is the universe so big? Why do we have daffodils? Because of his great love.

God will never make you jump through hoops to earn his love. He won’t love you any more if you succeed, and he won’t love you any less if you fail. If you lead millions to Christ, or none at all, he will love you just the same. There is nothing you can do to make him love you more, and nothing you can do to make him love you less.

His great love endures forever.

I have given you two words, three words, and five words from this amazing passage. I want to leave you with one more word.

Great

In the New Testament two words are translated as great. One is megas, which means big, and the other is polys, which means many. The latter word is used here. God’s love for you is not a narrow, one-flavor kind of love, but a multifaceted, many-sided, all-the-colors-of-the-rainbow and all-the-words-in-the-dictionary kind of love. God’s love for you reaches so far in so many directions that it surpasses all knowledge (Eph. 3:17–19).

If some people have trouble believing the gospel of grace, perhaps it is because they are unfamiliar with the greatness of their Father’s love toward them.

Why does God have great mercy and great grace for you? Because of his great love.

—

If you liked this, you will love The Grace Bible: Ephesians.

What is the Difference Between Mercy and Grace?

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What is the difference between mercy and grace

What is mercy and how does it relate to grace? Is mercy the same as grace, or is it something different?

Some people miss grace because they think it grace = mercy. They don’t understand the difference.

“I need mercy.

“Thank you, Lord, for your mercy.

“Now that I have mercy, I’m satisfied.”

And they miss out on the full riches of God’s grace.

What is grace? Grace is the full expression of God’s love for us, but for the sake of keeping things simple, let’s say grace is God’s undeserved favor.

And what is mercy? Mercy is showing compassion towards those in need. Mercy is Jesus healing the blind and delivering the oppressed. Mercy is God forgiving our debts. Mercy is God responding to our cries of distress:

Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. (Ps. 30:10)

If you are in trouble, mercy is what you need. The good news is that God is as rich in mercy as he is in grace. He freely offers his mercy to all for he is the God of all grace and the Father of all mercies (2 Cor. 1:3, 1 Pet. 5:10).

Are mercy and grace the same?

There are some interesting comparisons between mercy and grace in scripture:

  • We are saved by grace (Eph. 2:5), and we are saved by mercy (Tit. 3:5)
  • We are forgiven by grace (Eph. 1:7), and we are forgiven by mercy (Ex. 34:6-7, Ps. 86:5, Matt. 18:33, Luke 1:77-78, Heb. 2:17, 8:12)
  • Just as we receive grace (Rom. 5:17), we receive mercy (2 Cor. 4:1, 1 Pet. 2:10)
  • Just as God’s grace is greater than our sin (Rom. 5:20), his mercy triumphs over judgment (Jas. 2:13)

These similarities lead some to conclude that mercy is synonymous with grace. Yet mercy can be distinguished from grace.

How does grace differ from mercy?

Mercy is not reaping what you have sown; grace is reaping what Jesus has sown.

Mercy takes you out of Egypt; grace takes you into the Promised Land.

Mercy forgave the prodigal son; grace threw him a party.

Mercy fed Ruth the refugee; grace gave her a husband.

Mercy forgave the penitent tax collector; grace sent him home justified before God.

Mercy forgave the thief on the cross; grace took him to paradise.

Mercy is not getting what you deserve, while grace is getting what you don’t deserve.

See the difference? Mercy is great – thank God for mercy! – but grace is even better.

Two angels: Mercy and Grace

Where do we find mercy? In the same place we find grace:

Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:16)

Mercy and grace are like two mighty angels bringing the lost to the Father’s house. They’re a tag team. Mercy goes into the darkest places of the world searching for the broken and the downcast. Mercy gathers the lost in his arms and carries them home to the Father.

At the gate stands the other mighty angel. Grace heals the broken, cleanses the sinner, and clothes the naked, making them fit for the Father’s feast. Thanks to Mercy and Grace, even the worst of us are welcome at the Father’s table.

A bit far-fetched, you say? Well think back to what happened to you.

You came to God on account of some need. Maybe you were sick, lost, hurting, or in despair. Maybe you were fed up or worn out, but Mercy found you and all was well.

But wait, who was standing behind Mercy? There was Grace holding your new robes of righteousness, offering you your Father’s ring, and inviting you to come to the table.

Mercy is what you wanted; Grace is what you got. Never forget that.

Mercy vs grace

God’s goodness is revealed in his great mercy. Whatever your need today, come to his throne and receive mercy.

But don’t stop there, for God’s goodness is greater than you know. Receive his mercy and see what else he offers besides – his grace!

Mercy pays the bills; grace blesses us with an abundance.

Mercy delivers you from servitude; grace adopts you as a son.

Mercy clears your debts; grace makes you a co-heir with Christ.

If you have a great need today, thank God for his abundant grace and mercy!

—–

If you liked this, you will love Paul’s new Grace Glossary. Learn the language of the new covenant by discovering the treasures hidden within words like grace, faith, and forgiveness.

739. Hebrews 4-5: The Word Became the High Priest

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We have a High Priest in Jesus who passed through the heavens and was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. We can now boldly approach the throne of grace because He is able to sympathize while showing mercy and grace when we need it. Jesus is the confession we hold onto.

