In all times, places
and cultures, humans have universally recognized the virtue of justice and the
treacherous nature of injustice. From a biblical standpoint, the character of
God is the absolute standard for justice, and our awareness of this moral
standard is part of our having been created in the image of God. According to
the prophet Isaiah, when God shows compassion and justice, he is simply being
himself: “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” (Isaiah
30:18).
God’s fervor for
justice is a component of his moral perfection, which longs for what is best
for his creatures. Similarly, God’s loathing for injustice is a component of
his opposition to the destructive effects of unrighteousness. Sin, which can be
defined as anything contrary to the character of God, always leads to the pain
and degradation of injustice toward others. This is why God hates sin so much.
God is not a cosmic killjoy; he merely hates that which causes pain, ruin and
discrimination among his children. Stott suggests that, at its core, “sin is a
form of selfish revolt against God’s authority and our neighbour’s welfare.”
God loathes sin because it estranges us from him and leads us to the abuse of
power and desire to control others.
In contrast,
righteousness, which may be identified as conformity to God’s character, is
exhibited in attitudes and actions of fairness, integrity, truthfulness and
honesty toward others. Scripture consistently associates sin with
self-centeredness, while justice and righteousness are expressions of
other-centeredness. People who are overly preoccupied with themselves are
injurious to their world and infect the planet with damage and hurt. But those
who choose to concern themselves with the needs of others bring the fragrant
aroma of Christ to a smelly world in desperate need of some serious
aromatherapy.
God’s passion for
justice is evident from Genesis through Revelation. The poets and prophets in
particular extolled this divine attribute: The Lord loves righteousness and
justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love (Psalm 33:5); Righteousness
and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before
you (Psalm 89:14); The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his
precepts are trustworthy (Psalm 111:7); Many seek an audience with a ruler, but
it is from the Lord that man gets justice (Proverbs 29:26); “For I, the Lord,
love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity” (Isaiah 61:8).
Justice was also a
prominent concern of Jesus, conspicuous in the manner in which he transcended
social, racial and economic barriers in his ministry. This is evident in his parable of the Good
Samaritan (Luke 10:25-27). Jewish people in Jesus’ day hated Samaritans and
justified their prejudice with religious arguments. Those who told ethnic jokes
about their despised “neighbors” must have been horrified to hear Jesus making
a Samaritan the hero of this story. Blinded
by our own agendas, we fail to see that God’s justice is not just for his
chosen people; God wants justice and righteousness for all.
Kasta Dip
