Justice and Only Justice – The Law of God and Public Policy: Maintaining a Just Society (7)

Justice and Only Justice

The Law of God and Public Policy: Maintaining a Just Society (7)

Justice must be the supreme concern of individuals and communities alike.

“Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 16:20

In this series we have seen that God’s Law was given to promote the practice of justice. The Law offers commandments, statutes, precepts, rules, and examples designed to preserve love for God and promote the practice of neighbor-love on the part of all members of a community and a society. The New Testament indicates that the commandments of God’s Law remain valid for all people in our day, and the statutes and precepts of the ancient case laws of Israel yet contain principles which can help us in seeking to establish just public policies in our own time.

It does not conduce to the shalom of a nation for its citizens to be ignorant of the norms of justice. Christians should be especially dutiful in working for just public policies, for they understand that seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is our first priority (Matt. 6:33), achieving the Kingdom of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is of benefit to all men (Rom. 14:17, 18), and that such Kingdom greatness can only be realized where the Law of God is taught and obeyed (Matt. 5:17-19).

It is therefore unconscionable for churches to ignore or minimize instruction in the Law of God, for parents to neglect training their children in the practices of justice, or for individual believers to neglect working for justice and the shalom of their community and nation by failing to apply the teaching of God’s Law to matters of public policy.

The way to a more just society must thus begin in repentance. We will not take up the study and practice of God’s Law until we have repented of our indifference and neglect to His holy and righteous and good standard. Let each of us repent of our sins in turning away from God’s Law; let us call our believing neighbors to repent as well; let us plead with our pastors and elders to lead our churches in repentance; and let us unite to take up the study and practice of God’s Law with renewed conviction and commitment, that this way lies the path of love for God and neighbor which we and our nation so sorely require.

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