The phrase rich in mercy is
found
in Ephesians 2:4
as part of a passage contrasting the condition of believers
before they came to Christ
and their state after
responding
to
His call
In order to understand what it means that
God is
rich in mercy,
we need to consider the context of the passage:
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air . . . carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But God, being rich in mercy,
because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ—by
grace you have been saved--
and raised us up with him and
seated us with him in the heavenly places
in
Christ Jesus,
so that in the coming ages he might
show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus”
(Ephesians 2:1–7, ESV, emphasis added).
In this passage,
Paul first describes humanity’s deplorable condition
in rebellion
against God’s rich mercy.
We were not only sinful, but we were “dead” in our sins.
In other words,
because of the sin nature that controls us, we were doomed to an eternity without God and without life (Romans 6:23).
We deserved God’s wrath, and
we could do nothing to save ourselves.
Then comes the “but,” and the
----focus----
of the passage shifts
to
God’s mercy,
love,
grace, and kindness
The phrase rich in mercy is a
counterbalance
to the description of humanity being rich in sin.
Only a God
rich in mercy
would
conceive a plan
to
save and redeem
such wicked creatures.
Mercy is compassion and forgiveness extended
to someone who intended harm
Mercy is undeserved pardon.
Mercy is the only explanation
for Christ’s
great sacrifice
on our behalf
(2 Corinthians 5:21).
People can show mercy to one another on a
limited,
human
basis.
But our offenses against God were so heinous, so unforgivable,
that His
forgiveness shows Him
to be more than merciful--
He is rich in mercy.
A God rich in mercy “demonstrates his own love for us
in this:
While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us”
(Romans 5:8).
Before we cared or
knew Him,
God had
-already- extended mercy -toward- us.
First Peter 1:3
counters any tendency
to believe that our salvation is
due to
"some merit within ourselves"
“Praise be to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us
new birth
into a living hope
-through the resurrection- of Jesus Christ
from the dead.”
God’s mercies continue after salvation
as He offers His redeemed children
forgiveness when we sin
(1 John 1:9).
Because He is rich in mercy,
His mercies never end
They are “new every morning”
(Lamentations 3:23).
We never have to fear that one day
God will get fed up and stop His patient
working in our lives
(2 Peter 3:9).
We never need to worry that we have “used up”
our portion of grace
and kindness because our
God is rich in mercy
found
in Ephesians 2:4
as part of a passage contrasting the condition of believers
before they came to Christ
and their state after
responding
to
His call
In order to understand what it means that
God is
rich in mercy,
we need to consider the context of the passage:
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air . . . carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But God, being rich in mercy,
because of the great love with which he loved us,
even when we were dead in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ—by
grace you have been saved--
and raised us up with him and
seated us with him in the heavenly places
in
Christ Jesus,
so that in the coming ages he might
show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus”
(Ephesians 2:1–7, ESV, emphasis added).
In this passage,
Paul first describes humanity’s deplorable condition
in rebellion
against God’s rich mercy.
We were not only sinful, but we were “dead” in our sins.
In other words,
because of the sin nature that controls us, we were doomed to an eternity without God and without life (Romans 6:23).
We deserved God’s wrath, and
we could do nothing to save ourselves.
Then comes the “but,” and the
----focus----
of the passage shifts
to
God’s mercy,
love,
grace, and kindness
The phrase rich in mercy is a
counterbalance
to the description of humanity being rich in sin.
Only a God
rich in mercy
would
conceive a plan
to
save and redeem
such wicked creatures.
Mercy is compassion and forgiveness extended
to someone who intended harm
Mercy is undeserved pardon.
Mercy is the only explanation
for Christ’s
great sacrifice
on our behalf
(2 Corinthians 5:21).
People can show mercy to one another on a
limited,
human
basis.
But our offenses against God were so heinous, so unforgivable,
that His
forgiveness shows Him
to be more than merciful--
He is rich in mercy.
A God rich in mercy “demonstrates his own love for us
in this:
While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us”
(Romans 5:8).
Before we cared or
knew Him,
God had
-already- extended mercy -toward- us.
First Peter 1:3
counters any tendency
to believe that our salvation is
due to
"some merit within ourselves"
“Praise be to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us
new birth
into a living hope
-through the resurrection- of Jesus Christ
from the dead.”
God’s mercies continue after salvation
as He offers His redeemed children
forgiveness when we sin
(1 John 1:9).
Because He is rich in mercy,
His mercies never end
They are “new every morning”
(Lamentations 3:23).
We never have to fear that one day
God will get fed up and stop His patient
working in our lives
(2 Peter 3:9).
We never need to worry that we have “used up”
our portion of grace
and kindness because our
God is rich in mercy
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