"The judgments of God upon his enemies, as well as his mercies to his people, are matters of praise. The perfections of God appear in both. Justice and mercy are so linked together in his acts of providence, that the one cannot be forgotten whilst the other is acknowledged. He is never so terrible as in the assemblies of his saints, and the deliverance of them (Ps. Ixxxix. 7). As the creation was erected by him for his glory; so all the acts of his government are designed for the same end: and his creatures deny him his due, if they acknowledge not his excellency in whatsoever dreadful, as well as pleasing garbs, it appears in the world. His terror as well as his righteousness appears, when he is a God of salvation."
These words were written by Stephen Charnock in the classic work The Existence and Attributes of God, Vol 2, pg. 110. They may be hard for people to hear in our day, but they are words in perfect harmony with the biblical record. God's holy, righteous judgments are as much a matter of praise as His love, mercy, and grace. We cannot pick and choose which attributes of God that we like and don't like.
The cross of Jesus is the place that provides us the clearest witness of this truth. God is just and the Justifier of the ones who have faith in Christ (Rom. 3:26). Why is that? It is because Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. God's perfect, righteous, just, holy wrath was poured out on Christ. It was the punishment for the sins of His people. Now in Christ we receive forgiveness, mercy, grace, etc.
The tender blessings of God are certainly cause for worship and praise, but they are not the only reasons. God's holiness, righteousness, and justice are also vital for us to understand, embrace, and acknowledge in our worship of Him.
soli Deo gloria.
These words were written by Stephen Charnock in the classic work The Existence and Attributes of God, Vol 2, pg. 110. They may be hard for people to hear in our day, but they are words in perfect harmony with the biblical record. God's holy, righteous judgments are as much a matter of praise as His love, mercy, and grace. We cannot pick and choose which attributes of God that we like and don't like.
The cross of Jesus is the place that provides us the clearest witness of this truth. God is just and the Justifier of the ones who have faith in Christ (Rom. 3:26). Why is that? It is because Jesus is the propitiation for our sins. God's perfect, righteous, just, holy wrath was poured out on Christ. It was the punishment for the sins of His people. Now in Christ we receive forgiveness, mercy, grace, etc.
The tender blessings of God are certainly cause for worship and praise, but they are not the only reasons. God's holiness, righteousness, and justice are also vital for us to understand, embrace, and acknowledge in our worship of Him.
soli Deo gloria.
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