Justice and Mercy: God the Father in the Age of Heightened Ethics

We live in a time when people have become especially sensitive. More and more topics are becoming taboo: one careless word—and you risk offending someone. This heightened sensitivity, it seems, is linked to profound changes in how society understands such basic concepts as justice and mercy.

For the past twenty years, culture has been striving to completely reinterpret their meaning. These words came to us from the Christian tradition, but since the church is now considered unfashionable—especially in the Western world, though not only there—the meaning of these terms has become inconvenient and even unacceptable for modern society.

Justice has become the most sought-after ideal, while mercy is now perceived as weakness. Both concepts have reached extreme forms: there is no longer any intermediate state. It seems that we must either act strictly according to justice—harshly punishing the guilty—or completely forgive and overlook the harm a person has done.

Here is a striking example of such radicalization. (I will not mention names or places so as not to draw too much attention, but this case is taken from a real incident.)

In one evangelical church, a minister was accused of “spiritual abuse” and “patriarchal behavior.” The basis for these accusations were various emotional testimonies from former members of the church posted on social media. The facts were not verified, no disciplinary process was initiated, and the pastor did not publicly respond—yet the church and Christian community had already passed judgment.

What happened:

• A wave of accusations was launched against him, labeling him toxic, a cult leader, and guilty of spiritual abuse.

• Other ministers began distancing themselves from him to avoid being “tainted.”

• Without any formal investigation or opportunity for repentance, the minister’s service was effectively canceled.

• Even attempts to clarify the situation were seen as defending the “oppressor.”

Ultimately, people began demanding “justice”: that the minister relinquish his authority, that his works be declared null and void, and that he be punished—even to the point of legal action. When proposals were made to listen to him, to give him a chance to explain himself and, if necessary, repent, the response was that even sincere apologies would change nothing.

Yet Scripture teaches us: God is not only just but also exceedingly merciful.

“For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

(James 2:13)

If God were only just, our world would have long been destroyed—after all, every person, from the moment of birth, goes against Him and commits what is unpleasing. It is precisely because God combines justice with mercy that we are alive and have hope.

In order to reconcile these two concepts, the Church must return to the image of God as Father—a image that, unfortunately, has lost its power in our everyday theological and ecclesiastical life. We have long focused on the portrayal of God as the “loving Daddy” and have ceased to see in Him the Just and Merciful Father.

It is precisely the understanding of who our Heavenly Father is that can meet the challenges of modern culture, provide the foundation for a mature Christian ethics, restore hope for the future, and reconnect us with the faith of our forefathers.