Posts Tagged ‘justice’
A God of Balance
Often people have a disproportionate view of God. Some focus on his love, mercy, and grace while neglecting his justice and wrath. Others Focus on his justice and wrath and neglect his love, mercy, and grace. We must seek to know God and all of his character or else we do not truly know him. God is glorified through all of his attributes! He is glorified in his grace and glorified in his display of justice. Even in his display of justice there is an element of his mercy and grace. Even when things are destroyed they are not utterly destroyed. When there remains a remnant there is mercy and grace! Praise be to God!
Psalm 136 is a beautiful portrait of this.
136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,for his steadfast love endures forever;4 to him who alone does great wonders,for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,for his steadfast love endures forever;10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two,for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,for his steadfast love endures forever;
16 to him who led his people through the wilderness,for his steadfast love endures forever;17 to him who struck down great kings,for his steadfast love endures forever;
18 and killed mighty kings,for his steadfast love endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,for his steadfast love endures forever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,for his steadfast love endures forever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,for his steadfast love endures forever;
22 a heritage to Israel his servant,for his steadfast love endures forever.23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,for his steadfast love endures forever;
24 and rescued us from our foes,for his steadfast love endures forever;
25 he who gives food to all flesh,for his steadfast love endures forever.26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,for his steadfast love endures forever.
Pondering God’s Justice
It is important to remember that in his decree of election, God considers the mass of humankind in their fallen sinful condition. He chooses to redeem some people from this condition and to leave the rest in that condition. He intervenes in the lives of the elect, while he does not intervene in the lives of the reprobate. One group receives mercy and the other receives justice.
The concept of justice incorporates all that is just. The concept of non-justice includes everything outside of the concept of justice: injustice, which violates justice and is evil; and mercy, which does not violate justice and is not evil. God gives his mercy (non-justice) to some and leaves the rest to his justice. No one is treated with injustice. No one can charge that there is unrighteousness in God.
R.C. Sproul–What is Reformed Theology?
