MERCY AND GRACE AT THE CROSS
MERCY AND GRACE AT THE CROSS
But for you, O LORD, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!” For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me. I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin. But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully. Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good. Do not forsake me, O LORD! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! —Psalm 38:15-22
Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! —Psalm 39:8
For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me. —40:12
“Blessed are they whose lawless acts are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” —Romans 4:7-8 (Psalm 32:1-2)
David, “a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do,” was far from a perfect man just as we are far from being perfect. True, we are perfect in our Lord Jesus Christ because of Him taking the penalty and punishment for our sin. He is our Hope, He is our Salvation, He is our Redeemer, He is our Life… Eternal. Without Him we are doomed. How grateful we should be that when our foot slips, when we commit iniquity, when we sin, when we transgress that our “sin the Lord will never count against (us).” David understood this truth. Do we? What this Old Testament saint said is written right here in the New Testament in Romans 4:7-8. It also applies to us. Do we get it? So we truly understand the grace and mercy of God? Truly consider what Jesus has done at the cross for all who call on His Name to be saved (Romans 10:13). Those who do not understand this will wrestle with doubt or come up with some perverse doctrine distorting this truth.
We never have a license to sin and do whatever we desire because we are saved. Understand this also though— Paul was could have been misunderstood when he spoke of this wonderful truth of security in Christ because he had to say, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!” (Romans 6:15). We are to be slaves to righteousness, doing what is right. We are not to be slaves of wickedness. That is what we used to be before we trusted Christ. We are not to allow sin to reign in our lives, but allow righteousness to reign in our lives. We are not to offer ourselves as instruments of wickedness, but of righteousness. Sin shall no longer be our master; Jesus now is to be our Master (Romans 6).
When we understand God’s grace and mercy it is then that our gratitude tremendously increases. David understood this when he said, “Blessed” about those saints whose sin will not be held against them. It is covered, removed by the precious blood of Christ —“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2). When we understand this truth of our position in Jesus we should shout from the roof tops! How Great is Our God! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaO3XOI8P6w Yes dear Father, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for Your great grace and mercy toward me. Now, may I serve You as You desire in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. So be it!