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The Justice & Mercy of God
Let’s face it, we all long for justice. But this longing of ours, if we’re honest, is typically focused on the really big sins of other people. It’s the evil we witness on the nightly news, not the evil lurking in the dark recesses of our own fallen hearts that we’re really concerned about. Sure, military leaders need to be tried for their war crimes, but if God is truly just, then he needs to hold all of us accountable for lying, greed, covetousness, sexual impurity, and pride. This is why, in addition to justice, we desperately need God’s mercy and grace. We are talking about the justice and mercy of God on this episode of the White Horse Inn.
Host Quote:
“Have you ever heard someone ask, if there’s a God, why does he allow so much evil in the world to go unchecked? The Christian answer to this question is that he doesn’t allow evil to go unchecked. Judgment day is coming but aren’t you glad he delays it? What would become of you and me if he hadn’t?
“It’s interesting that most of us who are comfortable enough rarely worry that justice won’t be served. It’s the oppressed who cry out for justice. Their problem isn’t with why God punishes but why he seems to be taking so long to bring justice to the earth and to them in particular. There is a judgment coming. Those who seem to get away with all kinds of evil in this life will be forced to answer for those crimes in the next. And let’s face it, we all long for justice but this longing of ours, if we’re honest, is typically focused on the big sins of other people. It’s the evil we witness on the nightly news, not the evil lurking in the dark recesses of our own fallen hearts that we’re really concerned about. Military leaders need to be tried for their war crimes. Factories need to be held accountable for polluting the environment. And, vandals need to be punished for destroying other people’s property. All of us long for justice in these areas but who among us longs for ultimate justice particularly when it relates to sins such as lying, greed, covetousness, or sexual impurity? Clearly, if God is a God of justice, he must punish the Nazis. The problem is that we don’t see ourselves as also deserving of God’s judgment.” – Michael Horton
Term to Learn:
“The Grace and Mercy of God”
The Grace of God: In the specific language of Scripture the grace of God is the unmerited love of God toward those who have forfeited it, and are by nature under a judgment of condemnation. It is the source of all the spiritual blessings that are bestowed upon unworthy sinners (Ephesians 1:6–7; 2:7–9; Titus 2:11; 3:4–7).
The Mercy of God: Another aspect of the love of God is his mercy or tender compassion. It is the love of God toward those who are in misery or distress, irrespective of their desires. It contemplates man as one who is bearing the consequences of sin, and is therefore in a pitiable condition. It is exercised only in harmony with the strictest justice of God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ. (Louis Berkhof, Manual of Christian Doctrine, p. 67)
(This podcast is by White Horse Inn. Discovered by Christian Podcast Central and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Christian Podcast Central, and audio is streamed directly from their servers.)