A close relationship exists between God's mercy and God's grace. That close relationship is seen in "Foundation Lesson A" in Ephesians 2:4-9. God's grace expresses God's mercy. God's being rich in mercy loved evil people. God's love for people existed because God is full of mercy. God's love gave us salvation. It is a gift because no person could do [can do] anything to earn it. God's grace [His goodness] gives us the gift. The Christians in Ephesus should not think that obedience earned God's salvation. Obedience does not earn salvation. Obedience says, "Thank you," to God for the gift.
Because of God's grace, He forgives our past sins when we are baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26-28). God's grace allows us to be God's sons and daughters in His family instead of God's enemies. God's grace continues to forgive our sins after we are baptized. God's grace does not give us permission to do evil. If we escaped evil, we do not want to be recaptured by evil. We want the new life God gives us in Christ.
Read again Romans 6:1-4. Paul is writing to Christians living in Rome. Paul wanted them to remember the purpose of their baptism. God's grace did not give them permission to continue to do evil. Christians desire the new life. The new life comes when our faith in Jesus and our commitment to redirect life causes us to be baptized.
How does God's grace provide continuing forgiveness? Read 1 John 1:5-10. John is writing to Christians. If you read the whole letter, you see that John wrote to struggling, discouraged Christians. His letter was written to encourage them. His encouragement began early in the letter. Notice in 1:5-10 that these Christians struggled because of the evil within them. They needed to understand God's forgiveness. They needed to understand (1) the evil within them was real and (2) only God's forgiveness could destroy the evil. Verse 8 said for a Christian to say, "I have no evil," is to deceive himself or herself.
Notice verse 6 said if a Christian claimed to live for God each day and intentionally did evil, he or she lied. Christians cannot choose to do evil and be sons or daughters in God's family. Christians want to practice the truth. Each day they want to live in God's ways. Their everyday emphasis is on "doing" God's will, not just "knowing" God's will. Christians "practice" the truth. Their knowledge of Jesus guides the way they live.
Notice verse 7 states a Christian's first responsibility if continuing forgiveness happens. Christians know they properly place the emphasis on practicing the truth when they do two things. First, they "walk in the light." They allow Jesus' teachings to show them how to live. They allow Jesus' teachings to guide them in all relationships and in all personal conduct. Second, they have fellowship with other Christians. They are family to God's other sons and daughters. If Christians let Jesus' teachings guide their lives, if they are family to God's sons and daughters, Jesus' blood keeps removing all sins.
Verse 9 states the second responsibility for continuing forgiveness to happen. When a Christian realizes that he or she offended God, he or she confesses to God the evil. If a Christian confesses to God the sins he or she knows were committed, God is faithful and righteous. He keeps His promise.
What promise does God keep? He forgives the confessed sins, and also cleanses the Christian from all unrighteousness. If a Christians does three things, God's forgiveness constantly occurs in his or her life. (1) If the Christian lets Jesus' teachings guide him or her; (2) if the Christian is family to God's other sons and daughters; (3) if the Christian confesses to God his or her mistakes; God cleanses him or her from all sin and from all unrighteousness. God forgives the evil the Christian knows was committed and the evil the Christian committed in ignorance.
The Christian can do those three things. God can forgive all sin and cleanse all unrighteousness. Any Christian who says he or she does not need this forgiveness declares God is a liar. God's word is not in that Christian.
God's mercy gave us forgiveness. God's grace continues that forgiveness.
REVIEW QUESTIONS from 1 John 1:5-10