day no. 15,338: when we diminish sin, we diminish grace

"The grace of God, while greater than the wrath of God, is nonetheless in some way defined by that wrath. In other words, if the wrath of God against sin were tiny, grace wouldn’t have to be very great in order to overcome it. It would not take great grace to overcome a mild divine irritation or annoyance. But if the grace of God needed to be great in order to save us, then the peril it was saving us from was great as well." -- Douglas Wilson, Bone of My Bones

Romans 11:22
Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

The severity of the severity determines the kind of kindness. If sin is not that serious, grace isn't that big of a deal. But if sin is serious business, then grace must be intensely industrious in order to appease it. The degree of God's hatred of sin informs the degree of His grace towards sinners. When we diminish sin, we diminish the glory and grace of God by making the step down to us that much smaller and easier to make.  In fact, it becomes so easily traversed that even we could safely make it... and perhaps we just might and cut out the middle man while we're at it come to think of it.

But if we take note of God's severity, we will note how kind His kindness is in sending His Son to die in the place of those who are ungrateful, evil and altogether unkind. What kind of grace is so kind? One that is that severe to begin with.

God's severity provides clarity to the degree of His charity.

Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.