The Greatest Problem of Mankind

Imagine a judge who lets guilty criminals go free without punishment. We would call that judge corrupt. Now imagine a ruler who punishes every offense without compassion. We would also call that ruler cruel. God, the creator of the universe is neither corrupt nor cruel. He is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. His justice demands that sin be punished, but His mercy desires that sinners be forgiven. These two qualities; justice and mercy meet at the heart of God’s plan for humanity.

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The Psalmist declared, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.” - Psalm 89:14 (NKJV). From the very beginning of this world, God has shown both His holiness in judging sin and His compassion in offering a way back to Him. As we continue with our course “The Greatest Problem of Mankind”, we shall be exploring the justice and mercy of God toward a sinful man.

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   1. God’s Justice is the Unchanging Standard

Justice is part of God’s nature. He cannot overlook sin or pretend it didn’t happen. “For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.”- Psalm 11:7 (NKJV).

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Because of the holiness of God, He must and does judge sin. The Prophet Habakkuk in his interaction with God communicated that; “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.”- Habakkuk 1:13 (NKJV). The Almighty God is holy and His holiness demands that He provides justice throughout judgement when we disobey His laws.

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Throughout Scripture, God’s justice is consistent:

• He judged the world by a flood in Noah’s day (Genesis 6–7).

• He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (Genesis 19).

• He killed Nadab and Abihu when they offered strange and authorized fire (Leviticus 10:1-2).

• He punished Israel when they turned to idols (2 Kings 17:18).

 

As we have learned from our previous lessons, sin always brings consequences because God’s holiness cannot tolerate evil. The Hebrew writer stated that “For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’”- Hebrews 10:30 (NKJV). The justice of God is not about anger but it’s about upholding righteousness and truth. If God allowed sin to go unpunished, He would cease to be holy.

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   2. God’s Mercy Is His Compassion Toward the Guilty

Though God’s justice demands punishment, He is merciful and His mercy provides hope. The Psalmist expressed that “The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.”- Psalm 103:8 (NKJV). From the very moment Adam and Eve sinned, God showed mercy. He clothed them (Genesis 3:21). He promised a Savior (Genesis 3:15). Even in judgment, His heart leaned toward forgiveness.

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Beloved, Mercy is God’s willingness to withhold what we deserve and to offer what we could never earn which is forgiveness and grace. The Prophet Jeremiah beautifully expressed that “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”- Lamentations 3:22–23 (NKJV). Even when humanity turned away, God pursued us. His justice says, “You must die for your sin.” His mercy says, “I will provide a way for you to live.”

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   3. The Cross is Where Justice and Mercy Meet

The ultimate display of both God’s justice and mercy is the cross of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. At Calvary, God’s justice was satisfied as sin was punished. But at the same time, His mercy was revealed as sinners could be forgiven. Paul showed to the church in Rome that “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”- Romans 5:8 (NKJV).  To the Church in Corinth Paul wrote, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”- 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV).

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The cross proves that God does not ignore sin. He paid its full price Himself through the death of His dear Son. At the same time, He offers grace to all who believe and obey the gospel. Beloved, what a beautiful message Paul presents in Romans 3:23-26 when he declared “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” – Romans 3:23-26 (NKJV). Why did God allow His Son to die such a humiliating death on the cross? Paul answers, “That He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” No one else could balance perfect justice with perfect mercy except, the one true God, the Creator and owner of the universe.

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   4. Mercy Calls Us to Repentance

Beloved, the fact that God showed us mercy when we deserved to die is not permission to continue in sin. It’s rather an invitation to turn from sin. Paul told the saints in Rome that “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 (NKJV). Paul again expressed in Romans 6:1-2, that the abundance of the grace of God does not suggest that we should continue in sin. The mercy of God calls us to repent of our sins.

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True repentance is how we respond to mercy. It means turning our hearts away from sin and back toward God. He longs to forgive, but He will never force Himself upon a heart that refuses to change. Isaiah declares, “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”- Isaiah 55:7 (NKJV).

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Conclusion and Reflection

Understanding both sides of God’s nature helps us see the full picture of His love. If we only knew His justice, we would live in fear. If we only knew His mercy, we might take sin lightly. But knowing both teaches us to reverence God deeply and love Him gratefully. “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”- Psalm 19:9 (NKJV).

 

God’s justice keeps us humble; His mercy keeps us hopeful. He is not waiting to destroy; He is waiting to forgive. Peter said, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”- 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV). Would you respond to the mercy call of God today?

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Please spend some time to reflect on these questions

1. Why can God not simply overlook sin?

2. How does God’s justice show His love for righteousness?

3. What does it mean that God is both “just and the justifier”? (Romans 3:26)

4. How has God shown mercy in your own life?