Forgiving,' and yet not suffering them to go unpunished.
(1) God forgives, and yet He does not leave sin unpunished, for He will by no means clear the guilty.'
The one word refers to His love, His heart; the other to the retributions which are inseparable from the very course of nature.
Forgiveness is the flow of God's love to all, and the welcoming back to His favor of all who come. Forgiveness likewise includes the escape from the extreme and uttermost consequences of sin in this life and in the next, the sense of God's displeasure here, and the final separation from Him, which is eternal death. Forgiveness is not inconsistent with retribution. There must needs be retribution, from--
(a) The very constitution of our nature.
Conscience, our spiritual nature, our habits all demand it.
(b) The constitution of the world.
In it all things work under God, but only for good' to them who love God. To all others, sooner or later, the Nemesis comes. Ye shall eat of the fruit of your doings.'
(2) God forgives, and therefore He does not leave sin unpunished. It is divine mercy that strikes. The end of His chastisement is to separate us from our sins.
(3) Divine forgiveness and retributive justice both center in the revelation of the Cross.
To us this message comes. It was the hidden heart of the Mosaic system. It was the revelation of Sinai. To Israel it was proclaimed' in thunder and darkness, and the way of forgiveness and the harmony of righteousness and mercy were veiled. To us it is proclaimed from Calvary. There in full light the Lord passes before us and proclaims,' I am the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious.' Ye are come.., unto Jesus.' See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh.' This is my Beloved Son, hear Him!'
