In Paul’s letter to the Romans (Romans 9:14-16, NLT), we read: “… Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.”
Since we cannot choose His mercy by our own will or earn it by being ‘good’ – then, the person who does not have a relationship with God can never know – if mercy will be shown to them, on the last day. Yet, Christians can have the assurance that God’s mercy will be shown to those who believe in Jesus - that’s the big difference.
As Selwyn, quite rightly states: “What we claim as Christians is what God claims (as recorded in Scripture), and that the ONLY way a man or woman can have a personal relationship with God is through His Son, Jesus Christ”.
Today, we have read, in Acts 4:10-12 (NIV): ” … then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ” ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
In John 14:6-7, we hear Jesus say: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” There are not many ways, you can interpret Jesus’ words - I think He is clearly saying that the only assured way to have a relationship with God is through Him. The only people who cannot accept these words are those people still in bondage to the prince of this world. Do you think these words are harsh?
Christians believe Jesus is the one, and only God. In Isaiah 45:5-6 (NIV), it is clearly written: “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
In today’s study, Selwyn makes the following statements: ” … We have, on one level, allowed our consumerist approach to affect our view of God. In today’s world, it is as if you can go into the super market of deities and select a god of your choice. The attitude of our age is that one god is as good as another.” “Let the pluralists accuse us of intolerance when we refuse to place Jesus in a pantheon (a temple dedicated to all gods). How can we, believing as we do that there are no gods or prophets equal to Him (the one, and only God).
In summary, I believe that Jesus, our Lord and God, can have mercy on some people who do not identify themselves as Christians – for a whole variety of reasons; but they will never really know this fact during their life. It’s His sovereign right to have mercy on whom He wants to show mercy. Yet, the great news for a Christian is that we can know that we have a relationship with God – and, we can live our lives in the light of this truth.
Such a fantastic gift – to live, knowing that your life has meaning and is valuable as measured by the blood sacrificed for you – to live, knowing you are loved by Jesus.
‘No other name’
In Paul’s letter to the Romans (Romans 9:14-16, NLT), we read: “… Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.”
Since we cannot choose His mercy by our own will or earn it by being ‘good’ – then, the person who does not have a relationship with God can never know – if mercy will be shown to them, on the last day. Yet, Christians can have the assurance that God’s mercy will be shown to those who believe in Jesus - that’s the big difference.
As Selwyn, quite rightly states: “What we claim as Christians is what God claims (as recorded in Scripture), and that the ONLY way a man or woman can have a personal relationship with God is through His Son, Jesus Christ”.
Today, we have read, in Acts 4:10-12 (NIV): ” … then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ” ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
In John 14:6-7, we hear Jesus say: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” There are not many ways, you can interpret Jesus’ words - I think He is clearly saying that the only assured way to have a relationship with God is through Him. The only people who cannot accept these words are those people still in bondage to the prince of this world. Do you think these words are harsh?
Christians believe Jesus is the one, and only God. In Isaiah 45:5-6 (NIV), it is clearly written: “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.”
In today’s study, Selwyn makes the following statements: ” … We have, on one level, allowed our consumerist approach to affect our view of God. In today’s world, it is as if you can go into the super market of deities and select a god of your choice. The attitude of our age is that one god is as good as another.” “Let the pluralists accuse us of intolerance when we refuse to place Jesus in a pantheon (a temple dedicated to all gods). How can we, believing as we do that there are no gods or prophets equal to Him (the one, and only God).
In summary, I believe that Jesus, our Lord and God, can have mercy on some people who do not identify themselves as Christians – for a whole variety of reasons; but they will never really know this fact during their life. It’s His sovereign right to have mercy on whom He wants to show mercy. Yet, the great news for a Christian is that we can know that we have a relationship with God – and, we can live our lives in the light of this truth.
Such a fantastic gift – to live, knowing that your life has meaning and is valuable as measured by the blood sacrificed for you – to live, knowing you are loved by Jesus.