Justice of God

 

Justice reflects the Nature of God

 

“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.” (Deut. 32:4)

 

One of the greatest keys to understanding the nature of God is to know about His justice. God is just. He is Himself perfect and right in all His ways, and there is no injustice or imperfection in Him.  His every thought and act is right. Not only is God just and right in Himself, He is also just in His dealings with man.

 

 

God’s Justice is expressed in the Lord Jesus Christ

 

“Behold!  My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights!  I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.  He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.  A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench;  He will bring forth justice for truth.  He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.” (Isa. 42:1-4)

 

Matthew wrote the Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Mt. 12:15.21). These verses show the Lord Jesus Christ is a King – a quiet, gentle ruler who brings justice to the nations.  Like the crowd in Jesus’ day, we may want Him to rule as a king and bring great and visible victories in our lives.  But often Christ’s work is quiet, and it happens according to His perfect timing, not ours.

 

 

God’s Justice in offering Salvation to Everyone on Earth

 

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  (1 Tim. 2:3-4)

 

Although God’s desire is for “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” this does not mean that every person on earth will be saved.  The Bible makes it very clear that many people will reject Jesus Christ (Mt. 25:31-46; Jn. 12:44-50; Heb. 10:26-29).  The gospel message has a universal scope; It is not directed only to people of one race, one nation, one religious group or Christian denomination (Jn. 4:21-24).  God loves the whole world and sent His Son Jesus Christ to save sinners.  We must never assume that anyone is outside God’s mercy and grace or beyond the reach of His offer of salvation.

 

 

God’s Justice is give to those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

 

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (Jn. 14:6)

 

The Lord Jesus Christ said He is the only way to God the Father.  Some people may argue that this way is too narrow.  In reality, it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept it.  God’s justice is shown in His openness to everyone on earth to receive His salvation.  Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (Jn. 3:16)

 

One of the truths about God's plan of salvation that makes it so great is the fact that it is for every individual in the whole world! It is not offered to a select few, but to "whoever believes in Him.”

 

 

God’s Justice is shown in His Impartiality to everyone

 

“. . . He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Mt. 5:45)

 

“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” (Acts 10:34-35)

 

“For there is no partiality with God.  For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.” (Rom. 2:11-12)

 

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:26-29)

 

 

God’s Justice is given to those who do His will

 

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Mt. 7:21)

 

God is seeking “true worshipers” who will worship Him in Spirit and truth (Jn. 4:23-24).  He wants us to be holy in all our conduct just as He is holy (1 Pet.1:15-16).  God’s people must keep God’s commandments (1 Jn. 3:22-24).

 

After a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ there must also be repentance of sin, baptism into the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39; 16:31-34).

 

 Joining a Christ-centered, Bible-believing Church is essential for spiritual growth. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. . . . So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

 

 

God’s Justice is in His punishment of Disobedience

 

God is fair and just when He punishes disobedience and sin.  In the Garden of Eden He had warned Adam and Eve not to eat of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:16-17)  It appears the death penalty for eating a fruit is unjust and overly harsh, but there is an underlying truth behind this sentencing.  God did not punish Adam for eating a fruit.  He punished him for disobedience.  The Bible states:  “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Rom. 5:19)  In God’s justice the punishment of death that He gave to Adam and mankind because of disobedience is cancelled and richly compensated by the reward of eternal life because of obedience by the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

 

 

Jesus Christ alienates those who reject His Words

 

This same principle of God’s justice is reflected in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ when He washed His disciples’ feet. 

 

“Then He came to Simon Peter.  And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, are You washing my feet?’  Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.’  Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet!’  Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’” (Jn. 13:6-8)

 

Regardless of how we interpret the Lord’s statement having “no part with Jesus” can be an extremely serious matter.  Is the Lord Jesus Christ alienating Peter for not having his feet washed?  If that is the case then it would seem the Lord is too harsh on Peter.  No, that is not in the character of a loving and gracious Savior.  No matter what Peter’s motive might be but his statement, “You shall never wash my feet!’ is an act of disobedience to the Lord. This can result in having “no part with Jesus”.   Jesus said: “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:48)

 

Our congregation recently experienced a very unusual circumstance in which the sacrament of the washing of feet could not be administered because the newly baptized person had both his feet amputated.  If he had both feet he would have accepted the sacrament.  Our Lord Jesus Christ is fair, just and loving and He fully understands the situation.

 

 

God exercises both justice and mercy

 

Abraham knows that some good people do live in Sodom -- among them his nephew Lot and Lot's fammily -- and he realizes that they, too, will be destroyed.  To Abraham, it seems a great injustice that the good should be destroyed along with the evil.

