Where do mercy and truth meet? Only in Jesus Christ. In fact, mercy cannot exist without truth and neither can truth exist exist without mercy. Those who think that love is only a sentimental feeling do not really know love. Love, the Bible says, is of God! (See 1 john 4:7-8). And thus mercy is of God and truly only of God. And God is also true. His character is spotless and pure and He desires us to also be spotless and pure, yes even without sin.
But we are sold under sin from our first act of sin; and, even from our birth since we are born into sin through no fault of our own. We are born into sin because our first parents, the first two human beings on earth, who were created directly by God Himself, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Yes Eve was deceived by the devil who was disguised as a talkiing serpent. But in reality, she trusted to her own opinion of what the serpent was saying about God. And thus, she heard in the serpents words, that she could, "be like God." She forgot, that she was already created in the image of God and chose to disobey God's simple command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And so she ate and then went forward to tempt her husband.
Now Adam must have loved Eve very much. Here he was not so much as deceived as he was beguiled. For he chose to trust his own opinion instead of asking God what he should do. And Adam's mind must have thought that he could not live without Eve and could figure out no other way. He certainly chose to eat the forbidden fruit and joined his wife in disobedience and in distrust of God. Love was beguiled through sin. Beguiled they were by the serpent, Satan who himself was the father of sin.
Satan committed the first sin ever, we are not told when, but where. Satan, who was created by God as Lucifer, the lightbearer of God, who stood near the throne of God and was the "covering cherub" of God's Shekinah Glory and Presence...the Bible says concerning this high angelic being --by the abundance of his "trading" (slander against God) "you became filled with violence within, and you sinned" (Ezekiel 28:16). Sin began in heaven.
A great number of other angels chose to join Satan in rebellion against God. And the Bible says that war broke out in heaven (see Revelation 12). And God had to cast them out of heaven. Now God could have destroyed those rebels immediately. But, in His wisdom and love He knew that the best way to handle the problem of sin would be to allow it to play out. All the other intelligent beings which included the loyal angels (a 2/3 majority according to Revelation 12) would need to see the consequences of sin. God wants everyone to love Him and each other. And therefore, God gives everyone of His created beings the power to choose. We are not robots or automatons. We are free moral beings with freedom to choose. And human beings who were the newest intelligent beings of God's creation would be protected as long as they obeyed their Creator. Why? For obedience shows loyalty whereas disobedience shows disloyalty.
To whom you render obedience is the one to whom you show loyalty. And by disobeying God, Adam and Eve gave their loyalty to the father of lies. At that point in time all humanity became sold under sin, the wages of which is death. Yet God's love for His creatures is strong. He could not let us go and be destroyed forever. It was in God's great plan from the beginning of creation, that Jesus would become the Redeemer if there was ever a need. The need became real when sin came to this earth and humans become sold under sin. Now, all humans were doomed to death without the help of the pure and spotless Lamb of God who became the Savior of the world. Through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross almost 2,000 years ago, through belief in His taking the penalty of death in your place, that is through faith in Jesus and desiring to obey Him any human being may now have eternal life. You are not saved by your obedience. You are saved by His obedience. You accept His mercy and His truth together for they are one in Him. And you must receive all of Him. Therefore, the Bible says, "you have died with Christ" and now "you also live with Him" (Romans 6:8). The old life of disobedience is no more, and you desire to live a new life in Christ, a life of obedience to Jesus.
The Bible doesn't tell us all the details surrounding Satan's apostasy and "trading" when he was still in heaven. However, I'm sure God pleaded with him and worked long and hard for his salvation and that of all the angels who eventually rebelled against God. God also knew that the first two humans may have sinned, but not to the degree that Satan had. Jesus affirms that the only sin that will not be forgiven is the sin against the Holy Spirit. When someone continues to refuse the loving and merciful pleadings of the Holy Spirit so much so that he/she will never repent of his/her sins, then the Holy Spirit respects his/her choice and ceases to plead with such a one. That's the way it was with Satan. That's the way it was with Pharoah in the tme of Moses. That's the way it was with the first king of Israel, Saul. That's the way it was with Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus and then went out and hung himself. And that's the way it is for anyone who denies his/her opportunity for forgiveness of sins and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Mercy is always pleading through the Holy Spirit to us human beings. And mercy will continue to plead until Jesus says, "It is done!" (Revelation 21:6). And then Jesus will come again. The Bible says, "Our God will come and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth that He may judge His people: Gather My saints together to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge. Selah!" (Psalm 50:3-6).
And this is truth! Jesus is the Judge and is ever seeking to judge in favor of His people (Daniel 7:22). This is why mercy has been pleading for so long. It is not that God is not Just. He is. Yet mercy is also strong in our God. And He is still seeking through the work of the Holy Spirit to bring the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ to all who will accept Him as Savior and Lord. If you truly accept His mercy, then you must also accept His truth. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." And thus we see that willing obedience is the trademark of true love. Give your will to Jesus today by choosing to obey Him. Then He will work in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. This is the fruit of loving Jesus. This is the fruit of obeying Jesus. This is the fruit of mercy and truth meeting in your life and character.
