Note which ‘manual’ you are studying in the seasons of your life.
The teachings of grace are meant to teach you the kindness of God, while the teachings on judgment reveal His severity. This truth precedes life! The age of the Kingdom of God is coming, but it requires a process.
You must understand the kindness and severity of God, as they are laid out from Genesis to Revelation. Imbalance and falsehood arise when undue attention is given to either side. Like walking a tightrope, you must hold the pole straight to avoid falling, for even “he who thinks he is standing firm must be careful not to fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
The law is not merely a revelation of God’s severity but of His kindness and severity. Grace and truth are the breakdown of the law brought by the Lord Jesus. The law reveals the grace of God in shadows, as it also reveals the truth about Him—this includes His justice.
“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight”(Jeremiah 9:23–24).
READ ALSO: WHOSE WORD?
NO DISTINCTIONS
This is grace and truth. God does not change; His nature is constant. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Those who strive to draw distinctions between the God of the Old Covenant and the God of the New Covenant are opposing everything they claim to base their beliefs on.
If God has spoken about His character at different times and given witness to Himself in various places, how can we then claim He acts differently? The truth is that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
The law of times and seasons fixed for the Earth may cause different processes to occur simultaneously or concurrently—planting at one moment and harvesting at the same time in different climes and countries, or planting at one time and harvesting at another. This may give the appearance of God acting differently, but He is not.
“The Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Justice and righteousness are the truth of God, while grace (or favor) reflects His loving kindness and mercy.
READ ALSO: DOES GOD CHARGE FOR MERCY?
THE DANGER OF PRESUMPTION
When we come to the Lord, we must approach Him as those who truly know Him. Otherwise, we risk receiving the wrong end of His person.
By this, I mean that if you approach Him with assumptions about who He is—assumptions that are not true—you will likely lose out. This is evident throughout Scripture, where His people often took Him for granted. Likewise, we see examples like Jonah, who presumed God’s severity would be unleashed upon heathen nations, only to witness outcomes significantly different from what they expected as He showed them great kindness.
Watch: Should Physical Abuse be a Reason for Divorce?