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Justice
While it
is the case that this modern world views God as the Ever-Patient All-Merciful One, nothing could be further from the truth
in a description of God. True, He is longsuffering and He bestows an abundance
of mercy (although it is only upon those who are deserving). Yet the Bible does
not leave mankind without multiple instances of God’s wrath. God is a judge. In actuality, God is the Judge. He is demanding, He is punishing and He is rewarding. All
one really has to do is give a little consideration to the flood of Noah’s day in order to see God’s judgment
and then it will be clear that God means what He says. In the sum of the Biblical
narrative, it is safe to conclude that Israel (God’s elect under the Old Covenant) can be compared with the church (God’s
elect under the New Covenant). In each instance God’s called and chosen
people are the common subject. For this reason it is always safe to make comparative
conclusions based upon any given principle because the Bible tells us that God is immutable.
Considering this, it is profitable to do a study of Ezekiel, particularly chapter seven. In this text God has pronounced great destruction against His people, yet He also bestows His mercy upon
a small, humble and obedient remnant. However, today people teach that God’s
grace overflows and that He will condemn no one, which is to say that His grace will freely fall upon the majority regardless
of their actions. Clearly, no line of comparison can be drawn between the Bible’s
teaching in Ezekiel and this modern falsity. No less than five times in chapter
seven does God make it known that punishment will befall His people “according to their ways”. This same determination is made and declared in the New Testament as well.
Matthew 16:27 says that when Christ comes again that He will “reward every man according
to his works”. Romans 2:6, 1st Corinthians 3:8, 2nd
Corinthians 5:10, Revelation 20:12-13 and especially 1st Peter 1:17 all declare the exact same message. Sure, God’s grace is and will be available, but as Galatians 6:10 states,
it is limited to “as many as walk according to this rule (law of Christ), peace be on them, and mercy,
and upon the Israel of God.” This “Israel of God” is no doubt
the church, and as can be seen in all of the verses listed here, God will judge as He always has, and His peace and mercy
are only upon those who walk according to His rule in the keeping of His commandments.
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