Pastor Sproul asks, Is there anyone who could convict a holy, perfectly righteous Creator, who out of sheer mercy creates a creature and gives them all of this blessing? Is there anything wrong with God extinguishing a creature who has the audacity to challenge His authority to rule His creation? Have you ever stopped to consider what is involved in the slightest sin? In the slightest sin, I am saying that my will has a right that is higher than the rights of God.
Psalm 37:28 “For the Lord loves justice, and he will never abandon the godly. He will keep them safe forever, but the children of the wicked will die.”
It terrifies me in our culture that people do that which is sin in the eyes of God and say they have the moral right to do it. If I know anything about God, I know God has never given anyone the moral right to sin against Him. I shudder to think of what will happen when a person stands before God and says, “I had the right to do that.” Where did you get that right? Even the slightest sin—never mind a heinous sin like murder—defies the authority of God, insults the majesty of God, and challenges the justice of God. We are so accustomed to sinning and so careful to justify our disobedience that we have become recalcitrant in our hearts. Our consciences have been seared, and we think it no serious matter to disobey the King of the universe. I call it cosmic treason.
Instead of destroying mankind in the moment of that act of revolt and rebellion against His authority, God reached forth and extended His mercy. Instead of justice, He poured out His grace. God Himself complains that His forbearing mercy is designed to give us time to repent, but instead of repenting we exploit it. So we come to think that God doesn’t care if we sin, or even if He does care there’s nothing He can do about it.
Psalm 67:4 “Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world.”
Ladies and gentlemen, we need to understand the difference between justice and mercy. The minute you think that God owes you mercy, a bell should go off in your brain that warns you that you’re no longer thinking about mercy. By definition mercy is voluntary. Sovereign God is never obligated to be merciful to a rebellious creature. He doesn’t owe you mercy. As He has said, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy” (Rom. 9:15).
Psalm 25:7 “Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love for you are merciful, O Lord.”
So Pastor Sproul closes with this: a holy God is both just and merciful—never unjust. There is never an occasion in any page of sacred Scripture where God ever punishes an innocent person. God simply doesn’t know how to be unjust. I thank Him every night that He does know how to be non-just; because mercy is non-justice, but it is not injustice. God solved this problem for us in a Savior - the Person of Jesus Christ.
Sproul leaves you with this. When you say your prayers, don’t ever ask God to give you justice. He might do it. And if God were to deal with us according to justice, we would perish as swiftly as Nadab and Abihu, and Uzzah, and Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament. But we live by grace, by His mercy, and let’s never forget it.
Psalm 45:4 “In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!”
Just Holiness, In Christ, Brian
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