Is God Unjust?

Then again, if anyone of us were living under the wickedness of others we should not resolve ourselves into accepting our fate as most of God’s people were led to believe. Do you remember the question put to Jesus concerning the blind man? The disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he would be born blind?” (John 9:1-3) And Jesus replied, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the work of God might be displayed in him.” The disciples believed it was possible that the parent’s sin fell upon the child.” They might have just as well said right then and there that God was unjust! If you believed that God could unjustly punish you for someone else’s crime, how fond of God would you still be? How deep would your love flow for God? How passionate would you be for his Holy Word? How much reason would you have to live for Him and honor His name with your life?

In the beginning of Ezekiel’s ministry God said to him that He was sending the prophet to a stubborn and obstinate people. God said they may or may not listen to the words He gives him to say. In the weeks to follow, Pastor Nelson is going to refer quite often to the many in our communities that do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I would like to start things off by suggesting that one of the reasons why so many people reject Jesus is because they might feel that God is unjust. They might have the same attitudes as the people, God sent Ezekiel to reach out to. They might feel as if God has done nothing to fix the problems in this world, or in their own lives or in the lives of their loved ones. They might feel that it’s all God’s fault and that they could do a better job in making things right. So why should they consider worshipping one who seems inferior or unjust?

When God’s people said ‘the way of the Lord is not right’ (Ex 19:29) they were forecasting a mindset that is still prevalent today. God’s answer to that question therefore is still purposeful for anyone whom feels they could create a better brand of justice. God responded with a question asking, “Is it not your ways that are not right?” All throughout Scripture He clarifies His position.

First let’s go back to the second part of that Exodus 20 passage pertaining to the sins of the father. Exodus 20:6 says, “But showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep my commandments.” It is here that the Lord makes very clear that eternal life will not be kept apart from the Righteous. It will not be kept away from them because of the wickedness of their parents, it will not be kept away from them even because of their own wickedness in so far as they repent of their sins and turn toward God.

In our Ezekiel 18:4-5 God says “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the souls of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die. But, if a man is righteous… he will surely live.” For the sake of time I will not read to you all the examples given of righteous living, you can read that for yourselves. However I will read to you one further verse that sums up the justice of our Living God and proves emphatically that God’s ways are just. Ezekiel 18:20 “The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.”