His Mercy Is Greater

If we as people have proven anything at all, it is that we can fail, and we can fail often. Neither is there is any such creature as a born again believer who has never fallen short of the holiness of God. James the brother of Jesus, a great figure among the early believers of the new testament, said that “in many things we all offend" (Jas. 3:2). There is a good reason that the beloved apostle wrote the following words: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I Jn. 1:9). And to that he added: "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (I Jn. 2:1). It’s certainly true that Jesus has made a way for us to live in true holiness, without sin, literally. But it’s also true that even though we are "new creatures” in Christ if we have been baptized with his Spirit; we have to grow up spiritually, and that means falling on our faces sometimes (II Cor. 5:17; I Cor. 12:13). If we comply with God and allow him to develop us, we can and should die to sin, and become mature in holiness (Rom. 6:6,12; Rom. 8:13; II Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:5,6). And though we may fail in many ways, no failure need be final, except for the failure to honestly and earnestly repent. If we “love righteousness, and hate iniquity,” there is no reason for us not to do so (Heb. 1:8). The apostle Paul asked the all time question on this issue, and also gave the all time answer: “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:34).

David understood the one key to recovering from great sin and failure against God, which key is honesty, humility, and the faith and knowledge that God’s mercy is greater than any sin we could fall into. His sin was great, and his level of accountability was even greater; but he was able to be redeemed because he knew that anything he could do wrong was nothing in comparison to who and what God is (Psm. 51:1-4,9-11,16,17). Ohhh, I really like that! You see, it’s all about God, and who and what he is, not about us. It is actually pride to not be able to trust that God’s mercy is great enough to cover our sins and failures, whatever they may be. We just have to be sure that our confessions and repentance are from the desire to be pure, as David’s was. Satan loves to torment anyone who feels that they have failed greatly, and maybe have. He and his horde have no place left for redemption, and their greatest determination is to impose that same feeling on us; persuading us that it is our own conscience, and not them. But there is one problem there, God did not send his Son to die for their sins, but he did do so for us. What Jesus did is far greater in the sight of God than any sin known to man. Yes there is “a sin unto death,” one that cannot be forgiven; but those who have committed that sin are beyond being concerned about it. Satan has tormented many a soul into believing they have committed the unpardonable sin, but that only proves that he is still a liar, and not to be entertained. The difference between those who endure “unto the saving of the soul,” and those who fall short of that mark, is continued honesty, humility, and the unrelenting faith of the greatness of God’s mercy because of the sacrifice of his Son. This is the only way we can “perfect holiness in the fear of God" (Heb. 10:39; II Cor. 7:1; Lk. 8:15). Amen.