See Money (Mammon).
From the Greek word eleos. It means "to feel sympathy, or pity, kindness, goodwill, with the misery of others, and to act to relieve the source of misery." It assumes that the one who receives mercy needs it. And it assumes that the one who shows mercy is fully able to meet the needs of the one in misery. God, who is rich in mercy toward sinners who are separated from Him, provided salvation in and through Christ Jesus, His son, to take away the misery of living in sin and death. It is available to those who will obey Him. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, "But because of His great love for us, God, Who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." Titus 3:3-7 says, "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."
Because God is merciful to us, He wants us to show mercy to one another. James 2:12-13 says, "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" Matthew 5:7 says, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Luke 6:32-36 says, "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' lend to ‘sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
(See also Just / Justify, Grace.)
See Christ.
The King James Version of the Bible transcribes this word as "Mammon." It is from the Greek word mamonas, a common Aramaic word for "riches." It is very close to the Hebrew word for "that which is trusted." (The word "Amen," meaning, "a supportive ‘yes', approval, ‘let it be so,' and ‘so be it,'" comes from this same Hebrew word.) So "money" or "mammon" can be any worldly thing (or person) in which one puts their trust or, upon which one depends entirely. This makes "money" the master we worship, serve, adore and put faith and trust in, instead of God the Father--the Creator of all things. We cannot serve both God and Money, (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13). Luke 16:15 says that whatever is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 emphasizes the kind of contentment we should seek, and it is not the riches of the world. It says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Christ Himself tells us where our treasures, and therefore our heart, should be. In Matthew 6:19-21, He says, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
(See also Sin / Sinful / Sinner, Tempt / Temptation.)
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