Character of God Revealed Through Justice Mercy and Love
The character of God is revealed through a harmonious display of justice, mercy, and love, attributes that are not optional but are inherent to his nature [4, 5]. These qualities are consistently presented throughout scripture, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
God's justice is a perfection of his nature, signifying his infinite righteousness in himself and in all his actions [4]. This righteousness is not merely an aspect of his will but an unchangeable principle of his being [4]. His legislative justice involves imposing righteous laws on his creatures, while his rectoral or distributive justice concerns his dealings with accountable beings [4]. The righteousness of God is described as very high, abundant, beyond computation, and everlasting, forming the habitation of his throne [6]. It is exhibited in his testimonies, commandments, judgments, word, and ways [6]. John Gill notes that the "righteousness of God" in Romans 1:17 refers to the righteousness Christ accomplished through obeying the law and bearing its penalty, by which believers are justified [8]. Adam Clarke interprets this "righteousness of God" as God's method of saving sinners, revealed through faith rather than works [14].
Mercy, often linked with goodness and loving-kindness, is another fundamental attribute of God [3, 5]. God's goodness is a perfection he exercises towards his creatures, encompassing benevolence, and when directed toward the miseries of his creatures, it manifests as mercy, pity, and compassion [5]. For impenitent sinners, this goodness is expressed as long-suffering patience, and for the unworthy, it is grace [5]. The loving-kindness of God is described as great, excellent, good, marvelous, multitudinous, and everlasting [3]. It is through Christ that this loving-kindness is realized [3]. The prophet Hosea speaks of saints being betrothed in God's loving-kindness, drawn and preserved by it, and quickened through it [3]. Exodus 34:6 highlights God's compassion and mercy, emphasizing that he is slow to anger and full of unfailing love and faithfulness [7]. This passage suggests that if God were solely just, humanity would not have endured, underscoring the vital role of his mercy [7].
God's love is profoundly demonstrated through his actions towards humanity. "God is love" (1 John 4:8), signifying an infinite fountain of benevolence and beneficence [13]. This love is not limited to a select few but extends to all human beings, as evidenced by his provision for both the righteous and the unrighteous [13]. The manifestation of God's special love towards his elect was most clearly seen in the mission of Christ into the world [10]. John 1:17 states that while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ [1]. The incarnation of God in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, preached among nations, and believed on in the world, is described as the great secret of piety (1 Timothy 3:16, YLT) [2]. This act of sending Christ is the ultimate proof of God's love for the whole human race [13].
These attributes—justice, mercy, and love—are not contradictory but are harmoniously displayed in God's character. Adam Clarke explains that God designed to show both his justice and mercy through the Gospel dispensation [11]. His justice is evident in requiring a sacrifice for sin, while his mercy is shown in providing that very sacrifice [11]. Thus, God is simultaneously just and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus [11]. The Psalms speak of love, truth, righteousness, and peace coming together in God's care to transform the created order [12]. Jesus' teachings, such as those in Matthew 5:27-30, reveal the deeper intent of the law, uncovering sin at a profound level and demonstrating God's comprehensive righteousness [9].
Sources
- John “For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. -- John 1:17”
- I Timothy “I Timothy 3:16 (YLT) — and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety--God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Goodness of God — A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 34:6: 34:6 compassion and mercy (see 20:5-6; 33:19 and study notes): The Creator who was revealing himself to the Israelites, and through them to the world, is a God of grace. Neither his justice nor his sovereignty are underlined here, as true as those attributes are. If God were merely just, the Old Testament would have ended at this point, or it would have picked up and started again with an entirely new family. This did not happen because God, in his unique character, is slow to anger and full of unfailing love and faithfulness. These qualities were the basis for hi”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 1:17: For therein is the righteousness of God revealed,.... By "the righteousness of God", is not meant the essential righteousness of God, the rectitude of his nature, his righteousness in fulfilling his promises, and his punitive justice, which though revealed in the Gospel, yet not peculiar to it; nor the righteousness by which Christ himself is righteous, either as God, or as Mediator; but that righteousness which he wrought out by obeying the precepts, and bearing the penalty of the law in the room of his people, and by which they are justified in the sight of God: and”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 5:27: 5:27-30 Jesus’ righteousness uncovers sin at a deeper level than the external; he reveals the true intent of the law.”
- 1 John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 John 4:9: In this was manifested the love of God towards us,.... The love of God here spoken of, and instanced in, is not his general love to all his creatures, which is shown in the make of them, and in the support of them in their beings, and in his providential care of them, and kindness to them; but his special love towards his elect, and which was before it was manifested; it was secretly in his heart from everlasting, and did not begin to be at the mission of Christ into the world, but was then in a most glaring manner manifested: there were several acts of it before, as t”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 3:26: To declare, I say, at this time - To manifest now, by the dispensation of the Gospel, his righteousness, his infinite mercy; and to manifest it in such a way, that he might still appear to be the just God, and yet the justifier, the pardoner, of him who believeth in Jesus. Here we learn that God designed to give the most evident displays both of his justice and mercy. Of his justice, in requiring a sacrifice, and absolutely refusing to give salvation to a lost world in any other way; and of his mercy, in providing The sacrifice which his justice required. Thus, beca”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 85:10: 85:10-13 In the glorious world of renewal and salvation, all the qualities of God’s care—love, truth, righteousness, and peace—come together and transform the created order into something new (see Isa 32:15-20).”
- 1 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 John 4:8: He that loveth not - As already described, knoweth not God - has no experimental knowledge of him. God is love - An infinite fountain of benevolence and beneficence to every human being. He hates no thing that he has made. He cannot hate, because he is love. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends his rain on the just and the unjust. He has made no human being for perdition, nor ever rendered it impossible, by any necessitating decree, for any fallen soul to find mercy. He has given the fullest proof of his love to the whole human race by the in”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 1:17: For therein - In the Gospel of Christ. Is the righteousness of God - God's method of saving sinners. Revealed from faith to faith - Shown to be by faith, and not by the works of any law; for Abraham, the father and founder of the Jewish people, was justified by faith, before even the law was given; and by believing, in reference to the spiritual object held forth in the various ordinances of the law, and now revealed under the Gospel, he and all his believing descendants have been justified. And thus the faith of the old covenant led on to the faith of the new coven”