People often live in the tension of God’s judgment and mercy. There is a tendency to strive to earn His mercy; do good works or perform rituals. Unfortunately, it typically breeds insecurity, anxiety and depression because the reality is no human works can meet the standards of a holy, perfect, righteous God. How, then can we balance the tension and experience the grace of God’s peace?
The answer is found in being certain that you have received God’s grace. It issues in trusting faith in Messiah—Jesus Christ—Lord and King of heaven and earth.
RELEVANCE
Isaiah revealed how God would manifest the reality of His way of justice. It would rest within the heart of one connecting with, acknowledging and affirming His law written on the heart.
“Listen to Me, My people;
And give ear to Me, O My nation:
For law will proceed from Me,
And I will make My justice rest
As a light of the peoples.
My righteousness is near,
My salvation has gone forth…
…”Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
You people in whose heart is My law:
(Isaiah 51:4-7)
We connect with God’s law through our conscience as we balance and reconcile truth andchallenge the extremes and poisons of religious dogma and legalism as well as humanistic relativism and agnosticism. Truth is ascertained through God’s gift of discernment. It is how we reconcile the knowledge, wisdom and divine justice of God. Such gift is nurtured by God.
After his initial encounter with the LORD, Paul was absorbed in deep reflection for three days; then spent three years in Arabia processing his knowledge of the traditions of Judaism and the Law to come to a firm understanding of God’s truth. He came to understand grace as part of God’s justice. Truly, God desires that all learn of His ways and of His grace to “come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Timothy 2:4).
In Romans 6 Paul acknowledges that grace is not a license to sin. It is revealed in truth to those in true union with Christ; those “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1-2). Herein lies the challenge; and opportunity to walk under the operatives of the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2).
REFLECT AND RELATE
How do you reconcile truth? To what sources do you refer?
REFERENCES
Romans 10:1-13