The Mercy of Christ

Josh McDowell's book More Than A Carpenter is a great staple in Christian apologetics. With respect to McDowell's insight, much of my proceeding thoughts echo his analysis. Most people want to believe no one will be in a bad place apart from heaven. Few people really are comfortable pondering the concept and uttering the word "hell." Nevertheless, the Bible clearly indicates the existence of a place of suffering apart from God's presence and mercy. This is a challenge of Christianity.

The concept of hell challenges the ideals of humanity. Our ideals concerning afterlife are based on our knowledge and judgment. Our knowledge is limited. Our judgments are known to be flawed. And we are too skeptical, collectively, to trust God. Jesus, an undeniable historical figure on this planet, made claims to be the "Way," "Truth," and "Life." Additionally, he said that no one comes to God except by him. Whoa. This sets Jesus apart from being just a very wise man. (Again, see McDowell's book to understand the ramifications of Jesus' claims and teachings.) No other leader of a religion with a significant active following has made such claims. These words and this person, Jesus Christ, must be carefully considered and a judgment must be made.

Meanwhile, there are the doings of Jesus. His fame was solidified by the miracles he caused. Just as Muhammad Ali claimed to be "the greatest," he is still regarded and known because he was a champion boxer. Jesus backed up his claims with some impressive actions. If you ultimately decide to believe Jesus is who he said he was, you are moved and amazed by one of his last acts. On the cross, he forgives a penitent criminal and declares the sinful man will be in paradise with Jesus that day. It is a final example of great compassion and mercy in Christ's life recorded in the Bible.

This mercy may seem to balance what is thought to be a lack of fairness in the words and actions of the Christian God. To some people, it may seem to contradict a punitive, merciless God shown at other times. The fact is that there are examples of God's mercy and desire to be forgiving throughout the Bible. The common denominator is a person's faith in God along with God's love. David trusted God, Daniel trusted God, and Paul trusted God. It doesn't mean life shall be perfect; it never is. We are to trust God, ask for his mercy (forgiveness of sin), and demonstrate that faith in word and action.

As shown in an instant by the example at Calvary, Jesus desires to be merciful. While we must heed God's Word and expect there will be punishment for those who reject God, trust in God must be sincere. Our concerns and questions about the faith of loved ones must not be allowed to rupture our belief in God. Indeed, faith is personal, but truth is not relative. Jesus' compassion and mercy are noticeable, along with some of the challenging things he said. Know the difference between Christ and other religious icons. Jesus is unique.

We all have that decision to make about how we will prepare for what happens when we die. Consider both the claims and the mercy of Jesus Christ. The result will be, as McDowell brilliantly concluded, that Jesus must be Lord, a deceiver, or a deluded person (i.e. cuckoo). Thus, Christianity is distinct from Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam; Jesus presumes to forgive sin and claims to be God. With respect to Judaism, Jesus seems to fulfill the characteristics of the Messiah. One only must believe. There is amazing mercy for those who believe.