Biblical Justice: Justice from God’s Point of View
One Race is about the reality that all humans are of One Race. It has been proven scientifically we are all one race: The Human Race.
What we look like, where we are from, various customs & culture are different expressions of the Trinity Itself in the creation of humanity / ‘mankind’. As one race we can be united to each other by our Creator no matter the differences and experiences we have. He does it by putting HIS Spirit in us when we surrender to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As Jesus Christ’s Church we can choose to stop accepting the premise that people are of different ‘Races’ in our language, attitudes, perceptions and actions. We should not expect this to happen without of our being yielded to God’s spirit.
There’s a reason the ‘World’ wants to perpetuate the lie of different races: Division
The result of lies being the basis of human relations is what we call ‘Injustice’. In many ways, because of the lie that people who look different are different ‘Races’, there is a human legacy of injustice, it is the legacy of sin.
Please remember injustice is due to rebellion against & denial of God that results in people establishing & perpetuating injustice that forms a system of humans sinning against God & each other by oppressing each other. Injustice is the by-product of sin. It is not due to a lack of opportunity or education or access to resources it is due to SIN. That is a Biblical Theology Point of view
Justice is too big a topic for one sermon, but we can build the proper foundation If we are to define Justice from a Biblical point of view (the only one Midtown takes), we must begin with the Author of Justice as revealed by the Scriptures; not our feelings, preferences, ideas or what the culture thinks about ‘Justice’.
If we will allow God to define Justice, then as His people, we should be in agreement with Him as to how ‘Justice will be served’…
We must pursue Justice in every way possible, but we have to let what Justice is be defined by God and be good with HIS timetable for when. HIS way for how…
The bottom line is we start with Who God is, and what Scripture says about HIM and Justice.
Psalm 145:3
His greatness no one can fathom / His Greatness is unsearchable / No one can measure His greatness / There are no boundaries to His greatness / His greatness is beyond discovery.
- Multiple translations same point: HE is beyond our comprehension
- We can approach Him with humility based on that reality
Psalm 33:4-6
For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
- HE & HIS WORD set the standard, not you and me or the culture or politics
- The love of justice is who HE is
- HIS dominion / sovereignty is absolute (Biblical Theology)
Isaiah 5:15-16
So people will be brought low and everyone humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled. But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts.
- Views, ideas, emotions & intentions of people apart from God’s will (arrogance)
- HIS Justice will be exalted… NOT human justice
- The reality of HIS actions will prove HE alone is Holy
Jeremiah 12:1
You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?
- Jeremiah ‘knows of’ God’s Righteousness, but he doubts…just like we do
- From Jeremiah’s point of view it seems that God is making some mistakes…
- Is God not paying attention? Does HE not care?
- When we come at it as though we understand the entire situation we are mistaken
God’s answer: Jer 12:5-6
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?
- You can’t even keep up with other things I Created…
- You stumble (SIN) when you are in best possible situations…
- It is an object lesson in what we started with: God is beyond us…
Our way forward is to humbly recognize The Author & Perfecter of Justice so we can be ‘Instruments’ of HIS justice!
Zachariah 7:8-10
And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’
- As God’s People we are Commanded
- Administer means to DO it…not to post it, or read a book about it
- Show mercy, don’t just think it’s a good idea
- You & I, today & tomorrow, can work to end oppression (based on Scripture)
But there is a danger in our own ‘Working’ for Justice if we loose sight of WHO it must always be about and that it can only come from HIM. For followers of Jesus Christ how we begin to foster Justice is clear…it is about connection to the source of true Justice.
Micah 6:7-8
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
- The answer is an obvious NO…the example is the worst excess of man’s ways.
- God has shown us, how he wants it to be: ‘Shalom’
- If we truly ‘Walk’ with HIM, we will DO Justice
- True love can only be expressed in ACTION…to love kindness is to ‘BE KIND’
1 John 3: 18-19
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence.
- Words & Speech VS Actions & Truth…notice which side truth is on?
- Beware of those who claim to seek Justice apart from The ‘Source of Justice’
- We belong to the truth because we have surrendered our lives to ‘The Truth’
You cannot overcome evil with evil…
You cannot bring about justice with injustice…
God defines Justice in His Essence
God is always against people treating other people unjustly
Injustice is established & perpetuated by SIN based on LIES
You cannot be on the side of ‘True Justice’ and be against Jesus Christ…
Application Questions:
What are some ways you can seek humility in your approach to God & Justice?
How can you increase your understanding of God’s idea of Justice?
What can you do to ‘Administer Justice’ & not oppress the marginalized?
How might you discern who is concerned with ‘Biblical Justice’ VS ‘Human Justice’?