Teaching / By

Justice is fairness.

Grace and Mercy is unfair.

     When people say things like, “I believe God is loving, gracious and mercy but He is also just.”What does that mean in practical sense?

God is sometimes fair and sometimes unfair? It depends on His mood?

I don’t have all the answers. But this is how I reconcile grace and justice in my mind.

First, not everything in life is orchestrated by God.

     Example:

  • When we get a failing grade because don’t study before the exam.
  • When our office mate decided to gossip about us.

     God has nothing to do with these things. They are not God’s judgment. Though God can intervene in them by His grace.

Second, I believe God is always loving, gracious and merciful. He is not some times gracious but some times just. He is always loving and gracious.

2 John 1:3
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Luke 1:50
His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.

Third, God may withhold His grace under certain circumstances:

  • When we refuse to come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy.

Hebrews 4:16
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Faith has something to do with us receiving grace. Man missed the grace God sends to him because his faith is in the law – you must earn your salvation (deliverance). Like when some people refused to receive Jesus as Lord and instead try to earn their salvation through good deeds.

  • When we stubbornly push our way, God will respect our free will, he will “hand us over” (Rom. 1:24) to the consequence of our actions. He resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)

     For me, justice is not God deciding not to be loving and merciful. Justice is God letting us received what we deserve because we refuse to receive grace either out of disbelief or rebellion.

Lets pray for grace and mercy. They are always free, always available, always triumphs against justice (James 2:13).