God's Signature of Grace

Q: What does the Bible say about God's mercy and grace?

The Bible describes God as merciful and gracious, revealing His attributes consistently throughout Scripture, especially in Christ. In Exodus 34:6-7, God reveals His character to Moses, describing Himself as merciful, gracious, and abundant in goodness and truth. Throughout the Old Testament, these attributes are demonstrated through God's actions towards the Israelites. Importantly, all of these characteristics are fulfilled in Christ, where God's mercy, grace, and justice coexist perfectly without compromise. Only in Christ do we see the full display of God's unwavering goodness, as He paid the penalty for our sins and intercedes for us. This consistent revelation reassures us that God does not change, and His traits remain constant throughout time.

Q: How do we know God's attributes are true?

God's attributes are inherently true and unchanging, as demonstrated through Scripture and fully embodied in Christ. God's attributes are not dependent on human perception but are intrinsic to His very nature. In Exodus 34, God proclaims His name and character to Moses, emphasizing His unwavering mercy and justice. These attributes do not fluctuate based on circumstances or human understanding; rather, they are fundamental to who God is. The assurance that God remains constant is reiterated throughout the Old and New Testaments. For example, in John 1:14, we see that 'the Word became flesh' and displayed God's glory, full of grace and truth. Thus, the truth of God's attributes is grounded in Scripture, and our understanding is enriched through Christ, who embodies these traits perfectly.

Q: Why is understanding God's mercy important for Christians?

Understanding God's mercy is crucial for Christians as it assures us of His loving character and the grace offered in Christ. God's mercy is central to the Christian faith, functioning as a foundation for our understanding of salvation and relationship with Him. In Exodus 34, God introduces Himself as merciful, ensuring that even when we falter, His love remains steadfast. For those of us who are sinners, grasping this attribute encourages us to confidently approach God, knowing that His mercy prevails over our shortcomings. Moreover, this understanding leads us to appreciate the significance of Christ's sacrifice. His blood not only atones for sin but also exemplifies God's mercy in action. In trials, recognizing God's merciful nature provides comfort and hope, revealing that despite our circumstances, His character is consistently good and forgiving.

Q: Where can we see God's attributes in the New Testament?

God's attributes are prominently displayed in the New Testament through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, God's attributes come to full fruition in the person of Jesus Christ. John 1:14 highlights that the Word became flesh, embodying grace and truth in a tangible way. Jesus' interactions reveal God's compassion, mercy, and justice, consistent with what was revealed in the Old Testament. For instance, in Hebrews 2:17, Jesus is described as a merciful and faithful high priest, highlighting His role in reconciling humanity with God. Furthermore, His teachings emphasize God's loving-kindness and readiness to forgive, as illustrated in the parables. Christ's life serves as a perfect manifestation of God’s attributes, assuring us that in Him, we find the essence of who God is.

Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy chapter 4. Our pastor and Janet are at the beach, where he told me today they're having a great time. They have Grayson, as well as one of Grayson's friends, who's also three, and another one who I think is under one. So Frank said that from the time before breakfast until the time they fall asleep, it's 100 miles an hour. And then after their nap, it's 100 miles an hour again until bedtime. But as you can imagine, they're having a great time.

Deuteronomy chapter 4. Let's start reading in verse 25. When thou shalt beget children and children's children, ye shall have remained long in the land and shall corrupt yourselves and make a graven image or the likeness of anything, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God to provoke him to anger. I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it. Ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen. whether the Lord shall lead you, and there ye shall serve gods and the work of men's hands, wood and stone, and neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.

But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him. If thou seek with all thy heart, with all thy soul, when thou art in tribulation and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, If thou turn to the Lord thy God and shall be obedient unto his voice, he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he swear unto them. And why it's in parentheses. Why will the Lord not forsake you for the Lord? Thy God is a merciful God. That's why.

