Title: Have Mercy
(Lecture 10) Jude 1:22-23 Be merciful
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Have mercy on those who doubt, and save others by drawing them out of the fire; and have mercy on others with fear, abhorring even a garment that is soiled with the flesh (Jude 1:22-23).
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In the text, the word ‘have mercy’ appears twice. In this way, when there is the word ‘do’, most people understand it as a ‘virtue that a believer should practice’. In other words, when we say to have mercy, we accept it as something we have to practice.
However, this kind of thinking creates a contradiction because it does not fit with the words of Romans 3:10-12, which says, “There is no one who does good.”
Therefore, if the word 'have mercy' is accepted as something to be practiced of mercy, it should be after properly interpreting the saying that it is impossible to do good.
First, we need to think about whether it is possible to practice compassion in us. Compassion is 'have pity'. However, God's mercy showed compassion for us, who were sinners, and caused his only-begotten Son, Jesus, to die and make us alive in our place. It is mercy in giving up a son. Do you think you can practice this mercy?
Verse 21 says, “Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” To wait for mercy does not mean to wait for mercy to be given, but it means to live in hope of Christ's mercy to eternal life. That is, for believers, the mercy of Christ should be their hope for eternity. For without the mercy of Christ, we cannot attain eternal life. This is what it means to keep yourself in the love of God.
Those who live in hope of mercy will be those who know that only the mercy of Christ can save them. Then, this person will see the reality of who he must be without mercy, and if he sees his reality, he will know that he is not worthy of the mercy of Christ.
In this way, God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to us who do not deserve mercy. That is why God's love comes to us in a measure that cannot be measured. In this way, to live in gratitude for the mercy of Christ is to keep yourself in the love of God.
The word “have mercy” is like this for believers who live in God’s love and hope for the mercy of Christ. He is not saying to have mercy on anyone, but He is speaking to believers who are in a relationship of mercy with God.
But just because we are in a relationship of compassion does not mean that we should practice mercy. To be merciful is because to be merciful does not mean to be merciful.
The purpose of this text is to help you see who I am through the words ‘have mercy’. It allows us to see how we are given the eternal life given to us, and to see what kind of relationship we have with God, so that we can live in life.
The book of Jude speaks of false teachers. So how should we treat them? Because we are false teachers, should we regard them as enemies, criticize and reject them? Of course, their thoughts and words should not be rejected and accepted. But you can't criticize them. Because the power of criticism has not been given to us. Criticism and judgment are only the authority of God.
There are many people in the world who speak the gospel but deviate from the path of truth, which is the true life. They fall into the false truth and go astray. The book of Jude tells them to have mercy. The book of Jude says not to judge them, not condemn them, but save them from the fire. This is what a believer who hopes for the mercy of Christ in God's love should have.
Through the mercy of Christ, we too will reach eternal life. It means that we are no different from false teachers. False teachers distort the truth and preach a different Jesus, but we speak the gospel, but we do not go in the way of the gospel. Therefore, we too have the status of reaching eternal life through mercy.
If we live by compassion like this, what should come out of him? That is mercy. This is not to criticize and condemn, but to bring us out of the fire and save us.
Again, this is not to say that you should unconditionally accept, pass on, and accept. Verse 23 says, “And bring another out of the fire and save it; and have mercy on another with fear, abhorring even a garment that is soiled with the flesh.”
To hate even the clothes dirty with their flesh means to hate their evil. To deal with their evil with fear. But to be merciful is what Jude says.
Even though I know the truth and understand the gospel, I do not have the authority to condemn and criticize others with the gospel. The gospel is not given as a tool to criticize others, but to tell us what kind of relationship I have with God. The gospel is to let me know that God's love and Christ's mercy saved me.
Therefore, a believer who truly knows the gospel and realizes the true meaning of the gospel is expected to show compassion for his neighbors who have fallen into lies. You reach out to get them out of the fire, not to criticize them.
If Jesus treated us with criticism, we should all be judged under His criticism. But Jesus met us with compassion, not criticism. It is mercy that has made us eternal. That is why mercy cannot but come from those who know mercy.
If there is criticism and condemnation rather than mercy, then again, he cannot be said to be a person who stays in the gospel. You must say the gospel, but you must say that you have not tasted the mercy of Jesus.
If you taste the mercy of Christ and live in hope of mercy, you will obey the command to have mercy with joy. Because the Holy Spirit is with us, we will abide in the ability to obey the Word.
Therefore, the word to be merciful does not mean 'Yes, let's practice mercy', but rather, 'Am I qualified to criticize and condemn my neighbor, who has been given eternal life through the mercy of Christ?' .
To reject, condemn, and criticize because they are not compatible with me is to ignore the mercy of Christ. If we look at it that way, wouldn't we, too, not be excluded from evil? That is why we are still living because of mercy. And while they mourn over themselves for not being merciful, they wish to live as merciful to their neighbors. Look at your neighbors in the way you need compassion. At that time, the words to have mercy on you will be bound to you.