The priests under the law offered sacrifices for sin for the people and themselves because they were weak like everyone else. But Jesus was made perfect and became the source or author of eternal salvation, called by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek … which we’ll be talking more about in our Hebrews series.



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The Tender Mercies of God

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As believers, our theology (study and view of God) and our doctrines (principles) must be consistent with our heartfelt beliefs.

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant PEACE (Shalom) whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. —Isaiah 26:3 (AMP)

Our lives are dependent on what we believe because we can’t go where our hearts won’t lead us! The heart is the driving force of life.

Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. — Proverbs 4:23 (AMP)

The inconsistencies between what we believe in our hearts and what we see around us many times paralyze us in our walk with God.

The Mercy of God

Our beliefs about God may be deeply influenced by legalism and the concept of an angry, judgmental God. So many misunderstand the wonderful truth of the mercy of God. What we believe about God’s mercy will either assist or sabotage our faith.

Being Treated Better than We Deserve

Jesus told the Pharisees to learn what it means for God to desire mercy and not sacrifice.

Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. —Matthew 9:13 (AMP)

If the Gospel says anything today, it’s that people are way more important to God than any religious regulations!

What Does Mercy Mean?

People have many different definitions for the mercy of God. The Old Testament concept of mercy comes from the Hebrew word kapporet, describing the mercy seat of God where the high priest sprinkled the blood of the sin offering.

Treating People Better than They Deserve

A simplified view of the mercy seat is: It was the place where God treated people better than they deserved.

Every time we hear or see the word mercy, referring to God, His willingness, ability, and passion to give us better than we deserve should enter our minds.

Our lives are dependent on what we believe because we can’t go where our hearts won’t lead us! The heart is the driving force of life.

Everlasting Mercy

The mercy of God is an everlasting mercy!

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting …. —Psalms 103:17

The mercy of God endures forever.

To endure is the ability to withstand prolonged use or strain. So the mercy of God is eternal and endures prolonged use and strain!

Unfortunately, many Christians can’t just relax and enjoy life because they’re afraid of God’s wrath. They live life on the edge, toeing the line with no room for error.

Yet, Paul tells us not to fear the wrath of God.

…The proof of God’s amazing love is this: … while we were sinners Christ died for us. … what reason have we to fear the wrath of God? … We may hold our heads high in the light of God’s love because of the reconciliation which Christ has made. —Romans 5:7-11 (Phillips)

God’s mercy sets us free to live without fear. It liberates us to tackle life head-on and expect only good things.

Mercy Over All His Works

God’s mercy is over all His works!

The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works [the entirety of things created]. —Psalms 145:9 (AMP)

Now, if we connect that with Ephesians 2:10, it gives us a beautiful picture of His mercy in our lives.

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus…. — Ephesians 2:10 (AMP)

Every thought that God has of us and every decision He makes about us is always bathed in His mercy, goodness, and loving kindness.

Fully Persuaded

When we become absolutely confident in the love and mercy of God is when we will start to live victoriously, peacefully, and productively.

Blessings,

Arthur Meintjes

 

God Wants Us to Know and Love Him, Not Try to Save Ourselves

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Evidently there is a vast number of people who have occupied this earth who believe that their purpose is to be good. They suspect that whatever god there might be has determined that he likes good people and detests bad people, and that he is planning a final test where the bad guys will be enthusiastically thrown into the fire and the good will get rewarded because of how good they proved to be.

I say that because so many still feel so badly because they do bad things and don't do enough good things. There have been so many religions created because bad people are trying to be good.

Even in our predominantly secular culture, people are always trying to be better. The best-selling books tell us how to be better at something. Even if it's not for God's judgment, we want to do better because we will feel better about ourselves. It's secularism's version of heaven.

What if Goodness Isn’t the Goal?

It is a scary question, but what if that isn't what God wants? What if badness and goodness were not the issue? What if being good were not the goal? It sure would take a lot of pressure off. But, someone will argue that we tried that in the 60's when we trashed responsibility and thumbed our noses at rules, and boundaries. That didn't pan out so good. Someone is probably about to mention that much of our society is already rejecting any morality and that we are amid a culture war because of it.

Before we get too far, let me point out that being bad is not the only other choice.

The truth is that God is all about humans knowing him and being loved by him. He created Adam and Eve to know him and partner with him in a great project. Their role on earth was to be the image-bearer of their creator.

We can get back to being his image-bearers on earth as we partner with him in getting the truth of his real purpose delivered to the whole world.

It was after they believed a lie about him and his intentions that they started trying to get back in his good graces by being good the way they assumed he wanted. Since that time, humans have speculated as to what it would take to appease the gods, or they have taken God's own instructions and turned them into ladders they could climb toward goodness.

Christ’s Goodness

In time, God sent the Son to be the perfect human who lived in love and righteousness. He died as our substitute so that his goodness could be transferred to us. We can't be better than he, and he has paid for our badness. We are free to know God without guilt, shame or fear.

