From Discipleship Weekly
(a publication of the Presbyterian Church of Islip)
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A Word from Our Sponsor
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." -- John 3:17 The Heidelberg Catechism: Part 1- Of Man's Misery Week 4 9. Q. Is God not unjust in requiring of man in his Law what he cannot do? A. No, for God so created man that he could do it. But man, upon the instigation of the devil, by deliberate disobedience, has cheated himself and all his descendants out of these gifts. [Gen. 1:31, 3:6,13; John 8:44; Rom. 5:12,18-19; I Tim. 2:13-14] 10. Q. Will God let man get by with such disobedience and defection?
A. Certainly not, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, both against our inborn sinfulness and our actual sins, and he will punish them according to his righteous judgment in time and in eternity, as he has declared: "Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, and do them." [Ex. 34:7;
Deut. 27:26;
Ps. 5:4-6; 7:10;
Nah. 1:2;
Rom. 1:18; 5:12;
Eph. 5:6;
Gal. 3:10;
Heb. 9:27]
11. Q. But is not God also merciful?
A. God is indeed merciful and gracious, but he is also righteous. It is his righteousness which requires that sin committed against the supreme majesty of God be punished with extreme, that is, with eternal punishment of body and soul. [Ex. 20:5-6; 34:6-7; Deut. 7:9-11; Ps. 5:4-6; 103:8-9; Matt. 25:45-46; Heb. 10:30-31] Suggestions for discussion and review:
True or False: 1. Only people who lead wicked lives face judgment. 2. If a person doesn't repent, their judgment will be severe. 3. Some people are good enough to earn eternal life. 4. God's judgment is absolutely just. 5. Since God is merciful, he wants to bring all people to repentance.
To lie a little is not possible; whoever lies, lies a whole lie. -- Victor Hugo Let not thy Word, O Lord, become a judgment upon us, that we hear it and do it not, that we know it and love it not, that we believe it and obey it not. -- Thomas a' Kempis |