1. 3/30/20151

2. 2 The Grace and Mercy of God; A. Definitions: 1. God's grace (Greek CHARIS) is His unmerited favour toward sinners, 2. God's mercy (Greek 'ELEOS) is divine compassion manifested toward the miserable and distressed.

3. 3/30/20153 3. In the Old Testament, the mercy of God was made known to Israel by two Hebrew words; a. 'HESEDH' - usually translated kindness or loving kindness, b. 'HANAN' - usually translated to be gracious. to be inclined to. and mercy. c. Exodus 34:6; Deuteronomy 4:31; Exodus 33:19; Psalm 136:1. 4. As we study the mercy of God, don't confuse it with emotional permissiveness or as something we deserve; God is merciful because of His grace.

4. 3/30/20154 Because God is a Just God, He MUST punish sinners; Justice demands it. 1. Therefore, how is it possible for God to remain Just and still pardon the condemned sinner? 2. Romans 3:24-26. a. Paul declares that God is a Just Judge because He paid the price of our freedom by sending His own Son to shed His blood for our redemption. b. Therefore, God's wrath has been satisfied by His grace and mercy which sent His Son into the world to die on a cross.

5. 3/30/20155 c. It is upon the basis of Christ's sacrifice upon the cross that all men, of all ages, may be justified - Hebrews 9:15-22. d. God's unmerited favour ( grace), as far as the Bible reveals, has only been extended, to fallen man - not to fallen angels, demons or Satan (2 Peter 2:4; Matthew 25; 41 ).

6. 3/30/20156 e. It is only with man, who is created in His image, that God has been forbearing and longsuffering (Exodus 34:61 Romans 2:4-5; 9:22-23; I Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9, 15).

7. 3/30/20157 The mercy seat on the ark of the covenant WHERE GOD'S JUSTICE AND MERCY MEET

8. 3/30/20158

9. 9 3. The Bible makes it very clear that salvation stems from God's grace and mercy Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 11:32; Titus 3:5-6; Hebrews 8:12. a. Because salvation is made possible by God's grace, it does not rule out man's acceptance of that grace by faithful obedience - Hebrews 5:9; b. Through faith, repentance, confession and baptism a man puts on Christ (John 8:24; Luke 13:3; Matthew 10:32-33; Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:27) and becomes a new creature (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:5-6). c. In obedience, the fallen man has accepted God's grace.

10. 3/30/201510 What we have learned so far 1) We looked at the evidence and saw that it was more REASONABLE, more RATIONAL and more IN KEEPING WITH KNOWN FACTS of science, to believe that in the beginning INTELLIGENCE has always existed rather than MATTER. This intelligence Christians call GOD

11. 3/30/201511 2. We also understood that unless this Intelligence revealed itself in a way that we could understand we could never REALLY know what God was like. So for the Christian - we believe that this intelligence we call God has revealed Himself through the Bible which Christians call God's Word

12. 3/30/201512 3. SO WE THEN CAME TO THE QUESTION WHAT HAS GOD REVEALED ABOUT HIMSELF? - WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

13. 3/30/201513 WE SAW THAT 1. ESSENCE is what God IS - HIS NATURAL "attributes". 2. ATTRIBUTES describe what God DOES in relation to man - HIS MORAL "attributes".

14. 3/30/201514 What we have learned so far WE SAW THAT GOD IS ETERNAL - He is unlimited in TIME. The eternal essence of God relates to time and space.

15. 3/30/201515 WE SAW THAT GOD IS SPIRIT - A spirit is not matter as human beings are. WE SAW THAT GOD IS UNITY - there are three persons in the Godhead- Father / Son / Holy Spirit WE SAW THAT GOD IS OMNISCIENT - This means that His KNOWLEDGE is unlimited.

16. 3/30/201516 WE SAW THAT GOD IS OMNIPOTENT - He is unlimited in POWER. All POWERFUL with God all things are possible. WE SAW THAT GOD IS OMNIPRESENT - He is unlimited in SPACE. God is always present. WE SAW THAT GOD IS IMMUTABLE - This is His UNCHANGEABLE nature. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever,"

17. 3/30/201517 WE SAW THAT GOD IS HOLINESS - God alone possesses ALL holiness because of His perfect moral excellence. WE SAW THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL - God KEEPS His WORD His promises to us are unalterable. WE SAW THAT GOD IS TRUTH - God has shown His truthfulness time and time again

18. 3/30/201518 WE SAW THAT GOD IS GOOD - God is perfect In His goodness WE SAW THAT GOD IS LOVE - This is NOT a characteristic of God; -this is WHAT God is. WE SAW THAT GOD IS MERCIFUL - The mercy of God is the disposition of His nature which leads Him to help us when we are in misery and to pardon us when we have offended Him.

19. 3/30/201519 WE SAW THAT GOD IS JUSTICE - His Knowledge and wisdom assure us, He always KNOWS what is right and DOES what is right WE SAW THAT GOD IS WRATH He would be unjust if He did not reward the faithful, the saints He would be unjust if He did not Punish the Wicked, the sinners WE SAW THAT GOD IS GRACE He gives us FORGIVENESS in Jesus which WE do not deserve.

20. 3/30/201520 BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE AND CARE FOR US HE SHOWED THIS LOVE BY GIVING HIS SON TO DIE FOR US THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND SHARE ETERNITY WITH HIM GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS?

21. 30/03/201521 ESSENCE of GOD ETERNAL OMNISCIENT SPIRIT OMNIPOTENT OMNIPRESENT UNITY IMMUTABLE GOOD HOLYFAITHFUL IS THIS THE GOD YOU BELIEVE IN? TRUTH LOVE JUSTICE MERCY WRATH GRACE