The Measure of Mercy
“Men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.”
The value of mercy is measured by the debt to which it has been applied.
Last evening during our Midweek Discipleship time, we began by considering the progression of Psalm 130:3-4. We noted how these two verses provide something of a miniature picture for us of a fundamental teaching of the Bible. Through these verses we observed that an integral part of God’s gracious work of restoring our hearts as sinners is enabling us to understand two primary aspects of His divine nature: (1) God’s Holiness & (2) God’s Mercy.
It is through the combined revelation of these attributes of God’s character that the hearts of men are: humbled in our rebellious pride, exposed in our sinful corruption and guilt, and yet comforted in our spiritual poverty by the gracious provision of God’s forgiveness (Matt. 5:3-6). Take a look and see these things for yourself below; consider the real weight of each statement:
Psalm 130:3-4
v3 — Holiness
”If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?”
v4a — Mercy
But with you there is forgiveness,
When these two realities of God’s nature—His holiness and His mercy—are rightly understood together, they produce within the sinner a heart of reverence, awe, thanksgiving, and worship:
v4b - Worship
”…that you may be feared.”
This disposition of love and worship toward God is the chief end of God’s restorative work in the sinner’s heart through the gospel! This is what was lost at the Fall of Man, and this is the essence of the abundant life which Christ holds forth to the world! It is through these gospel truths being applied to the soul—both God’s holiness and God’s mercy—that a sinner begins to live with the God-centered reverence for which he was made as creature of the Most High. And in so doing, he begins to taste of the sweetest honeycomb of heaven—a relationship of peace with God through Christ, (Rm. 5:1).
A Neglected Grace
So what happens to a Christian who, through a sundry array of diversions and excuses, repeatedly neglects to receive, study, and meditate upon the knowledge of God’s holiness? What is the effect of a low view of God’s holiness upon the message of the gospel? Even more, what is the effect of a low view of God’s holiness upon the heart of redeemed sinners? We hear the argument often set forth that ‘emphasizing, focusing on, and/or teaching the church about God’s resplendent and terrifying holiness might detract us away from resting in grace.’ Yet, it seems undeniably evident to me as a Pastor that nothing can detract us from glorying in the grace of God more than diminishing a true view of His holiness.
It is the light of God’s holiness that illumines the glory of the Cross. It is the purity of God’s holiness that manifests the absurdity of His forgiveness of sinners. It is the perfection of God’s holiness that reveals the radical kindness of His patience and tenderness toward the sinner’s heart. It is the majesty of God’s holiness that exults the marvel of God’s mercy. Far from leading us away from the gospel, a sober knowledge of God’s holiness is what enraptures the sinner’s soul and tramples all his vain idols to dust as he gazes by faith upon the Holy God who willingly took his place upon the Cross.
The value of mercy is measured by the debt to which it has been applied.
“Men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.”
Our love for God and fervency to live for His glory are not the ground of our salvation. No sinner who truly understands God’s holiness could every dream of meriting His blessing through their own performance. Rather, in the light of God’s holiness and mercy, fervent love for God is the only reasonable response to so great a salvation being freely given to those otherwise enchained to a debt which they could never have paid.
And so our ransomed souls do sing:
“Holy, Holy, Holy!” is the One who fully satisfied the debt of my sin with the precious blood of His Son. Mercy so great cannot be measured.
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
(Psalm 13:3-4)