Just and Merciful God

Lesson Ten - The Just and Merciful God

O LORD God, You are upright, and there is no unrighteousness in You. But we are unrighteous and infected by sin in all we think and do. Have mercy upon us and graciously forgive our sins for the sake of Jesus’ holy life and innocent sufferings and death in our stead. Amen.

My Dear Children,

One of the greatest keys to understanding the Bible is to understand the justice and the mercy of Almighty God. God is just. He is Himself perfect and right in all His ways, and there is no injustice or imperfection in Him. His every thought and act is right. Not only is God just and right in Himself, He is also just in His dealings with man. He is just when He punishes sin and evil. But God is also merciful; that is, He is gracious and compassionate and forgiving toward His people. Instead of dealing with us as we deserve on account of our sins, he forgives our sins and deals with us in lovingkindness. Yet God’s justness remains intact; for our sins, and the sins of the whole world, have been laid upon Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and punished upon His cross.

1. In Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses writes, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He." What does this passage tell us about the LORD God? Are God’s ways always right? Is He ever unjust or unfair in His dealings with man?

2. In Exodus 20:5,6, we read: "For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." What does God say about God’s justice? What does it say of God’s mercy?

3. In Exodus 34:6,7, the LORD Himself proclaimed: "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation." What does this passage of God’s Word say of God’s mercy? Of His justice? How does God desire to deal with us? How will He deal with us if we reject Him and His mercy? Cf. 2 Peter 3:9; John 3:16-18.

4. Read Matthew 23:37-39. How did Jesus desire to deal with the people of Jerusalem? Would they let Him? What would happen as a result of their rejection of God’s mercy in Christ Jesus?

5. Read Matthew 11:28-29; Revelation 3:20. How does Jesus desire to deal with us? What will happen if we turn away from Jesus and His mercy? Cf. Hebrews 10:26-31.

6. Read Isaiah 53:6 and 1 John 1:9, 2:1,2. How can God be a just God and still forgive our sins?

GOD

We believe that there is only one true God (Isaiah 44:6; I Corinthians 8:4). This God (called the LORD or JEHOVAH) is one divine Being or Essence, but three distinct Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (thus the name, Triune or Three/One God), each being eternal and equal in power and majesty, because each Person is the LORD God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; I John 5:7; Isaiah 48:16-17; John 1:1; Colossians 2:9; I Corinthians 3:16; Hebrews 9:14; I Peter 4:14). We believe that no one can worship or serve the Triune God except he believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and the Savior of mankind from sin and its consequences (John 3:18,36; 5:23; 14:6; I John 2:23; 5:11-12). Hence, all who deny the Trinity of God (that God is three Persons) or the Unity of God (that God is one divine Being), or who do not trust in Jesus Christ, the Son, for salvation, do not worship and serve the true God.

Please Memorize: Exodus 34:6,7; Deuteronomy 32:4; John 3:16-18; Isaiah 53:6.