Comment on an Article Entitled “That Day”

J. T. Mawson

We would add a further thought in answer to the foregoing question. In our life of responsibility on earth we need mercy, and grace has brought us to know God who is rich in it, so the first glimmer of light as to what He is makes the sinner cry, “God be merciful to me.” Thus is our misery, met at the beginning by His mercy, and full forgiveness is ours. But having obtained mercy we still need to obtain it day by day and hour by hour, for as to our responsible life we are weak and imperfect, thence we have the High Priest and the throne of grace, and at that throne we can obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16). It has been pointed out that in the epistles addressed to individuals, mercy is generally introduced into the salutation (see 1 and 2 Timothy; Titus; and 2 John). This emphasizes the individual need in the responsible life. “That day” will bring into clear manifestation of what sort the responsible life has been, all our works will be tested there, and as all are conscious of failure even in that which has been done solely from love to Christ, all will feel the need of mercy. The judgment seat of Christ will be the winding up of the life of responsibility as the Lord’s witnesses, and as we found mercy at the start and all the way through, so shall we find it at the end.