Justice

This morning I read a blog post by my good friend, Mike, around the theme of justice, particularly as it is displayed in the biblical accounts of Jacob and Laban.  These sentences from the second-to-last paragraph really grabbed my attention:

“Rather what is happening is that we have an innate desire to see justice done. The problem is that we can often seek to see justice done even when it comes in the form of an act of injustice.”

What happens when we take the idea Mike expresses, i.e. our innate desire to see justice done, and apply it to what I consider its ultimate expression, the sin that we, that I, commit against God?  The things I do day after day that are not in accord with the way God has called me to live my life.  How do I reconcile a desire to see justice done when I am the very person guilty of the offense?

The Bible is crystal clear in speaking to the standing of humans who sin and their place before God, perhaps no more so than in the words of Paul in Romans 3:23,

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”    

The “all” that Paul is referring to is all of humanity since the beginning of time, Jesus excepted.  All people who have ever lived have done so as sinners before God and deserve the punishment that God has established for their sin. 

Paul speaks to that punishment as well, saying in the first part of Romans 6:23,

“For the wages of sin is death,…”

Thanks be to God that in that very verse that begins with God’s justice God also provides his grace,

“...but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Applied to myself, my desire for justice, even towards myself, is answered by God through his grace.  He places my sin on his Son, who bears the punishment that is deservedly mine so that I can get the gift I could gain no other way but as God’s free gift…eternal life with my Lord and Savior.

And God offers this gift to all who come to him by faith.  I invite you to read Romans 6 for yourself and consider how God may be speaking to you through it.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.