 

So Abraham questioned God. He asks --  Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? . . . Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You!  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:23-25)  

 

Why did God let Abraham question His justice and intercede for a wicked city?  Abraham knew that God must punish sin, but he also knew from experience that God is merciful to sinners.  God knew there were not ten righteous people in the city, but he was merciful enough to allow Abraham to intercede.  He was also merciful enough to help Lot, Abraham’s nephew, get out of Sodom before it was destroyed.  God does not take pleasure in destroying the wicked, but He must punish sin.  He is both just and merciful.  We should be thankful that God’s mercy extends to us.

 

God’s Justice is shown in punishing Homosexuality

 

Sodom and Gomorrah were the only cities in the history of mankind that were destroyed directly by God Himself.  “Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.  So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.” (Gen. 19:24-25)  “as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude 7)  The word “sodomy” refers to the sexual perversion of homosexuality which is an abomination to God and is a sin punishable by death (Lev. 18:22; 20:13).  God’s utter destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is a demonstration of His justice that the sin of homosexuality must be punished.

 

God’s Justice is evident in the 2004 U.S. Election

 

There is an outcry amongst Christian people in America concerning the recent surge of homosexuality in this nation.  Is God doing anything about it?  Well, He did speak to the Christians in America who came out in full force to vote against same-sex marriage.  According to the polls moral values is the number one issue in the 2004 Election. 

 

In a clear repudiation of the 3,955 same sex marriages that were performed in San Francisco and the legalization of same sex marriage in the State of Massachusetts, the referendums to ban same sex marriage in all the eleven states were won by overwhelming majorities. 

 

Senator John Kerry is ambivalent on the marriage issue.   He claims that he opposes same sex marriage but supports civil unions.  A civil union between same sex domestic partners is nothing but a disguise of a gay marriage, and is a sexual perversion that is an abomination to God.  It is an ironic justice of God that John Kerry who is the senator from Massachusetts, the state that legalized same-sex marriage, was soundly defeated by President George W. Bush who wanted to have a federal constitutional amendment that clearly defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman as stated in the Holy Bible. 

 

As far as the marriage issue is concerned God’s justice has prevailed in America and He is still in control of this “One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”.  Praise His holy name.  HalleluYah!

 

God’s Justice is evident in the Conviction of Scott Peterson

 

On Friday November 12, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) the guilty verdict for Scott Peterson was made public by the court in Redwood City, California.  Jurors decided that Peterson killed his pregnant wife, Laci, who vanished Dec. 24, 2002.

 

Here is a cold case with no witnesses and no murder weapon was found.  It is a supernatural phenomenon that after a wide search of more than three months people strolling along the San Francisco Bay shoreline discovered the bodies of Laci Peterson and her son Conner about a mile apart.  Prosecutors claimed Peterson killed Laci, then dumped her weighted body into San Francisco Bay.  The decomposed bodies of Laci and the baby boy the couple planned to name Conner, were discovered a few miles from where Peterson says he went fishing alone the day his wife vanished. 

 

Scott Peterson was convicted guilty of first degree murder of his wife Laci and guilty of second degree murder of his unborn son Conner.  This is God’s justice for Scott Peterson.

 

 “The heavens will reveal his iniquity, and the earth will rise up against him.  The increase of his house will depart, and his goods will flow away in the day of His wrath. This is the portion from God for a wicked man, the heritage appointed to him by God.” (Job 20:27-29)

 

“For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.” (Mk. 4:22)

 

Obviously Scott Peterson did not know the justice of God who knows everything what was going on and who would expose his wicked deeds to the world.  We have a just and righteous God who will not only judge the wicked persons in this life but also punish them in their life to come.

 

God’s Justice is executed in the Final Judgment

 

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Heb. 9:27)

 

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” (Rev. 20:12)

 

At the Final Judgment the books are opened.  They represent God’s verdict, and in them are recorded the deeds of everyone, good or evil.  We are not saved by deeds, but deeds are seen as clear evidence of a person’s actual relationship with God.  The Book of Life contains the names of those who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to save them.

 

 

May God bless you

 

A sermon based on this article was preached by Paul Wong

to a Congregation in Houston, Texas on November 13, 2004

For comments please write first to: [email protected]

 

Paul Wong is a Christian minister and the President of ARK International.
His ministry also serves as an architectural service company in Houston.
The ARK Forum on the Internet is international and non-denominational.

 

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