Can Mercy and Judgment coexist?

Let us leave the judging to the Lord and let us come to Him

Source: DailyVerses.Net

We have been thinking and exploring the repercussions of the book of Jonah and the relevance to our daily living.  That led me to Romans 2:1-6.  Paul, in the New Testament, ratifies the stand of the Old.  Jonah was a prophet and as such was in personal relationship with God.  

Paul, writing to “All in Rome, loved by God and called to be His holy people” (Romans 1:7), brings out the subject again.  Can mercy and judgement harmonise?  Warning us against judging others and falling in the same traps, Paul encourages us to examine ourselves.  Do God’s riches of extraordinary kindness make us take Him for granted and despise Him?  Have we experienced the kindness and understanding of God in a personal way?  Do we realise that the extent of His extravagant kindness is intended to melt our hearts and lead us into repentance? (Romans 2:4)  And Paul makes a staggering declaration to us, people of God, not just the Roman believers, our calloused heart and refusal to change direction, leads us to deliberately storing up wrath, in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. (Romans 2:5)  

Jonah refused to call the Ninevites to repentance because he knew God would forgive them if they did.  Paul was persecuting the believers because his eyes and heart were blind to Jesus being the Messiah.  The consequences were, Jonah being thrown into the sea and Paul being blinded, in his encounter with the Lord.  

Source: dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com

So what are the symptoms of a calloused heart?  The Bible is amazing at explaining the terms there are used throughout its books. 

Psalm 17:10  Closed up hearts and proud speech.

Psalm 119:70  Hearts unfeeling like fat minds, dull and brutal.

Proverbs 11:17  Cruelty attracts trouble and destroys.

Matthew 13:15  Hearts grown callous, ears dull of hearing. 

Mark 6:52  Hearts grown callous, become dull and lose the power of understanding.

Acts 28:27; John.12:40 Blind eyes, hardened heart, preventing conversion and healing.

Ephesians 4:19   Given over to promiscuity, practice of every kind of impurity, desire for more and more. Hardened hearing, oblivious and indifferent to His amazing works

2 Timothy 3:3 Unloving, devoid of natural human affection, inhumane, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control (intemperate, immoral), brutal, haters of good.

We may have been hurt, suffered injustices and disappointments but let us leave the judging to the Lord and let us come to Him.  Let us allow Him to turn our bitter waters sweet because of His extravagant love.  God’s forgiveness and redemption lead us to repentance and to entry into the abundant life He has made provision for us to enjoy.  

Author: Betty Plumb

May God bless and enrich your life

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