Saturday, April 28, 2012

Rescue and Show Mercy

Jude 23 "snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh." NIV
"Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,  but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives."  NLT

      Lord, You love the sinner, but hate the sins they commit.  You showed me that by willingly sacrificing Your life for mine to pay the sin debt of death and judgment I owed for my actions.  You snatched me from the fire to save me!  Now, You are asking me to do the same for others by sharing the gospel with them.  You have not asked me to become like them in their sin to try to win them, but to see the separation between the person, and the sins they commit.  You showed me incredible mercy when You saved me because I absolutely did not deserve it.  I deserved punishment and eternal damnation for the arrogance, rebellion, fornication, and double murder I had committed in aborting two babies.  How can ever withhold mercy from others?
      There is an falsehood circulating in Christianity today that is a grave misunderstanding of Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 9: 19-22 "Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law,  I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some." NLT (Here I use the New Living Translation because it makes this passage easier to understand) The issue is that they do not heed this part in verse 21: " But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ."  They do not lead holy lives, but live like the devil to try to win the fallen.
        Lord, as always, You are to be our example.  You led a totally holy and sinless life, but reached out to the sinners, unlike the religious elite of Your day who would not even think of eating with them and chided You for doing so.  You did not commit fornication to win the prostitute or become drunken to win the drunken.  We are IN the world, but are no longer OF the world as You have called us to  come out from among them and be separate.
      As our example, You require us to be compassionate and merciful and willing to even suffer rejection and hatred from the world in an effort to bring some to salvation.  Lord, I don't want to hoard my salvation, but want to share it with those in need.  Help me to become more compassionate and merciful.

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