The Mercy Of God # 2

 The Mercy Of God # 2

But at this point a difficulty may suggest itself to some of our readers, namely, Does not Scripture affirm that "His mercy endures forever" (Psalm 136:1). Two things need to be pointed out in that connection.

God can never cease to be merciful, for this is quality of the divine essence (Psalm 116:5), but the exercise of His mercy is regulated by His sovereign will. This must be so, for there is nothing outside Himself which obliges Him to act; if there were, that "something" would be supreme, and God would cease to be God.

It is pure sovereign grace which alone determines the exercise of divine mercy. God expressly affirms this fact in Romans 9:15, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy."

It is not the wretchedness of the creature which causes Him to show mercy, for God is not influenced by things outside of Himself as we are. If God were influenced by the abject misery of leprous sinners, He would cleanse and save all of them. But He does not. Why? Simply because it is not His pleasure and purpose to do so.

Still less is it the merits of the creature which causes Him to bestow mercies upon them, for it is a contradiction in terms to speak of meriting "mercy". "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." (Titus 3:5) - the one standing in direct antithesis to the other.

Nor is it the mercy of Christ which moves God to bestow mercies on His elect: that would be substituting the effect for the cause. It is "through" or because of the tender mercy of our God that Christ was sent here to His people (Luke 1:78). The merits of Christ make it possible for God to righteously bestow spiritual mercies on His elect, justice having been fully satisfied by the Surety! Divine mercy arises solely from God's imperial pleasure.

Again, though it be true, blessedly and gloriously true, that God's mercy "endures forever," yet we must observe carefully the objects to whom His "mercy" is shown. Even the casting of the reprobate into the lake of fire is an act of mercy. The punishment of the wicked is to be contemplated from a threefold viewpoint.

From God's side, it is an act of justice, vindicating His honor. The mercy of God is never shown in the infury of His holiness and righteousness.

From the side of the reprobate, it is an act of equity, when they are made to suffer the due reward of their iniquities.

But from the standpoint of the redeemed, the punishment of the wicked is an act of unspeakable mercy. How dreadful would it be if the present order of things, when the children of God are obliged to live in the midst of the children of the devil, should continue forever! Heaven would at once cease to be Heaven, if the ears of the saints still heard the blasphemous and filthy language of the reprobate. What a mercy that in Heaven, "Nothing evil will be allowed to enter - no one who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty - but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life!" (Revelation 21:;27).

Lest the reader might think in the last paragraph we have been drawing upon our imagination, let us appeal to Holy Scripture in support of what has been said. In Psalm 143:12 we find David praying, "And in Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant." Again, in Psalm 136:15 we read that God "overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea - for His mercy endures forever." It was an act of vengeance upon Pharaoh and his army, but it was an act of mercy unto the Israelites.

Again, in Revelation 19:1-3 we read: "After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in Heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!" (Revelation 19:1-3).

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 3)

The Mercy Of God # 1

 The Mercy Of God # 1

"O give thanks unto the Lord: for He is good, for His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 136:1). For this perfection of the divine character, God is greatly to be praised. Three times over in as many verses does the Psalmist here call upon the saints to give thanks unto the Lord for this adorable attribute. And surely this is the least that can be asked for from those who have been recipients of such bounty. When we contemplate the characteristics of this divine excellency, we cannot do otherwise than bless God for it. His mercy is great, plenteous, tender, abundant, it is "from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:17).

Well may we say with the Psalmist, "I will sing aloud of Your mercy" (59:16).

"I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy to whom I show mercy." (Exodus 33:19). Wherein differs the "mercy" of God from His "grace"? The mercy of God has its spring in the divine goodness.

The first issue of God's goodness is His benignity or bounty, by which He gives liberally to His creatures as creatures, thus has He given being and life to all things.

The second issue of God's goodness is His mercy, which denotes the ready inclination of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures. Thus, mercy presupposes sin.

Though it may not be easy at the first consideration to perceive a real difference between the grace and the mercy of God, it helps us thereto if we carefully ponder His dealings with the unfallen angels. He has never exercised mercy toward them, for they have never stood in any need thereof, not having sinned or come beneath the effects of the curse. Yet, they certainly are the objects of God's free and sovereign grace.

First, because of His election of them from out of the whole angelic race (1 Timothy 5:21).

Secondly, and in consequence of their election, because of His preservation of them from apostasy, when satan rebelled and dragged down with im one-third of the celestial multitude (Revelation 12:4).

Thirdly, in making Christ their Head (Colossians 2:10; 1 Peter 3:22), whereby they are eternally secured in the hold condition in which they were created.

Fourthly, because of the exalted position which has been assigned to them: to live in God's immediate presence (Daniel 7:10), to serve Him constantly in His heavenly temple, to receive honorable commissions from Him (Hebrews 1:14). This is abundant grace toward them; but it is not "mercy."

In endeavoring to study the mercy of God as it is set forth in Scripture, a threefold distinction needs to be made, if the Word of Truth is to be "rightly divided" thereon.

First, there is a general mercy of God, which is extended not only to all men, believers and unbelievers alike, but also to the entire creation: "His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalms 145:9); "He gives to all life, and breath, and all things" (Acts 17:25). God has pity upon the brute creation in their need, and supplies them with suitable provision.

Secondly, there is a special mercy of God, which is exercised toward mankind, helping and supporting them, notwithstanding their sins. To them also He communicates all the necessities of life, "for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45).

Thirdly, there is sovereign mercy which is reserved for the heirs of salvation, which is communicated to them in a covenant way, through the Mediator.

