Ruthless Tenderness

It's hard for us to combine the words 'ruthless' and 'tender' in the same sentence. These two words appear to be polar opposites. But when we consider God's nature we must accept that he is simultaneously ruthless with sin and tender with us. God has no problem at all combining both qualities in His person. Perhaps it might help to think about it this way. What if God simply denied sin's existence or swept sin under the proverbial moral carpet? What if God cowered in sin's presence and wilted under it's power? Personally speaking, what if He refused to judge or condemn my sin? Such a view of God is dissatisfying to all of us. It ultimately renders God as a moral coward. If we are truly honest with ourselves, none of us wants a God who declines to deal with my evil or the world's. Thankfully in Christ he has decisively dealt with both!

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