Skip to main content

How Justice Works


Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom 

          I recently read an interesting article about justice. The author pointed out that if you modify the word justice, you have perverted the concept and are no longer talking about justice. "Social justice" is a special kind of justice that trumps all other justice. In the name of social justice, you can steal, riot, loot.... 
         The good news is that when you talk about the justice that God demands, you're not talking about some special kind of justice. I have to admit, I have a skewed sense of justice. I tend to think that those who agree with me are more just than those who don't.  I say it's because what I say agrees with Scripture (and it does tend to) and if I'm wrong, you're welcome to show me from Scripture how I'm wrong. The problem is that I don't like to leave justice entirely up to God. I want to go easier on some folks (like whatever people I'm talking to) and harder on others (about whom I'm talking, but not to whom I'm talking.) I am not equal in my words and my deeds.
           Some people like to think that if you're good deeds outweigh or outnumber your bad deeds, that you are just. If you are 51% innocent or just and 49% evil or guilty, you've made the grade. Oddly, that's not the way courts work. If you are declared guilty of any of the charges made against you, you are punished, even though you were exonerated of 99 other charges. The only way to escape that punishment or to be found just is if someone else confesses to the crime. That's what Jesus did. I am not just because I never do anything wrong. I am just because Jesus accepted the blame. Those who hold on to their crimes, who do not accept His offer to accept that blame have to face the eternal consequences.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Right Road

          Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)                  For years before GPSes existed, I told people I wanted something in my car that would tell me, “Turn left in half a mile…turn left in a quarter mile…turn left in 500 feet… turn left in 100 feet…turn left now …You missed the turn, Dummy!” The problem isn’t necessarily that I get lost so much as I’m afraid I’ll get lost. I don’t want to have to spend my whole trip stressing over the next turn. I have the same problem with my spiritual journey.   
Post a Comment
Read more

Died as a Ransom

                 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)                  This is something I’d really rather not think about but here it is and it’s important. I was reading in Bold Love about seeking revenge.  The author wrote of seeking justice when a supposed Christian does something sinful, harmful, and/or horrific, like sexually abusing a daughter.  And the thought that came to mind was of God asking if Jesus’ death was sufficient payment to me for the sin committed against me.                I have no specific longing for revenge, vengeance, or justice. I’m sure there are some lurking somewhere in my heart, but this wasn’t a response to one. It was more a question of principle. Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for to God for our sins.  That’s the standard Sunday Schoo
1 comment
Read more

Out of the Depths

  Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings.   If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning. Israel, wait for the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his guilty deeds . (Psalm 130)             I like Mr. Peterson’s interpretation of the first line. “The bottom has fallen out of my life!” Of course, the problem for some of us is the fact that we’re drama queens, and/or we’re weak. Any time anything happens that disturbs our sense of mastery and control, the bottom has fallen out of our lives. If the past couple of days have taught me anything, they’ve t
1 comment
Read more