The difference between the second and third distinctions pointed out above, it is important to note that the mercies which God bestows on the wicked are solely of a temporal nature; that is to say, they are confined strictly to this present life. There will be no mercy extended to them beyond the grave: "It is a people of no understanding: therefore He who made them will not have mercy on them, and He who formed them will show them no favor" (Isaiah 27:11).

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 2)

The Holiness Of God # 3

 The Holiness Of God # 3

Such is the holiness ascribed to the divine nature and character in the Scriptures, that it clearly demonstrates their superhuman origin. The character attributed to the "gods" of the ancients and of modern heathendom is the very reverse of that immaculate purity which pertains to the true God. An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of all sin, was never invented by any of Adam's fallen descendants! The fact is, that nothing makes more manifest the terrible depravity of man's heart and his enmity against the living God, than to have set before him One who is infinitely and immutably holy. His own idea of sin is practically limited to what the world calls "crime." Anything short of that, man palliates as "defects," "mistakes," "infirmities," etc. And even where sin is owned at all, excuses and extenuations are made for it.

The god which the vast majority of professing Christians "love" is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no relish for folly, but leniently winks at the "indiscretions" of youth. But the Word says, "You hate all workers of iniquity" (Psalm 5:5). And again, "God is angry with the wicked every day" (Psalm 7:11). But men refuse to believe in this God, and gnash their teeth when His hatred of sin is faithfully pressed upon their attention. No, sinful man was no more likely to devise a holy God than to create the Lake of Fire in which he will be tormented forever and ever!

Because God is holy, acceptance with Him on the ground of creature doings is utterly impossible. A fallen creature could sooner create a world, than produce that which would meet the approval of infinite Purity. Can darkness dwell with Light? Can the Immaculate One take pleasure in "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:61)? The best that sinful man brings forth is defiled. A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit. God would deny Himself and vilify His perfections, were he to account as righteous and holy that which is not so in itself; and nothing is so which has the least stain upon it contrary to the nature of God. But blessed be His name, that which His holiness demanded, His grace has provided in Christ Jesus our Lord. Every poor sinner who has fled to Him for refuge, stands "accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:6). Hallelujah!

Because God is holy the utmost reverence befits our approaches unto Him. "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all those who are about Him" (Psalm 89:7). Then "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool; He is holy" (Psalm 99:5). Yes, "at His footstool," in the lowest posture of humility, prostrate before Him. When Moses would approach unto the burning bush, God said, "Take off your shoes from your feet" (Exodus 3:5). He is to be served "with fear" (Psalm 2:1-1). Of Israel His demand was, "I will show Myself holy among those who are near Me. I will be glorified before all the people." (Leviticus 10:3). The more our hearts are awed by His ineffable holiness, the more acceptable will be our approaches unto Him.

Because God is holy, we should desire to be conformed to Him. His commandment is, "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). We are not bidden to be omnipotent or omniscient as God is, but "as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct" (1 Peter 1:15).

"This is the prime way of honoring God. We do not so glorify God by elevated admirations, or eloquent expressions, or pompous services for Him - as when we aspire to a conversing with Him with unstained spirits, and live to Him in living like Him" (Charnock).

Then as God alone is the Source and Fount of holiness, let us earnestly seek holiness from Him. Let our daily prayers be that He may "sanctify us wholly; and our whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

~A. W. Pink~

(The End)

The Holiness of God # 2

 The Holiness of God # 2

God's holiness is manifested in His law. That law forbids sin in all of its modifications: in its most refined as well as its grossest forms, the intent of the mind as well as the pollution of the body, the secret desire as well as the overt act. Therefore do we read, "The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good" (Romans 7:12). Yes, "the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether" (Psalm 19:8-9).

God's holiness is best manifested at the Cross. Wondrously and yet most solemnly does the atonement display God's infinite holiness and abhorrence of sin. How hateful sin must be to God, for Him to punish it to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son!

"My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from saving Me, so far from the words of My groaning?" (Psalm 22:1).

"Not all the vials of judgment that have or shall be poured out upon the wicked world, nor the flaming furnace of a sinner's conscience, nor the irreversible sentence pronounced against the rebellious demons, nor the groans of the damned creatures - give such a demonstration of God's hatred of sin, as the wrath of God let loose upon His Son!

Never did divine holiness appear more beautiful and lovely than at the time our Saviour's countenance was most marred in the midst of His dying groans. When God had turned His smiling face away from Him, and thrust His sharp knife into His heart, which forced that terrible cry from Him, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" He adores this perfection, "You are enthroned as the holy one!" (Psalm 22:3).

Because God is holy He hates all sin. He love everything which is in conformity to His laws, and loathes everything which is contrary to it. His Word plainly declares, "wicked people are an abomination to the Lord" (Proverbs 3:32). And again, "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord" (Proverbs 15:26). It follows, therefore, that He must necessarily punish sin. Sin can no more exist without demanding His punishment, than without requiring His hatred of it. God has often forgiven sinners, but He never forgives sin; and the sinner is only forgiven on the ground of Another having born his punishment; for "without shedding of blood is no remission of sin" (Hebrews 9:22). Therefore we are told "The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies" (Nahum 1:2).

For one sin God banished our first parents from Eden. 

For one sin all the posterity of Canaan fell under a curse which remains over them to this day. (Genesis 9:21). 

For one sin Moses was excluded from Canaan.

For one sin Elisha's servant smitten with leprosy. 

For one sin Ananias and Sapphira were cut off out of the land of the living.

Herein we find proof for the divine inspiration of the Scriptures. The unregenerate do not really believe in the holiness of God. Their conception of His character is altogether one-sided. They fondly hope that His mercy will override everything else. "You thought that I was just like you" (Psalm 50:21) is God's charge against them. They think only of a "God patterned after their own evil hearts. Hence their continuance in a course of mad folly.

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 3)