What’s So Great About God?-2 Series

WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD?-II—1Peter 1:3-12(:3-9; 10-12)

Attention:

We can sometimes miss the power of God preferring rather to enjoy the social aspects of ‘our church.’ And when confronted with our fears in such situations, we come to a standstill, not realizing ‘What’s So Great About God!’

Peter recalled basic justifications for glorifying God.

Blood-bought believers are justified in their glorifying/pointing to God.

Why are believers justified in glorifying/blessing/pointing to God?

Why is God considered Worthy?

10 justifiers/justifications for blessing God.

WHAT’s So GREAT About GOD?

Previously, we found that,

God is Great because He offers...

1. GOD(:3a)

2. His MEANS OF SALVATION(:3a)

3—God is Great because He offers...

MERCY(:3b)

Explanation:(:3b)Compassion

:3—“Blessed be the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

?What does “Mercy” signify?—Help for those in misery.

NOT giving the sinner what his endeavor in sin deserves.

God’s mercy is a “abundant/great” mercy. i.e., it is employed to alleviate & override every misery resulting from sin. Therefore sin itself must be dealt with mercifully(removal of the dangers posed—misery), as well as graciously(removal of its results—guilt). This is both a statement of the quality & quantity of man’s need & God’s love/willingness/forgiveness.

Both “mercy” & grace are extensions of God’s perfect love.

Grace is lavished upon men because they are guilty.

Mercy is lavished upon men because they are miserable.

—Trench per ISBE/MNTC—

“Abundant/Great”—poluv—Adj.—1) Many, much, large. Strong—singular--Much(in any respect) or plural--Many; neuter(singular) as adverbial,--Largely; neuter(plural) as adverb or noun--Often, mostly, largely.

“Mercy”—eleov—1) Mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable & the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them—1a) of men towards men: To exercise the virtue of mercy, show one's self merciful, 1b) of God towards men: In general providence; the mercy & clemency of God in providing & offering to men salvation by Christ—1c) The mercy of Christ, whereby at his return to judgment he will bless true Christians with eternal life. Both eleov[Mercy] & oiktirmov[Pity/Compassion] denote sympathy, fellow-feeling with misery, mercy, compassion. Eleov, however, manifests itself chiefly in acts rather than words, while oiktirmov is used rather of the inward feeling of compassion which abides in the heart. A criminal might ask for eleov, mercy, from his judge; but hopeless suffering may be the object of oiktirmov, compassion. Eng. per M-W—‘Compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also : lenient or compassionate treatment.’

Argumentation:

Rom. 9:14-16—“What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, & I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”

Lam. 3:22-24—“Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!””

In Jesus’ earthly ministry, mercy was partially manifested in His healings.

Lk. 1:50—[Mary stated...]“And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.”

Titus 3:3-6—“But when the kindness & the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration & renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”

Mat. 5:7—[in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said,]“Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.”

1Jn. 4:18—“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”

Mat. 9:13—“But go & learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy & not sacrifice.’[ Hos. 6:6] For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

It is a horrible, sinful state in which we find ourselves.

Mat. 23:13-14, 23—“ “But woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in”......“ “Woe to you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint & anise & cummin, & have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice & mercy & faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”

Mark 7:9-13—“He[Jesus] said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father & your mother’; &, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ “But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”--’(that is, a gift to God), “then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”