SHOW THEM LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE

My question to you this week...Are these weekly messages helping you in any way? Are you learning anything? Have they been a blessing to you? The answer to these questions are important to us. The desire of our 24/7 week long, online church service is to help someone by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the reason we welcome everyone into this place.

Jesus came to this earth to reconcile us to God. He paid a horrible price on an old rugged cross to redeem us from sin and spiritual death. He did not come just for the wealthy or a certain race. He did not come for the good looking people or persons of fame only. He did not come for one political party or another. Jesus came for whosoever would accept his perfect sacrifice of himself. Read John 3:16 for verification. Tell you what, let's read it together right now. John 3:16 says (Jesus speaking):

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Whosoever includes everyone, my friends. Jesus died for the vilest sinner to the person who lives like a saint. Jesus died so that people that you dislike the most could be saved. Do you hate Arabs? Jesus loves them. Do you hate gay people? Jesus loves them. Do you hate young people with their gothic, black attire and all their piercings? Guess what, Jesus loved and died for them also. Do you hate illegal immigrants? Jesus loves them. You get the picture, my friends? The whosoever in John 3:16 means any and everyone who accepts Jesus into their hearts, repents and lives for him.

Sometimes we as believers forget how we were before Jesus came into our life. Even if our actions weren't sinful, our condition was. It always amazes me how smokers who have quit smoking are the hardest ones on those that still "light up." Former alcoholics and drug users are so prideful and arrogant towards those who are still struggling with addiction. In the same respect, believers who have been miraculously lifted out of sin, given eternal life, have been forgiven, can be so hateful and unforgiving toward the lost. Does anyone see themselves here? Let us remind ourselves that there are none righteous in themselves. Turn with me to Romans 3:9-10. Remember, this is the word of God!! Paul tells us:

“What then are we better than they? No, in no wise: For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, (everyone) that they are all under sin; as it is written there is none righteous, no, not one.”

Believers, our righteousness is in Christ and not of ourselves. False pride and arrogance toward others should not be tolerated in our thinking or our lives. Jesus says in Matthew 5:6:

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: For they shall be filled.”

Be filled with what? The love, compassion, mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why would this be? So we can impart those things to others. If you want to bring people to Christ, you have to quit looking down on them. If you approach them with hate and venom, you will get hate and venom in return. So what are you saying, Bro. Bob? Are we to close our eyes to the sin in the world? No, a thousand times no. We should turn away from sin and we should always battle sin in the spirit. We can't beat sin in the flesh. Sin will always be around us in this world.

I am giving you a very special lesson here, my friends. We should not as believers, be or do as the world does. Our fight is not with our fellow man, but with the devil and his evil forces (demons). It is a spiritual battle we are in. Paul in a letter to the church at Corinth points this out. II Corinthians 10:3-5:

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

Is this becoming more clear now? Our job as believers is to win the lost to Jesus. Not by beating them up as we would verbally or by action and attitude in the flesh. But by prayer and example. We can win the lost to Jesus by treating them as we prefer to be treated. Show them the love God has shown you. Show compassion for their plight in life and show them a new way by your example. God has been so merciful to you, my believing brother or sister. Can you not do the same to the unsaved or to the brother or sister in Christ who is struggling? Yes, it is true, even the saved one can struggle with the sin and troubles of life.

How should we treat those folks? If we are prideful and arrogant we will do as so many others have done. We will kick them to the side and have nothing more to do with them. However, if we do it the Godly way, we will do just the opposite. The apostle Paul talks about this in Galations 6:1-2. Paul tells us here:

“Brethren, if a man be taken over in a fault (sin) ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”

This is what I am talking about church. There is enough hate in the world to go around. Believers should not add to it, should they? It is impossible to restore one in the spirit of meekness while hating them and looking down on them. What I am saying is this: Walk in the Spirit and not the flesh. Do as Jesus did two-thousand years ago and still does today – show love, mercy and grace to all. Let the invitation of salvation be given in the spirit intended by God. That would be with love, my friends.

God Bless You,
Bro. Bob