Amen. We'll end our reading there, Sean. If you would turn in your hymnal to song number 233, and we'll sing Depth of Mercy. 233. Depth of mercy, can there be? Mercy still reserved for me. Can my God his wrath forbear? Me, the chief of sinners, spare. I have long withstood his grace, long provoked him to his face. Would not hearken to his calls, Grieved him by a thousand falls. Now incline me to repent. Let me now my sins lament. Now my foul revolt deplore. weep, believe, and sin no more. There for me my Savior stands, holding forth His wounded hands. God is love, I know, I feel. Jesus weeps and loves me still. Okay, if you would now turn to song number 290, Be Still My Soul. 290. Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide. In every change, he faithful will remain. Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly friend. Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Be still, my soul, thy God doth undertake. to guide the future as he has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake. All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul, the waves and winds still know.

His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below. Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on. when we shall be forever with the Lord. When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone. Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul, when change and tears are past. All safe and blessed we shall meet at last. Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Exodus chapter 34. Exodus chapter 34. Starting in verse six.

And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the children's children, under the third and the fourth generation. generation.

And Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. I'd like to look this evening, I've titled the message, God's signature of grace, God's signature of grace. And what I've been studying is the Lord revealing the attributes of who he is in In these verses, his attributes, his character, his goodness, he reveals who he is.

And then through the Old Testament, as he told Moses, as he told the children of Israel who he is, He showed the children of Israel exactly who he was through, through their deliverance. He, he showed his, his mercy. He showed his goodness. He showed his faithfulness. He showed his long suffering all through the old Testament, through the, to the children of Israel. He, he, he revealed to them his character. Then he, he showed them his character. And then he, he shows that exact same character. in salvation in only one place, only one place, only in Christ. All of his characteristics are unchanged and steady and unwavering.

Only in Christ, only in Christ do we see his mercifulness, his goodness, his graciousness, his long suffering, his patience, his keeping mercy for thousands, his forgiveness and his justice. None of which ever wavers. One doesn't diminish. You almost hate to say characteristic of God as if he's not one. He is one. He is the great I am. And all of his attributes are on full display all the time. One isn't diminished so that another may be more on display, if you will.

So in these verses, and that's what I want to spend our time looking at, is his attributes in the Old Testament and how they're fulfilled in Christ in the New Testament. And in these verses, again, God proclaims his character, his attributes, his goodness, who he is. He declares those to Moses. And he lists these attributes of his character as merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness. Abundant in truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving and just. And anywhere outside of Christ, one of those attributes is absolutely going to be compromised. Anywhere outside of Christ, one of those attributes is going to be compromised.

And notice there in verse six, the Lord, he proclaimed his name twice. He says, the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God. And I don't, I'm giving a big disclaimer here because I don't pretend to know exactly why he repeats his name twice. But I read of a Jewish tradition that whether or not that's why the Lord repeats his name here twice or not, I don't know. But the tradition is true and I liked it and I wanted to share it. Jewish tradition says the reason Lord, proclaims his name twice here is to reiterate the fact that he's the same God before Adam's fall as he is after Adam's fall.

He was merciful and just before the fall. He's merciful and just after the fall. The character of God before Adam sinned is no different than the character of God after Adam sinned. The character of God before my sin is no different whatsoever than the character of God after my sin. He is still merciful and gracious and just and long-suffering. He is still abundant in goodness and abundant in truth. He's still forgiving.

And don't you love that word abundant? In my mind, I define that as however much I can imagine. More. Much more. That's abundant. Whatever I can imagine of his goodness, he is. much more good. He's abundant in goodness. He's abundant in truth. And again, God expresses all of those traits all the time. So where His mercy and grace is found, His justice is found. Where His long-suffering is, so is His goodness. Where His forgiveness is, so is His truth. And again, one does not diminish so that another may be shown, What a contrast to us who are just, we're so inconsistent. We're so inconsistent. But God is holy. God is other. God is other. God calls himself I am. I am and the whole of his character is on display always. Always as far back and always as far into the future. The wholeness of his good character is on full display at all times.

Left to ourselves, this is what we think. And if you ever make the mistake of getting on internet religious chat pages, this is what you see. Don't make that mistake. We think this. Lord teaches us who he is. This is if we're left to ourselves, we think this. This is the best vain man can come up with. Lord reveals himself for who he is.

