JUSTICE IS GETTING WHAT YOU DESERVE

“the administering of deserved punishment or reward.”

God is supremely JUST

By definition, His justice contains reward AND punishment

Nadab and Abihu were killed for offering strange fire before God, Leviticus 10:1-2

Moses and Aaron were not allowed to enter the promised land, Numbers 20:12

Achan was killed for disobeying God, Joshua 6, 7

Thus says the LORD: "For three transgressions of _________, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment,Amos 1:3

Gaza, 1:6Tyre, 1:9Edom, 1:11Ammon, 1:13Moab, 2:1Judah, 2:4Israel 2:6

Damascus

ETERNAL JUSTICE will be meted out at the Judgment Day:

Romans 14:12 “each one of us shall give account”

2 Corinthians 5:10 “all appear before”

Matthew 25:46 “righteous into eternal life”

Revelation 21:8,27 – will make heaven so wonderful

MERCY IS NOT GETTING WHAT YOU DESERVE

Forms of “mercy” occur 135 times in Psalms

Forms of “mercy” occur 70 times in the NT

“Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old.” Psalm 25:6

“Hear me, O LORD, for Your loving kindness is good; Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.” Psalm 69:16.

“Show us Your mercy , LORD, and grant us Your salvation.” Ps. 85:7

“Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalms 106:1.

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalms 107:1.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,” 2 Corinthians 1:3

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,” Ephesians 2:4

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Hebrews 8:12

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1 Peter 1:3

John 8:1-11 - woman taken in adultery

Law demanded both man and woman be punishedLev. 20:10 “the adulterer and the adulteress”

Where was the Man ????

“He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” John 8:7

“And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” Jn. 8:11

Mother asked for “Pardon”

Justice demands death!

“I don’t ask for justice, I plead for mercy”

He does not deserve mercy !

“It would not be mercy if he deserved it.”

I will have mercy. He spared the woman’s son!

Because of God’s mercy, there is hope

MERCY and HOPE are linked together

Mercy is not getting the punishment we deserve for our actions!!

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rm. 6:23

GRACE IS GETTING WHAT YOU

DO NOT DESERVE

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,” Titus 2:11

Romans 3:23-25

23. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24. being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25. whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.

“even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” Eph. 2:5

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which-h God prepared beforehand that we should- walk in them.” Verse 10

charis: signifies "favor," "goodwill," and "lovingkindness"- especially as granted to an inferior by a superior.

“unmerited favor”

Two parts to grace:God’s part – Sending JesusMy Part - Obey

Sermon by Arthur Pigman

Evans Church of Christ

515 Gibbs Road

Evans, Ga. 30809

706-855-1249

evanscoc@bellsouth.netevanscoc@bellsouth.net

www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org

Sunday Evening January 4, 2015