THE JUSTICE OF GOD.
Geoffrey R. Kirkland
Pastor, Christ Fellowship Bible Church
The Justice of God is that serious and praiseworthy attribute of God whereby He always does right; that is, he alone determines right from wrong. The Scriptures say: "Does God pervert justice? or does the Almighty pervert what is right” (Job 8.3)? Of course God loves justice because it flows from His very essence and nature (Psalm 33.5; 37:28). The very kingship and power of the Almighty God rests on the foundation of God’s justice (Psalm 89.14).
The justice of God flows out of His infinitely perfect holiness. For God to be set apart and infinitely different than His creatures in essence and in purity means that God alone is upright, righteous, true and the standard of what is right and wrong. And he upholds what is right — always. God’s justice means He upholds what is right and He always does what is right and in accordance with His character and decrees. Christ will sit on the throne of David one day in the future and He will establish and uphold His kingdom with justice and righteousness (Isaiah 9.7). Simply, the justice of God refers to God as a strong Rock, and all His ways are perfect, for all of His ways are just; always faithful and without injustice (Deuteronomy 32:4).
This essential character trait of God Almighty is hugely comforting to the believer as we live in a world with so much injustice. The plague of injustice drips in every part of human society. God says: “Do not pervert Justice” (Ex 23:6). But we see that all around us. God said to his people: “Justice and only justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16.20). But that is not the case currently. Rulers are to decree justice (Proverbs 8.15). But we don’t see that taking place from our political administrators. God advises: “learn to do good; seek justice; reprove the ruthless; defend the orphan; plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1.17). But that’s not happening. So we find hope in knowing that in the kingdom of Messiah, there will be justice and the nations will be blessed by this divine justice and worship the Lord (Jeremiah 23.5; 33.15).
The justice of God must awaken unbelieving and slothful sinners from their dangerous condition as God promises to always do what is right. And the justice of God demands that sin be punished (Romans 6.23). God is the Just one who must pour out punishment upon lawbreakers (Romans 3.26). But here is where we come to Calvary and see what Jesus did. He took the curse of God (Galatians 3.13). He received the just — and right — punishment in our stead (Romans 3.24-25). Therefore, for the believing sinner in Christ, God is both just and the justifier (Romans 3.26). Rejoice in this essential character quality of God’s Being because He does and shall always do what is right! The kingdom of Christ and of justice shall come! The unjust and all injustices shall be punished by the God who shall act with holy justice. Rejoice in Him, ponder His commitment to perform what is right, always and evermore.
