Justice: October 23, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23, 2013.

JUSTICE

DEFINITION:

The quality of being just, true or correct; conformity to moral principles or law; merited reward or punishment; fairness; equity.

SCRIPTURE:

For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity. Psalm 98:9

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

In Proverbs 1:3 we are told that we are to receive from God the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment and equity. These standards are very consistent with the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses. In Psalm 82:3 we read that we are to defend the poor and needy and do justice to the offended.

Justice comes from God. God says that "By me Kings reign and rulers declare justice." (Proverbs 8:15) Do our rulers, leaders in government realize this today? We do not think they govern with this in mind.

The scriptures have much to say about God and justice. Justice is part of God’s nature. Moses tells us that God is upright and just and all His ways are just. Deuteronomy 32:4. In Isaiah 61:8 it reads: "For I the Lord, love justice, I hate robbery and inequity." And in Isaiah 30: 18 it reads: "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice."

We need to remember that God is not only a just God but a compassionate and forgiving God. He does not want anyone to perish. He has provided justice to all through His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore it becomes our choice as to how we will be judged following our death and when we face the judgment seat of God.

"And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice and quickly." Luke 18:7-8. It does seem like there is so much injustice in this world. It seems, to many, that God is doing nothing about the injustice and certainly not as quick as many desire. These verses assure us that God is paying attention to those who cry out to Him. In His perfect timing He will see that those who love Him will get justice for the injustice done to them.

We must remind you that we are born into this world as sinners. Because of this we will each one be judged by God. We can be thankful that our Lord God is not only a just God but He is a merciful God. How grateful we should be that God, because of His mercy, does not give us what we justly deserve. It is because of God's mercy that He sent His Son into the world to pay our penalty for our sins.

There is no other way for us to escape eternal judgment other than through Jesus. The scripture makes it very clear in John 14:6: when Jesus said to Thomas, one of His disciples: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

There are no other options; either we except Jesus as our personal Savior or we reject Him. If we reject Him, then we face judgment and will spend an eternity in Hell. Eternal judgment is terrible and most people do not take it seriously. Some say that God would never send one to hell, and He does not. He gives us the option so it is our choice, not His.

LEARNING: 

Our memory verse for this week is found in Galatians 2:21.

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord that You are a just God and a merciful God who does not want anyone to perish because of their sins. Thank You God that You sent Your only Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Help me to live a life that honors You so that others may see Christ through me and realize the importance of accepting God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.