Our Lord was strict with the Pharisees but gentle with the woman at the well. How do we know when each is right?
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NKJV)Notice that any one term alone does not make the complete equation.
1. Justice - rendering to every one that which is his due; doing what positive law demands. 1
2. Mercy - compassion for the miserable. In Christ mercy and truth meet together. 2
3. Humility - The Father stoops down to help the poor and needy; "low in heart". Humility and meekness are often inseparable. 3
We need all three.
All throughout the scriptures it compares and contrasts truth and love. An excellent example is the shortest chapter in the Bible.
Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:1-2 NRSV)Three Temptations
There is a negative side: Jesus was tempted in three ways. Aside from that, the ancient Greeks also knew of the trifecta, 4 but it really goes back to the days of Creation, reflecting the character attributes of God. It is also present in the famous Serenity Prayer. There are many kinds of balance in the Bible. We should let our moderation be known to everyone. (Philippians 4:5)
|
|
wisdom |
power |
love |
|---|---|---|---|
|
creation days |
1 - light 4 - sun, moon, stars |
2 - sky and sea 5 - fish, birds |
3 - dry land, plants 6 - animals, mankind |
|
positive virtues: Micah 6:8 1 Corinthians 13:13 John 14:6 Psalms 117:2 Proverbs 21:21 |
humility hope truth faithfulness honor |
justice faith way
prosperity |
mercy love life lovingkindness life |
|
negative temptations: Genesis 3:6 1 John 2:16 Christ's temptations |
wise boastful pride of life temple |
eyes lust of the eyes kingdoms |
food lust of the flesh bread |
|
Greek culture |
logos |
ethos |
pathos |
Which is the greatest?
Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13)
And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 AMP)The ultimate example of mercy triumphing over judgment is when Christ took the punishment we deserved and rose again so we can have forgiveness and new life.
Our Only Way Home
In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10 NRSV)
Faultless Religion
In view of God's mercies, we ought to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. (Romans 12:1) Let's hope we don't keep crawling off the altar! Truth and love come together again to describe the religion that God considers acceptable.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:27 NRSV)
How wonderful that God espouses the best of both conservative and liberal ideals!
When we inevitably do a less than perfect job, forgiveness is available in Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
"All beauty is truth, and all truth is compassionate. Few know that; fewer still can express it."
- Henry Williamson 5
- Wipolo Chart ( .gif )
- 4 Ministries Chart ( .gif )
- 5 Traits Chart ( .xlsx )
- 7 Days of Creation Chart ( .png )
- 10 Commandments Chart ( .gif )
- Human Experience Diagram ( .svg ), with Interactive Outline ( .html )
All the above charts visible on one page:
- Balance Charts ( .html )
Apparenly Wipolo is also an Acholi word for "Heaven",
and Pastor Okudi in Uganda made a song about it:
and Pastor Okudi in Uganda made a song about it:
Footnotes:
1. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/justice.html
2. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/mercy.html
3. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/humility.html
4. https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/ethos-pathos-logos/
5. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/henry_williamson_629170
Images credits:
Copyright: tanyasid
CC0: Pixabay on Pexels
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9 ESV)