The Wisdom from Above Is Full of Mercy and Good Fruits
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September 16, 2018 |
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"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:17-18).
Dr. Jaerock Lee,
Senior Pastor of Manmin Central Church
Chairman, The United Holiness Church of Jesus Christ
Permanent President, The World Christianity Revival Mission Association
Founder & Board Chairman, Global Christian Network
Founder & Board Chairman, World Christian Doctors Network
Founder & Board Chairman, Manmin International Seminary
Founder & Board Chairman, The Alliance Holiness Theological Seminary
Doctorate of Ministry, and Honorary Doctorate of Divinity
His sermons were broadcast by the Far East Broadcasting Company and the Asia Broadcast Station.
He conducted crusades in New York City, Washington D. C., Baltimore, Maryland, Los Angeles, and in Hawaii of the USA; Japan; India; Pakistan; the Philippines; Argentina; Honduras; Peru; Russia; Germany; Kenya; Tanzania; Uganda; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Jerusalem of Israel; and Estonia.
In the United States during the Great Depression an elderly lady was caught stealing a loaf of bread and stood in the court. Her daughter was sick in bed and they had not eaten for three days. She said she had to do something because her grandchildren were starving.
After hearing her story, the judge sentenced her to a fine of 10 dollars because it was wrong to steal from others though she was in a pitiful situation. The mayor of the city was there and said, "I am responsible for her, yet I left her living in such misery, so I will pay the fine."
He also passed his hat among the people there and said, "If you want to pay for such a fine too, put your money in the hat." The old lady shed tears when she received 47 dollars from the people as well as the ten dollars from the mayor.
1. Relations between Mercy and Good Fruits
Mercy generally means to have pity on others. But spiritually, mercy is not just to have pity on others. It is to consider one soul more precious than the whole world. Even though a person seems to be completely hopeless, we should not give up on him but instead we must try to lead him to salvation. To have this mercy, we must try to understand others' hearts in their situations based on goodness cultivated in heart.
When we have this kind of mercy, we can gain wisdom to save souls and lead them to salvation. We can strengthen people who are weary and console those who have broken hearts. All the fruits that we can bear by showing this mercy are 'good fruits.' That is why 'mercy' and 'good fruits' are paired in this passage of scripture.
Because the heart of God is mercy itself, all of us are able to have chances for repentance and also reach salvation. Like the heart of God, the heart of the Lord is also mercy itself. That is why He came to the earth to call sinners and bring them to repentance. He endured even those people who seemed to have no hope of receiving salvation who were like battered reeds and smoldering wicks (Matthew 12:20). He preached the gospel even to those sinners who were despised by others such as tax collectors and prostitutes.
Though Jesus performed amazing works and did only good works, still there were people who opposed Him. There was a person like Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for financial benefit, but Jesus did not forsake even such a person as this, but extended the opportunity for salvation up until the last moment.
He finally died on the cross with the heart of God who considers souls more precious than the whole world and thereby opened the way of salvation for all mankind. Those souls who are saved through the price of the blood of Jesus are 'the good fruits' that Jesus bore through 'mercy.'
2. The Wisdom of Mercy to Save Souls
Spiritually, mercy is not just to have compassion over people and consider them precious. It is shown in the forms of forgiveness, punishment, and charitable giving for the purpose of souls' salvation.
1) The Mercy of Forgiveness
Ephesians 4:32 reads, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
It means we must forgive each other just as God and the Lord showed mercy toward us and forgave us. But to have mercy and forgive others, we have to understand others from their standpoints. With our own viewpoints, we may not be able to understand them. But, if we understand them putting ourselves in their shoes, we can forgive them.
For example, let's suppose an unbelieving husband treats his wife badly. If she tries to understand him from his point of view, she may feel sorry for him and have compassion for him. She can even blame herself for the persecution he brings on her and pray for him with love. When she can offer such a prayer of mercy, God can move the heart of her husband. Also, when she talks to him, she will receive the wisdom to move his heart.
Something very natural and obvious for a believing wife may not be understood by the unbelieving husband. So, when talking about church or faith, if the wife speaks only from her viewpoint, they will only have arguments. If they have arguments, their feelings will be agitated, and the husband will have more discomfort in his heart. So, she should not just say her husband is wrong, but she has to understand his heart and think from his viewpoint. Only then will she be given wisdom.
Here is another example. Some people, though they are leaders in the church, they complain over every matter and give hard times to others. Or, there are people who have listened to the truth for a long time but still have falsehood. Some others insist on their own ideas or some like to gossip. Still others seek to satisfy their greed. When you see such people you may not be able to understand them. But they may also want to renew themselves. They also want to become strength to the church with love for God.
But, from the time they were born or as they were growing up in undesirable environments, a lot of untruths are planted in them. So, they have little strength to change their heart into goodness. They know in their brain that they have to act in goodness, but they cannot. Then, more than anybody else, they themselves suffer. If you understand them and stand in their shoes you may feel pity and compassion for them and you can feel sorry for them even when they grumble. Even if they cause you loss or discomfort, you can endure and embrace them.
Since the opening of this church, there have been people who caused troubles to this church with things that could not be understood at all. Some people had even experienced God's great works but then suddenly changed and opposed the church. I did not talk about their wrongdoings because I believe it might be better to endure with and wait for them if they would not accept advice or a rebuke. And even for those who have already left the church, I do not mention their faults to leave the door open for them to repent and come back.
