No Delight in the Death of the Wicked

God finds no enjoyment in the destruction of the wicked. But because He is good, the Lord will ensure that justice is done. Today, R.C. Sproul reminds us that even in His benevolence toward sinners, God will never negotiate His holiness.

God doesn’t take any pleasure in the death of the wicked. Nevertheless, though He doesn’t enjoy it, as it were, He still decrees it. And that is a point that we must remember—that even in His benevolence, God will never negotiate His righteousness or His own holiness. And He will still punish the wicked despite His being in a disposition of goodwill toward them. I like to think of it as a judge, for example, whose son is brought before him who is guilty of grand larceny, and the case is heard in the court. And the judge knows that his son is guilty, and the jury brings in the verdict of guilty. And it is left to the judge to sentence the guilty party because of what the law requires.

A just judge in this circumstance would impose a just penalty, even on his own son. Despite his personal concern, despite his personal love for that son, out of his own love for the law and for righteousness and justice, he will sentence his son to prison. He may do it with tears, but nevertheless because of his commitment to righteousness and to justice, the judge will do the right thing.