God’s Mercy And Grace

God’s Mercy And Grace

Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51:2

After Christians have received God’s approval through faith and know that their sins are forgiven, they shouldn’t become overconfident and start thinking they are immune from sinning. They will still face a constant struggle with what sin remains in them, just as David did.

Because of God’s mercy and grace, David received God’s approval and was made holy by a righteousness completely outside of himself. God’s mercy and grace aren’t human emotions or attitudes. Rather, they’re a divine blessing we receive by believing that our sins have been forgiven in Christ. Because of Christ, we can expect mercy and compassion, as David did in Psalm 51. So the righteousness we receive comes completely outside of us. It’s a genuine gift from God, who is compassionate and merciful to us because of Christ.

Suppose a man deserving the death penalty was brought to a prince’s court. But the prince released him out of compassion, even though he deserved nothing but death. Wouldn’t you say that this man’s guilt was forgiven, not because of anything he had done, but because of the kindness of the merciful prince? Yet it’s not enough for this man to be forgiven for the crime he committed. He also must be released from jail, must be given clothes to wear, and must find a job so that he can live. The same happens to us when we receive God’s approval. After God in his mercy frees us from guilt, we still need the gift of the Holy Spirit to clean away what sin remains in us. We need the Spirit to strengthen us so that we are not overpowered by sin and our corrupt desires.