Examples of God’s Horrifying Justice in the Fall of Man
3 min • Digitized on October 7, 2021
From The Sinner’s Guide, page 267
By Venerable Louis of Granada
Consider also the fall of man, which would have been no less terrible than that of the Angels, if it had not been repaired.
Behold in it the cause of all the miseries we suffer on earth: original and actual sin, suffering of body and mind, death, and the ruin of numberless souls who have been lost for ever.
Terrible are the calamities it brought upon us; and even greater would be our misfortunes had not Christ, by His death, bound the power of sin and redeemed us from its slavery.
How rigorous, therefore, was the justice of God in thus punishing man’s rebellion; but how great was His goodness in restoring him to His friendship!
In addition to the penalties imposed on the human race for the sin of Adam, new and repeated punishments have at different times been inflicted upon mankind for the crimes they have committed.
In the time of Noe the whole world was destroyed by the deluge.
Fire and brimstone from heaven consumed the wicked inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha.
The earth opened and swallowed alive into hell Core, Dathan, and Abiron for resisting the authority of Moses.
Nadab and Abiu, sons of Aaron, were destroyed by a sudden flame from the sanctuary because they offered strange fire in the sacrifice.
Neither their priestly character, nor the sanctity of their father, nor the intimacy with God of their uncle, Moses, could obtain for them any remission for their fault.
Recall the example of Ananias and Sapphira, struck dead by God for telling a lie.
But the strongest proof of the rigor of God’s justice was the satisfaction required for sin, which was nothing less than the death of His only-begotten Son.
Think of this Price of man’s Redemption, and you will begin to realize what sin is and how the justice of God regards it.
Think, too, of the eternity of hell, and judge of the rigor of that justice which inflicts such punishment. This justice terrifies you, but it is no less certain than the mercy in which you trust.
Yes, through endless ages God will look upon the indescribable torments of the damned, but they will excite in Him no compassion; they will not move Him to limit their sufferings or give them any hope of relief.
Oh! mysterious depths of divine justice! Who can reflect upon them and not tremble?