But we are sold under sin from our first act of sin; and, even from our birth since we are born into sin through no fault of our own. We are born into sin because our first parents, the first two human beings on earth, who were created directly by God Himself, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Yes Eve was deceived by the devil who was disguised as a talkiing serpent. But in reality, she trusted to her own opinion of what the serpent was saying about God. And thus, she heard in the serpents words, that she could, "be like God." She forgot, that she was already created in the image of God and chose to disobey God's simple command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And so she ate and then went forward to tempt her husband.
Now Adam must have loved Eve very much. Here he was not so much as deceived as he was beguiled. For he chose to trust his own opinion instead of asking God what he should do. And Adam's mind must have thought that he could not live without Eve and could figure out no other way. He certainly chose to eat the forbidden fruit and joined his wife in disobedience and in distrust of God. Love was beguiled through sin. Beguiled they were by the serpent, Satan who himself was the father of sin.
Satan committed the first sin ever, we are not told when, but where. Satan, who was created by God as Lucifer, the lightbearer of God, who stood near the throne of God and was the "covering cherub" of God's Shekinah Glory and Presence...the Bible says concerning this high angelic being --by the abundance of his "trading" (slander against God) "you became filled with violence within, and you sinned" (Ezekiel 28:16). Sin began in heaven.
A great number of other angels chose to join Satan in rebellion against God. And the Bible says that war broke out in heaven (see Revelation 12). And God had to cast them out of heaven. Now God could have destroyed those rebels immediately. But, in His wisdom and love He knew that the best way to handle the problem of sin would be to allow it to play out. All the other intelligent beings which included the loyal angels (a 2/3 majority according to Revelation 12) would need to see the consequences of sin. God wants everyone to love Him and each other. And therefore, God gives everyone of His created beings the power to choose. We are not robots or automatons. We are free moral beings with freedom to choose. And human beings who were the newest intelligent beings of God's creation would be protected as long as they obeyed their Creator. Why? For obedience shows loyalty whereas disobedience shows disloyalty.
To whom you render obedience is the one to whom you show loyalty. And by disobeying God, Adam and Eve gave their loyalty to the father of lies. At that point in time all humanity became sold under sin, the wages of which is death. Yet God's love for His creatures is strong. He could not let us go and be destroyed forever. It was in God's great plan from the beginning of creation, that Jesus would become the Redeemer if there was ever a need. The need became real when sin came to this earth and humans become sold under sin. Now, all humans were doomed to death without the help of the pure and spotless Lamb of God who became the Savior of the world. Through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross almost 2,000 years ago, through belief in His taking the penalty of death in your place, that is through faith in Jesus and desiring to obey Him any human being may now have eternal life. You are not saved by your obedience. You are saved by His obedience. You accept His mercy and His truth together for they are one in Him. And you must receive all of Him. Therefore, the Bible says, "you have died with Christ" and now "you also live with Him" (Romans 6:8). The old life of disobedience is no more, and you desire to live a new life in Christ, a life of obedience to Jesus.
The Bible doesn't tell us all the details surrounding Satan's apostasy and "trading" when he was still in heaven. However, I'm sure God pleaded with him and worked long and hard for his salvation and that of all the angels who eventually rebelled against God. God also knew that the first two humans may have sinned, but not to the degree that Satan had. Jesus affirms that the only sin that will not be forgiven is the sin against the Holy Spirit. When someone continues to refuse the loving and merciful pleadings of the Holy Spirit so much so that he/she will never repent of his/her sins, then the Holy Spirit respects his/her choice and ceases to plead with such a one. That's the way it was with Satan. That's the way it was with Pharoah in the tme of Moses. That's the way it was with the first king of Israel, Saul. That's the way it was with Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus and then went out and hung himself. And that's the way it is for anyone who denies his/her opportunity for forgiveness of sins and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Mercy is always pleading through the Holy Spirit to us human beings. And mercy will continue to plead until Jesus says, "It is done!" (Revelation 21:6). And then Jesus will come again. The Bible says, "Our God will come and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth that He may judge His people: Gather My saints together to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice. Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge. Selah!" (Psalm 50:3-6).
And this is truth! Jesus is the Judge and is ever seeking to judge in favor of His people (Daniel 7:22). This is why mercy has been pleading for so long. It is not that God is not Just. He is. Yet mercy is also strong in our God. And He is still seeking through the work of the Holy Spirit to bring the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ to all who will accept Him as Savior and Lord. If you truly accept His mercy, then you must also accept His truth. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." And thus we see that willing obedience is the trademark of true love. Give your will to Jesus today by choosing to obey Him. Then He will work in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. This is the fruit of loving Jesus. This is the fruit of obeying Jesus. This is the fruit of mercy and truth meeting in your life and character.
