10.What God Requires: 2) Mercy - Zac Poonen
The Word For Our Time
Summary
The Lord requires believers to live by three principles: righteousness, mercy, and humility. The speaker emphasizes that true righteousness extends beyond personal holiness to include treating others justly and fairly, following the Golden Rule. He warns against legalism and partiality, stressing that the Holy Spirit empowers us to treat others as we wish to be treated, and God will treat us in the same manner.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What does it mean to do justly?To do justly means to be fair to other people, following the golden rule taught by Jesus.
What grace can do that the law could notThe old law could not make people treat others as they wanted to be treated, but the Holy Spirit empowers believers to do so.
Holding past faults against othersIt is the height of conceit to expect people to forgive our past changes while we still hold onto the past failures of others.
How we treat those lower than usGod often deals with us strictly because we are hard on those who are lower than us in society or employment.
The major sin of partiality among eldersPartiality toward close friends, family members, or favorites hinders the building of the body of christ.
Legalism in payments versus mercyIf we treat people strictly according to what they legally deserve, we invite God to do the same to us instead of showing mercy.
Preserving human dignityWhen helping the poor or interacting with others, we must be inventive in love to preserve their dignity as human beings.
From partial in the old to total in the newWhat was partial under the old covenant—such as tithing, sabbaths, and respecting the aged—becomes total in the new covenant.
Honor all peopleThe new covenant standard is to honor all people, including spouses, children, and the lowly, proving our fear of God.1 Peter 2:17
The measure you give is the measure you receiveBeing stingy and tight-fisted brings God's tight-fistedness, while generosity and kindness are repaid by God.
The parable of the good samaritanJesus used the good samaritan to expose self-righteous lawyers and teach that a true neighbor shows mercy.
Being perfect in mercyWhile we cannot be perfect in holiness or knowledge, we can be 100 percent perfect in mercy just as our heavenly Father is merciful.
Understanding blind spots in others and ourselvesRecognizing that difficult people are operating out of blind spots helps us show mercy, especially remembering our own blind spots.
