I attended a bible study at work this week where we hashed out the interplay of Gods judgment and His mercy. The overarching question of our study was can God be just AND merciful?

To say the least, it rocked me to the core of my spiritual being and I haven’t been able to shake it since, so I thought I’d bring it into our conversation here. It is complicated and heavy stuff for sure, but something that is paramount to our Christian faith.

Even so, we don’t have to go outside our front doors before we come face-to-face with the paradox of justice and mercy. We live in a world where sin is very present and we are often left to manage the collateral damage left behind.

We all do things knowingly or not that cause damage. And although sin is not weighed by degree, there are some actions that are horrific and unexplainable. Someone needs to be held accountable; pay the price for the offense. And yet, our God is still merciful in ways we can’t comprehend.

Take a moment to think about a situation in your own life that demands justice. A circumstance where determining fault is an obligation. Now let me ask you, is there room for mercy? Even the thought of it can make your stomach turn depending on the degree of wrongdoing to you or a loved one.

There are certain extremely evil situations where shooters enter schools, crowds, or churches. These won’t be understood this side of heaven.  But beyond those, we find ourselves in situations where the facts are not clear-cut and exist within shades of gray. And oftentimes, there are two sides to the story with the truth existing somewhere in the middle.

It is in this place where we discover that both sides hold some of the fault. So who is held accountable? And who receives mercy? Can they coexist? And should they?

By design, Christian beliefs create a crisis of conflict in that we often find ourselves at the intersection of justice and mercy. All throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, God reveals His requirement for judgment, and yet provides His overriding gift of mercy.

This clash of mandates is really hard to wrap our brains around, isn’t it? It is hard to understand how God can be just and merciful at the same time, especially in really horrible and unfair situations. Likewise, it’s our morality that grieves over the conflict of God’s mercy at the expense of His judgment, and vice versa.

Have you been there before? Are you there now?  These situations are so stifling that the gravity of them drops us heavy to the ground, leaving us stunned and incapacitated. It requires a quietness of an extreme sort where our reactions and preconceived notions are silenced in order to hear the heart of God in a matter.

After all is said and done, the answer to the question is that the Cross of Christ is the intersection of God’s justice AND His mercy. It is the picture of His creative, preeminent, and compassionate intention for us, His people. It is the place where justice and mercy coexist.

Being children of God and the recipient of this gift of redemption is the ultimate blessing.

So with that in mind, I’m going to end with a few prayers of blessing from the powerful and life-changing word of God. My hope is you will bury these deep in your heart and revisit them often.

Reflect and Respond:

Hugs for a great week and remember, you are not alone. Be blessed in knowing that God is good; God is just; God is merciful.