All Sin Is Punished by the Merciful God

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Psalm 73, 85; Lord's Day 4
Psalters: 279, 224, 201, 230
  1. God’s righteous punishment.
    1. God’s holiness and justice are His virtues according to which He maintains He punishes sin in His just wrath.
      1. As God He must demand that every creature know Him to be the highest good and see His glory.
      2. God’s wrath is the response of His holiness against those who violate Him, His most High Majesty, and His glory.
      3. Thus God is said to be a jealous God (Deut. 4:24; Ex. 15:7; Ezek. 22:31) and a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29).
    2. God punishes sin in time.
      1. Scripture is clear that the unchangeable God is angry with the wicked every day: Ps. 5:5; 7:11; Prov. 3:33; John 3:36).
      2. God often punishes sin by apparently letting sins go, setting them in slippery places (Ps. 32:3,4; 51:8; 73:18).
    3. And God punishes sin in eternity: Jude 6,7; John 3:36; 5:29; Matt. 26:46.
  2. God is also merciful.
    1. God’s mercy is that virtue according to which the Most Blessed God is tenderly affected toward Himself and Who reveals Himself as such by blessing certain of His sinful creatures.
    2. There is beautiful harmony in God of His justice and mercy.
      1. First, when God casts the sinner into hell, it is because He loves and is merciful to Himself (cf. Rom. 9:22).
      2. God’s mercy does not replace, do away with, nor lower His standard of justice, but maintains Himself as the High Majesty.
      3. God’s mercy and justice harmonize at the cross where absolute justice and infinite mercy are seen (Ps. 85:10).
    3. Implications.
      1. We have double reason for humility, for hating our sin, for ever increasing gratitude, and for zeal to live unto Him.
      2. And we have the greatest reason to rejoice because God’s mercy endures forever.