Two Sides to Victory

“By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” (Pr 16:6 AV)

If there is to be victory over iniquity, there has to be a balance.  There must be truth.  Otherwise, we would not know what iniquity is.  Paul states, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Ro 3:20 AV) It is the truth that reveals where we have failed, why it was a failure, and how to correct it.  Truth is the bases of rebuke and correction.  With it, we would continue in iniquity without any hope of correction.  Mercy is the hope upon which truth passes through.  If we have no hope of mercy, then we suffer consequences for error without any hope of restoration or victory.  Our lives are nothing but punishment.  As far as the LORD is concerned, all we see Him as is an overbearing authority figure who cares more for right and wrong than the individual whom He has created.  He becomes a disengaged and aloof deity whose sole function is to administer and enforce the law without any desire to know and fellowship with the very beings whom He has created.  Mercy is the hug that comes after the spanking.  Mercy is the ice cream cone that follows a good tongue lashing.  Mercy and truth must be in balance.  Otherwise, iniquity reigns.

There are two incorrect types of parents.  There is the first that sits on his throne and manages his family.  He chastens when the children disobey.  As far as his relationships, they are limited to his friends and coworkers.  He is often by himself, engrossed in his hobby or with his buddies.  As far as his children, they are there to do his bidding and obey his commands.  If they need anything, they are to go to mother.  He cannot be bothered to sit with a child on his lap, reading a story or simply talking about what matters to the child.  There are no ball games.  There are not mutual interests.  When spanking does come, it is because the child deserved it and this parent feels too vulnerable to console the child afterward, thinking consolation shows weakness.  Then there is the other parent.  He or she wants to be his or her child’s best friend.  They fear to enforce any kind of law or standard because the child will not love them.  The ignore bad behavior because they fear they will lose the love of their little boy or girl.  Laws or standards fluctuate based on how little Timmy or Sally feels about it.  What once was not allowed for one sibling, is clearly tolerated of another for no other reason than fear.  Fear of losing that child.  In the end, a child raised with mercy and not truth quickly loses all respect for his or her parent what that parent feared all along becomes a reality.  That child is lost.

The LORD shows both.  Again, Paul states, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Ro 2:4 AV)  God’s mercy, coupled with the truth, produces repentance.  God forgives.  God instructs.  God rebukes.  But God forgives.  Without that hope, who would really care about changing anything.  Like the parent above, if God is going to be angry and correct without any hope of forgiveness and kindness, what would be the motive for doing right?  If He is going to be angry anyway, we might as well enjoy life in our sin.  A word of warning though.  The contemporary Christian culture stresses just the opposite.  Mercy at the cost of truth.  The heresy that “God loves you just the way you are” has led many to make harmful decisions along the way.  Many of which affect those who follow more than the decision-makers.  Truth and mercy must be in balance.  If not, iniquity will reign without any hope of victory.