“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #12

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: When will we obtain God’s mercy?

Answer: God’s mercy and grace is coming at you this very minute! It is daily, hourly, every
moment in eternity! That is why the Bible is full of psalms of praise and songs of thanksgiving.
God is so generous. Life is good!

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits.” (Psalm 89)

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 136)

If God gives mercy all the time, why must we be merciful first in order to obtain mercy? Because, a lack of love and mercy would darken our thought, and cause us to believe in a life separated
from God’s love. But, a recognition of God’s goodness, and the desire to identify with that goodness, will give us plenty of love and mercy to share, and an open channel to receive it back!

Remember in the Lord’s Prayer where we pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”? Mary Baker Eddy interprets this with the words, “And Love is reflected in love.” (S&H 16)

We obtain God’s mercy and grace when we reflect it ourselves. God is the source of love and mercy.

“May God give unto us all that loving sense of gratitude which delights in the opportunity to
cancel accounts.” (Mis. 131)

Practice: If you are not already thanking God daily for His blessings and mercy, today is a good day to start!

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are the pure in heart . . . ” – For Young Children

See also:

Teaching Children the Beatitudes
What Mary Baker Eddy Writes about the Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount
What Mary Baker Eddy Writes about Teaching Children

UPDATE:  The complete book of First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes in its original format is now available for purchase as a downloadable file at The Bookmark online.  Visit my Author’s Page at: https://thebookmark.com/vicki-jones-cole-2.

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: the Beatitudes

Volume One: The Ten Commandments
Volume Three:  The Lord’s Prayer

List of all essays on this site
About this blog and book and a Welcome

Return to Top of Page

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #11

Blessed are the merciful:  for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: What is “charity,” and will it help us be merciful?

Answer: Charity is love expressed in kindness and good-will toward others. Being charitable with the world-at-large will help us when we suddenly need to be merciful to someone in
particular. In the Bible, Paul writes one of the most beautiful passages, in which he shines a
light on charity, shows us what it is, and how it is expressed in our daily lives:

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (I Corinthians 13)

Peter agrees with the importance of charity. He writes:

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” (I Peter 4)

There is a lot to think about in those passages above; so much we can use to practice charity. Love, expressed in human charity, is too important to ignore. We must work to understand
how to be charitable in daily life. Then, we will find it easier to be merciful when faced with the need to forgive, or the need to sacrifice for another.

Practice: Use a modern Bible translation, if you have one, to help you understand better the meaning of Paul’s words. How can you use his ideas?

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A #12

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #10

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: How do we know the best way to be merciful towards others?

Answer: There is a rule that is so universal, so pure, that just about every religion on earth has a form of it as part of their teachings. Christians call it “The Golden Rule.” Simply put, it says, “Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you.” In the King James’ Version of the Bible, this
declaration of Jesus is translated: “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6)

How does this rule operate? We apply it in daily life in the way we treat others. We actively show kindness, courtesy, and good-will towards the people we interact with. If we would like them to treat us well, we should first treat them well. And, if they should be rude to us first, then, the Golden Rule kicks in to help us consider our reaction. We know now that it is wrong to be
revengeful. So, we must thoughtfully consider what the most loving and forgiving action would be. That is what it means to be a Christian. It is not easy. It is not for sissies!  When we feel like
striking out at someone, it may be hard to control our emotions. But, this is what Jesus did, and expected us to do. Mary Baker Eddy writes:

“The First Commandment of the Hebrew Decalogue . . . and the Golden Rule are the all-in-all of Christian Science . . . Forgetting the Golden Rule and indulging sin, men cannot serve God.” (My. 5)

Practice: Today, memorize the Golden Rule, and try to put it into practice. Why not start with your siblings! (or other close family members).

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A #11

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #9

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: If sin must be destroyed, why cannot we “destroy,” or punish, the people who may have sinned against us?

