Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. Death was not immediate. Spiritual death was, but not physical death. All human beings are the recipients of God's mercy. God is patient in the execution of His judgment. He gives everyone time to repent. "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) Judgment is His strange work. (Isaiah 28:21) The pinnacle of His mercy is seen at the cross. We should not rationalize because of mercy. Humans hide from God. Humans sew fig leaves together. But mercy will not cancel judgment without atonement brought by a perfect sacrifice because God is not unjust. God clothed them in animal skins. He now clothes us in Christ. We all have a chronic tendency to deceive ourselves. Don't follow your heart. It is deceitful beyond all cure. We are not honest in our evaluation of ourselves. We can only realize the wideness of God's mercy when we realize the depth of our own sin. Be doers of the Word, not just hearers. Be merciful as God is merciful. Be generous in your opinion of others. Forgive believers and unbelievers as God forgave you. Be full of active pity toward unbelieving souls. Be realistic about yourself. All these are the leading evidence of true grace. "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'" (1 Peter 5:5) Remember dear ones, "we are all just walking each other home."
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David Bodanza is the pastor of Mission of Grace Church in Westborough, Massachusetts. He is also a practicing lawyer. He holds an M.Div. degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a J.D. from New England School of Law. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, four...
