God's Lavish Mercy for Sinners
This article is adapted from “Finding God’s Mercy When You Fail.”
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Upon hearing the gospel some people think, “I’m not that bad. I don’t need that much mercy.” Other people think they are too bad—too unworthy, too far gone for mercy to reach them. What does the Bible say?
Before the apostle Paul became a Christian, he was a “blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent” of Christ’s church (1 Tim. 1:13). Yet, Christ’s mercy covered all Paul’s sins and his mercy forgave all Paul’s sins, every last one:
This saying is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” of whom I am the worst. (1 Tim. 1:15)
Jesus bore in his own flesh the punishment for your sin, so that his mercy might cover all your sin.
And so it is true for all who trust in Jesus alone for their salvation. And why can Christ’s mercy perform such wonders? How can he be so merciful? He can because he suffered the full punishment for the sins of his people. As the righteous one, Jesus was nailed to the cursed tree. He was exposed to the reproach of God’s enemies. Jesus lived a perfect life, but in his death he bore in his own flesh the punishment for your sin, so that his mercy might cover all your sin. This is the surpassing glory of Christ’s mercy.
We may tell ourselves that we are too bad—too unworthy, too far gone for mercy to reach us. We can fall into despair, fall prey to hopelessness, and be tempted to believe that Christ just can’t forgive whatever we have done. The thief on the cross was a man who lived a life of crime and wickedness. He was a criminal who was suffering the just consequences of his actions. Yet, even upon one like this thief, in the agony of his sin, Jesus smiled. The thief prayed in faith, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And to this prayer of faith Jesus responded with the sweet words of mercy, “Today, you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43).
We are never too unworthy, too far gone for God’s mercy to reach us.
Through faith alone by God’s grace alone in Christ alone, we find forgiveness in the surpassing and sweet mercy of Jesus Christ who died for us. It is this lavish mercy that is your aid through the tragedies of life. Indeed, so many chapters of our lives have sad endings. But Christ’s mercy says, “Do not despair. Do not lose hope, for you have living hope in Christ, an imperishable and incorruptible hope.”
May you rejoice in this hope, and may you embrace it in faith. Every Christian has the sure hope of the forgiveness of sin and the resurrection. In Christ the end of your story has already been written, and it is not a tragedy but rather the best of all endings—resurrection from the dead and a life everlasting to glorify God.
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This article is adapted from “Finding God’s Mercy When You Fail.”