And if we choose to believe that, then we're saved. But that's just the religion of works. That's what that is. That's a reward as the result of my belief. And that's a lie. I wrote that down with our children in mind, wanting them to hear that. That's a lie. There's no peace there. There's no peace. Faith is the evidence, right? Faith is the evidence. It's not the cause of God's mercy. Faith is the evidence of God's mercy. I was struck by this thought while I was studying, what if, and I think of Paul saying I speak foolishly, because how can we talk about what if of God if it's not? But bear with me.

What if God had never revealed himself? What if he didn't tell Moses and reveal to Moses who he was? What if he didn't show the people of Israel who he was? What if he didn't reveal himself? who he is and his character to us. Would that change anything at all about who he is?

Of course not. God in justice could have cast Adam out of the garden. He could have condemned all of humanity for all time. And would God have been just? Of course, of course. But even in the process of saving his sinful elect in time, Even in that process, what if he never revealed himself to anyone? What if he saw fit to accomplish salvation for all of his people, yet never reveal his character, never reveal who he was to any of them, any of us, while we're in this world? Would his attributes here be diminished in any way whatsoever? No. No, God would still be just, God would still be merciful, God would still be holy.

God's attributes are inherent to his nature, right? They don't depend on our awareness of them in order to be true. God's attributes are inherent to who he is. He's the great I am. Again, not at all dependent on my awareness of them to make them true. We're in no way a catalyst. We're a catalyst of sin.

If Christ paid a sinner's debt and they woke up in glory, would justice and mercy still be satisfied? Yes. Would the sinner still be able to stand before God, the holy God, based on Christ's work? The debt would still be paid, and God's law satisfied.

Turn with me, if you would, to Genesis chapter three. I'm gonna be done talking about that. I felt foolish even saying, what if God did that, because God doesn't do that. Genesis chapter three, here in verse 21, again, Isaiah says that God's ways are higher than our ways, right? They're as high as the heaven is above the earth.

That's how high his ways are above our ways. That's how high his thoughts are above our thoughts. Our God does not provide a solely transactional justice, right? Not a solely transactional justice. Although if he did, that'd be worthy of our praise and love and glory and worship for all of eternity. But his ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Because of his good character, God has provided both the legal justification for all of his children, but he also displays a personal love for his sheep.

When Adam fell, God provided the sacrifice and picture of Christ, right? When he killed the animal and made the coats of skin. But look here, Genesis chapter three, read verse 21 with me. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skin and clothed them, and clothed them. Here he displays his love when he clothed them, Adam. fallen man, rebellious, treasonous, sinful, fallen man.

Could, again, I hate to even talk like this, but could God have shown the picture of the sacrifice in killing of the animal and providing the skin as a picture of his sacrifice and his finished work and his justice? Could he have done that as a picture of Christ and left it right there? Yes, he could have.

But our God, because all of his attributes are on display all the time, displayed his mercy, displayed his justice, and displayed his love when he clothed them with the skins. And I was just so touched by that, how personal and touching, because the unending extent of his goodness and love, he clothed them. In his vast goodness, he sees fit out of his abundant mercy, he does see fit to reveal his character. to dead sinners. And thank God he doesn't leave us to ourselves.

Because left to ourselves, we wouldn't seek and we wouldn't find him. But he reveals himself to sinners. Sinners fallen in Adam and we prove our own deadness by our works, right? By our own sinfulness. He reveals himself to sinners. Because of his character, because of his goodness, because of who he is, he sees fit to reveal himself to sinners.

He reveals his mercifulness His graciousness, His long-suffering, His abundance in goodness, His abundance in truth. He keeps mercy for thousands. He's forgiving. He's just. And to the children of Israel here in Exodus, the Lord told them who He was. And again, then He proceeded to show them throughout the wilderness, all through the Old Testament. God proved each of His attributes over time.

