In today’s society, discussion around justice mostly involves either fair distribution of resources or punishment of lawbreakers. God’s justice reveals a bigger picture that involves how we treat one another, especially those in need, and how we deal with sin.

 

The Problem with a Human-Centered View of Justice

What it means to be just has been debated throughout the centuries across different cultures. From what I have learned, there are two aspects of justice that people are concerned about: distribution of resources and the punishment of lawbreakers. There are nuances between worldviews and cultures, but the general idea is that justice must be fair; unaffected by bias or personal agendas. So how can justice be fair? Justice is often couched within laws intended to be impartial, so that could keep things fair. Unfortunately, while laws are intended to be impartial, the people writing them are not and that allows for the possibility of partiality working its way in. Laws do not always serve the best interests of all affected people, and the law is always changing based on needs and cultural values rather than staying consistent with principles of morality.

 

Related: Three Crucial Truths when God’s Justice Seems Too Severe

 

Overall, standards of secular justice rely on humanity’s own limited rationale, culture, and sometimes even our desires. As a result, the distribution of justice can become arbitrary. No one is ever satisfied by an arbitrary justice though and so people continuously seek a form of justice that is good and pure. Why is this? I believe it is because we are all created in God’s image and pursuing justice for all people reflects our creator’s love and fulfills his commands. Without an ultimate standard in the creator, justice can only ever be poorly defined and warped by humanity. Justice determined by God is truly fair.

 

What Does the Bible Say About God’s Justice?

So what is truly good and fair about God’s justice? It rests on the idea that all are created equally in God’s image and that sin must be dealt with.

 

Justice as Right Relationships and Love

Romans 12:9-21 is a good description of what just behavior looks like. The apostle Paul wrote this passage to the church in Rome to remind the believers there of how they are to treat one another. According to him, just behavior is loving one another, rejecting evil, serving the Lord, humility, and living peacefully with others. It also involves doing good for all even if those that despise you. Going back to the Old Testament, before modern philosophy and political theories debated the topic of justice, God set his chosen people (the Israelites) apart by giving them a law that distinguished them from the corrupt nations around them and promoted truly just treatment for all (See Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). The people were expected to share their resources with those in need and to not discriminate against others, like the poor and the resident alien (Deuteronomy 10:18-19, 15:7-11). Godly justice emphasizes right relationships with God and with other people. This is achieved by obeying God’s commands out of love, not just obligation.

 

Justice as Righteous Judgment on Sin

Treating others justly is caring for them because they are made in God’s image, but what does it look like to deal with evil justly? In the Old Testament law, sin needed to be atoned for through more than just animal sacrifice, but also personal repentance. Sin needed to be confessed by the guilty and forgiven by God. Certain sins however were punished severely, like how Israel was commissioned by God to completely destroy the Canaanite peoples for their sin.

 

Related: If God is so Loving Why Can’t He Be More Tolerant of Sin?

 

Reconciling God’s Judgment with His Mercy

Though this is difficult to reckon with by today’s standards, the Canaanite nations surrounding Israel were aware of the true God for centuries and had refused to repent of their corrupt practices. Also, the Old Testament describes laws intended to protect “resident aliens” among the Israelites, suggesting that individuals who were once a part of these nations could repent of their sin and be spared like Rahab in Joshua 2:8-14. Isaiah 56:1-8 reflects this idea with the author telling the foreigners that if they follow the Lord’s commands and pursue justice, they will be welcome in the Lord’s house. Meanwhile, the unrighteous leaders of Israel are condemned as described in Isaiah 56:9-57:2 for their apathy and ignorance. Today, we are not called to launch militant crusades against the unrighteous – that was specifically a command for Israel regarding the Canaanites within their own historical context – but it does act as an illustration of both God’s mercy and his punishment.

 

Jesus: The Perfect Display of God’s Justice

Jesus himself pursued justice in his ministry by justly condemning sin. He did this by exerting his divine, authoritative power over consequences that stem from our sin (namely, the Fall). This includes healing the sick (Matthew 9:18-31), having compassion on those in need (Mark 6:30-44), giving salvation to the repentant (Luke 19:1-10), and condemning evil and corruption (Mark 7:1-13). All this was intended to glorify God, and to serve others, while also inspiring them to pursue justice themselves. Of course, the ultimate act of Jesus’ condemnation of sin is described in 2 Corinthians 5:21 where He takes on the wrath of God on our behalf. 

 

Our Call to Action: How to Live Justly Today

By giving his life and rising from the dead, Jesus provided redemption for all willing to receive it. For believers, God’s justice is reflected in how we show kindness to those in need without expecting a reward (Luke 14:7-14) and how we condemn sin and lead others to repentance through goodwill and faithfulness.

Every day we can choose justice by being kind to those we meet, sharing God’s message where we can, and condemning sin and injustice. Maybe you can volunteer for an event that serves the poor or even just choose to be kind to someone at the grocery store even if you don’t know them. To better understand God’s justice, you can study the Bible and pray about what you are called to do. I also recommend talking with wise Christians in your life about what it means to be just.