Living Lives Worthy of Mercy
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.” Titus 3.
There are two types of people contrasted in the above verses. Those people who have accepted Jesus Christ and have conformed themselves to his teaching and those who have not.
- The behavior of those who have not are…
- insubordination to authority… government and otherwise.
- not caring about doing good.
- Slanderous speech against others
- troublemakers and being inconsiderate
- treating others harshly
- lives characterized by following after passions and pleasures
- maliciousness and envy
- hating others and receiving hatred
The text says we all used to be like that but then something happened… God saved us by his mercy and that’s the only way it could happen. We couldn’t find salvation because we deserved it because we were totally undeserving of it.
Some have the idea that all we have to do to be saved is just to be good… sorry… goodness does not deserve mercy. Goodness does not earn mercy.
Mercy is conditional, he saved us through…
- the washing of rebirth.
- the renewal by the Holy Spirit who comes through Jesus Christ.
- we are then justified by his grace and become heirs and then (and only then) have the hope of eternal life.
Remember and cause others to remember to behave in a manner worthy of this wonderful, merciful gift.