Answer: Trying to hurt someone because they have harmed you in some way is called revenge. Revenge is wrong. The sin that needs destroying is only the belief of it in our own thinking. We leave the punishment of others to God. Mrs. Eddy tells us plainly:  “Revenge is inadmissible.”
(S&H 22)

In the Bible, the Apostle Paul writes:

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12)

This can be a hard lesson to learn. It is so tempting to seek revenge against those who hurt us. You may never have hurt someone physically, but have you ever “shunned” someone — that is,
ignore them, or not speak to them at all — because you were angry? That is a form of revenge. We have to do a lot of self-examination to find out the subtle ways we punish others. We must destroy all traces of revenge in our thinking.

“Self-ignorance, self-will . . . revenge, are foes to grace, peace, and progress; they must be met manfully and overcome, or they will uproot all happiness.” (Mis. 118)

Did you notice the word “grace” above? Revenge will prevent us from receiving God’s grace, or mercy. Root it out!

Further Study: Esau had good reason to take revenge on his brother Jacob. Find out what happened in Gen. 25-33.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next: “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A #10

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #8

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: Why should we feel mercy and sympathy for someone in trouble, if sin and error are unreal?

Answer: Sympathy is the ability to be able to really feel what someone else is feeling, just as if we were “standing in their shoes,” as the saying goes. This is a good quality to have, and we need it to respond to the needs of mankind in a humane and compassionate manner.

Mary Baker Eddy once wrote: “Oh, may the love that is talked, be felt! and so lived, that when weighed in the scale of God we be not found wanting. Love is consistent, uniform, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, unutterably kind.” (Mis. 312)

Jesus’ sympathy for others was evident, and he did not ignore the sufferings of others. But, he did not waste time in what might be called “false sympathy.” He destroyed the problem!

We, too, must watch that we do not let our sympathy for others trick us into believing in the
reality of their problems. When possible, we should generously give comfort and a helping hand to those in need. At the same time, we must not sympathize with error:

“If you venture upon the quiet surface of error and are in sympathy with error, what is there to
disturb the waters? (S&H 254)

“Sympathy with sin, sorrow, and sickness would dethrone God as Truth, for Truth has no sympathy for error.”  (No. 30)

Practice: Have you been feeling sorry for yourself lately? Do you see you must destroy the error in your thinking?

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A #9

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #7

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: If God is all-merciful and forgiving, does he also forgive sin?

Answer: Mary Baker Eddy makes it clear in her writings that the only mercy shown to sin is its destruction:

“To me divine pardon is that divine presence which is the sure destruction of sin; and I insist on
the destruction of sin as the only full proof of its pardon. ‘For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.’ (I John iii.8).” (No. 31)

The following is part of the Christian Science “platform” (see S&H pg 330):

“The destruction of sin is the divine method of pardon . . . Being destroyed, sin needs no other form of forgiveness. Does not God’s pardon, destroying any one sin, prophesy and involve the final destruction of all sin?”  (S&H 339)

This “rule” is also one of the “tenets,” or important points, of Christian Science:

“We acknowledge God’s forgiveness of sin in the destruction of sin and the spiritual understanding that casts out evil as unreal. But the belief in sin is punished so long as the belief lasts.” (S&H 497)

Just because God punishes the sin, and not His children, does not mean we can indulge in sin, believing that God will not punish us. If you cling to a sin, and believe it is real, you will also seem to suffer if you do not let go of the sin. You must separate yourself from it, and identify yourself with good!

Practice: Today, try using Truth to destroy any bad habits of thought. You will need to work at it a little each day.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A #8

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #6

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: How do we accept and use God’s grace and mercy?

Answer: Remember the previous Beatitude which began, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness”?  Grace is one of those qualities with which God feeds and nourishes us. But, we must be hungry for it!

In the Lord’s Prayer, we ask for “our daily bread.” Mary Baker Eddy defines this as “grace.” She also tells us that “what we most need is the prayer of fervent desire for growth in grace, expressed in
patience, meekness, love, and good deeds.” (S&H 4)

“When a hungry heart petitions the divine Father-Mother God for bread, it is not given a stone, — but more grace, obedience, and love.” (Mis. 127)

This grace that God feeds us is expressed in our lives, as Mrs. Eddy tells us, in more “patience, meekness, love, and good deeds.” All of these qualities would be part of a merciful heart.

