The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Paul P. during the 2008-2009 League.

Mission: Research - God's Mercy

Verses

And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. Genesis 19:16 (NKJV)

And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, "keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation." Exodus 34:6-7 (NKJV)

All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. Psalms 25:10 (NKJV)

Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth [belong] to those who devise good. Proverbs 14:22 (NKJV)

He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes [them] will have mercy. Proverbs 28:13 (NKJV)

And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments." Daniel 9:4 (NKJV)

Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy. Jonah 2:8 (NKJV)

Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother. Zechariah 7:9 (NKJV)

Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. "But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Matthew 12:10-13 (NKJV)

"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. "And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. "But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. "The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ “Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’"And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. "So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ‘Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." Matthew 18:23-35 (NKJV)

And His mercy [is] on those who fear Him From generation to generation. Luke 1:50 (NKJV)

And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare [himself] or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many [stripes]. "But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. Luke 12:47-48a (NKJV)

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6 (NKJV)

Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not !For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. Romans 9: 14b-16 (NKJV)

Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief. 1 Timothy 1:13 (NKJV)

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5

For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13 (NKJV)

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jude 1:21 (NKJV)

Summary of Verses

God’s mercy always corresponds with truth and justice. The phrase “mercy and truth” shows up numerous times in the bible, which means that they are perfectly compatible. Also, the phrase “keeping mercy for thousands…by no means clearing the guilty” tells you something significant about mercy and justice. Mercy is not the exclusion of justice. I would go so far to say that mercy is a form of justice.

However, the fact that God is just in his mercy doesn’t mean that any of us are ever worthy of it. It simply means that He expects the love and mercy He extends to you to be given to others as well. If you do not forgive as you’ve been forgiven you are in danger of separating yourself from His mercy. God’s mercy is often mentioned in the scriptures as an action and not simply a passive state. An example of this is when Lot, his wife, and his two daughters were physically dragged out of Sodom by two angels. God will do whatever is necessary to complete his purposes.

This mercy is always available for those who admit their failures and keep on keeping on when they are lifted back up. However those that refuse to repent and continue in their wicked ways will be denied His mercy and remain guilty. Those who act wrongly in ignorance, however, will be treated more mercifully. God, having perfect knowledge, is the ultimately determines when He should exercise his. And Jesus Christ is the ultimate expression of mercy.

God’s mercy can easily become a source of confusion. There are many times in scripture where He declares His mercy and speaks of judgment side by side. Indeed, it might appear at first glance that His justice and mercy are at odds with each other.

I believe that the reason for this confusion is that God’s mercy is so often left undefined. This study has led me to believe that according to His word, His mercy can be seen as saving someone from the penalty of their actions in a method that corresponds with truth and justice.

There are three ways to save a guilty person from judgment: deny the evidence, refuse to follow through with the penalty, or give someone else the burden of atonement. The first method is a lie. The second is injustice. Only the third method can be done righteously, and even then under two conditions. The first condition is that the guilty party must be willing to accept the atonement from the other. The second is that in cases where the atonement can be given only once, the one taking the punishment for another cannot be guilty of that crime himself. Someone given the death sentence can’t die for another as well.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of this righteous mercy. He bore the consequence for our sins of his own free will, and at no small cost. Christ’s actions were not the circumvention of truth. In fact, He went so far as to say that He is the truth. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a, NKJV), but Christ was sinless, the spotless lamb. He did nothing deserving of death, so He could pay the ultimate penalty for us. The only requirement left for our justification is that we accept his atonement. God’s mercy will not extend to those who refuse it. The scriptures say that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved Acts 2:21b (NKJV). For those who will accept Christ, God is ready and willing.