Mercy - Explained Further

Yesterday was full of powerful learning, however I left out some the teaching side of things.

Hosea 6:6 -

King James Version (KJV) For I have desired mercy and not sacrifice; Knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Amplified Version (AMP) For I desire and delight in dutiful steadfast love and goodness, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of and acquaintance with God more than burnt offerings.

Matthew 9:13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).

Matthew 12:7 For if you had only known what this saying means, I desire mercy [readiness to help, to spare, to forgive] rather than sacrifice and sacrificial victims, you would not have condemned the guiltless.

As my wife and I were studying this last night it became clear that while I understood what was happening in Hosea 6:6, I hadn't made it very clear to my wife. And, since I explained it the same way to her as I did in yesterday's post.. well I think I need to add a bit today.

As we try to get closer to God, to please Him, to be forgiven of our sins by Him we are eager to DO something. Prior to Christ's coming, man had been given the Law which showed us our sin and need for God. We were told to bring sacrifices to get closer to God, to atone for our Sin, to aid in our communication and fellowship with God. Even then God wanted our hearts, not our deeds. God wanted us to be like Him. Gal 3:23-24

Today He is good and just to forgive our sins (through our faith in the Gospel of Christ which includes confessing our sinful nature to Him). However, just like before Christ came, this isn't what God desires most of the believers (the already saved). What He desires is that we would be like Him. That we would have mercy like His. He has forgiven us (believers, those who are already saved), but if we were like Him there would be no further sins for Him to forgive of us.

See Matt 5:48 (check my post "Be Perfect" http://onmywalk.blogspot.com/2005/09/be-perfect.html)

So since God has forgiven us while we were still sinners working against Him, so should we forgive those who are working against us, even as they are in the thick of hating us.

Titus 1:2, 3:3-7
Col 1:21-23, 2:13-15, 3:13

There are more references to how God forgave us while we were still sinners. Have a read and see how many you can find! :)