Justice or mercy — or both?

Loving parents fall into a quandary when they make a rule that requires strict obedience, their child breaks that rule, and the parent feels terrible about inflicting punishment. If there is none, rules will be meaningless. If inflicted, the relationship will likely suffer.

Think of God in Eden. “Do not eat that fruit” and when it happened, the justice of God pleads for punishment, but the mercy of God pleas for pardoning. What is a loving God to do? How does the all-wise God deal with this situation?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Jesus died to take our punishment — “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” And the love of God sent Him to satisfy the demands of both justice and mercy. Justice is served by the shedding of His blood without one drop of our own.

As Charnock writes, the riches of grace are twisted with the terrors of wrath and the depth of God’s mercy is wound about the flaming sword of justice and that sword of justice protects and secures the depth of mercy. Because of what Jesus did, justice cannot complain for want of punishment, nor mercy for want of compassion. This infinite sacrifice satisfies justice and delights mercy and shouts out to us the wisdom of God.

How amazing that God is righteous without being cruel, and merciful without being unjust. His mercy shines in the midst of all that sin deserves. Yes, all have sinned and fall short, but we…

…are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. (Romans 3:24–25)

As Charnock points out in his section on the wisdom of God, both justice and mercy would be unknown if one of them been sacrificed for the other. Had we been solely fostered by mercy, justice would have forever been secluded. Had we being guilty and been absolved, mercy might have rejoiced, and justice might have complained; but had we been solely punished, justice would have triumphed, and mercy grieved.

Because of God’s wisdom, justice and mercy are both satisfied. The death of His sinless Son is a horror, but if God went one way or the other, we would face “either an unrighteous mercy, or a merciless justice.” Instead, His love gave us a righteous mercy, and a merciful justice.”

Not only that the wisdom of God comes in a great variety of ways, all mysterious and every example fillsl me with wonder. This list describes His redemption plan and how it brought the glory of God with the salvation of man, the defeat of the apostate angels, the discovery of the blessed Trinity in God’s nature, and all He does in combined and distinct acts and expressions of goodness. Salvation reveals the conjunction of three natures, infinitely distinct from one another; the union of eternity and time, mortality and immortality, and death is made the way to life, with shame becoming the path to glory.

Not only that, the weakness of the cross is the reparation of man, and the creature is made wise by the foolishness of preaching. Fallen man grows rich by the poverty of the Redeemer, and we are filled by the emptiness of God. The heir of hell is made a child of God by God taking upon Himself the “form of a servant” and children of men advanced to the highest degree of honor by the Son of God becoming of “no reputation.”

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:10)

And Jesus in the garden praying with drops of blood and saying: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Was there no other way? Had the sinless Jesus something else in mind? Likely not, but even if He did, He yielded to death that we might live.

PRAY: I cannot fathom Your wisdom, Lord God, nor question it. You choose the only way to punish sin yet save sinners. My heart rejoices at the great decision You made so I could be set free to love and serve You. Not my will but Yours be done.

 

God uses suffering…

 

As I watch my hubby struggling to move in any direction without severe pain, God is making me more aware of the need to be disciplined, not so much about moving my body but about not letting it dictate to me what I can and cannot do.

A few weeks ago, it was my turn. After few days in the hospital, God turned my focus by showing me how easily I can let the desire for personal comfort be an ambition. Had Jesus done that, there would be no salvation or the opportunity to be united to Him. He would never have gone to the cross if He put His comfort above obedience.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:10)

It works the same in our perfecting. We suffer and in that suffering we learn to let God have His way with us. He could use it to comfort us for another reason…

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. (2 Corinthians 1:3–6)

This is how I learn empathy. If I am never sick, then I cannot understand the struggles of sick people, never mind feel their pain or comfort them.

But there is another lesson. God wants me to be perfected by suffering, meaning that I will seek the filling of the Holy Spirit and be bearing His fruit, including joy — rather than whining and feeling sorry for myself. I’m sure this is what Paul had in mind when he wrote:

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

My hubby knows that God is using this pain in his life. Both of us see how the Lord has used pain in the life of our friend B.T. He is joyful all the time, no matter what is going on in his body. He is a delight to be around because God has perfected his spiritual walk with suffering.

Most people complain, run to the doctor or pills or booze, to get it fixed rather than seek the will of God. How badly we need that “Not my will but thine be done” attitude that Jesus had.

