Last week, we learned about the sufficiency and surplus of God’s mercy. However, without the right balance of that teaching, we may begin to take His mercy for granted. Mercy does not mean the removal of all consequences. It does not absolve one of their guilt or wrongdoing. Mercy means receiving less punishment than is deserved or receiving a pardon in place of guilt. Sometimes, the consequence is not cancelled—it is limited, softened, or redirected.
Scripture shows us that God’s mercy and judgment often appear side by side. For instance, He judges sin but offers mercy to sinners.
Many people focus only on the fact that God destroyed the earth with a flood, and for those struggling with faith, the question often arises: how could a loving God do such a thing? But the Bible tells us that humanity was exceedingly evil, and every inclination of the human heart was continually evil (Gen. 6:5). In response, God brought judgment upon the corruption of the earth. But even within that judgment, we see His mercy. God provided an ark. He provided a means of salvation for Noah, his household, and as many as would listen (Gen. 7). Judgment came, but mercy made a way of escape.
David committed a grievous sin by sleeping with Bathsheba. And as if that weren’t enough, he still arranged for her husband’s death (2 Sam. 11). When the prophet Nathan confronted him, David realized the depth of his wrongdoing and cried out to God for mercy (Ps. 51). God indeed showed him mercy by sparing his life, yet there were still consequences. The child born from that union died (2 Sam. 12:1–14). Mercy did not erase the seriousness of his sin, but neither did judgment remove God’s grace.
The story of the thief on the cross follows a similar pattern. His story gives us yet another picture of mercy and judgment existing at the same time. As he hung beside Jesus, he acknowledged his guilt and turned to Christ. In response, Jesus gave him the promise of paradise (Lk. 23:43). Yet receiving mercy did not remove him from the cross. His earthly sentence remained, but his eternal fate was changed for the better.
Ultimately, the clearest place where mercy and judgment meet is at the cross itself.
Scripture tells us that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). God’s justice required that sin be punished. Throughout the Old Testament sacrificial system, blood was shed as a sign that sin carried a cost (Heb. 9:22). Yet those sacrifices pointed forward to something greater.
God did not, in showing mercy, ignore justice or cancel principles. The cross shows that God did not cancel justice to show mercy. Sin had to be punished. But God, through Jesus Christ, bore the punishment Himself (Is. 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24). Justice demanded that sin be paid for. Mercy provided the One who would pay for it. At the cross, judgment was satisfied, and mercy was granted.
When Israel rebelled in the wilderness, God sent fiery serpents into their camp. It was the judgment their sin had invited. Yet God, rich in mercy, gave a way of escape—a bronze serpent lifted high. Whoever looked upon it lived. (Num. 21:1-9)
So too was Christ lifted up. Judgment warns that sin leads to death—eternal death—but God’s mercy lifts up a Savior and says, look and live! Look to Jesus and live. (Jn. 3:14-15)
If you’re yet to come under the mercy of the Lord, only judgment awaits. But today, presents you with an opportunity for salvation. Say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. I cannot save myself, so today, I look to you, the One who was lifted up on the cross for my sake. I confess that I believe in you and the fact that you bore my sins. From now on, I walk in the light of your mercy and truth. Amen.
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