But I am not saying we have to forgive all things unconditionally. Forgiveness is meant to save the people. But sometimes, not covering a person's fault, but to bring it to their attention by rebuking is mercy intended to save that person. If he does not understand that point, he may not realize what kind of wall of sin he has built between him and God. Then, he will fall into the way of death.
2) The Mercy of Punishment
It may sound like forgiveness and punishment are in opposition, but in fact they are not. It is because the punishment in mercy is done with love. Hebrews 12:5-6 says, "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives." And the following verse 8 states, "But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons." Because God loves us and because we are His children, God may punish us when we do something wrong. But if we pile up too much of a wall of sin and God turns His face from us, there will not be any further punishments for correction.
Some people try to cover their faults and continue to give excuses to avoid any reproof, or because their shortcomings are revealed, they become disheartened. These things are in fact very foolish. If you are wise, you have to turn from sins immediately. When you repent with a humble heart God will surely forgive you and allow you to recover, even from such difficulties.
In a certain situation, you may come to know about some faults of brothers in faith and you have to give them advice, reprove, or rebuke them. You have to check your heart very carefully. You may cover it as advice given in love, but it may be in fact to point them out within your self-righteousness and frameworks. If you give advice without mercy, they may not listen. If they do not accept your advice, then you may think they look down on you and you may feel your pride hurt. So, you may rebuke them with stronger words in an effort to make them admit their fault.
This kind of rebuke is worse than not attempting it at all. Even though we quote the word of God, we cannot see the works of repentance unless it is done with love. It will not let them realize their fault nor move their heart. But rather it will only cause ill-feelings or dishearten them. They may have been trying to do better realizing their fault, but as they hear advice or criticism that contains such ill-feelings, they may be discouraged and just fall away.
Therefore, when we give advice to a person or punish somebody, we have to do it with mercy that contains a true understanding of his heart from his standpoint. We have to pray for him and give advice with love that can even give our life for him. When we have this kind of heart, we can guide him to the truth even through punishment if necessary. If we truly have worried concerns about him and have mercy on him, we will be wise even when we reprove him.
In the book of Revelation, we see the Lord rebuking the church of Ephesus. Before He rebuked the church of Ephesus, He first praised what they had done well. When their heart was opened after hearing such praises, He pointed out what they had done wrong and then continued to give them stern warning and rebuke about it. After rebuking them, He praised them one more time concerning something they had done well (Revelation 2:2-6). That is, He encouraged them by praising another good point after the rebuke so that they would not lose heart. I hope you will also utilize this kind of wisdom to open the hearts of others.
3) Mercy of Charitable Work
If we have mercy, we will offer a helping hand to people in need. We will not just feel pity for them. 1 John 3:18 says, "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth." True mercy is to help others with deeds and in truth.
First, above all else, we have to have mercy for those who do not know the gospel. Because we have mercy we preach the gospel even though we are persecuted or even if it puts our own lives in danger. Also, we have to show mercy to and take care of those who failed in this world, those who are sick, and the neglected. When we show mercy with truth in this way, God will also show His mercy to us. God gives us more blessings when we share what we have with others and serve them (Luke 6:38). That is why to help others is wisdom.
In Acts 9 appears a woman called Tabitha living in Joppa. Despite severe persecutions in those days, she preached the gospel diligently without sparing herself and shared what she had with other people. She especially looked after widows who were in need and did many good and charitable works. When she became sick and died, many widows asked God to bring her back to life.
Right then, they heard Peter was near Joppa and implored him to come for Tabitha. When Peter arrived, the widows shed tears and showed the clothes Tabitha had made for them. Her good deeds and charitable works reached God, and she was brought back to life through Peter's prayer.
Charitable works please God, but when we help others, we have to use discernment. As Galatians 6:10 says, "So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith," we should help the household of faith. If you help people who became poor due to alcohol addiction or gambling, you cannot receive blessing. Suppose a person has a financial problem due to his lawless action. If you have mercy on him, support him financially, or work with him, you may even fall into the difficulty together with him. When Jonah was suffering because of his disobedience against God, you know very well that those who were with him suffered together with him (Jonah 1).
Even in the case of forgiveness or punishment, it should be done to save souls. The charity or relief given should be done for the same purpose: to save souls. But if we help others without discernment, we may cause others harm. What if they use the money we give to commit a crime! It cannot be true charitable work.
But sometimes, I help those who are in trials because of their unrighteous acts, even when they are cheating me. It is to give a chance of repentance to them and to find the way to save them. Of course, some of them do not repent until the end and finally leave God. Even in such cases, God remembers the faith, love, and mercy of charitable works I sowed for them and pays me back with blessings.
3. Wisdom of Mercy Full of Good Fruits
If we have abundant mercy, we will be full of good fruits. Above all, we will gain the fruit of salvation by leading many souls to salvation. If we act with mercy we will also bear good fruits in our heart.
Jesus also harvested countless fruits with His indescribable mercy. He voluntarily took the pain of death with His mercy for the dying souls. With that fruit, innumerable souls went the way of salvation. The mercy of Jesus bore countless fruits to include Peter, who preached the gospel until he was crucified upside down and John, who used to be called son of thunder but changed into an apostle of love. Besides such biblical figures, all of you are all good fruits borne by the mercy of the Lord Jesus.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
God wants us to have the wisdom of mercy and full of good fruits and take care of all souls with love (Matthew 9:13; Hebrews 13:16). I hope you will understand His heart and please Him by loving your neighbors in deed and truth, consoling the heartbroken, and helping others. I pray in the name of the Lord that by pleasing Him that way you will fulfill your hearts' desires (Psalm 37:4).
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