17. Justice and Mercy - Acts

It’s been often said that, if you’re not struggling when you’re reading the Word of God, you’re not reading it right. Many times, we struggle because the Word confronts and convicts us, rightfully so. But the Bible also has many difficult passages - difficult to read, difficult to place our selves into, difficult to understand or know how to read with understanding and application. Today we look at a series of passages that fit into this category.
We’re given multiple accounts of those in scripture who were immediately struck down and killed for sinning against God. How are we to deal with these passages? Each of us sin daily, yet most of us are not stricken down immediately. We know all will face ultimate and eternal judgement, but what causes some to be “judged immediately” (from a human perspective) and others not?
Beginning with Acts 12 and the account of Herod accepting praise as a god, we look at the examples of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10), Uzzah (2 Samuel 6), Achan (Joshua 7), and Annanias and Saphira (Acts 5).
We use these examples to look at both the justice and the mercy of God. How do these characteristics coexist in the nature of God and who he is? How does a proper understanding of the nature of man shape our view of God’s righteous judgement? Is God just when he carries out punishment? Is he just when he extends mercy?
We take a look at these questions and more as we see that all of these examples and questions further highlight our need for a Savior. Man stands in total depravity before holy God. But because of his love for us (Rom 5:8), God sent his son and created a way for us to be reconciled to him, saving us from his wrath, without compromising his requirements for justice.
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