Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Justice and Mercy Compared

It is sometimes stated that permitting a criminal to go unpunished is wrong, and is actually worse than the crime the criminal did.

I distinguish.

a) It is worse when done by a judge.
b) It is not worse when done by a victim.

We can see this by considering that it is mercy not to drag everyone who has wronged us before a judge. On the other hand, it is injustice for a judge to fail to apply the law to the guilty.

We can also see this in the work of God. Christ shows us mercy. The Father shows Christ justice. Thus, God as victim shows mercy, while God as judge shows justice.
Furthermore, God as king shows mercy by permitting a substitute, but that mercy in no way diminishes justice, because he still demands satisfaction.

-Turretinfan

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent! That was the first word into my mind after reading this post. I am really looking forward, hopfully, to meeting you in 60-80 years, if the Lord doesn't come before that. Ev

Turretinfan said...

Thanks, Ev! I am looking forward to that too.

Anonymous said...

Me too! Rarely is "God" considered a Merciful VICTIM.

Well, it falls to the "Body" of God, the Merciful victim to shine forth mercy and grace and peace.

Without Peace, really, it's just surface mercy and grace.

Good word TF!!

Turretinfan said...

Thanks, Michael!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, that should have been hopefully, I hurt my foot & have been hopping around, LOL, that's my story and I am sticking to it. Ev