THE INCREDIBLE MERCY OF GOD

I think we tend to minimize or overlook God’s mercy. Peter didn’t, but he did not mince words as he preached to the crowd about their sin of killing the “Righteous One.” However, then he said something that really surprised me. Peter softened the blow by claiming that they had acted in ignorance:

• “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.” (Acts 3:17)

Hadn’t their rulers acted in full awareness of the miracles Jesus had performed? Even after the rulers had seen Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, they had plotted to kill both Jesus and Lazarus (John 11). How could they have been ignorant?

Even during Peters first sermon, he reminded the crowd that they had been made aware of Jesus through the signs and wonders He had been performing (Acts 2:22). How the could they have been ignorant?

It also seems that Paul too had hardened his heart against the evidences of Jesus’ Personhood. Yet he too had claimed that he had been forgiven because he had acted “ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13).

Do these examples represent a contradiction? Before we try to reconcile these verses, I’d like to add fuel to the controversy with some related examples. Jesus had warned that if anyone denied Him, He would deny this person before the Father (Luke 9:26). However, Peter had denied Christ three times, and yet, after His resurrection, He appointed Peter to oversee the welfare of His flock (John 21:15-17)

This very same paradox is found throughout the Scriptures, indicating that it is intentional. Lot had lived a very compromised life in Sodom. Even after witnessing the horror of its destruction, he had even allowed his daughters to get him drunk so that they could be impregnated by their father. Yet, three times he is referred to as a righteous man:

• “and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard). (2 Peter 2:7-8)

Could this represent a contradiction or an oversight? It cannot. Instead, we encounter this same “contradiction” throughout. Let’s look at three examples of exemplary faith, where we do not find faith when we examine the original accounts in Genesis and Exodus:

• By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. (Hebrews 11:20)

However, the Genesis account indicates that Isaac had been deceived and blessed Jacob rather than his favorite son Esau.

• By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:27)

However, the Exodus account indicates that Moses had fearfully fled Egypt. In the next account, in God’s eyes, Israel crossed the divided sea by faith:

• By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. (Hebrews 11:29)

However, the original account indicates that they were in rebellion against both Moses and God.

These accounts and many others can be easily harmonized once we realize that our Savior is incredibly gracious. He sees faith and righteousness where we fail to see it.

I derive two lessons from this. God is more gracious with me than I can imagine. While I might see myself as a spiritual failure, my Savior sees me as a spiritual giant.

The second lesson is as the first. I must also regard God’s children as righteous men and women of valor, even if I don’t see them in this light.

However, after Peter extended to his audience God’s gracious judgment that they had killed Jesus in “ignorance,” he then delivered the needful warning to repent:

• “‘And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet [Jesus] shall be destroyed from the people.'” (Acts 3:23)

Peter demonstrated the principle that it is the graciousness of God that is supposed to lead us to repentance, without which we face destruction.