THE DIVINE KISS

By Evan Pyle

Mercy and truth are met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
(Psalm 85:10)

In the above statement the Psalmist brings together two seemingly opposite concepts. The lovingkindness, mercy and grace that are God’s divine nature are met together with his unbending and unchanging demand for truth, righteousness and judgment. And they are not just met together; they actually come together in a divine kiss. Brothers and sisters, let us explore together how these different concepts are met together in our Christian walk.

Remember, our Christian life isn’t about who we are trying to be (or who we want others to think we are), but who we really are. God knows our innermost parts and with the new birth, he has given us an innate desire to be pleasing to him. There must be a sense of honesty and reality to our lives if we are ever going to learn anything and if we are to be truly pleasing to him.

If mercy and truth met together, if righteousness and peace kissed each other, they must have been apart. This divine meeting was made possible in Jesus Christ.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 )

The gulf between God and man is so vast than no man can span it. God is merciful, but mercy must be on the proper grounds to meet truth. Mercy cannot nor will not grieve the holy nature of a judging God. Salvation is not “free” as some have termed it, but exacted the cost of the lifeblood of God’s dear only begotten Son. The mercies of God are not a thing to be demanded when we have sinned against God or when we have found ourselves in a bind. Mercy must be on the proper grounds and the proper grounds were found in Christ, on Calvary’s hill. The Law’s unbending demands were thus quieted and the veil that kept mercy and truth separated was dramatically rent... torn wide open for all that receive the Lord. In the Cross God turns his mercy toward sinful man without violating his perfect Truth.

By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. (Proverbs 16:6)

This divine meeting in a Christian’s life is not a once-in-the-past happening, but a daily reality in our walk of faith. Our walk must be in truth and righteousness or it is just a sham. Our walk must be in mercy and peace or else we receive the rightful payment for our works, which is death. But there has been a move, really a dramatic shift, in the modern Church away from the divine marriage of grace and truth found in the Lord. It is something I call “Christianity-Lite.” It is the feel-good gospel that likes to deny sin and call it dysfunction, or broken fellowship, or blame it on somebody or something else. The gospel of truth and righteousness recognizes the hopeless state of man and the ugliness of his fallen condition. It calls it like it is... “for the wages of sin is death ...” and then provides the remedy for all time for all people “... but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
(Proverbs 3:3)

Have you ever noticed a believer, maybe even yourself, eagerly accept God’s grace and mercy but be less than eager to hear of God’s righteous demands? I wanted God’s grace and mercy, but I wanted to forge my own path and have God there to help me. I wanted God’s peace, but I didn’t want to labor to enter into the promised rest (Heb. 4:9-11). But God does not withdraw his requirements. His demands are also known as his will. Mercy and grace meet together in our walk with righteousness and truth when we submit to and follow God’s will for our lives. Nothing less will satisfy his claims on us, for we are bought with a dear price! When we die to our own desires and wishes in favor of following God’s plan for our life, we are blessed with the Divine Kiss.

When we stand before the Lord to give account of our lives before him, he will want to know if we followed his plan for our lives, not just if we obeyed the biblical commands. Paul could have obeyed the Bible’s demands without ever walking in the apostleship to which Jesus called him. But Paul’s response, as should be ours, was “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:12)

... and knew the grace of God in truth: (Colossians 1:6b)

I pray that we may know the grace of God in truth. In Christ both peace and righteousness are to be met together. May this be a reality in our moment-by-moment walk.

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. (Romans 14:17-18)