Bible Lesson 4
Who Is God?
God Is Loving and Merciful
If God was holy and righteous and powerful and three-in-one, but he was not gracious or forgiving, we would be in big trouble! This is not the case, however! The Bible clearly shows that though he is a righteous judge, he is also compassionate and does not treat us according to what we deserve.
We can see both of these aspects of God in Exodus 34:6-7; “The Lord, The Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty.”
How can be be both a just judge and a forgiving father? Through the cross!
Agnus Dei (Lamb of God), by Francisco de Zurbaran, 1636. Christ, as the willing sacrifice sent by the loving Father, embodies true mercy.
An *asterisk indicates that the word has a special note. Click on it to see the note.
Dios es cariñoso y misericordioso
Salmo 103
(8) El SEÑOR es compasivo y misericordioso, es paciente y abunda en fiel amor.
(9) No acusará para siempre, ni nos guarda rencor todo el tiempo.
(10) No nos ha dado el castigo que merecen nuestros pecados; ni nos trata conforme a nuestras maldades.
(11) El fiel amor que Dios les tiene a los que lo respetan es tan inmenso como el cielo sobre la tierra.
(12) Dios se ha llevado nuestros pecados tan lejos de nosotros como lejos están el oriente y el occidente.
(13) El SEÑOR es tan bueno con los que lo respetan como un padre con sus hijos.
Translation: PDT
God is loving and merciful
Psalm 103
The Lord is compassionate and merciful, he is patient and abounds in faithful love.
He will not accuse forever, nor does he keep anger against us all the time.
He has not given us the punishment that our sins deserve; nor does he treat us according to our evil deeds.
The faithful love that God has for those who honor him is as immense as the heavens are above the earth.
God has taken away our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
The Lord is as good with those who honor him as a father is with his children.
1. Listen to the audio as you read along with the Spanish on the left.
2. Open the English translation, and read the two side-by-side, making sure you understand the Spanish.
3. Close the English, and listen to the audio again, reading along in Spanish.
4. Close the Spanish, and listen once more. Maybe shut your eyes, and just try to understand as much as you can.