Chapter 1

Hebrews 4:14-16. "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the profession of our faith. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." There are two key words in verse 16. They are Mercy and Grace. I have come to believe that God's mercy is a higher aspect of His Nature than is His grace. That is, mercy is an attribute of God, that is above His grace. It is my purpose to show by the Scripture why I have come to believe that. Both aspects of God's Nature are available to every one, especially to believers. God actually invites believers to access both His mercy and His grace. Observe Hebrews 4:16: "Let us therefore, come boldly, unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain (notice the order here) mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Sometimes believers get into trouble. They stay home from from church, and they neglect to read their Bible and to pray. Then their conscience bothers them about asking the Lord for help in time of need, because they weren't faithful to Him before they got into trouble. Therefore, they lack the courage to come to Him. But you see, the mercy and grace of God is available in time of need. His mercy endures forever, praise the Lord.

According to Ephesians 6:13 God has made His armour available to us, so that in the evil day we can withstand the wiles of the devil. The evil day is any day that a believer is beset with any kind of trouble, either within ourselves, or coming from conditions in the world around us. In the context of Hebrews 4:16, quoted above, the evil day of Ephesians 6:13, would be a time of need, wouldn't it? People who are in trouble need to come to the Throne of grace.

It is important for us to learn about our Heavenly Father's Nature. Therefore, let us study about His mercy and His grace. Both of them are aspects of His Nature. Mercy and Grace especially apply to believers. The Scripture invites us to access each of their Divine substances. They are not identical in function.

Earlier in my life, I supposed that somehow they were the same. But they're not the same. God does not 'chew His words twice.' His use of both terms in one verse implies their distinction.

Although mercy & grace are not identical, they often work together. I suppose that most Christians are more familiar with the idea of grace than with the idea of mercy. Frequently we hear Christians talk about God's grace. Comparatively, we don't hear them talking as much about His mercy. Most any Christian knows about grace. We have been taught much more about grace than we have about mercy. We should learn about their typical working, and how they interact, according to the Sriputure. Praise God.

According to the Bible, grace seems to require a response of faith from people. Think about it. In most instances, the operation of grace seems to require a `faith-believing' response from people. For instance, notice Ephesians 2:8-9."For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." No one gets saved by faith. It is by God's GRACE through faith that we are saved.

Without faith, grace has no approach to us, in the way that He is talking about here. We should understand that in the general sense, God's grace influences people, and inclines them to come to Christ. Yet in order for grace to finish its work in them, they must respond to it in faith. That is why the Gospel is given to us, so that by hearing it, faith will come to us, and we can be saved by God's grace through faith.

But if people don't interact with God's grace through faith, His grace is unfulfilled as far as they are concerned, and they are NOT saved. But that is not always the way it is with God's mercy, thank God. Thank you, heavenly Father, I praise you and thank you for it. Thank you in Jesus' Name, thank you for your mercy and love.

The Bible shows that believers are to be partakers of God's promise to Abraham, in Christ, through the Gospel. May I say that the Gospel shows, in an expanded form, what God promised to Abraham, in a condensed form. For He said to Abraham: "...in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed."Genesis 22:18.

The Gospel offers a greater view of what is in that promise. We really can't know all that God meant for the world, through simply reading Genesis 22:18. We must have the unfolding of the Scriptural record to see what's in it. He said that in Christ, we might be partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel. "For by grace are you saved THROUGH faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." Praise God.

Now look at Romans 4:13-16: "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not made to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, tht it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed;..."."

Verse sixteen explains why God requires us to express faith to Him when we approach Him for anything. It must be through faith, so that it might be by grace. I.e., undeserved favor and holy influence upon the human heart.

The truth is that without faith, we cannot please God. We must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6. Paul explains why in Romans 4:16. I have come to appreciate that verse. Many times in reading through it, I've browsed on to verse 17, because it seemed more interesting because it tells us that God calls those things that be not as though they were. He quickens the dead, and calls those things that be not as though they were. That's the "God kind of faith". But verse 16 tells us why things work the way they do.

He says that it is by faith that it might be by grace, i.e., undeserved favor. Nobody can earn it, and God doesn't want anybody to try to earn it. He just wants them to receive it as His gift. Praise God. In contrast to His grace, God's mercy appears to be a Divine gratuity. Its expression often does not depend on human faith.

Observe the Scripture in Gennesis 19:15-16, which is the story of the destruction of Sodom. We can learn many notable things from it. The Bible says that the Scripture is written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4.

According to the context, two of God's angels came to Sodom at evening time. Lot took them into his house, and made them a feast. That night the sodomites attempted to molest them. The Scripture says that when the morning arose, then the angels hastened (hurried) Lot. They tried to get him to hurry! They hastened Lot, saying: "...arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here, lest ye be consumed in the iniquity of the city." Now notice vs 16: "And while he lingered...". We might say "while he fooled around." Can you believe that? Isn't that a mind boggling statement?

Now, he had some idea of who these two men were. In effect the angel of the Lord said, Hey! Get out of town. We're going to burn this place to a cinder. We don't want you to be caught in the destruction of the city. Now come on, let's go! Instead of hurrying, Lot "fooled around!" I mean, there were some people in the Old Testment who were like people are now. They really haven't changed that much in nature.

"While he lingered, the men (the angels) laid hold upon his hand...". I don't know what he was doing, but they wanted him to hurry. So they took him by the hand. They took his wife by the hand and they also took his two daughters by the hand, and they led them out of town. It seems the Lot family were kind of dragging their feet. They didn't seem very eager to leave town. Especially not Mrs. Lot.

Now notice what it says: "...While he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters,..." (notice) the Lord BEING MERCIFUL unto him. And they brought him forth and set him without the city. And it came to pass when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said unto them, "Escape for thy life: look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them: Oh, not so, my Lord."

Did you ever meet a guy like Lot? Have you ever acted like Lot? Isn't that a stunning passage of Scripture? Lot called Him Lord. He had an idea Who he was talking to. Lot said unto them, "Oh, not so, my Lord. Behold, now, thy servant has found grace in thy sight (indeed, you have, Mr. Lot!) and you have magnified thy (WHAT?) Mercy, which you have shewed unto me in saving my life. And I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me and I die." There really wasn't much faith in that statement, was there? "And he said, behold, now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh, let me escape thither, is it not a lilttle one? And my soul shall live."

Often, when God begins dealing with people about salvation, they want to try to do it their way. That's what Lot did! The Lord gave wise counsel, but in effect Lot said, well, that's not quite..., Lord, let's do it this way. What I want you to see here, is both MERCY and GRACE. When Lot began to pray and ask for this, he made a request that involved a function of faith. That involved God's grace, as we noted in Romans 4:16.

Notice how the angel responded to his faith, Genesis 19:21. "And he said unto him, See, I have accepted you concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city for the which you have spoken." Our words spoken in faith have such profound effect upon us. For instance, observe what the Lord Jesus said: "...For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsover he saith." Mark 11:23.

Here's the picture. Lot, is in effect, arguing with the Lord, and yet he still gets what he asks for. That has to mean that God is pretty well inclined to answer prayer. Can you say amen? You'd think He'd just say, "O.K. buddy, if y ou want to argue, good-bye", and to have left him.

However, Lot's Uncle Abraham, the friend of God, the day before, had stood before God, and made intercession, and obtained a commitment from God. God purposed at least to save Lot. He was committed. And so God's mercy took over, when every thing else failed, because God's purpose was involved. By faith Abraham "moved" God to carry it out. You find that it says, "God being merciful", and: "God remembered Abraham." God permitted Abraham to influence His mercy.

Come on! Mom's, and Dad's: you can pray and believe for your household. It's Biblical, clear back to the book of Genesis. They may act like Lot, or worse! But if you can 'get before God' and 'move' Him, see. And the Bible indicates that you can. It says to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain MERCY and find GRACE to help in time of need, doesn't it? In many cases mercy, not only for myself, but for others also.

God already knew how Lot would react, but His mercy, in response to Abraham's intercession, prevailed. Thank God. Praise God for His wonderful works towards the children of men. Because of Abraham's faith, and because of God's mercy, Lot had a pretty good lee-way. In the New Testament, Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist didn't have that much lee-way. He was struck dumb until John was born, because he didn't believe the Angel's words. Luke 1:20. No one had made intercession for Zechariah, and he bore judgment for his unbelief.

What a tremendous passage of Scripture Genesis 19:15-22 is. To me, it has statements that are `soul stunning'. "And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee, concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. (Isn't that profoundly instructive? See how profoundly God's mercy, and Uncle Abraham's intercession affected Lot?) Therefore, the name of the city was called, Zoar."

In this passage we can see a Divinely inspired, riveting, stunning, expression of BOTH aspects of God's Nature. That is, His mercy and His grace. See, Lot expressed no faith towards God when the angel took him by the hand. God moved the angel to do that, of his own accord, because of His mercy. Lot didn't express faith, and he didn't express respect, in a sense, did he? The Angel in effect said, come on, let's go, and Lot just fooled around. And so that was God's mercy.

The New Testament, in Hebrews 4:16, tells us to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain MERCY. When the person has NO faith, no interest, no concern, no attitude at all that's acceptable in God's sight, there's still a place of asking for mercy, if you know how to do it. OOOOOh!, Glory to God! Halelujuah! Magnify His Name, Praise the Lord, for He is Good, for His mercy endures forever. Glory to God. Thank you, Father, in Jesus' Name.

God's mercy springs from His disposition, and according to His eternal counsel. I've already made the statement, that Abraham, through faith, and by God's permission, moved God. God's intention was to have mercy. He wanted Abraham to ask Him for it. We can realize that He didn't have to come down and visit Abraham, on THAT day. He didn't have to tell Abraham what He had in mind, did He? He was already in that disposition before He came to Abraham's place for lunch. God is a merciful God, BY NATURE! Hallelujah.

And so Abraham stepped into the role that God provided for him. And sometimes, saints, God will permit you to step into a certain role and you can function in it. He will 'flow' with it, because you move in His purpose. Praise God. Glory to Jesus.

So I repeat again that God's mercy springs from His disposition, and eternal purpose. The first attribute about Himself, which God Himself, proclaimed to Moses, was mercy, as we shall note in the next chapter. Although we're focusing on the two words Mercy and Grace, for the time being, we're studying in the aspect of God's mercy. Praise God. Both Mercy and Grace is vital, but it appears to me that there is a time when mercy is a "Cut above Grace". By that I mean respectfully, it is a higher aspect.