And we hang all of our hope, all of our hope on who God is on these attributes in this day, right today on our way home. When we get up in the morning, when we go to school, when we go to work, when we're at home, we hang all of our hope in this day on his goodness, on his stated revealed attributes of who he is. on his revealed character, and we rely on them all, all of his goodness. We hang all of our hope on his goodness in salvation also, in salvation.

And when is this most precious to us? We think of his attributes. We think of who he is. We think of his character. When is that most precious to us? It's in trial, isn't it? Sadly, we tend to grasp onto his character most when nothing at all around us looks like his character at all, when nothing looks good or gracious or merciful, when nothing looks forgiving, when nothing looks good, when nothing looks truthful. That's when we lean most on him, when we turn away from the flesh, which is very real, right? Trials are very real. and they're temporal, and we turn to God who is permanent. That's when we tend to.

And at least 19 times in the Old Testament, sinners invoked this verse in prayer and in comfort, reminding themselves that even though the circumstances may look otherwise, God does not change. How many times do the Psalms start with David declaring God's sovereignty? David was brought low many, many times. Boy, that's a good place to start, is to come back and speak. David says, oh, my soul, if you will, talks to himself. We all do, right? I say, my soul.

And we start going through and reminding ourselves of God's characteristics, often starting with his sovereignty and working through his mercifulness, his graciousness, his long-suffering. And before you know it, things are just not quite as bleak, right? At least 19 times, this verse is invoked by sinners reminding themselves, God does not change. God is still merciful. God is still gracious. And let's look at it. We'll take a look at a couple of those. Turn with me, if you would, to Numbers chapter 14. Numbers chapter 14. The children of Israel in this chapter, they were murmuring and they even said, let us return to Egypt. Can you imagine? Let us return to Egypt where they were slaves and mistreated. Let us return to Egypt, they said.

And the Lord said, correctly and rightly, I'll smite them with pestilence and I'll disinherit them. And based on the sinfulness of these people, Moses had no right whatsoever to expect mercy based on their sinfulness, right? God would have been just to destroy him. What possible grounds does Moses have to request the stay of execution? Look here at chapter 14, verse 18, Moses said, the Lord is long suffering and of great mercy. This sounds a lot like our text in Exodus. Long suffering, of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgressions, By no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the Children under the third and fourth generation. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people.

Based on what? Based on on what does Moses hang all of his hope of asking the Lord? Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of these people because they won't do it again. No, that's that's not what Moses because they didn't mean it. No. No, Moses says, pardon I beseech thee, he hangs all of his hope right here, according to the greatness of thy mercy, as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now. Moses calls upon God's good character. That's good standing, to call upon God for who he is.

Second Chronicles chapter 30, verse nine says, if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them, that led them captive so that they shall come again into this land. Why? For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you. Sinners like I speak to myself here that these are the Lord's words. Lord, your God is gracious and merciful. He will not turn his face from you.

Turn with me if you would, over to Psalm. We were talking about David a little earlier, Psalm chapter 86. Excuse me. Here through Psalm chapter 86, in all these first few verses, first four verses, David asks, he petitions the Lord, bow down thine ear, preserve my soul, be merciful unto me, rejoice in the soul of thy servant.

Why? In verse five. Why? For thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Did David point to himself? Of course not. It's heresy to say, but to do this for me and I'll do that for you. And that's our nature, right? That's not a good standing. There's no peace there.

You call upon the Lord's goodness because the Lord is good. That's what David said. For thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Later in that same chapter, in verse 15, David says, but thou, O Lord, art to God full of compassion and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Again, invoking exactly who the Lord said he was in Exodus. David calls upon God's attributes, God for who he is shown in his attributes for comfort and for deliverance. And again, what, what right did Moses have to ask? What right did David have to ask? What right do we have to ask for, for God's, for God's mercy? We have no right whatsoever outside of who he is outside of who he is. And there we do have a right.

Yet with no contradiction whatsoever to his character, God says in Isaiah, God says, ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. He that hath no money, come. Buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And we do.

