By Timothy Kitchen Jr

There is a balance running throughout the Word of God that we must be very careful not to break.

God is righteous. God judges. God corrects. God allows consequences. God requires repentance.

But that same God is merciful. He is compassionate. He forgives. He delivers. He restores. He bears with weakness. And He commands His people to do likewise.

The danger comes when we take one of these truths and make it the whole truth.

We can emphasize compassion until wrongdoing no longer matters. But we can also emphasize consequences until mercy disappears.

Neither represents the complete character of God.

Righteous Judgment Is Not Partial Judgment

God commanded Israel:

“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.”

— Leviticus 19:15

God does not tell us that the poor person is automatically right because he is poor. Neither does wealth, power, office, friendship, family relationship, or social standing make someone right.

Truth determines the matter.

But notice something remarkable. Only a few verses earlier, the same God commanded:

“And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.

“And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.”

— Leviticus 19:9–10

There is no contradiction.

God says do not favor the poor in judgment, while simultaneously commanding His people to provide for the poor in their need.

That gives us an essential distinction:

Helping someone does not mean declaring him right.

A man can be wrong about something and still be hungry.

A person can have made a poor decision and still need shelter.

Someone can have sinned and still need compassion.

We can tell someone the truth about his conduct while simultaneously helping him through his need.

Righteous judgment and compassion are not enemies.

We Must First Know the Matter

Before deciding that someone is suffering because of his own decisions, another principle enters the picture:

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”

— Proverbs 18:13

And:

“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.”

— Proverbs 18:17

This is tremendously important.

We may see the circumstances.

We may see the poverty.

We may see the failure.

We may even hear someone else’s explanation for how it happened.

But have we heard the person?

Christ gave a procedure for dealing with a brother:

“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.”

— Matthew 18:15

Herbert W. Armstrong repeatedly emphasized this principle. When teaching Matthew 18, he stressed going directly to the person involved rather than spreading the matter among others.

There is wisdom in that instruction because human beings do not see hearts.

We Do Not Know Another Person’s Heart

Herbert W. Armstrong made a particularly strong statement in Just What Do You Mean… Conversion?:

“If you see a Christian do something wrong, DON’T SIT IN JUDGMENT AND CONDEMN — that’s God’s business to judge, not yours! Let’s have compassion and mercy — WE don’t know the inner heart of others — only GOD does!”

That statement deserves careful consideration.

Armstrong was not saying that Christians cannot distinguish right from wrong. God’s law defines sin.

He was warning against moving from recognizing that something is wrong to condemning the person.

We don’t know everything God knows.

We may not know what preceded the situation.

We may not know what the person understands.

We may not know what he has already confessed privately to God.

We may not know whether he has repented.

And we certainly do not automatically know what God intends to accomplish through his present circumstances.

That should produce humility in judgment.

Yes, There Are Consequences

The Bible absolutely teaches consequences.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

— Galatians 6:7

There are times when continually rescuing someone from the results of destructive behavior can actually perpetuate that behavior.

Armstrong himself recognized this principle.

In his autobiography, he recounted the case of a man whose brother refused to repeatedly rescue him from trouble because he believed the man “hasn’t had enough punishment to learn his lesson yet.”

There is wisdom in understanding that correction sometimes has to hurt before someone changes.

But that principle cannot become universal.

Why?

Because look at what appears in the very same chapter containing “whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Bear One Another’s Burdens

Paul writes:

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

— Galatians 6:1–2

Notice the person isn’t necessarily innocent.

He is “overtaken in a fault.”

Yet God’s instruction isn’t:

Stand back until he has suffered enough.

It is:

Restore him.

And then:

Bear his burden.

Armstrong emphasized this when teaching Galatians. Speaking of the person overtaken in a fault, he instructed Christians to:

“have love, and go and try to restore him. Don’t condemn him.”

That is an enormously important qualification.

The Bible that says:

You reap what you sow

also says:

Bear one another’s burdens.

Therefore “reaping what you sow” cannot automatically mean that Christians must refuse assistance so that another person’s suffering can continue.

Sometimes God commands us to help carry the very burden under which that person is struggling.

Who Decides What Consequence Someone Needs?

This raises a question that is easily overlooked.

Suppose someone really has done wrong.

Suppose his decisions really did contribute to his circumstances.

Suppose he really does deserve consequences.

That still doesn’t answer another question:

Who gave me the responsibility to administer those consequences?

Scripture says:

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

— Romans 12:19

God has established different forms of authority.

Parents have authority over their children.

Civil rulers have responsibilities within civil government.

Church government has responsibilities concerning matters within the Church.

But merely observing another person’s trouble does not automatically appoint us as God’s instrument for ensuring that he continues experiencing it.

There is a subtle danger here.

We can say:

“I’m not punishing him. I’m just allowing him to experience the consequences.”

But how do we know God has not placed us there to show him mercy?

How do we know that helping him isn’t part of God’s solution?

How do we know that the consequence hasn’t already accomplished what God intended?

Those questions require righteous judgment too.

Has the Person Repented?

This is one of the most important distinctions of all.

There is a tremendous difference between someone saying:

“I don’t care. I’ll continue doing exactly what I’ve been doing.”

and someone saying:

“I was wrong. I see it now. I am turning around and trying to do what is right.”

God Himself treats those situations differently.

Ezekiel records:

“But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

“All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”

— Ezekiel 18:21–23

God does not say:

He sinned, therefore every consequence must now run its full course.

Repentance changes God’s dealings with the person.

That does not mean every physical consequence immediately disappears. Some consequences remain.

But neither can we establish a rule that removing consequences is inherently ungodly.

God Himself forgives.

God Himself delivers.

God Himself restores.

God Himself sometimes removes what would otherwise have come upon the sinner.

