A Cupboard Full of Vessels
Jesus said “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 bibrefjohn13 bibrefjohn13v35). That’s good, and the “for one another” part means that this applies to a group not just to single soul. One of Jesus-disciple’s is connected in affection for many other Jesus-disciples.
In complement to that, how should the assembly be known? There should be holiness/godliness in our midst (2 Peter 3:11 bibref2peter3 bibref2peter3v11), there should be the speaking of truth (Ephesians 4:15 bibrefephesians4 bibrefephesians4v15), there should be using of gifts for the building up of the whole body (1 Corinthians 12:7 bibref1corinthians12 bibref1corinthians12v7). These are all good.
And also it’s indispensable that we are identified as the ones to whom God’s mercy has been revealed, as those who have received God’s mercy.
“Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10 bibref1peter2 bibref1peter2v10).
Mercy is Godly. It is God’s nature to show mercy as He pleases. When He sent word through Hosea against the house of Israel, the Lord said of Gomer’s daughter, “Call her name Lo-ruhamah (‘No Mercy’), for I will no more have mercy” (Hosea 1:6 bibrefhosea1 bibrefhosea1v6). And then she bore a son, and the Lord said, “Call his name Lo-ammi (‘Not my people’), for you are not my people, and I am not your God” (Hosea 1:9 bibrefhosea1 bibrefhosea1v9).
But after this rebuke, the Lord also promised that “yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea” and “it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God’” (Hosea 1:10 bibrefhosea1 bibrefhosea1v10).
Paul quotes Hosea (2:23) in Romans 9:25-26 bibrefromans9 bibrefromans9v25 bibrefromans9v26, that Jews and Gentiles are made God’s people by God’s mercy. We are a cupboard full of vessels of mercy that make known the riches of His excellencies.