And your labor for that which satisfieth not, hearken diligently unto me, eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. God says, incline your ear and come unto me, hear, hear, and your soul shall live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. The covenant that was based upon his own goodness, because he will. according to his own lovingkindness, right?

That begat he us. Why? According to his own lovingkindness, according to his own character, according to who he is. Never, ever in a response to us. Not in a response to us. Because of who he is. Again, what gives any sinner a right to call upon God without price? It's his holy character. It's who he is.

Oftentimes in the scripture the Lord says, as he did in our text, either I am the Lord, or I am, or I the Lord. And we often see this, especially in the Old Testament as we're reading through, either right before or right after a remarkable statement of what the Lord's going to do, or has done. these remarkable promises of goodness to his people. And last week, when our pastor was reading through a text, he read one of those, and he and I talked after the service, and I was just so struck by the fact that we were talking afterwards. That's his signature at the bottom of saying what he's going to do. What's our hope? Our hope is on the fact of who he is. He signed it saying, I, the Lord, will do these things. I am the Lord.

If I sign a check, right, that's my signature on a check, it's honored if two things are true. One, if it's my account, right? If I own the account, then my signature means something. And two, if I'm good for it, right? I have to have the money in the bank or else the check just not going clear, no matter what my signature says. I'm the owner of the account, but I have no ability in the account to write a check more than about three bucks. So I have to be the owner of the account and I have to be good for it.

And when we see this signature in the scripture saying, I the Lord, I am the Lord being used, he's bringing to mind to the children of Israel those same two things. He's bringing to mind to the children of Israel his ownership. Just like I own the check account, he's bringing to mind to the children of Israel and to us, we the children of Israel, his ownership. his ownership, his attributes, his goodness, his mercy, his ownership.

It's his sovereign right to act and do just exactly what he says he's going to do because it's his sovereign right. It's not his given right. It's not his earned right. It's the right that comes from within him. It's his absolute sovereign ownership and right to do exactly what he says he's going to do and that he's good for it. It's his deliverance.

How many times did God deliver the children of Israel from impossible circumstances? Impossible. From slavery in Egypt. From the Red Sea. I mean, can you imagine standing before the Red Sea with the world's largest army coming behind you? You can hear the chariot wheels thundering and the horses. No hope whatsoever.

None. and the Lord delivered, right? The Lord delivered because of his goodness, because of his sovereign right, because he's good for his word. The Red Sea, he delivered them from thirst and hunger, from snakes and pestilence, from giants and armies and death, all of which the children of Israel had zero chance against, none whatsoever. And he says, I'm the Lord, and that's That's our reminder of his ownership and his attributes that he's good for it. He is. He's ever faithful. That applies to. That applies to salvation. Because how can man? How can man be just with God? How can how? How can a sinner? Stand in the presence. Of a holy. Unchanging God. There is. No hope.

I think I've shared this, this story before, but I remember sitting singing, uh, what can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. I think I've said this before, but you bear with me. You get to a certain age, you repeat stories a lot. And, but I remember sitting there singing, what can wash away my sins? Nothing. Because the blood of Jesus meant nothing to me. And outside of the blood of Jesus, that's the answer. What can wash away my sins? Nothing. What can make me whole again? Nothing. No different than the children of Israel. How in the world can they escape their captors? How can they escape? They can't.

Outside of the Lord's attributes, the Lord's goodness, the Lord's deliverance, because he put his signature of grace on that and said, I'll deliver you. And he did. That translates to salvation. Where are his promises found? Only in Christ. Only in Christ.

Back to Exodus. Let's turn back to Exodus chapter 6, verse 6. A couple more examples of where he says, I am the Lord, his signature of grace. Exodus six, starting in verse six, wherefore say unto the Children of Israel, I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

I will rid you out of their bondage. I'll redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgments. I will take you to me for a people. I will be your God and he shall know that I am the Lord, your God, which brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I'll bring you into the land. Concerning the witch, I did swear to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for an heritage. I am the Lord." He signed that before, and he signed that afterwards. And can you imagine? Every single one of these people was born into slavery. They couldn't even possibly have a concept of what freedom felt like, or having a land of their own would possibly even feel like. No concept. But the Lord signed his promise. Based on his own goodness, his own power, his own right, his own mercy, he's able to deliver.