As for me, taking care of him involves loving patience and help with what he is unable to do because of the pain. He will heal and yet the larger thing is that through this, God has a great purpose.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, give my hubby what he needs to trust You in this trial. I thank You that he can laugh even in pain and seek Your face and Your will for him. Grant him the ability to surrender to You and wait on You for the blessings to come. And give me what I need to encourage and care for him.

Jesus is the way and leads the way

 

I’ve a calendar that is more like a journal. It asks questions that prompt plans, reflection, and priorities. It is also secular. One page asks about what didn’t work last month and how I could do better. In answering, my focus is on the leadership of Jesus. He has a plan for my life and it is in listening to Him and doing what He says. I don’t like the idea of trying to improve my failures because figuring things out by myself causes most of them in the first place.

Today’s devotional puts a focus on the plan of God, not on a to-do list for each day but His goal for me and how He accomplishes that goal.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:10)

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, (Hebrews 5:8–9)

Basic to daily direction is this main objective: He is taking me to glory — to be like Jesus for all eternity — and He will do it through the life, death, and resurrection life of Jesus Christ, summed up in these words “the founder of my salvation who was perfected through suffering.” It was by His death that Jesus became my perfect leader. He leads the way because He is the way:

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

While it makes no sense to those who reject Him, Calvary was God’s great wisdom. It displays His holiness and hatred of sin, but also His power. As MacArthur writes, Christ endured in a few hours what it would take an eternity to expend on sinners and even then, we could not atone for our own sin. His suffering also displayed God’s love for mankind and points to His great grace in that the death of Jesus was substitutionary; He died for me so I can live forever.

The Greek word translated “founder” or “author” in some translations is archēgos. It means “pioneer” or “leader” and used of someone who blazed a trail for others to follow. This person did not stand behind giving orders but was always out front leading the way. In that sense, Jesus is the One who goes before me as my trailblazer. When I write my plans on my calendar, I’m trying always to listen to Him for direction.

The older I get (and the more my body yells at me) the more I agree with MacArthur’s statement that life seems most anxious and fearful when death seems closer. As he says, this is a trail I cannot travel by myself. I worshiped this morning singing several songs. Three of them had words about dying and going to glory. This devotional reminds me of what Jesus said to His disciples:

Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19)

He is the perfect trailblazer and can lead me and all His people out of life here, through the shadow of death, and into the presence of the Father. As He holds my hand, He will lead me to the other side and I will know the reality of these NT words: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

Our family is busy making plans for the coming year including a major reunion, a smaller one with just our adult children, trips and other events. My hubby is working (part-time from home) on projects that could run until 2029. Some days, I feel my age and want to curl up and be done. Other days, I’m ambitious, but not too energetic. In all of this, the sense of being led by Jesus is an incredible comfort and encouragement.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, You are the Master of my fate and trusting You makes the fears go away and anticipation take over. At the same time, my hubby’s words about “someday God will say I am done” are often on my mind. As You take me through this life and toward the next, grant me the same peace and joy as You always have. I see You blazing the trail, opening doors, granting abilities and strength. My heart is entirely grateful and always amazed that You love me so much.

PONDER: The world is filled with people who have no confidence in their future nor any idea that they can have eternal life with their Creator. Think about ways to share that with those He puts in my path.

 

 

Death then glory!

When the risen Christ walked along the road to Emmaus with two of His disciples, their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. They were discussing His death when He came alongside and asked about their conversation. They replied:

But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:21–26)

Without His death and resurrection, what kind of glory would be missing? Chambers points out that Jesus now has power to convey His life to us, a different kind of life that He had before. Fully God died as fully man, and the life He now has includes sinless human life.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:10)

The writer of Hebrews focuses on the perfection of Jesus’ resurrected life, but notice that this also includes bringing many sons to that same glory — the glory of a sinless human life. We will never be deity, but when sinners become God’s people through that rebirth called salvation, we are a new creation. Granted, it inhabits the old flesh, but when that is discarded at death, we enter into the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Chambers says, “One day we shall have a body like unto His glorious body, but we can know now the efficacy of His resurrection and walk in newness of life.” He quotes Paul who said:

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith — that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8–11)

Some would say that the Christian hope is eternal life, but we already have that. To me, the greater hope is living fully in the power of Christ’s resurrected life. For the present time, His life is in me, but it seems to come and go as the Spirit and the flesh do battle. Sometimes I might be filled with the Spirit inasmuch as my capacity to be filled, but the flesh perseveres. However, in glory there will be no restrictions, no hindrances. The life of Christ will reign in me. That hope depends entirely on the truth that Jesus told those two confused disciples on the road to Emmaus; He needed to die to enter into His glory . . .  as did Paul, and as must every other child of God.