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Mercy is getting what we don’t deserve. It is certainly good news for the world which is under God’s wrath. The world did not recognize Him as God and rebelled against His laws. In the first 11 chapters of Romans, the apostle Paul spoke about the mercy of God. When mankind was beyond hope of saving themselves from eternal damnation, God promised long ago in the Holy Bible that He would send His Son to be the Saviour of the world. He was declared to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead. Those who believed in Him will not perish but have eternal life. This message of hope is found in the Gospels. Paul showed that in His mercy this good news is available for both Jews and Gentiles. For the Jews who rejected Him as the Son of God, God has mercifully delayed His judgment against them. He is willing to bless them when they finally recognize Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God.
In view of God’s mercy, Paul encouraged the Roman believers to present their bodies, not out of duty or compulsion but willingly, as living sacrifices to God. In reality the believers has passed from death to life. Over a passage of time, the body will die. It would be great to offer your body as a living sacrifice now to God for His use even if it means much suffering and an untimely death. This is not unnatural as Jesus Christ suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps. Every step the Lord Jesus took was in line with God’s will. His work on earth was to do the will of Him who sent Him.
What is the pleasing acceptable will of God? It is to be His witnesses starting from Jerusalem and finally to the uttermost parts of the world (Acts 1:8). His disciples are to carry out His Great Commission with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s task is to give each disciple with at least one spiritual gift for the sole motive of glorifying Christ because the Holy Spirit’s purpose is not to glorify Himself but Christ. Christ’s prayer to the Father (John 17) was that He should be glorified so that He can glorify the Father. God is glorified when believers grow in maturity and exercise spiritual gifts which show forth Christ’s character which is full of grace and truth.
