Page 100 - Divinity_F5

Divinity for Advanced Secondary Schools

Biblically, seeking God’s mercy is Activity 6.1
integral to spiritual and social growth.
When King David sinned against God, Reflect on the concept of mercy and
he eventually reconciled and cried for develop empathy and compassion
God’s abundant mercy (Ps. 51:1-8). towards wrongdoers in your school and
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Acknowledging our sins and devoting community.
ourselves towards God’s truth is the
only way to embrace divine truth and Exercise 6.1
internalise it into our state of being.
1. Israel, as a nation, needed God’s
The notion of mercy that we see in the mercy. In what ways do modern
words of King David is essentially from societies need God’s mercy?
the bottom of his heart. He is seeking 2. Why are some people not showing
God’s mercy through repentance. The mercy to wrongdoers?
desire for love and belonging forces 3. How will you promote acts of
such a notion. Indeed, if people want to mercy in your community?
receive God’s mercy, they must learn
how to repent. According to the book of
Jonah (4:2-11), the Lord is the God of Forgiveness in the Book of Hosea
(Hosea 14: 1-2)
mercy. He showed unconditional love to Forgiveness is an act of releasing
the people of Nineveh. Similarly, in the the anger and bitterness that causes
story of the prodigal son (Lk. 15:21-24), hatred between battling sides. It is the
we see the son being unconditionally condition of removing the past pain
forgiven by his merciful father. from the victim’s heart. It is the process
Therefore, mercy is there to open the of seeking peace with someone who was
door of forgiveness and restore broken wronged.
relationships between people and
between people and God. The study of forgiveness, according to

the book of Hosea, has many things to
In social life, mercy is practised in daily
life. The practice of mercy runs through teach us in our daily lives. For example,
different layers of social classes and cuts Hosea 11:1-2 talks about God’s pain and
across all spheres of life. At the family disappointment against the people of
level, mercy is required to accommodate Israel. Instead of obeying their covenant,
each other. In some families, people they listened to the gods of Canaanites.
suffer dishonesty and infidelity, yet they Consequently, in Hosea 13:14, God
mercifully tolerate each other and move gracefully declares forgiveness and
on with life. plans to rescue them from death and
destruction.

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