FALSE MERCY: A POISONED APPLE

1. INTRODUCTION: DIVINE GLORY AND THE DANGER OF DISTORTION

From the earliest days of revelation, man has struggled to fully understand the nature of God. Our Creator, infinitely loving and just, cannot be confined to the limited categories of human understanding. However, in recent times, a seductive and distorted vision has emerged, presenting God as a being of infinite mercy, but detached from His justice. This distortion, though seemingly benign, is deeply dangerous, as it obscures the truth of who God is and puts the salvation of souls at risk.

Scripture is clear in presenting us with a God who is jealous for His glory: “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5). This jealousy is not capricious or human, but a just demand: that the truth of His being be known and adored without dilution. Throughout the centuries, the saints and doctors of the Church have defended this truth with zeal, reminding us that God’s justice is not optional nor secondary to His being, but forms a perfect unity with His love and mercy.

2. THE LACK OF CHARITY IN THE DISTORTION OF MERCY

Those who preach false mercy, omitting divine justice, are failing in their primary duty of charity. To teach mercy alone without warning of the demands of justice is, at its core, a betrayal of souls. St. Augustine said, “God is no less just when He forgives, nor less merciful when He punishes” (De civitate Dei, I, 9). Those who soften the Gospel message by removing the weight of justice are not acting out of true love but out of a false piety that poisons souls.

True charity must lead us to confront the reality of sin and the justice of God. It is an act of love to teach the truth about divine judgment because only in the recognition of our faults and sincere repentance can man access God’s redeeming mercy. Those who preach mercy without justice, far from saving, condemn, offering an illusory vision that does not invite conversion nor sanctity.

3. MERCY AND JUSTICE: AN INDIVISIBLE UNITY

God, in His infinite perfection, cannot be divided into attributes. His mercy and His justice are inseparable, as St. Thomas Aquinas teaches in his Summa Theologiae (I, q. 21, a. 4): “In all God’s works, justice presupposes mercy and is founded upon it.” This statement reminds us that every act of God’s justice is an act of mercy because, before demanding justice, God has given man the means to respond to His call.

St. John Chrysostom also illuminates this truth when he says, “The one who punishes is both just and merciful, for the punishment he inflicts is to correct the sinner and bring him back to the right path” (Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, 43). This balance between justice and mercy is the pillar that sustains God’s plan for salvation. Neither can exist without the other, for mercy without justice is not mercy, and justice without mercy would be cruel.

4. MODERN MAN AND THE TEMPTATION OF FALSE MERCY

Modern man, driven by a culture that rejects sacrifice and penance, has fallen into the trap of believing in a God who does not demand, who does not correct, and who only loves unconditionally. This vision, however, is far from divine reality. It is a “poisoned apple,” a seduction that offers temporary comfort but leads to eternal ruin.

Moral relativism, which denies the existence of absolute truths, has contributed to this false concept of mercy. Under the premise that “God is only love,” many justify behaviors that contradict divine law, believing that there will be no consequences. This false security is dangerous because it eliminates the need for repentance and conversion. As the prophet Ezekiel teaches: “If the righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die for it” (Ezekiel 18:26).

5. THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISTORTION: THE LOSS OF THE SENSE OF SIN

The distortion of mercy inevitably leads to the loss of the sense of sin. If God does not punish, if His mercy is automatic and requires no effort from the sinner, then sin loses its real weight. Man becomes numb in a false peace, trusting in a salvation that he believes is guaranteed without the need for amendment. This vision is not only false but deadly to souls, as it keeps them away from sincere repentance, the only path to redemption.

St. Gregory the Great, in his Moralia in Job, warns: “Whom the Lord loves, He corrects, and whom He receives as a son, He punishes” (Mor., III, 26). Divine correction is an act of love, and to deny it is to deny the very essence of the relationship between God and man. Only sincere repentance, motivated by the recognition of our faults and reverent fear of God’s justice, can open us to His mercy.

6. JUSTICE IN THE FINAL JUDGMENT: WHERE EVERYTHING IS REVEALED

The final judgment is the culminating act in which God’s justice will be fully revealed. At that moment, mercy and justice will find their perfect balance. God will judge each one according to his works: Those who have responded to mercy with repentance and works of charity will be welcomed into eternal glory, while those who have rejected divine justice will face the consequences of their actions.

Hell, which many today deny or consider symbolic, is a reality of divine justice. St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori warned: “Hell is the punishment for those who despise the mercy of God during their lives” (The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ). Denying this truth, under the excuse of unlimited mercy, is a betrayal of the truth and a grave danger to souls.

7. CONCLUSION: THE URGENCY OF TRUTH AND THE GRAVE ERROR OF FALSE MERCY

The error of presenting God as solely merciful, without justice, is not just a theological slip: it is a direct threat to the salvation of souls. It is a betrayal of truth, a denial of the deepest reality of God’s love, which corrects, purifies, and calls to conversion. Allowing this false mercy to spread is abandoning men to their perdition, turning a blind eye to the fall of countless souls who, deceived, believe that sin has no consequences, that repentance is unnecessary, and that eternal life is a promise without conditions.

False mercy is a mortal trap that, under the guise of love, hides the poison of complacency and lukewarmness. There is no greater act of charity than confronting this error with firmness and clarity. Those who remain silent about God’s justice not only fail in their duty but are complicit in the ruin of souls. By stripping the Gospel message of the cross, of sacrifice, and of the need for conversion, they are leading many into darkness, offering them temporary comfort at the cost of eternity.

It is our responsibility, as disciples of Christ, not only to proclaim God’s love but also His justice. For only in justice is true mercy found: the mercy that calls us to repentance, that demands we change, and that, in doing so, saves us. Teaching the full truth about God, with all His majesty of love and justice, is the greatest act of love we can offer. Any attempt to soften this truth is not charity, it is cowardice.

We cannot remain silent while we see so many souls lost in the false security of mercy without conditions. It is a sacred duty to oppose this error and restore the full teaching of the faith. The Church cannot and must not be complicit in this distortion. Those who truly love God and their brothers must be willing to defend divine justice, for only through it can mercy shine in all its splendor.

Time is running out. The world is sinking into deeper and deeper moral confusion, and only a brave and clear proclamation of the truth can rescue souls from perdition. Let it not be said of us that we were lukewarm, that we let the opportunity to save our brothers pass by out of fear of discomfort. The gravity of the error we face demands all our effort, our prayer, and our testimony. Only then can we be true instruments of divine grace, leading souls to the salvation that God offers but that can only be accepted in truth.

OMO

Bibliography:

• St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae.

• St. Augustine, De civitate Dei.

• St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew.

• St. Gregory the Great, Moralia in Job.

• St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ.