“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.”
(Ephesians 2:4)
The magnitude of divine mercy is most clearly demonstrated when set against the misery of fallen man. By nature, sinners are spiritually dead. Their spiritual faculties are corrupted, their affections polluted, and they are incapable of producing any spiritual good from within themselves. They therefore stand under the just sentence of God’s law, condemned and exposed to wrath. If infinite mercy did not intervene, that spiritual death would end in eternal ruin.
Against this hopeless condition stand the words, “But God.” Spiritually dead sinners cannot seek grace; grace must first come to the one who is dead. God acts upon those who have no spiritual power to rescue themselves. This makes salvation an astonishing display of mercy, because the objects of that mercy possess nothing by nature that could claim or deserve it.[1]
The change brought about in conversion is therefore rightly compared to resurrection. God quickens those who were dead. His Spirit renews our nature, sanctifies our affections, mortifies corruption, brings sinful appetites and passions into subjection, and creates the believer anew in Christ Jesus unto good works. The difference between the former state and the new is so great that Scripture compares it to passing from death unto life.
Divine power was gloriously displayed in raising Christ from the dead, and that same divine power is manifested in raising sinners from spiritual death. Conversion is not the refurbishing of a naturally healthy soul but rather the work of God bringing life where there was only death.
The cause of this saving change is entirely in God Himself. There was nothing in man that could move Him to show favor to guilty rebels. If He had left sinners under the guilt of sin and the dominion of corruption, He would have remained perfectly just. God owes mercy to no sinner. The only explanation given is His rich mercy, His great love, His grace, and the good pleasure of His goodness.
Contemplations:
- You Found Me Where There Was No Spiritual Life. I praise You that Your mercy did not wait for me to approach You, for I had no spiritual life from which to begin. Let the words “But God” always remain precious to me. For every movement from death toward life began with Your mercy.
- Your Mercy Is Rich Because My Need Was So Great. Sin had corrupted the whole inward man and left me under condemnation. Yet Your mercy proved greater than my misery. Let the depth of what I was make me more thankful for the greatness of what You have done. Keep grace from ever becoming small in my thoughts.
- You Raised What Could Not Raise Itself. The same God who raised Christ from the dead gives spiritual life to sinners. This leaves no room for boasting. Whatever faith, repentance, holiness, or obedience now appears is evidence of Your quickening work. Let every grace in me become a reason to praise the One who gave me life.
- You Taught Me to See Things as They Are. Your Spirit has enlightened my mind and caused eternal realities to become significant. Sin became evil, wrath terrible, Christ precious, and salvation necessary. I praise You for spiritual illumination that makes the soul act according to truth. Continue to deepen my spiritual understanding so that I never return to the blindness of carnal security.
Prayer (Thanksgiving):
Merciful Father, I bless You because You are rich in mercy and because of the great love with which You love Your people.
You found sinners dead in sins, unable to produce spiritual life from themselves, guilty under Your law, and exposed to righteous wrath. Yet You did not leave us under that ruin.
I praise You for the mighty change of conversion. By Your Spirit You quicken those who are dead, renew their nature, sanctify their affections, subdue sinful appetites, and create them anew in Christ Jesus unto good works.
Thank You that this life does not arise from human strength. The power belongs to You. As You raised Christ from the dead, so You display divine power in raising sinners from spiritual death.
You owed nothing to fallen rebels. If You had left us all under condemnation, You would still have been just. Yet grace intervened because You are rich in mercy and great in love.
Keep me from thinking that some natural goodness, wiser choice, or better disposition made the difference. Salvation is of grace alone.
I thank You also for the illuminating work of Your Spirit, who causes divine truths to be seen as they really are. Continue to give me clearer views of sin, Christ, grace, holiness, and eternity.
And make me increasingly grateful that the God who found me dead is the God who made me alive together with Christ.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References:
John 3:16; Deut. 7:8; Jer. 31:3; Rom. 5:8
[1] Jonathan Dickinson, The True Scripture-Doctrine Concerning Some Important Points of Christian Faith, Particularly Eternal Election, Original Sin, Grace in Conversion, Justification by Faith, and the Saints Perseverance. Represented and Applied in Five Discourses., Early American Imprints, 1639-1800; No. 4710 (Boston: G. Rogers, for S. Eliot in Cornhill, 1741), 134-138.
