The Dark Side of Justice?

The dark side of justice?

The red sedan passed me on the interstate like I was parked, though I was cruising along at 70 MPH.  He probably was going about 85 MPH.  A couple of miles down the road I saw that sedan pulled over with a police cruiser behind it, lights flashing.  “Good for him,” I crowed. “He got what he deserved.”   I am a hypocrite on that count, however. When I am the one pulled over, I am not exactly thinking, “I got what I deserved!”   That is the nature of justice, isn’t it? We love it when the other guy is brought in, but when we’re held accountable, we have an excuse for our malfeasance.

We serve a God of justice! The glorious part of that fact is that we live in hope for wrongs being made right, for the oppressors being brought down, for evildoers to be held to account.  The ‘dark side,’ if you will, of this doctrine is that we cannot reject His will with impunity, either!  The Scripture teaches us that the Lord is gracious, long-suffering, and patient as He draws us to love and serve Him.  Peter explains the delay in judgment this way: "God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish. But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent." (2 Peter 3:7-9, NLT)

God’s loving grace is amazing. Thankfully, for those who trust Christ and receive the gift of salvation through His death on the Cross, justice has been done!  My sin is forgiven, the debt satisfied. But, if I abuse the grace of God, ignore the Spirit’s call, and walk away from Him – He must be just. Many Christians argue strenuously against the clear statement of the Word that warns about bringing justice down on our own heads. "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God." (Hebrews 10:26-27, NIV)  

There is no need for terror, nor for uncertainty about living at peace with our Abba!  If we trust in Jesus Christ, if we live joyfully in His will, there is no fear.  We cannot unknowingly ‘lose’ our salvation;  but we can repudiate the Lord, turning from Him.  If we do, we reject the very grace that secures us near His heart.  Jude points to those who were chosen by Him in the past, who rejected His love, as an example of the justice of the Lord. "I must remind you—and you know it well—that even though the Lord rescued the whole nation of Israel from Egypt, he later destroyed every one of those who did not remain faithful. And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the day of judgment." (Jude 5-6, NLT)

Here’s a word from the Word.  Read it for all it’s worth!  It is a promise of grace and goodness. Let’s live it.

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:12-18, NIV)