Michael Shook, Genesis Class Teacher, Member of St. Luke’s since 2014, and Small Group Leader

Psalm 145:17
The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.

Reflection:
For most of my life I have had trouble understanding how God could be both “just” (judge us) and “kind” (forgive, when forgiveness is not justified). It always seemed to me that to be the perfect judge you could not be kind as it would undermine holding people accountable. Wouldn’t it?

So how do we know that God is the perfect judge? How do we know that God is also kind in all God’s doings?

For Christians, the defining events in our narrative are the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If these are the defining events, then they must tell us something about God’s character and perhaps show us how God can be both just and kind.

The crucifixion was a judgement of the human race and one fully human person, Jesus Christ. So why didn’t God just forgive us without the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Why did the human Jesus have to endure such horrible pain and hardship when God could have just forgiven us? What does the crucifixion and resurrection tell us about God’s character? What kind of God would force a sinless man to pay for my sin?

When I think about these crucifixion and resurrection questions and God’s all powerful, all seeing presence, I come to better understand that God did this to allow us to better understand God’s character. God demonstrated both the consequences of judgement and the infinite kindness in forgiveness. In the crucifixion, God brought sin out into the light, and perfectly judged that sin. God showed us God’s character of kindness by forgiving our freely willed choices to sin, through resurrecting Jesus Christ and defeating the consequence of sin…death. God in the crucifixion and resurrection demonstrated both perfect judgement on the evil nature of sin and the kind and forgiving character traits necessary to forgive me of my sinful human condition.

In the world today, many are either afraid of judgement or reject God as being a perfect judge. Many people I know don’t comprehend God’s kindness demonstrated through God’s infinite offering of grace, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For many years what I failed to hold in my heart was an understanding of God’s kindness until I accepted Christ and his sacrifice for me into that same sinful heart.

Closing Prayer:
Father God, thank you for both your perfect judgement and kind ways demonstrated in the crucifixion and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I, for one, need both your judgement and your kindness to be who you want me to be. Please never allow me to replace your judgement with mine or to forget the kindness you offer me in grace freely given. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.