God is Love
Satan thought he had God beat because Love requires both Justice and Mercy.
How can God be both merciful, kind, and forgiving and at the same time just, true and fair to the laws in place?
Justice requires the blood of the sinner, but mercy desires to free them.
Psa_89:14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
2Sa_8:15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people. (David was a man after Gods own heart).
Deu_32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
1Pe_3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Rev_15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Ezr_9:9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving…..
Psa_52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
Mic_7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
God set up laws that cause order and love to reign in the universe, (Love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself). And the result of transgressing this law is death (to experience the opposite of Love, sin, (1Jn_3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Jas_1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death).
Adam and Eve had a tree as their test. Satan said we don’t need this law, and challenged God. How was God going to be just to the laws, and merciful to those that rebelled?
If God had of destroyed the sinners He would have been Just in doing that. But the seeds of doubt where planted and the keeping of the law would have been out of fear (forced love). But if God had of just forgiven all sinners and said that there is no penalty to sin then the law would have been powerless and useless because God didn’t follow the rules He set (No order).
But God had a plan that was 100% Just and obedient to the law and 100% merciful and forgiving to the sinners.
God choose to meet the requirements of the law for us, and pay our debt (Justice), and then offer us full forgivness (Mercy). That is Love. Very expensive forgiveness.
2Co_8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Rom_5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
So we don’t need to do anything to get Gods love, To get His mercy and earn His forgiveness, God is Love.
As far as repentence goes.. It means to turn from your evil ways and surrender to God anything that is separating you from Him.
This was the measage of Elijah and John the Baptist and it is the message for today
Mat_3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat_4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Luk_17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luk_17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
By you turning back to God you can receive the forgiveness He has ready to give.