Psalm 103

“The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”  Psalm 103:6-14 (NKJV)

The thing that separates the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from all other (false) religions is the reality that He is merciful. Yes, the Koran says that Allah is merciful, but mercy is not a trait we have come to expect from Islam.  The way they treat women and minorities testifies otherwise. When natural disasters occur, the overwhelming compassionate aid comes from the Christian community, which does not discriminate between faiths with respect to humanitarian efforts.  That is because God is merciful.  Because we have received mercy and grace from Him, we extend it to others.

With respect to other Eastern religions (Buddhism, Hinduism), Karma states that you ultimately get what your sin deserves.  Mercy says that you do not get what your sin deserves, to the extent that you should have gotten it!  You see, God created us, and He REMEMBERS that we are dust that He breathed life into.

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.”  Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)

Not only does God know we are incapable of living sinless lives, but He has chosen to redeem us, Himself.  Our salvation was His plan, even before creation.  (Micah 5:2; Revelation 13:8; 1 Peter 1:20)

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah [Christ] died for us.”  Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.” Hosea 13:14 (NKJV)

So, if the Lord bestows mercy and redeems, how is it that He can also execute righteousness and justice?  Don’t those concepts contradict each other?  Absolutely not!  Enter: Jesus.  Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and shortcomings. He purchased redemption for us on the cross and rose from the grave!  And He is alive today, offering salvation (grace and mercy) to whoever will turn from their sin, believes He is Lord, and receive it. (John 3:16)