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God’s revelation of Himself to mankind is perfect.  When we see Jesus, we see the Father (John 14:8-9).  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature… (Hebrews 1:3).  For in Him (Jesus) the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature] (Colossians 2:9 AMP).

Though His revelation of Himself is complete, God remains very mysterious.  As a diamond is multifaceted, so is God’s personality.   It is a dangerous error to ignore the contrasts of personality that God has demonstrated exist in His holy character.  To present God as only One who loves, without revealing His love with His holy justice, is to present a false God.

Equally errant is the man I know that insisted that Hurricane Katrina was strictly the revelation of God’s divine judgment.  Was God judging? I am certain He was.  Yet was He not also being merciful, bringing people to know Him?  Was He not also growing and molding His people into His image through trial?  God is always up to more than we see.

He was the meekest and lowliest of all the sons of men, yet he spoke of coming on the clouds of heaven with the glory of God. He was so austere that evil spirits and demons cried out in terror at his coming, yet he was so genial and winsome and approachable that the children loved to play with him, and the little ones nestled in his arms. His presence at the innocent gaiety of a village wedding was like the presence of sunshine.

No one was half so compassionate to sinners, yet no one ever spoke such red hot scorching words about sin. A bruised reed he would not break, his whole life was love, yet on one occasion he demanded of the Pharisees how they ever expected to escape the damnation of hell. He was a dreamer of dreams and a seer of visions, yet for sheer stark realism He has all of our stark realists soundly beaten. He was a servant of all, washing the disciples feet, yet masterfully He strode into the temple, and the hucksters and moneychangers fell over one another to get away from the mad rush and the fire they saw blazing in His eyes.

He saved others, yet at the last Himself He did not save. There is nothing in history like the union of contrasts which confronts us in the gospels. The mystery of Jesus is the mystery of divine personality.

– James Stewart, Scottish theologian

The only reason that Paul could say that he was innocent of the blood of all men, is because he declared the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27).  Paul spoke of Him as Savior and Judge.  As loving and severe.  As just and the Justifier.  He declared the love and mercy of God alongside the justice and wrath of God.  He spoke of us as sinners, and Jesus as the Savior.

When you speak of God to others, honor the mystery of His complexity.  Do not speak of His love without contextualizing it with His holiness.  As RC Sproul has said,  “Any attempt to understand God apart from His holiness is idolatry.”

An actress in a town in England, while passing along the street, heard singing in a house. Out of curiosity she looked in through the open door and saw a number of people sitting together singing this hymn. She listened to the song, and afterwards to a simple but earnest prayer. When she went away the hymn had so impressed her that she procured a copy of a book containing it. Reading and rereading the hymn led her to give her heart to God and to resolve to leave the stage. The manager of the theater pleaded with her to continue to take the leading part in a play which she had made famous in other cities, and finally he persuaded her to appear at the theater. As the curtain rose the orchestra began to play the accompaniment to the song which she was expected to sing. She stood like one lost in thought, and the band, supposing her embarrassed, played the prelude over a second and a third time. Then with clasped hands she stepped forward and sang with deep emotion:

“Depth of mercy, can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?”

This put a sudden stop to the performance; not a few were impressed, though many scoffed. The change in her life was as permanent as it was singular. Soon after she became the wife of a minister of the Gospel.

(source: " My Life and the Sto­ry of the Gos­pel Hymns" by Ira Sankey)

Depth of Mercy
(by Charles Wesley)

Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face,
Would not hearken to His calls,
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.

I have spilt His precious blood,
Trampled on the Son of God,
Filled with pangs unspeakable,
I, who yet am not in hell!

I my Master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
And profaned His hallowed Name,
Put Him to an open shame.

Whence to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above!
See the cause in Jesus’ face,
Now before the throne of grace.

Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father’s mercies move,
Justice lingers into love.

There for me the Savior stands,
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands.
God is love! I know, I feel;
Jesus weeps and loves me still.