The concept of loving on someone to get them to heaven, of being the physical representation of Gods love for them has really consumed my thought this past year in my evangelism. It was my thinking that if people only knew how much God loved them, they would desire to start that personal relationship with Him. I had missed a key point to this ever working.
How can someone know how much they are loved, or even what love is, without something to measure it against. More importantly how can someone desire mercy and grace if they see themselves as an amazing person. How can we show mercy on someone if we do not show them equal justice. The bible calls us to give and have mercy on our enemies, but we must also be just that they will know it is mercy.
In Romans 13 Paul rights about our submission to authority and says that those who rebel against their authorities will receive justice. That while the wrath of God is for Him alone to send upon those who are in sin, it?s justice reserved for Him. Those who are against governing authorities must receive justice from them. This is a call from God for those in positions of authority.
There are so many applications of this, but do not get carried away. Teachers are to grade justly, police are to uphold the law without compromise, Dads are to maintain rule and order within the house, and the Church is to apply judgment to those acting out in habitual sin. Those are examples of the one governing being just with those under them, so that they may then receive mercy from the same hand and through that mercy draw closer to God who supplies His grace and love.
Being a RA this year has really challenged me with this idea of justice. For the first time I have been put in a position of upholding the rules established and to be the first line of authority on my floor and in this dorm. I have written before about seeing the guys on my floor as pure (Titus 1:15) but this is only to be added on top of that entry as even more important. To see them as pure is to have mercy upon them for doing wrong, NOT ignoring the wrong they have done which calls for justice to be brought. It is only after justice that one can extend a hand of mercy. Oh how I wish someone would have told me sooner.
Justice is good because our righteously just God is good to perfection (in reference to Romans 12:21). Without Justice there is no need for Christ.
?For he is God?s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God?s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.? ~Romans 13:4
being molded further by Christ ever moment, your brother,
~paul