The Justice and Mercy of God
📝 Grace and Truth Study Bible
📸 Photo Credit: Unsplash
The Israelites had a common saying in Ezekiel’s time: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezek. 18:2). They believed they were suffering for the sins of their ancestors, as if they were merely victims of God’s judgment rather than responsible for their own choices. But the Lord corrects their misunderstanding. He declares that each person is accountable for their own righteousness or wickedness, and that His justice is never unfair.
God is not looking to punish; He is longing to redeem. He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires that they turn and live (Ezek. 18:23, 32). His heart is always for repentance, restoration, and relationship.
This truth echoes throughout Scripture. In 2 Peter 3:9, we see that God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish but for all to come to repentance. The grace of God is always extended, but we must receive it. To reject repentance is to reject the grace of God.
Personal Journal Entry
Lord, how often do I look for something or someone to blame when I stumble? It is so easy to shift responsibility—to say my struggles come from my upbringing, my past wounds, or the influences around me. But Your Word tells me that You deal with me as an individual, not as a victim of circumstances. You are a just God, and You see me completely.
I can’t stand before You and plead that my failures are someone else’s fault. But neither do I have to live under condemnation, because You are a God of mercy. You never hold my past against me. Even now, Your voice calls me forward: “Turn and live.” What grace that You do not leave me in my failures but invite me to walk in Your life!
There was a time when I lived under the weight of guilt and shame, trying to fix myself, striving to change by sheer determination. But that was me trying to live instead of allowing Christ to live in me. Your grace is not a demand for perfection; it is an invitation to rest in the life of Jesus within me. When I turn to You, I am not trying to make myself right—I am surrendering to the One who has already made me new.
I see now that to refuse Your grace is the real tragedy. You are not asking for my strength; You are asking for my surrender. I yield my heart afresh to You today, not as one trying to prove anything, but as one receiving everything in Christ.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You that Your justice is always right and Your mercy is always near. You do not treat me as my sins deserve, nor do You hold me accountable for another’s failures. Instead, You call me into the freedom of personal fellowship with You. I rejoice that in Christ, I am no longer defined by my past, my upbringing, or my failures. I turn to You, knowing that life is found in Christ alone. Thank You for the life that is mine in Him. Amen.
🔹 Grace and Truth Study Bible
📸 Photo Credit: Unsplash