Mercy and Forgiveness are for the Repantant

Forgiveness is for those who are repentant.

Mercy is for those who have confessed.

Forgiveness and mercy were offered but they are conditional, no one who is stubborn and unrepentant will receive forgiveness or mercy.

Psychology has distorted what God said about these wonderful blessings God has offered to those who are repentant.

"Repentance" means to change our mind about ourselves and our actions allowing us to reform our character. There is no change in character when there is no authentic repentance.

Repentance is not just words one says, it is a change of mind that results in a change in the way we process information and subsequently how we act.

The way we act and the things we do come from within our heart they cannot be different from our inner heart. If we fail in some area then we know there is more work needed in our character.

We must want Christ to change us or we will remain spiritual and emotional infants.

We confess to be cleansed, not just to make things better in a relationship but to change us on the inside to no longer act the sinful way. The better our character, the more Christ-like we become the better our relationships will be even if others don't

1 John 1:9 "9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

God will not cleanse the heart of someone who is not sorry for their sinful attitude or actions. He never forced anyone and does not base His response to us on our words, they mean nothing to Him because anyone can say anything as a manipulation tactic.

God bases His responses to us on our heart condition.

1 Samuel 16:7

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Psalm 51:10

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

Proverbs 4:23

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

Proverbs 21:2

"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart."

Hebrews 4:12

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

When our heart is right our attitudes and actions will be right, we will not have to pretend to be of good character, it will flow naturally and without thought because it is a part of our very being.

Just as those who have wicked hearts can lie only so long before the real them escapes out of their mouth and into their actions, so too will the authentic heart of a born-again believer flow from them in their words and actions.

No one can pretend forever, old age makes us weary and without the strength to pretend, best be prayed up and walking with Christ when the time comes for our hearts to be a witness for Christ in our old age.