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How merciful is God?

A

arunangelo

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God’s mercy<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>​
God is Love (1 John 44:8) and mercy (Jeremiah 3:12). He expressed his infinite mercy when he came into our world of sin and suffering as a meek and humble (Matthew 11:29) human being in order to free us from sin. Furthermore, he did not condemn sinners (John 3:17); but ate and drank with them and taught then to overcome sin by his love and compassion. He loved his enemies, forgave them (Luke 23:34), prayed for them, offered the other cheek when struck on one (Luke 6:27-36), and did not fight back when he was crucified; for speaking the truth about God’s love and expressing that love in his actions. In doing this he expressed his uncompromised faith in His Father who is Love. His sacrifice redeemed us from sin by instilling His spirit of love in us. This spirit frees us from sin; which enables us to share in his joy and peace. He makes his spirit available to all, including those who betrayed him and killed him. Furthermore, even as he was led to his crucifixion he was concerned about the sufferings our sins would cause us rather than his own suffering (Luke 23:28). In addition, in order to share more fully in his sacrificial life he allows us to enter his sacrifice on the cross by allowing us to partake in his cup of sacrifice which he instituted the night before he died. Since his sacrifice is eternal, we can re-enter his sacrificial offering and bring our own life as an offering to the Father. Furthermore, his body, which he gives us in the form of bread, rekindles his spirit in our heart; because in it we see Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.<o:p></o:p>
 
I think sometimes we think of God's Justice and His Mercy as being somehow contradictory. I read somewhere that even in the OT--which many perceive as showing a very harsh side of God--God's Justice focused on restoration and rehabilitation, when possible. That made sense to me. He judges with a mercy and love that we don't always understand.
 
Christ_empowered said:
I think sometimes we think of God's Justice and His Mercy as being somehow contradictory. I read somewhere that even in the OT--which many perceive as showing a very harsh side of God--God's Justice focused on restoration and rehabilitation, when possible. That made sense to me. He judges with a mercy and love that we don't always understand.
Click to expand...

True, very little does one understand who God was of the OT even. And with just the chapter of Josh. 7, any one could find MERCY, if they could see.

Achan's whole family surely knew what was buried in the center of his tent. + the causing of about 36 mens death. Even then any one of his family had some 'time given' for them to come forward before they hit bottom so to speak?

Josh.7 (All were held accountable! note Rev. 18:4. Even Josh. was supposed to consult God in the Sanctuary before going to battle. Notice where he went after the slaughter!)

[1] But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

[2] And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

[3] And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.

[4] So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
[5] And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

[6] And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
[7] And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
[8] O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
[9] For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

[10] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
[11] Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

[12] Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: [[[neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you]]].
[13] Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

[14] In the morning therefore ye shall be brought (1 chance to repent) according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; (2 nd chance) and the family which the LORD shall take shall (third chance) come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. (last opportunity)

[15] And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
[16] So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
[17] And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
[18] And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
[19] And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
[20] And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
[21] When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
[22] So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
[23] And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.
[24] And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
[25] And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
[26] And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

The thought needs be brought out. This whole family knew exactly what would be required of God. But the God that NEVER Changes gives the same results in Rev. 17:1-5 with their apostate membership [[IF]] they do not take heed to Rev. 18:4Warning. They to ALL (leadership!) know what their END WILL BE.:sad That of Mal. 4:1-4 + Obad. 1:16 of being blotted out of ETERNITY! And will any heed the message? One thing is CERTAIN, according to verse 12-13 of Josh. These church's are all Christless!:sad:crying

--Elijah
 
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