Just and Merciful God.
Hebrews 2:1-4 (NKJV) 1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, {the gospel message – the almost too good to be true news} which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
Psalms 103:8-13 (NKJV) 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
Genesis 15:6 (NKJV) 6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Psalms 106:28-31 (NKJV) 28 They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, And ate sacrifices made to the dead. 29 Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, And the plague broke out among them. 30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, And the plague was stopped. 31 And that was accounted to him for righteousness To all generations forevermore.
Looking at the scriptures in the light of 'man’s justice' we can see Hebrews and Psalms being an apparent contradiction with each other. In the Hebrew passage it claims, “and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,”. Yet we read the passage in Psalms and God tells us “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.”
How can a just God tell us every transgression has received a just reward and then also tell us we have not received punishment according to our iniquities.
We know God is just. Isaiah 45:21 (NKJV) 21 Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.
Isaiah shows us God is not just a God of justice but also saves us from Himself. How does He do this? Isaiah 53:4-6 (KJV) 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Every sin, transgression, iniquity and disobedience of mine received a just reward. It wasn’t me who had to pay for it or endure the penalty. Jesus received my sin and then my punishment when He went to the cross. Then I received His righteousness. I believed and it was accounted unto me as righteousness.
I am perfect. God has made me perfect. However my perfection is not a perfection based on performance. My perfection is based on position. I am in Christ and therefore I am without sin. I can not be punished for some transgression against God that has already been punished in Jesus on the cross.
I believed and it was accounted unto me as righteousness.
