Revelation 11:18
It is time to destroy the destroyers of earth.
Reconciling God’s forgiveness and justice can be difficult.
We tend to either emphasize forgiveness at the expense of justice, or we emphasize justice at the expense of forgiveness.
God can forgive whatever God chooses to forgive, of course. But for reconciliation, restoration, or to live in the will of God, we see that there is need for repentance of that which goes against God and God’s ways as they have been revealed to us.
We see here that those who are committed to destroying the earth, with no intention of turning back, will be destroyed.
This is not so fun to talk about, but what does one do with someone who lives against the ways as set up in, say, a workplace? A church? A home? What if they refuse to change their ways, and are hellbent on destroying the very culture or atmosphere which they are in, not to mention all the damage to relationships?
God has forgiven all, and cleared the path to relationship with him, yet we cannot live into that goodness when practicing that which goes against God’s very nature and set boundaries.
If I attend an AA meeting, and right in the middle of it take out a beer and start drinking it, I’m probably gonna get kicked out.
There’s just a way things work.
It also must be mentioned that throughout Scripture, including Revelation, we are given ample opportunity to turn from our own ways. It isn’t like a one strike and you’re out sort of thing.
*For reflection:
Would you agree that the question of how God can be both forgiving and just is only truly understood through the cross?
Why is this true?
*From Revelation: A Shorter Commentary by G.K. Beale with David Campbell