Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. (Jude 2)
In Jude 2, not only do we find this word mercy, but we also find the divine order in which it is given. The Bible says, “Mercy…and peace, and love.” We must have God’s mercy before we can have peace and know love.
Romans 5:1 speaks of having “peace with God.” The Bible also speaks about the “peace of God” in Philippians 4:7. However it is impossible to have peace unless we first know of God’s mercy.
The Bible teaches in John 13:34-35 that we are to “love one another.” The fellowship of believers is a fellowship of love. However, if we are going to learn to love, we must first have God’s mercy.
A simple definition of grace is “God’s giving to us what we do not deserve.” Mercy means “God’s withholding from us what we deserve—punishment, condemnation, and wrath.” Jude writes, “Mercy unto you.”
God Gives Mercy for Perilous Times
The times in which we live are perilous times. There is a certain spirit of anarchy in the land. It has always existed, but not with the same intensity.
The Bible teaches that the church had a beginning. The church started with Christ and His disciples and was empowered at Pentecost. The church also has an ending. It will consummate at the coming of Christ for His own. There will be an ending, a conclusion of this age. Many people believe we are living in the end times of this age.
Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Verse 5 says, “…having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” The world is filled with religion, but it is religion without the true God, Christ, and the Bible. This is the distinguishing mark of our age.
We have been called of God to live at this time. We need to take a compassionate stand for the truth. In these perilous times, God says, “Mercy unto you.”
All People Need Mercy
We need mercy, but we do not deserve it. God has a way of showing us our helplessness and sinfulness. What we really deserve, because of our sin, is the wrath of God. The Bible declares in John 3:36 that everyone who does not know Jesus Christ has the wrath of God already abiding on him.
Salvation is an act of God’s grace and mercy. It is an instantaneous, miraculous work of God. A man is saved the moment he trusts Jesus Christ for forgiveness of his sin. When we pray for salvation, we ask the Lord to forgive us of our sin and be merciful to us. By His mercy, He forgives our sin and saves us.
We Should Pray for Mercy
God’s word says, “Mercy unto you,” but we must pray for mercy. The prophet Habakkuk was called by God to serve on the eve of the captivity of the nation of Judah. God had revealed to him that judgment was inevitable. Notice this prophet’s prayer in Habakkuk 3:1-2. He says, “In wrath remember mercy.”
Our prayer for the mercy of God is evidence of a right attitude toward the holiness of the Lord and the sinfulness of man. In these perilous times, we should recognize our need for mercy and pray that God would extend His mercy to our nation, our families, and our churches. Every day, we should seek God for mercy.
Background Reading for Next Week: Jude 3-4; Acts 17:11-3; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Revelation 3:1-2; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Corinthians 4:8-13; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 John 2:18-19; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Romans 16:17