Mercy as to forgiveness

[bricklayer]

Mercy exempts one from consequence; forgiveness does not.

God forgives everyone who asks Him for forgiveness, but He only has mercy on whom He chooses to have mercy.

God's forgiveness is as universal as is His love, and His mercy is as exclusive as is His grace.

 

[CalledOutOne]

I disagree, I don't believe God forgives everyone.

Matthew 12 is clear on this.

Also, the Bible says that those with an unforgiving attitude don't have the forgiveness of God in Matthew 6 after the Lord's prayer.

God shows mercy on people by forgiving them. Those who die in their sins, none of their sins are forgiven.

 

[twin1954]

Mercy exempts one from consequence; forgiveness does not.

God forgives everyone who asks Him for forgiveness, but He only has mercy on whom He chooses to have mercy.

God's forgiveness is as universal as is His love, and His mercy is as exclusive as is His grace.

God's mercy is Christ and no where else. God's forgiveness is Christ and no where else. If you have Christ you have both God's mercy and His forgiveness. If you don't have Christ you have neither.

Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psa. 85:10

There is only one place that can ever happen, in Christ!

 

[bricklayer]

I disagree, I don't believe God forgives everyone.

Matthew 12 is clear on this.

Also, the Bible says that those with an unforgiving attitude don't have the forgiveness of God in Matthew 6 after the Lord's prayer.

God shows mercy on people by forgiving them. Those who die in their sins, none of their sins are forgiven.

I also "don't believe God forgives everyone". I wrote above that God forgives everyone who asks for forgiveness. However, forgiveness does not exempt one from consequence; mercy does. The bible is clear regarding mercy. It is His to give, and He will have mercy on whom ever He chooses.

 

[Erinwilcox]

God shows mercy on people by forgiving them. Those who die in their sins, none of their sins are forgiven.

In the broad sense I agree in that our sins are covered and forgiven by Christ's blood and we won't go to hell in the end, but as far as general, every day living goes, there is a difference between mercy and forgiveness for our sins.

On Monday there was a shooting at a local high school, and a boy with Down Syndrome was shot. I was really struck by the words of a girl who witnessed the event and then later spoke on the local Christian radio station: she said that it was scary and terrible, but that she was praying for everyone involved, including the shooter.

I could be putting words in her mouth here, but it sounded to me like she had forgiven the boy who did the shooting . . . but I doubt that, though she prayed for his conversion, she wants or expects him to not suffer the consequences for his actions.

Forgiveness is forgiving the man who kills your mother--mercy is letting him go free and clear after the crime.

My mom always told us "Your sins will find you out," and honestly, they always did, even if it was years later. Though God had granted forgiveness for our wrong-doings, He didn't have mercy on us for them in the sense that He still required that we live with the consequences of our actions and, sometimes, be punished for them.

 

[CalledOutOne]

I also "don't believe God forgives everyone". I wrote above that God forgives everyone who asks for forgiveness. However, forgiveness does not exempt one from consequence; mercy does. The bible is clear regarding mercy. It is His to give, and He will have mercy on whom ever He chooses.

Looks like I misunderstood you. Sorry about that.

 

[bricklayer]

I have forgiven but did not show mercy. Example- I caught an employee stealing. I forgive him, but I also fired him.

I have shown mercy but did not forgive. Example- My all but perfect wife has done things that she should not have done. I let her "get away with it", but I have not really forgiven her.

God forgives everyone who asks Him for forgiveness, but He shows mercy to whoever HE CHOOSES to show mercy.

 

[twin1954]

You may forgive others because you also need forgiveness. It is easy for you to overlook (forgive) the things others do to you. But that is not the case with God. He must uphold righteousness and justice. God's forgiveness isn't overlooking our sin but punishing it in a substitute, His darling Son. He can be merciful and forgive because Christ has lived and died as our representative and Surety. Mercy says don't give the sinner what is due him and forgiveness says don't treat the sinner as a sinner. God can only do such a wonderful thing if He upholds His absolute unbending justice and righteousness by and in Christ. Were He to let the sinner go without punishment it would destroy justice and if He were to withold the consequence of sin His righteousness would fall to the ground. He can only be a just God and a Savior in Christ. If you have Christ you have both forgiveness and mercy.

 

[cssml]

I have forgiven but did not show mercy. Example- I caught an employee stealing. I forgive him, but I also fired him.

I have shown mercy but did not forgive. Example- My all but perfect wife has done things that she should not have done. I let her "get away with it", but I have not really forgiven her.

God forgives everyone who asks Him for forgiveness, but He shows mercy to whoever HE CHOOSES to show mercy.

 

[cssml]

CSSML+





What is mercy and what is forgiveness?



Look at what God does.

God has mercy, but He does not forgive unless the person is repentant.

God provides less punishment on those He forgives than those who are unrepentant.

But He is merciful and compassionate towards all.

He is kind even to the unrepentant, hoping to draw them to Himself.

But if they remain unrepentant He will enact justice as He sees is appropriate, given the depth of His knowledge of the inner workings of the person.



In both cases, there is some punishment for the act, but less if the perpetrator is
repentant.



Forgiveness must be given countless times if the perpetrator is sorry.



Compassion/mercy is given to all, but not forgiveness. Compassion/mercy must be strong – in the hopes of leading the perpetrator to a change of heart, mind and ways. But it must not be predicated on that happening. We must be compassionate, merciful.



With forgiveness, both perpetrator and judge acknowledge a wrong, and both allow the judge to decide retribution. The humility of the perpetrator usually encourages an easier sentence. The judge usually has the power (and the repentant agrees) to control the retribution. As a result, anger, retaliation often subsides.



With the unrepentant, since forgiveness is not an option, compassion does not of itself naturally trigger a release of anger or retaliation. The perpetrator does not acknowledge a wrong, and as a result both are not in agreement of the fact that there needs to be retribution. However, in order to be truly compassionate, where the judge has limited control to correct, he must do what he can (if anything) without revenge or anger and must let go, let God be the most High, most Just Judge. True transfer to God releases anger and retaliation. The judge takes whatever action is prudent, accepts the perpetrator for who they are, is very careful going forward, and allows God to determine consequences in whatever way God moves.



Further, compassion/mercy must be strong, truly kind – in the hopes of leading the perpetrator to a change of heart, mind and ways. But it must not be predicated on that happening. Prayer is key.



You can’t forgive a person who doesn’t want to be forgiven. God doesn’t. That’s why there is a hell.



And evil should not be ignored or dismissed where it can be corrected. Evil grows when good men do nothing.



Compassion is not license.



But there is an abyss of mercy provided by God. We must be like Him.