“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” (Romans 2:1)
Truth be told, every one of us at some time, to some degree, has done the very thing we are apt to judge another for the most harshly. The judgment seat will expose the deeds done in our body, whether good or bad. The things we have forgotten will not be forgotten by God unless we forgive and forget even the worst of wrongs that would obsess us. “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Eccl. 12:14)
The Lord will not be merciful to the unmerciful because He hates hypocrisy and because He weighs us all in the same just balance. He does not have differing weights for different people. We must be committed to mercy because each of our lives depends on God’s mercy toward us.
Having mercy on another is not excusing their sin. It is not minimizing or pretending it was not so bad. No, we may see the utter evil of another’s actions, knowing they deserve the wrath of God, and yet desire that they find a place of repentance and receive God’s mercy. If God knows that this is our heart to others, He will be glad to remove from us the judgment we deserve and shower us with abundant mercy.