I OBTAINED MERCY. 1st Timothy 1:13. Paul was condemned as a blasphemer and harmful person who treated believers the same way men treated our Lord Jesus. As someone knowledgeable of the law, he was willing to admit his ignorance and unbelief. God, in grace, showed Paul mercy rather than wrath and righteous judgment. God’s abundant grace transformed Paul, replacing his ignorance and unbelief with faith and love. God forgave Paul, and he no longer lived a guilt-driven life because of his past actions.
A person who does not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and has never understood or accepted the Gospel's truth has never been enlightened by the Holy Spirit. No one can reveal God's truth apart from the Holy Spirit. Grace, surpassing all other favors, accompanies faith and love that establish a new relationship. This creates a new creation and presents a new man in Christ Jesus, accepted by the righteous God "in the Beloved." There is no reason for someone redeemed by God's grace to dwell on their past when there is nothing they can do to change it.
We leave behind everything that happened in our lives before we were saved, which we cannot change, to the mercy of God. When giving public testimony, provide just enough about your background to show that you didn't consider yourself fit for heaven without salvation. Some people say, "I know I have not been perfect, but basically, I am a good person." That person is deceiving themselves or has been deceived.
If I got what I deserved, where would I be right now? Maybe in some prideful, godless place, living a selfish, sinful life, perhaps even in hell! But I know that God’s mercy and grace made me pay attention to what I learned from my parents at home, and He sent the Gospel message to me from birth. I wasn’t unaware of God’s ways, nor was I ignorant of His truth, but despite that, for many days and years, I didn’t understand the value of God’s mercy until God spoke to me at the right time through the Gospel. I was made to listen: “Will you ignore this message of grace? Will you flee from the wrath to come and run to the Savior?”
God halted me in my tracks and, in mercy, touched my heart. In mercy, God revealed redemptive grace, and the truths of the Gospel were personally applied to me by the Spirit and the word of God, beginning with my conviction of sin. Through those close to me in my family, I saw their genuine devotion and understood why listening to the Gospel was so vital. That caused me to stop so I could understand the reality of God’s salvation.
It wasn’t just that I believed a message I had been taught all my life, but that I would genuinely receive a Person I could not see or hear speak to me audibly. God’s mercy helped me see beyond myself to the blood the Savior shed when He died for my sins. It was God’s mercy to me that put Christ on the tree to suffer the judgment of God for my sins, and for me, He was raised from the dead. The changes that mercy permanently made may not be visible to everyone, but I know my sins were laid on Christ, and His mercy has set me free from the consequences of sin that loomed before me eternally.
Because of God’s mercy, I want to share His grace, and His mercy has inspired me to help others trust in Christ. When Christ returns to gather His followers, His mercy will lift us to meet Him in the air, and we will go with all saints beyond the skies into heaven. When we discuss God’s work of grace and reunite in heaven, we will all acknowledge that we are there because of the mercy of our heavenly Father.
What happened there in heaven? How could it be that He, who is the Highest of the high and has been for all eternity, set aside His royal garments and stepped off His throne to become like a man? He who is equal with God because He is God made Himself of no reputation. Perhaps bowing angels watched through their wings as Christ left heaven by Himself to be born of a woman, conceived by the Holy Spirit. In immeasurable grace, He, who was rich in every way, was made poor to become one of us. Here on this little sinful planet, He had created by the word of His power; He came to open heaven’s door so we could share with Him a life that is truly life for all eternity. Because of His condescending grace, that fellowship would be mutually shared. His grace had to reveal our need, and holy justice against our sins had to be satisfied.
His love was evident because God is love, and that love extends to everyone. Faith in Him develops as we read God’s Word and understand what He has done. But grace is vital, so no one can think they can buy or earn God’s blessings. His abundant grace revealed the cost of sin that caused Him to leave His heavenly home. He, who is rich, became poor for our sake so that we, through His poverty, might become rich.
The Lord Jesus knew we would be forever lost; our sin had complete control over us because we were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. Unless a sinless One would die as our substitute, everyone would lose his soul forever in hell and the lake of fire. With exceeding grace that is greater than all our sins, He bore the weight of our sins that God laid upon Him. Now, because of His sinless substitution, we can start a new life with a new nature as a new creation with new goals and new power to fulfill whatever role God intends for us.
Many people dislike grace because of their proud, independent spirit. They don’t want to feel obligated to anyone, not realizing that “In Him we live and move and have our being.” When God’s grace is preached, they often resist because it means they can’t earn a spot in heaven through their actions. They want to be “masters of their own fate” and are unwilling to accept that their very existence depends on God’s grace every moment. The result of being born again is that all things become new.
Those who cherish the grace of our Lord love Him wholeheartedly. For them, grace has erased a sinful past and given them a fresh start. It is their joy to sing “Amazing Grace” and “Marvelous Grace of our Loving Lord.” They desire to share with others the grace of God that He has freely given them.