God Is Just – The Kingdom Curriculum XVII (1)

God Is Just

This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:25, 26

Every society must define and maintain principles of justice that allow it to sustain the social order through law. Implicit in every civil code is an understanding of justice that guides citizens in how they must live, magistrates in when they must intervene, and lawyers and judges in seeking proper outcomes from cases at law.

But what is justice? Can justice be a reliable, workable concept apart from some unchanging anchor to hold it in place against the philosophical and sociological storm winds that blow through societies from time to time? The Law of God provides clear and reliable standards of justice, many of which are still in use in free societies in our time. Of course, those societies have long since lost sight of their debt to the Law of God; nevertheless, the principles of justice that guide them reflect, in many ways, the teachings of those ancient laws, precepts, and statutes.

A proper understanding of justice begins with the knowledge of God. God is just, and God’s will is also, therefore, just (Jn. 5:30). Moreover, God loves justice (Ps. 33:5), and He has appointed His King, our Lord Jesus Christ, to rule the nations by His justice (Ps. 9:7, 8). A proper understanding of justice, therefore, must begin with God. What can we say about the Lord that relates to this matter?

Since justice is a reflection of the character of God, justice must include a range of other variables that contribute to understanding and maintaining it–things like truth, love, compassion, responsibility, and faithfulness. A just society is one that reflects the very character of God. In a just society truth is laid in the bottom; responsibility and faithfulness to truth are every citizen’s duty; and love and compassion define the terms whereby we must relate to one another in all matters. Societies must take precautions in advance to help ensure that such equilibrium will continue, and, when these standards are violated, that the balance can be properly restored.

The Christian is in a particularly strong position to help ensure a just society. But we shall have to make sure we understand all the nuances and variations implied in this term, and in its application to the social situation.

Reading and meditating on the Law of God is every believer’s duty and privilege (Ps. 1). Order your copy of The Law of God, a compendium of the commandments and precepts of God’s Law, by going to www.MyParuchia.com, point your browser to “Publications,” then click on the drop-down option, “Waxed Tablet Publications.”

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore.

T.M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.