Sermon Quotes: "Impending Justice"
“God’s foreknowledge told him that he would stretch out his hand only to meet mighty resistance but, plainly he was in no hurry to implement the final showdown he foresaw (3:19-20). As 2 Peter 3:9 says, ‘The Lord is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’-Pharaoh included. But eventually the Lord’s patience comes to an end for he is a God of justice (Isa. 30:18) as well as mercy.” Alec Motyer
“What amazes us is justice, not grace…We have come to expect God to be merciful. From there the next step is easy: We demand it. When it is not forthcoming, our first response is anger against God, coupled with the protest: ‘It isn’t fair.’ We soon forget that with our first sin we have forfeited all rights to the gift of life. That I am drawing breath this morning is an act of divine mercy. God owes me nothing. I owe Him everything…Even if we recognize that He is gracious, we think that He has not been gracious enough. We think we deserve more grace. Please read that last sentence again: We think we deserve more grace. What is wrong with that sentence? It is impossible for anyone, anywhere, anytime to deserve grace. Grace by definition is undeserved. As soon as we talk about deserving something, we are no longer talking about grace; we are talking about justice. Only justice can be deserved. God is never obligated to be merciful. Mercy and grace must be voluntary or they are no longer mercy and grace. God never ‘owes’ grace…I will receive only justice or mercy from God. I never receive injustice from His hand.” R.C. Sproul
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