Polar Opposites

I have been reading "Adventist Cultures in Conflict" by A. Leroy Moore and it is an excellent book. It introduces the idea that truth has poles. For example grace and the law. If we are focusing all of our attention on one side of the issue then one becomes more important than the other; we end up with legalism or no law. When we step back and take into account that there are two sides to truth and these balance each other. In fact I would say that have a complete understanding of truth means understanding that one pole is essential to understanding the other pole and vice versa.

I have lately been contemplating mercy and justice. While teaching you really need to have that balance. Sometimes as I look at my students grades I want to do everything I can to help them, but then I look at what they have done for homework. When I see that they haven't been trying how can I offer them mercy? I think that is somewhat how it is with God. We can't become righteous it is impossible. The only way to get to heaven is to take Jesus' righteousness. We don't deserve mercy; if we were to get complete justice we never would have had the chance to even walk this earth. Adam and Eve would have been destroyed as soon as they sinned but Jesus stepped in and took their place. As soon as they sinned there was a savior.

Most people realize, to some degree, that they need to change. Every New Year people make a resolution that within a month or even a day is broken. People recognize that they are helpless to change but they want to be better people. My students come to me realizing that their grades are poor. They want to change; they want to do better but they don't know how. People can be stuck in that position forever, wanting to change but never achieving it, unless something changes. All of those desires for change must come from God. We would have been completely happy to continue our selfish existence if God did not put in our hearts enmity between us and Satan.

God sees us reaching out to Him and that is when he extends his hand of mercy. He surrounds us with everything possible to help us to see Him. My students have many resources within their grasp to do well in the class but they need to take the initiative to seek those resources. God has placed within our reach His abundant love and mercy. But there is justice. When we seek our own way God disciplines us to bring us back to Him. When we come before truly repentant of our sins He wraps us in His mercy. We have no power in and of ourselves to change but God will give us the change of heart. We have to exercise our faith and will power but God will give us the strength to overcome when we rely on Him.