That is mercy.

There Comes a Time to Stop Punishing

One of the clearest examples appears in 2 Corinthians.

A man had been disciplined. But eventually Paul determined that the correction had accomplished enough.

He wrote:

“Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

“So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

“Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.”

— 2 Corinthians 2:6–8

Notice the progression.

Punishment.

Then:

Sufficient.

Then:

Forgive.

Then:

Comfort.

Then:

Confirm your love.

There can therefore come a point when continuing corrective treatment is no longer God’s answer.

Correction has a purpose.

When that purpose has been achieved, love may require restoration.

God’s Goodness Also Produces Repentance

Consequences can teach.

But consequences are not God’s only means of bringing someone to repentance.

Paul asks:

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

— Romans 2:4

Notice what leads to repentance here:

God’s goodness.

Sometimes pain wakes someone up.

Sometimes mercy breaks him.

Sometimes being treated better than he deserves causes him finally to understand the goodness of God.

We cannot build an entire doctrine of correction around consequences while leaving out the corrective power of mercy.

Consider the Prodigal Son

The prodigal son made his own decisions.

He wasted what had been given him.

He suffered because of those decisions.

He became desperately poor.

Eventually:

“he came to himself”

— Luke 15:17

The consequences had accomplished something.

He repented and returned.

Now notice what the father did not say:

“You haven’t suffered enough yet.”

The father ran to him.

He embraced him.

He kissed him.

He clothed him.

He fed him.

He restored him.

The consequences had accomplished their purpose.

Continuing them would not have made the father more righteous.

Restoration was now the righteous response.

Compassion Is Not the Enemy of Judgment

Christ repeatedly demonstrated this.

“And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.”

— Matthew 14:14

Again:

“Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.”

— Matthew 15:32

Christ’s compassion moved Him to action.

This doesn’t mean compassion alone determines right and wrong.

But neither should we speak as though compassion is something inherently dangerous that righteous judgment must suppress.

Compassion is part of God’s character.

The question is whether our compassion operates according to truth.

The Good Samaritan

Christ gave us perhaps the clearest example of compassion toward someone in immediate physical need.

The Samaritan found a wounded man.

Christ says:

“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

“And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

“And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.”

— Luke 10:33–35

Christ does not tell us anything about the wounded man’s financial decisions.

He doesn’t tell us whether he had made mistakes.

The immediate fact before the Samaritan was:

Here is my neighbor, and he needs help.

Compassion moved his hand.

What If We See Our Brother in Need?

John makes the issue extraordinarily direct:

“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

— 1 John 3:17

James says something similar:

“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

“And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?”

— James 2:15–16

These scriptures must stand alongside scriptures concerning consequences.

We cannot quote:

“whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”

while forgetting:

“Bear ye one another’s burdens.”

We cannot quote:

“thou shalt not respect the person of the poor”

while forgetting:

“leave them for the poor and stranger.”

And we cannot speak about righteous judgment while forgetting:

“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

— James 2:13

Hosea Shows Both Correction and Compassion

God’s dealings with Israel reveal this balance beautifully.

God corrected Israel severely.

Yet He says:

“How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

“I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.”

— Hosea 11:8–9

Notice carefully what happens.

God’s compassion doesn’t cause Him to declare Israel righteous.

Israel was wrong.

Correction was justified.

But God’s compassion affected what He did with them.

He restrained the fullness of His anger.

That is not unrighteous judgment.

That is God’s righteous judgment.

Mercy Does Not Mean Calling Evil Good

None of this means ignoring sin.

Isaiah warns:

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness…”

— Isaiah 5:20

Compassion cannot make adultery righteous.

Compassion cannot make theft righteous.

Compassion cannot make lying righteous.

Compassion cannot make rebellion righteous.

But recognizing sin and showing mercy to the sinner are two different questions.

Christ could say:

“Neither do I condemn thee”

and also:

“go, and sin no more.”

— John 8:11

That is the balance.

Mercy without approving sin.

Truth without destroying the sinner.

Righteous Judgment Requires All of God’s Word

This brings everything together.

Suppose we encounter a brother in serious trouble.

We should not begin merely with:

“What did he do to cause this?”

There are more questions.

What actually happened?

Have I heard him?

Am I hearing only one side?

Has he sinned?

If so, does he recognize it?

Has he repented?

Is he continuing in the same conduct?

Would my assistance enable continuing sin?

Or would my assistance help him recover and do what is right?

Is this genuinely my responsibility to correct?

Has correction already accomplished its purpose?

Does he need correction now—or restoration?

What does mercy require?

What does love require?

What does God’s Word require?

And perhaps most importantly:

Am I trying to determine God’s will for this person—or have I decided for myself what God must be doing with him?

Herbert W. Armstrong’s warning deserves to be remembered:

“If you see a Christian do something wrong, DON’T SIT IN JUDGMENT AND CONDEMN — that’s God’s business to judge, not yours! Let’s have compassion and mercy — WE don’t know the inner heart of others — only GOD does!”

And his instruction concerning someone overtaken in a fault was equally direct:

“have love, and go and try to restore him. Don’t condemn him.”

That is not sentimental Christianity.

It is righteous judgment.

God’s way is not compassion instead of judgment.

Neither is it judgment without compassion.

It is truth, justice, correction, repentance, forgiveness, mercy, restoration and love operating together under the government of God.

Sometimes love allows a consequence.

Sometimes love intervenes.

Sometimes love corrects.

Sometimes love forgives.

Sometimes love says, “No.”

Sometimes love sees someone crushed beneath a burden and reaches down to carry part of it.

Wisdom is knowing from the whole Word of God which response is required.

And that is why James leaves us with such a powerful warning:

“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

— James 2:13