“Christians are commanded to grow in grace.” (Un. 206)

“One’s first lesson is to learn one’s self; having done this, one will naturally, through grace from God, forgive his brother and love his enemies.” (Mis. 129)

“Grace and Truth are potent beyond all other means and methods.” (S&H 67)

Practice: Today, watch for opportunities to express “patience, meekness, love, and good deeds.”

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A#7

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #5

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: What is God’s “grace”?

Answer: Grace is a lovely word that refers to all the blessings, favors, and kindnesses which God bestows on His children, even when they do not seem to deserve it. Grace is the influence of
God in our lives, coming to those who most need it. Grace is God’s mercy!

The Bible speaks of God’s grace, and so do the writings of Mary Baker Eddy. The Apostle Paul once wrote of himself:

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
(I Corinthians 15)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
(Ephesians 2)

In one of her books, Mrs. Eddy hints at a more scientific definition of grace when she writes:

“All this is accomplished by the grace of God, — the effect of God understood.” (Pan. 10)

Note that she calls grace, “the effect of God understood.” This shows we do not have to wait for some uncertain time for God’s grace to appear in our lives, but that by understanding God, we can demonstrate God’s grace when the need arises. We will learn more about man’s use of grace in another lesson.

Practice: The Bible is full of examples of God’s grace. Can you think of any? Further, can you think of any experiences in your family’s life where “the grace of God” made a difference?

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next: “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A #6

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #4

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: Did Jesus always express mercy to others, even to those who wanted to harm him?

Answer: The mercy and compassion of Jesus made him the most remarkable man on earth. Compassion is a feeling of pity for someone, that is coupled with a strong desire to help or give aid. Mary Baker Eddy writes: “Jesus was compassionate, true, faithful to rebuke, ready to forgive.” (‘02 18)  Jesus set an example for us all.

The Bible tells us many times that when Jesus saw the multitudes following him, he “was moved with compassion.” No matter how tired he was, he would take time to talk to them, and would be concerned about their welfare, or their need for food and drink. He showed concern for those who were often ignored by others: the lepers, the disabled, women, and children. And, when he was dying on the cross, Jesus prayed to God for his enemies: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23)

In fact, the whole life of Jesus was an act of compassion for mankind. He appeared to mortals, and willingly suffered the torment of hatred, in order to show us all the way out of the darkness
of materiality. Mrs. Eddy further writes:

“The last act of the tragedy on Calvary rent the veil of matter, and unveiled Love’s great legacy to
mortals: Love forgiving its enemies.” (Mis. 124)

This Beatitude is one that Jesus lived, even to the cross. He is the Wayshower.

Practice: Can you think of a way to express your gratitude for Jesus today?

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A #5

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes

“Blessed are the merciful” – Q&A #3

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Question: What if someone treats us, or a loved one, so badly, they do not deserve to be
forgiven?

Answer: This is one of the hardest things in life to do: forgive the awful cruelties done to us or others. But, it is the sign of a true Christian to do so. When asked by Peter how many times he was expected to forgive the same person, Jesus told him “seventy times seven.” (See Further Study below)

Mary Baker Eddy also urges her followers to forgive:

“If you have been badly wronged, forgive and forget: God will recompense this wrong, and punish,
more severely than you could, him who has striven to injure you.” (Mis. 12)

“The Christian Scientist cherishes no resentment; he knows that that would harm him more than all the malice of his foes. Brethren, even as Jesus forgave, forgive thou. I say it with joy, — no person can commit an offence against me that I cannot forgive.” (“02 19)

You probably know the Lord’s Prayer. What does Jesus ask us to pray? “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Think about that. You are here asking God to forgive you in the same
manner that you forgive others. Are you being merciful? Generous? Willing to separate the sin from the sinner, and see the perfect child of God? If not, you are asking God to treat you just as harshly!

Further Study: Today, read the parable of the debtors that Jesus told Peter, during their
discussion on forgiveness. You can find it in Matthew 18:21-35.

* * *
(Excerpted from “First Lessons in Christian Science, Volume Two: The Beatitudes”
Copyright 2002)

 

Next:  “Blessed are the merciful . . . ” – Q&A #4

List of all pages and lessons in Volume Two: The Beatitudes