What It Means That God Is Wealthy in Mercy

Being Not Changing into

The written works of Thomas Goodwin (one in every of our Puritan pals) come right down to us in twelve volumes, every quantity over 5 hundred pages. And the primary two volumes are given totally to Ephesians 1 and a couple of. It’s over a thousand pages of sermons on these two chapters of the Bible. And Goodwin slows manner down when he involves Ephesians 2:4, giving a number of sermons on this single verse:

However God, being wealthy in mercy, due to the good love with which he liked us . . .

The broader context says we had been lifeless in our sins (Eph. 2:1–3). However God reached down and made us alive, delivering us from ourselves.

And why?

As a result of God shouldn’t be poor in mercy. He’s wealthy in mercy.

Nowhere else within the Bible is God described as wealthy in something. The one factor he’s referred to as wealthy in is mercy. What does this imply? It signifies that God is one thing apart from what we naturally imagine him to be. It means the Christian life is a lifelong shedding of our small ideas on the mercy of God. God’s mercy is larger than we notice.

Let’s take a look at the textual content extra intently. “God, being wealthy in mercy . . .” (Eph. 2:4). Being, not turning into. Not: he’ll be wealthy in mercy in the future. Quite: he’s already wealthy in mercy, for you and me, proper now. An announcement like that’s once more taking us into God’s very being and nature. “He’s the spring of all mercy,” says Goodwin. “It’s pure to him. It’s his nature. When he reveals mercy, he does it together with his complete coronary heart.”¹ That is why he delights in mercy (Micah 7:18). God is a billionaire within the forex of mercy, and when he offers these riches to us, his personal huge fortune shouldn’t be diminished in any respect.

How can that be? As a result of mercy is who he’s. If mercy was one thing he merely had, whereas his deepest nature was one thing completely different, there could be a restrict on how a lot mercy he might produce. But when mercy is his very nature, then for him to pour out mercy is just for him to be himself. This doesn’t imply he’s solely merciful. He’s additionally completely simply and holy. He’s rightly wrathful towards sin and sinners. However wrath shouldn’t be what he’s “wealthy in.”

The textual content goes on to affix God’s rich-in-mercy nature together with his nice love: “God, being wealthy in mercy, due to the good love with which he liked us . . .” (Eph. 2:4).

When the Scripture speaks of “the good love with which he liked us,” we should hear what it’s saying. Divine love is not only patiently placing up with us. It doesn’t stand nonetheless; it runs. It’s energetic, not passive. His love is nice as a result of it rushes ahead all of the extra when his beloved is threatened, even when threatened because of the beloved’s personal foolishness. We perceive this on a human degree; an earthly father’s love rises up inside him when he sees his baby accused or stricken, even when that baby actually did do one thing dangerous. Renewed affection boils up inside him.

Maybe all this speak of mercy and love appears slightly summary or onerous to know. The richness of divine mercy turns into actual to us, nevertheless, as we see that the river of mercy flowing out of God’s coronary heart took form as a person. When Paul speaks of the saving look of Christ, he says, “The grace . . . appeared . . .” (Titus 2:11). The grace and mercy of God turned actuality in Jesus Christ. Due to this fact to talk of Christ showing is to talk of grace showing. “Christ is nothing however pure grace clothed with our nature,” wrote the Puritan pastor Richard Sibbes.²

Due to this fact after we take a look at the ministry of Christ within the Bible, and particularly on the cross, we’re seeing what “wealthy in mercy” (Eph. 2:4) seems like—how “wealthy in mercy” talks, the way it lives, the way it strikes towards victims.

Take into account Your Life

Take into account God’s richness in mercy to your personal life. Maybe, wanting on the proof of your life, you’re feeling as if this mercy of God in Christ has handed you by. Perhaps you could have been deeply mistreated. Misunderstood. Betrayed by the one particular person you must have been capable of belief. Deserted.

Maybe you carry a ache that may by no means heal until you’re lifeless. If my life is proof of the mercy of God in Christ, you would possibly assume, I’m not impressed.

To you I say, the proof of Christ’s mercy towards you shouldn’t be your life. The proof of his mercy towards you is his—mistreated, misunderstood, betrayed, and deserted life. Eternally. In your home.

God’s mercy is larger than we notice.

If God despatched his personal Son to stroll by means of the valley of condemnation, rejection, and hell, you’ll be able to belief him as you stroll by means of your personal valleys in your method to heaven.

Maybe you could have issue receiving the wealthy mercy of God in Christ not due to what others have carried out to you however due to what you’ve carried out to torpedo your life. Perhaps by means of one huge, silly determination, or perhaps by means of ten thousand little ones. You’ve squandered his mercy, and you realize it.

To you I say, are you aware what Jesus does with those that squander his mercy?

He pours out extra mercy.

God is wealthy in mercy. That’s the entire level.

Whether or not we have now been sinned towards or have sinned ourselves into distress, the Bible says God shouldn’t be tightfisted with mercy however openhanded, not poor however wealthy.

That God is wealthy in mercy signifies that your areas of deepest disgrace and remorse usually are not motels by means of which divine mercy passes however houses during which divine mercy abides.

It means the issues about you that make you cringe most, make him hug hardest.

It means his mercy shouldn’t be gradual and cautious like ours. It’s free-flowing and flood-like.

It means our haunting disgrace shouldn’t be an issue for him however the very factor he loves most to work with.

It means our sins don’t trigger his like to take a success. Our sins trigger his like to surge ahead all of the extra.

It means on that day after we stand earlier than him, quietly, unhurriedly, we’ll weep with aid, shocked at how shallow a view of his mercy-rich coronary heart we had.

This text is customized from The Coronary heart of Jesus: How He Actually Feels about You by Dane C. Ortlund.

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