Heidelberg Catechism Week 4

9. Q. But doesn't God do us an injustice by requiring in His law what we are unable to do? A. No, God created humans with the ability to keep the law. They, however, tempted by the devil, in reckless disobedience, robbed themselves and all their descendants of these gifts.

10. Q. Will God permit such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished? A. Certainly not. He is terribly angry about the sin we are born with as well as the sins we personally commit. As a just judge He punishes them now and in eternity. He has declared: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."

11. Q. But isn't God also merciful? A. God is certainly merciful, but He is also just. His justice demands that sin, committed against His supreme majesty, by punished with the supreme penalty - eternal punishment of body and soul.

My reflections on the reading from the book...

Kevin DeYoung summarizes the question that naturally springs to mind when considering God's justice and mercy: 

How can God be fair and still punish humans for violating a standard they have no ability to keep?

The answer lies in the understanding of Adam's role as our representative, our federal head ... and also understanding Christ's role as the "second Adam." (This is something that I didn't truly comprehend until I started attending a Reformed church during grad school.)

We all participated with Adam in his sin, as well as actively sinning in our own lives here on earth. But through Christ we can call His righteousness ours, which God freely gives to His children, while laying all our guilt upon Christ who bore it at the cross and wrote "Paid in Full" on our debt. DeYoung phrases it well: 

Just as the one act of disobedience brought condemnation and death through our union with Adam (and not just as a result of our subsequent sin), so also the one act of obedience brings justification and life through our union with Christ, and not as a result of subsequent good works... God has the right to judge us, now and in eternity, for two reasons: (1) we have broken the law that originally we had the ability to keep, and (2) we sinned in Adam and deserve death for that sin just as Adam did.

Many people today want to sweep under the rug not only their own sin, but the entire subject of God's justice. They want to focus on His love and mercy, not his just wrath over sin. But consider:

We need a God who makes moral judgments. If He loves everyone in exactly the same way, what does His love mean, and what does it mean to be loved by God? Our universe would make no sense and the pain of injustice would be even greater if we did not have a God who recognizes right from wrong and judges the wicked.

Understanding God's righteous justice makes the good news of the gospel even more precious!

In Eden’s bliss we walked with God
Unhindered by the curse.
Yet we rebelled and were expelled—
Estranged; alone; perverse.
Two mighty cherubs barred the path
To Eden’s holy place;
No more could men, now stained by sin,
Behold our Maker’s face.

Beneath the Law we sought the Lord
Through sacrifice and priest.
One time each year one man, in fear,
Sought God with blood of beast.
Still mighty cherubs blocked the way
So sinners could not pass—
In curtain sewn, on golden throne,
They stopped the rebel fast.

Then Christ appeared to clear the way
To God for sinful man;
Fulfilled the Law without a flaw—
Our Temple, Priest, and Lamb.
Astounded cherubs stepped aside;
Each hid his flaming sword.
With nail and thorn the Veil was torn;
Draw near through Christ the Lord!

 

In Jesus’ name we boldly come
Before the throne of grace.
With empty hand, in Christ we stand
To seek Almighty’s face
Till saints and cherubs join in awe
Around the Savior’s throne.
With one great voice we will rejoice:
“All praise to Christ alone!”

(by Chris Anderson, arranged by James Koerts for choir here)