It helps, greatly, to understand something; none, not one, is without err, none, not one is perfect, and then, ignorance is rampant in this world, in diverse ways! Ignorance is what CHRIST was speaking about when HE said, "Forgive them, FATHER, for they know not what they do!"! Being merciful IS imperative to our salvation, to becoming CHRIST like, and, to the furthering of HIS WORD! Mercy is broad term that refers to benevolence, forgiveness and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social and legal contexts. In The Sermon on the Mount, CHRIST said, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."
MATTHEW 18:33-35...
33/ Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?'
34/ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.
35/ So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."
Many people rebel against such Scripture, especially when they are expected to LOVE, forgive, and, have pity on those who do wicked, evil things, but, it is distinctly commanded that we forgive, as HE has forgiven us! Of course it is difficult, much to the pleasure of the deceiver, whom is ALWAYS on the prowl for our mistakes, misunderstandings, hardness of hearts, and, so forth, HOWEVER, *GOD*/CHRIST has commanded us to embrace the concept of mercy/forgiveness, BECAUSE it SHOWS that we DO LOVE HIM, and, others, IN the ways HE LOVES us, and, HAS MERCY on us! IF we understand LOVE, then, we KNOW that mercy, forgiveness, kindness, tolerance, understanding, forbearance, compassion, pity, gentleness, and, other such, ARE a part of whom we are, IN HIS name!!!
Some say that *GOD* told us to hate what is evil, and, that is true, but, NOT in the context of existing in hate towards the person, instead, towards their actions! We are to LOVE our enemies! Let's look at MATTHEW 5:43-48...
43/ "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44/ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
45/ that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
46/ For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?
47/ And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?
48/ So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
There is no Old Testament commandment demanding hatred of one's enemy, but the "neighbor" of the love commandment was understood as one's fellow countryman. Both in the Old Testament (Psalm 139:19-22) and at Qumran (1QS 9:21) hatred of evil persons is assumed to be right. Jesus extends the love commandment to the enemy and the persecutor. His disciples, as children of God, must imitate the example of their Father, who grants his gifts of sun and rain to both the good and the bad.
Tax collectors: Jews who were engaged in the collection of indirect taxes such as tolls and customs. See the note on Mark 2:14.
Jesus' disciples must not be content with merely usual standards of conduct; see Matthew 5:20 where the verb "surpass" (Greek perisseuo) is cognate with the unusual (perisson) of this verse.
Perfect: in the gospels this word occurs only in Matthew, here and in Matthew 19:21. The Lucan parallel (LUKE 6:36) demands that the disciples be merciful.
The Works of Mercy or Acts of Mercy are actions and practices which Christianity, in general, expects all believers to perform, and are a means of grace, which aid in sanctification.
The Works of Mercy have been traditionally divided into two categories, with seven elements each: the Corporal Works of Mercy, which concern the material needs of others, and the Spiritual Works of Mercy, which concern the spiritual needs of others.
To feed the hungry, To give drink to the thirsty, To clothe the naked, To harbor the harborless, To visit the sick, To ransom the captive, To bury the dead. These are the Corporal works of mercy...
To instruct the ignorant, To counsel the doubtful, To admonish the sinners, To bear wrongs patiently, To forgive offenses willingly, To comfort the afflicted, To pray for the living, and, the dead. These are the Spiritual works of mercy...
LOVE IS THE HIGH ROAD we ARISE to, IN ALL matters on this plane of existence, BECAUSE, LOVE WORKS, and, *GOD* IS LOVE, therefore, our EFFORTS ARE to be aligned TO HIM, which means, even that which seems impossible to master, we must NEVER relent in mastering! HE KNOWS we are going to struggle, falter, and, such, BUT, that we TRY, TRY, TRY, to REACH that HIGH road at all times, accounts for a LOT, and, after time, BECOMES the flow by which we think, act, and, react! There is GREAT reason for *GOD'S* WAYS; they OPTIMIZE EVERYTHING! They EMPOWER EVERYTHING! They CREATE WELL-BEING for ALL in existence, while, that away from HIM, destructs, destroys, and, devastates!!!
To be merciful is NOT easy, yet, it IS imperative TO our LORD, IT IS DIVINE, and so, it SHOULD be that we REACH to understand, and, grasp the message of being so! Mercy is SO imperative to *GOD*/CHRIST, that, the deceiver USES our inability to master it, against us, as I said before, which, come that DAY of THE LORD, will NOT be kindly addressed by our LORD! You see, there is just SO MUCH to understand, but, it BEGINS with the kind of LOVE which, comes from *GOD*, which, we OUGHT to study, learn, embrace, and, secure, DEEP in the soul, that, it aids us, in the battles against the flesh, for, IF we LOVE HIM, we want to do right, and, be right, in HIS sight, even though, we are not perfect in doing so!!!
NEVER become lax in learning HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, HIS WORD, and, you will begin to FEEL HIM as you live, in ALL matters, which, will ENABLE you to GROW UP to HIM!!!
*GOD* BLESS us ALL, and, PRAISE HIS HOLY name, forevermore!!!
REV. LWINSOR © 2012
BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS
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