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What does it mean to die in God's Mercy?

In the book of Hebrews in the bible we read, "Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses." (Hebrews 10:28 NIV) To understand this passage correctly, we need an understanding of the Old and New Testaments'. The Old Testament was a covenant that God made with His people Israel, and there were promises and blessings for those who kept it, and curses for those who rejected it through disobedience. The Law was given to Moses and the prophets, and it was these holy people who enforced the Law among God's people. There were strict punishments for people if they sinned, or rejected the Law, and one of those punishments was death without mercy. People these days confuse the Old Covenant, with the New, in the sense that they believe that God still acts without mercy in the lives of His people. To understand the New Testament (or Covenant) we all need a proper understanding of sin.

Before Christ came to this earth to pay the penalty for sinners, humanity was bound in a state where our sins could not be completely forgiven. The Law could only cover our sins, it could not remove them. In Hebrews 10:2, the writer who is unknown talks about how the offerings made under the Old Covenant could not remove the guilt of sin, "Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins." (Hebrews 10:2 NIV) You may ask why Christians these day feel guilty of their sins still, if Christ's sacrifice of the cross removed their guilt, good question. The guilt of our sin, and the penalty for our sin is directly related in the Covenant that Christ set up. 


Christ is a priest forever, (Hebrews 7:17 NIV) "For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Being our High Priest, Christ constantly intercedes for us that when we die we might enter Heaven, (Romans 8:34 NIV) "Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." So when we feel guilt about our sin, it is so that we can repent, and that should lead us back to God. Because Christ is interceding for us, the penalty for our sins have already been paid, so when we repent, the guilt should leave us. If not, then we can look to 1 John 3:20-21 NIV "If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God "

To go beyond the scriptures at this point would lead to error, that to say that everyone is open to God's mercy. The bible teaches that (James 2:13 NIV) "Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment." In Jesus' parables, there are many examples of mercy. Someone once asked Jesus "Who is my neighbour?" Jesus replied with the story of the Good Samaritan; 
Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denariie and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Clearly, to die in mercy, we must show mercy now. This is Mike.

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