Monday, October 7, 2019

Good Works Cannot Cancel Out Sin

Recently a convicted undergrad molester escapes jail time because the judge cited that his academic results showed he had the "potential to excel in life" and "He was 22 years old when he committed the offences... and the nature of the acts (is) relatively minor." But Singaporeans were outraged that the offender can get lighter sentence because of good grades.

If a person who drove for forty years without breaking any traffic offence, can he be pardoned if he is caught dashing through a red light for the first time?

If a person was involved in a charity that saved thousands of lives, is he entitled to murder one person?

It is strange that some people think that it is just if God will put good works and bad works on a scale and then reward according to which is heavier. If this is justice, why are people angry that the NUS undergraduate molester got a lighter sentence? The judge put his good grades and molesting deeds on a scale and found his good grades heavier than his molesting act.

Good works cannot cancel sin. Justice demands that every sin has to be punished. God is just and is obliged to punish every sin. Otherwise God would be unjust. But God is merciful. How can God pardon the sinner without being unjust?

God does not pardon sinners for free. He sent His only begotten Son Jesus to "the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2)" so that God can now freely pardon any sinner that turn to Him for mercy. Thus justice and mercy can be reconciled and God can be "just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)"

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