Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Matthew 9:12-13 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
LIGHT BULB NO. 3 -- SALVATION IS FREE
Once we know that Jesus is the Savior and that the salvation He offers is for all people, the next logical question that pops into our heads is how we can get that salvation. The answer is apparent for many of us who have had years of education in God's Word, but imagine what a mystery it is to those who have not had that light shine in their hearts. This was where the Pharisees' hearts were when they questioned Jesus for associating with "tax collectors and sinners" (v. 11).
Jesus' response was simple. He calls sinners to faith -- not those who think they are righteous before God on their own. This was true, and remains true today, because those who understand that they are sinners are ready to understand their need for repentance. And where repentance exists, so does God’s mercy, as Jesus quoted from the prophet Hosea.
There are two main differences between "mercy" and "sacrifice." The first difference is in the substance of the action. Mercy is shown to make a change and evokes a response. A sacrifice is the result of mercy's effect on a sinful and forgiven heart. The second difference between mercy and sacrifice is in the agent or doer of the action. God does mercy, people do sacrifices. In the context of salvation, God's mercy is the cause, or what makes salvation effective. A sacrifice is done in response to God’s free gift of salvation. We can only offer sacrifices to God because He has shown us mercy. Both of these differences reveal why mercy trumps sacrifice when it comes to salvation.
By emphasizing this relationship, Jesus isn't saying that He despises our response (sacrifices) to salvation. He most certainly wants us to express our thanks and praise for His blessings. Jesus is simply teaching that God's mercy is the cause of our salvation, our response of sacrifices, in whatever form they take, is the effect of what God has done for us. This is the proper cause and effect of salvation and its epiphany shows us that salvation is a free gift from God.
