The Mercies of God

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Have you ever given thought to the “Mercies of God”?  If we examine it by the synonyms tied to the word mercy it is amazing, these are a few of them, compassions, clemencies, kindness, understanding, generosities, benevolences, and grace.  Mercy is, God stepping into a life that is completely unprotected and extending His mercy.  Each of us that have experienced the faith to believe has received the mercies of God, and that is what Paul is sharing with us in verse one.  “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.”

In verse two Paul begins in this manner, “But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.”  The Scriptures do not tell us what the false apostles were teaching the churches at Corinth, but it sounds like they were letting them in on a new gospel, a new truth, maybe what some might call a vision that was contrary to the gospel Paul was teaching.  And it is important that I should say the gospel Paul was teaching was the same as Peter, James and John and the other eleven apostles were teaching.

Watch out when someone comes to you with a new teaching, a deeper truth that is in conflict with the Scriptures.  I would give this advice, run and I mean fast, have nothing to do with them.

Verses 3-5, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.”  The gospel is veiled to so many, but the enemy, that old devil is at work to keep them trusting in anything but Jesus.  But one day each person will stand before a judge and He will expose the light that was given to them, the light they did not want at that time, you ask why?  Because their deeds were evil and they loved the darkness.  What Paul is saying Jesus said, you must be born again!

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  In the beginning of what we call time, God said let there be light and He separated the light from the darkness you will find that in Genesis 1:3-5.  Now turn to the gospel of John 3:19-21, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”  That was not day and night but a Spiritual light, the light that fills all darkness the light of Jesus.  Do you know about Jesus or do you know Jesus?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice