A Dispensation of Mercy

Lord, you see me
Through your mercy
I am guilty, still you love me
In your kindness
There is justice
Through your goodness you have brought me

Here where truth and mercy meet
You triumph over me
Your love has won my heart again
And still I am so amazed
My guilt is washed away
Before your cross of peace
Where truth and mercy meet

King of Glory, Lord of Mercy
Risen Savior, Perfect Wonder
Through your kindness
You have drawn me
By your suffering you have saved me

Here where truth and mercy meet
You triumph over me
Your love has won my heart again
And still I am so amazed
My guilt is washed away
Before your cross of peace
Where truth and mercy meet

This week I took on a very short Bible study on the "fear of God."  I was given a very long list of verses, nearly 20 of which where from the Psalms and Proverbs, including "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" and so on. The Hebrew definition of every one of these was "dread, awe, great fearfulness." 

There were also three from the New Testament. These were Hebrews10:31, 1 Peter 2:18 and Revelations 14:7.

Hebrews 10 is in the context of having "boldness to enter into the holiest of holies." The "falling into the hands of a living God" is for those who"sin willfully after we have received the knowledge." I don't believe we should allow fear to be a motivation in our New Testament relationships with Christ Jesus. God "has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power..." we are "joint heirs" with Christ. We are His "bride". We are His lovers, His friends, His companions. It is a "reasonable service" of love to live our lives in accordance to His will, and while those who intentionally allow themselves to become a detriment to His testimony ought to fear for their earthly well being, even they can have confidence in the forgiveness and everlasting love of the Father in eternity, and the perfect and instantaneous restoration of fellowship with Him when the choose to return to Him.

1 Peter 2:18 and Rev 14:7 in the Greek denote reverence and awe as much as dread. The character of the one who is called the "Lover Of Our Souls" is one of impeccable righteousness. Because of this we ought to walk in awe of Him, but Christ has done away with the dreading fear. He, as wholly man and wholly God, is the mediator, causing "mercy to rejoice against judgment." (Jude)

If it were not so then we could not enjoy the life He has given us, because every man falls, and no man is perfect, save Christ. Fear and fear alone would dominate our relationship, but our transgressions are forgiven. We can walk in joy, and peace.

So often I find that fear rules the relationships of the Christians around us. People throw around catch phrases like "fear God or fall into sin" and so on, but as redeemed children of God we fall into a dispensation that banishes fear and is ruled by mercy and love. The veil in the temple was there to protect God's people from His awful presence because they had no medium to come before Him with. Theirs was purely a relationship of reverence and fear. Christ rent the veil. Christ stands between the justice of God and our sinful hearts and His blood covers us with mercy.

I'm home sick this morning. A nasty cold and cough has me here and Quinn in church, so I listened to Adrian Rogers message that was posted on the Love Worth Finding website. "The Chemistry of the Cross" is set on Romans 8:28. The promise that, for Christians, all things work together for good. God's mercy allows consequences and circumstances that we don't understand, but it is His eternal love that brings every single instance around into something that is good for us.  This promise, the promise of Love, should spur us on to good works, onto a life that is holy and sanctified, but it ought not be fear that keeps us; it must be love or Christ's death was in vain, for the people who knew God before Christ walked in fear, but Christ, the embodiment of Perfect Love, has cast out fear and brought peace.

Fear God. Trust God. Love God. Know that God is merciful and gracious. Rest in the knowledge that He forgives before He judges, and that all things work together for good to them that love Him, because here is where truth and mercy meet, and love triumphs over all. 

“If any promise of God should fail, the heavens would clothe themselves in sackcloth; the sun, the moon and the stars would reel from their courses; the universe would rock, and a hollow wind would moan through a ruined creation the awful fact that God can lie.” -FB Meyer