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Tuesday, May 26, 2015

God's tender mercies that keep Christians desiring Christ in Romans 3-5

Romans 12:1 "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

Introduction:
Today's post is continuing to explore more of the tender mercies of God revealed to us in Romans. It seems like this phrase in Romans 12:1 "by the mercies of God" has captured my attention. I pray in our journeying through Romans you have found out how great our God is in the display of His tender mercies. Is it any wonder why Paul would use such mercies as the basis for being able to present one's body as a living sacrifice? We will only have the desire to live the life of worship to God insofar as we recognize how much mercy He has expressed to us. Jesus proves this point in Luke 7:47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 

We need exposure to a fresh unfolding of God's greatness in His tender mercies. Romans is the perfect book to explore the theme of God's mercies, since Paul basis the remainder of His practical instructions in Romans 12-16 upon such tender mercies revealed in Romans 1-11. Amazingly enough there are roughly 70 such mercies listed throughout the first 11 chapters of Romans. We've considered 26 of them thus far in Romans 1-3 and in today's post we will explore 17 more of these wonderful mercies in Romans 3-5. When we think of how merciful God is to an otherwise undeserving people such as us, it truly staggers the mind! We looked at those mercies two days ago which draw sinners to Christ. Today and tomorrow we will explore those mercies which keep Christian's desiring Christ. 

God's tender mercies that keep Christian's desiring Christ - Romans 3-5
1. His glory 3:10
2. His honor 3:10
3. His peace 3:10
4. Imputed righteousness 3:24

The four tender mercies in the above list has to do with God crediting to the sinner the righteousness of Jesus Christ which Christ earned in both His life and death. Such righteousness is place over the sinner like a robe at saving faith. Any good works the Christian does from salvation onward is called "sanctification" or "practical righteousness". Our practical works of righteousness, imperfect and incomplete as they are, are deemed acceptable to God due to the source from whence they draw - namely Christ's imputed or credited righteousness. God's glory, honor and peace are the benefits enjoyed by believers, further testifying to His tender mercies in their lives as a result of Jesus' achieved work on their behalf.

5. Covenant signs 4:11
6. Covenant of grace 4:12
7. Christ our inheritance 4:13
8. Peace with God 5:1
9. Access to God 5:1
10. Hope in God 5:2
11. Perserverance 5:3
12. Character 5:3
13. God's love 5:4
14. Reconciliation 5:10
15. God's gift 5:16
16. Christ's active obedience 5:19
17. Christ's Lordship 5:21

These last remaining tender mercies are those mercies that keep us energized, growing, progressing, desiring, thirsting and loving God. God has walled us in more than we realized. His tender mercies are a might fortress. It would require a years worth of blogposts to unfold all of these mercies. Indeed the mercy and love of God is lavishly poured out on the Christian, testifying to the fact that they are indeed children of God. (1 John 3:1-2)

More tomorrow....