THE BLOOD #3

Ex 12:1-14

Subject: How is God's Love and Justice Reconciled?

Date: June 5, 2011

GOD IS A JUDGE

Ex 12:12 I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the 1^st born on the land of Egypt, both, man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. (Eze 25:11, 39:21) 

**The Bible is clear, God is a judge. But God does not just judge He is in his very nature and character a judge. There is a part of God that instinctively wants to judge any and every violation of holiness (sin).

Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

**We all must stand before this just God and be judged. No exceptions!!

GOD IS A JUST JUDGE

Isa 45:21 There is no God beside me; a just God and a Saviour. (Deut 32:4; Zec 9:9; Acts 7:52)

**God is just not because he treats people fairly but because it is a part of is very nature and character. It is who he is. To understand how God is we need to look at the fall of man. Why didn't God kick Satan out of this world and simply restore back to man what had been stolen? The answer is simple God is just and he gave man the right to have dominion over the works of his hands (Gen 1:26; Psa 8:6). Man, then of his own free will gave over to Satan the legal right to exercise his dominion and authority in this world and thus he became the god of this world (2Cor 4:4). The justice of God would not even allow him to treat Satan unfairly. Justice demands that every person be treated fairly in relation to sin (breaking the law) and the penalty (Rom 3:23) be applied equally to everyone. Therefore the just nature of God demands that judgment (the specified penalty) be applied to everyone at the point of guilt, that everyone get what they deserve. Here is a Biblical example:  

• (a) 2Sam 6:6-7 And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error and he died by the Ark of God.

**Because of the sacredness of the Ark no one was allowed to touch it, not even the Levite priests. The penalty for doing this was death (Num 4:15). Uzzah violated a clear command and the penalty was executed immediately.

GOD IS ALSO FULL OF LOVE

1Jn 4:8 God is love

**Again God does not just love. He is in his very nature and character love. There is a part of God that instinctively wants to reach out to a sinner and pull him to his bosom and love him. The loving nature of God therefore wants to give him a 2^nd chance. This is evident at CALVARY!!!

Question: How can all these different aspects of God, seemingly in conflict be reconciled and all be satisfied?

GRACE IS GOD'S TEMPORARY ANSWER

Ex 22:27 I am gracious. (Ex 34:6; 2Chr 30:9; Psa 111:4)

** Another aspect of God's character is grace. It is logical to think that God's grace, which is the result of his love, dominates and controls what God, does and overrides his judgment and justice tendencies. But God can not be gracious at the expense of justice. For grace in its very essence is God giving us what we don't deserve. Nor can God dispense judgment and ignore grace and love. Grace is a temporary answer. For the justice of God must be satisfied.

THE BLOOD IS GOD'S FINAL ANSWER

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

**The Blood is the answer to the question, "How is grace and justice reconciled?" The term ‘Justified' in this verse means ‘Declared righteous' or in right standing.

1Jn 1:7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

**God has declared the blood to be the full payment for all violations of holiness (sin). When the Just side of God sees the blood he declares the person to have been made righteous because his debt has been paid and there is no violation of holiness against him. Thus the blood satisfies the justice of God

Conclusion: I will always deserve death (hell) in the eyes of Justice. But Grace provided a sacrifice on my behalf that satisfies the debt that Justice says I owe.