I'll read a few other ones. In Exodus chapter 20, it says, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Again, reminding the children of Israel who he is, his attributes. Isaiah 41 says, who hath wrought and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning.

I the Lord. The first. And with the last. I am he. Isaiah 43 says I even I am the Lord beside me. There is no Savior. All of his characteristics. That's where they are. I the Lord beside me. There is no Savior. Isaiah 45 I formed the light and I create darkness. I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things. not a different Lord, the same Lord, the same attributes. I, the Lord, do these things.

Jeremiah 9 says, thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let them that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, saith the Lord." There he is, his signature, his signature of grace.

In Malachi we read, for I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. All these examples, and there's so many more. Every verse has God's signature stamped on it. All these examples of God's signature of grace, if you will, and they call to mind, they call to mind his attributes because we're dust and we won't remember and we won't think and we'll be wise in our own sight. And then we hear his signature of grace and we remember who he is. That's one of the reasons we meet together so that we can do just as Moses did and We hear of his attributes, and we hear of who he is, and we do just as Moses did. We bow our heads in worship. So where is God's signature found today?

Where is his mercy and grace found with justice? Mercy and grace found. Where is his long-suffering found with his goodness? Where is his forgiveness found with his truth? again, only in the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, who the scripture says, he is one with God, right?

He's, he's one with God. And he's one with man who, who took the sin of his people in his body on the tree and is the sinless sacrifice. No, no compromise of his attributes whatsoever. No compromise of his goodness, no compromise of his perfection. And He was made sin. He ever reigns above and makes intercession for us in the throne room of God.

How can this be, right? How can these attributes all, they can't, only in Christ. Outside of Christ, they can't. All the attributes of God without any degree of variance whatsoever, without any change are all on full display in the man, the Lord Jesus Christ, at all times. He's never unjust. He's never not good. He's never not merciful. He's never not long-suffering. Never.

Again, this applies to all of us, starting with me. But I was thinking of our kids. There's going to come a day where you're going to be in somewhere listening and we're not going to be there. And when you are, your own dead flesh is going to lie to you and it's going to condemn you. And every message of this world is going to support and encourage that lie. And that lie is this, that you have to get yourself to a certain level of righteousness and then God will accept you. I have to get myself to here. I'm gonna start doing this and I'm gonna stop doing that. I'm gonna get here. And then based on my efforts, based on my goodness, based on my intention, based on my motive, keep listening.

Whatever based on is, if it's anything other than God's attributes, it's death. We stay away from that. And that's going to come from inside our own fleshly heart. That's where it comes from. And then the message of this world is just going to support it over and over and over again. That's not God's signature. God's signature is his attributes. When we hear that salvation is based on anything other than his attributes, that's a counterfeit and run away from it. Get away from it. That's, that's, that's death.

And there is no peace there. There's, No characteristic of Christ that even once ever speaks, ever, of the rejection of a sinner. Never. Never. If the signature you're looking at puts any of the burden of salvation on you, it's a lie. Go away from it. It's counterfeit. Scripture says, Christ receiveth sinners. Christ receiveth sinners. a tale on my mom when I was, oh, probably 10. We had a mouse crawl up under our fridge and die in the drain pan. And we didn't know it was there. I presume we knew it was there, but didn't know where it was.

And oh, my goodness, the stench of that mouse in a quarter inch of water, right? Nasty, right? And it stunk up everything. And the reason, mom told me not to tell anyone. Way back then, when I was 10 years old, she told me not to tell anyone that we had a mouse in our house. 40 years later, I can tell you, I guess. This mouse is in the drain pan, stinking. And we looked everywhere, and then finally looked under the fridge, and got that drain pan out, and found this dead, rotten mouse.