We can get back to being his image-bearers on earth as we partner with him in getting the truth of his real purpose delivered to the whole world. We can lay aside our dead works that never impressed him anyway. He loves to show off his mercy when we sin. His glory is made manifest when in our weakness he is strong.

Our failures don't put him off. They are opportunities for him to show any who are watching how much he loves to restore the broken and pick up the fallen.

Oh, we don't try to be bad, or just do bad things because we can. We are constrained by the love that he has shown. It changes us. We long to honor his name, and we find that we love the same people he does. Some might look at us and say we are good people, but that is not our goal. It is just an observation. We are known and loved by him.

582. Reminding God of Sins He Remembers No More?

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Under the Old Covenant, Israel was constantly reminded of sins through the repeated offering of animal sacrifices, which resulted in a guilty conscience. Under the existing New Covenant, God declared long ago that He would be merciful to our iniquities and He would remember sins no more. Yet religion has made it a point to pull a single verse from the Bible out of context by advocating that sins need to be confessed in order to be forgiven (again). What’s wrong with this picture? That’s our discussion on this week’s program.



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558. Why Jesus Taught Two Covenants (Part 15): The New Way: No Condemnation

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Although Jesus often ministered despair and hopelessness by elevating the Mosaic law, there were times when He would provide samples of the approaching New Covenant. Even though the "New" would not be in effect until after His death, we see examples of the gospel being served, such as the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery. The purpose of the old commandments was to minister condemnation and death. This woman received a taste of unconditional love mixed with mercy and grace, while her accusers walked away speechless.



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Good Triumphs Over Evil

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Good always triumphs over evil. Even though it doesn’t always appear that good is winning, ultimately, good always triumphs.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:21(NASB)

Love triumphs over hate.
see Luke 6:27-28

Forgiveness triumphs over unforgiveness.
see Ephesians 4:31-32

Humility triumphs over pride.
see Proverbs 11:2

Patience triumphs over impatience.
see Colossians 1:11

Gentleness triumphs over harshness.
see Proverbs 15:1

Generosity triumphs over selfishness.
see Acts 20:35

Mercy triumphs over judgement.
see Luke 6:36

Now aren’t you glad your on the side of good! I sure am!

If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!

Sandra McCollom

Are You Sure That’s What God Wants?

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applepie

It was my dear friend and mentor Peter Lord who spoke of how some people spend their lives trying to make the perfect apple pie for God, only to discover that God doesn't even like apple pie. Of course maybe if Jesus had had apple pie on earth he would have liked it - but you get my point: it's about trying to do one thing really well, supposedly for God, without ever making sure it's what God wants.

The Pharisees of Jesus' day didn't catch the absurdity. They fussed about the disciples eating from the grain field on the Sabbath. Jesus reminded them; "And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless." Matthew 12:7

The mentality is still around. Many assume what sacrifice God wants, hoping that some personal deprivation will gain his favor. Too many have sacrificed their involvement in the marketplace where their heart and skills lie, to pursue vocational Christian ministry. They burn out or fall out when they discover that God never asked them to do it.

It is epidemic in every denomination of Christendom: we forget to ask God if He likes apple pie.

What does satisfy God's appetite? He loves mercy. It is His very nature. He loves to give us his unmerited love. Jesus made it very clear that He didn't come to call the righteous, but the sinner to Himself. (Matt. 9:13) The “righteous” (those deceived into thinking they have no need of mercy) don't want mercy. To the needy, though, it is a balm that heals the sin-sick soul. Nothing satisfies like mercy! Nothing transforms us like mercy. Those who are forgiven much are much more forgiving. Those conscious of being loved much are very loving.

Failure to grasp this eternal truth is at the root of all kinds of spiritual bondage. Some may still be functioning but are filled with angst about their imperfection. Others are completely dysfunctional because of misguided traffic in their thoughts. Either way the problem can often be traced to mistaken views of sacrifice. Trying to give God something He doesn't ask for takes the focus off of trusting Him as our Father who has accepted the sacrifice of Jesus, our human representative.

Jesus' obedience, and the accompanying blessings in trusting His Father, have been transferred to us. He stood in our place and made a sacrifice we could not make. It is ridiculous for us to try to add to it or trust our own meager efforts to please God. He has another way, through Christ.

Millions could walk out of spiritual, emotional, and relational prisons today simply by accepting Jesus' sacrifice as fully as the Father does. He delights in mercy. He delights to find an acknowledged sinner upon whom He can lavish his mercy. If you know you are needy and incapable of doing anything to gain God's favor, then you qualify for the big prize, what God wants most to give: mercy.

537. Resting in the Finished Work

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For those who do not understand that Jesus would minister two completely different covenants, it can seem as though He had a split personality. At times He taught the Jews requirements based on a law of works and at other times He demonstrated grace, mercy and compassion. These were often significant contrasts. People were ministered the choice of working endlessly in a system that offered no solution...Or realizing they were burdened and heavy laden and could come to Jesus in order to find rest. The latter is what Jesus wanted them to learn from Him. Whereas the law was a yoke that the Jewish people were unable to bear, Jesus' yoke is easy and His burden is light.



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