It stunk up the whole house. And that is a smell I recognize still. I've smelled it a few other times in my life. That is a distinct smell that I will just never forget. If I'm someplace and I get a whiff of that, I know exactly what it is. If you're hearing a message that puts any of the burden of salvation on you, that's a stench, right? Stay away from that. We recognize that smell and we stay away from it. We look for the signature of God that always points to his attributes. What right do we have to come before a holy God? We have a right. only because of His goodness. We have that right in Him.

And as we close, I'll go to a few verses pointing to the attributes of God displayed in Christ in the New Testament. Turn with me, if you would, to John chapter 1. John chapter one, starting in verse 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of here's God's attributes, full of grace and truth. John bear witness to him and cried saying this, this was he of whom I spake. He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me and of this fullness have all we received. and grace for grace, for the law was given by Moses, but, and here again, here are those attributes which the Lord revealed were of himself.

Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the father, he hath declared him." Where are God's attributes found? They're found in Christ. Grace and truth, found in John chapter eight. Yeah, let's turn over to John chapter 8 if you would. We're close by. Verse 58, John 8 verse 58. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. There's his signature. Again, all of the attributes of God found right here in the man, Jesus Christ.

And in the next verse, what did the Pharisees do? This is a picture of us left to ourselves. What did the Pharisees do in the very next verse? When he declared, I am, when he declared all of those wonderful attributes of God in him and he declared them, the Pharisees picked up stones and stone him to kill him for it. Again, left to ourselves. That's our rejection of God's attributes found in Christ.

Hebrews two says for, for verily, he took not on him the nature of angel angels, He took on him the seat of Abraham, wherefore, in all things, it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a, and here's two of those attributes again found in Exodus, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 7 says, wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost, which is a reference in Exodus to mercy for thousands, right? Saving mercy for thousands. He's able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. John chapter one, verse 17 says for the law was given by Moses, but here again, the attributes of God, grace and truth came where?

By Christ Jesus. by Christ Jesus. So that in closing, we see in Galatians chapter three, verse 27 says, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, just as God clothed Adam with the animal skins in righteousness, in mercy, in a picture of justice, through blood, in truth, in personal love for his sheep. He clothed Adam in the skins. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, just as those animal skins, a perfect display of Christ's character of mercy and grace and long-suffering, abundant goodness and truth, forgiveness, justice, and love. all of those mercies on full display all the time in the sacrifice of Christ.

So that in Christ, again, we find all of his attributes on full display. And just as the Israelites had a right to call upon God, why? Based on his goodness, based on his attributes, so do we have a right to call upon God because of the goodness and the sacrifice found in Christ.

And we'll end there, amen. Let's pray. Our Holy Heavenly Father, I pray that you bless our time together. Point us point us to Christ. Glorify your name. Pray that you be with us as we as we return home as we go about our day tomorrow. And I pray that you'll continue to keep in the front of my mind and the front of our minds your attributes of goodness that that we may do as Moses did and worship. We think of those that are undergoing particular trials right now that you continue to be with them and comfort according to your goodness supply according to your your goodness and your love. We pray this thankfully in Christ's name for his sake. Amen. Sean.

Okay, if you would turn in your hymnals to song number 127 and stand as we sing Hallelujah, What a Savior. 127. Man of sorrows, what a name for the Son of God who came, ruined sinners to reclaim, Hallelujah! What a Savior! Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood, Sealed my pardon with His blood, Hallelujah! What a Savior! Guilty, vile, and helpless we, spotless Lamb of God was He. Full atonement can it be? Hallelujah! What a Savior! Lifted up was he to die. It is finished was his cry. Now in heaven exalted high. Hallelujah. What a Savior! When He comes, our glorious King, All His ransomed home to bring, Then anew this song we'll sing, Hallelujah! What a Savior!

God's Signature of Grace

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's mercy and grace?

How do we know God's attributes are true?

Why is understanding God's mercy important for Christians?

Where can we see God's attributes in the New Testament?

Sermon Transcript

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God's Signature of Grace

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's mercy and grace?

How do we know God's attributes are true?

Why is understanding God's mercy important for Christians?

Where can we see God's attributes in the New Testament?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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