God is Just
Deuteronomy 32:4; Luke 18:1-8
Luke 18:1-7
Intro
Slide
Justice. When we see justice occur it is often very satisfying, in such a way that we feel all is right with the world.
But, often, we look around and see what we believe are injustices and it is disheartening.
But who is it that determines what is just? And is justice the same for everyone?
I would argue that true justice is the same for all, however, due to our inability to see all things, and know all things, justice in the eyes of men may look very different from one person to the next.
As an example of these differing views of justice, perhaps some of you remember a murder trial from 1995 and the very different responses from different segments of society.
OJ video
Slide after video
Was Justice done or was it a travesty of justice?
It certainly depended on what it was that you thought was being decided and it broke down largely along racial lines.
African Americans largely viewed the verdict as justice being done regarding what they saw as a long history of abuse by our justice system against black men. Even if they thought OJ was guilty, they felt there was some justice.
White Americans largely viewed it as an injustice, not looking at it from the standpoint of righting societal injustice, but from the fact that it seemed like the evidence was clear that OJ killed Nicole and her friend Ron.
Thus the different reactions, differing views of what constituted justice in this case based on how a person or group was looking at the situation. Each segment of society saw it through their own distorted lens, believing however that their view was truly the clearest view.
Transition
So in life, is this where our hope rests? On the ability of flawed men to met out justice and if they don’t, too bad?
Thankfully that is not the case, because there is a God who is completely just.
This morning we are continuing our series “Who is God” and we will be considering this very fact, that God is just.
Throughout Scripture we see that God is called Just. Listen to how Moses describes God in Deuteronomy 32:4
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Deuteronomy 32:4
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
God is just. But my question is, if God is just, why is there so much injustice in the world? Where is God’s justice and judgment when injustice is happening?
Well, for us, with our limited perspectives and views that only encompass some of the situation, we have to realize that we do not see the whole picture and our views of justice are affected by our own experiences and our own distorted views, as well as our own selfishness and sin.
But rest assured, the God who is Just will Justly deal with all matters when He Judges the world justly.
This morning, as we consider that God is just, I want us to see justice and how it is often perceived from our own standpoint, and then talk about what the Bible says about how justice will be done and how all of our actions will be judged justly and what we can expect as a result.
So, I want to begin with a parable Jesus told.
Turn with me to Luke 18:1-7
Slide
This is the parable of the Persistent Widow and was used by Jesus to encourage persistence among the disciples regarding prayer, but there is a desire for justice from the widow that I want to consider more closely this morning.
Luke 18:1-7
18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'
4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"
6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 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?
Pray
This woman says “Grant me justice against my adversary.” She wants justice against someone who has wronged her.
The reality is, that
We want Justice when we are wronged
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Luke 18:1-3
And I believe that because we have been created in the image of God, we have this innate desire to see justice done.
And especially when we have been wronged, or if we can relate to someone who has been wronged, our desire for justice increases.
When someone steals from us, we want the person caught and arrested and tried.
When someone speeds by us on the road and cuts us off, we ask, where is a cop when you want one, because we desire to see that person pulled over and for him to get a ticket because we feel that would be justice.
We want the bully who bullied us to be bullied, because we feel it would serve him right, that it would be justice, even though we would argue that bullying is wrong.
When we have been wronged, we want justice.
But even though we desire justice when we are wronged,
We want mercy when we have wronged
Slide
While we don’t see it in this text, immediately after this story that Jesus told, He tells another story about a tax collector and a Pharisee that go up to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prays that he is thankful that he is not like the tax collector.
The tax collector, who recognizes his wrong, says, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' (Luke 18:13)
Now this parable is more teaching about recognizing our own sin and humbly coming before God in confession and repentance, but the fact remains that this is largely how we think, desiring mercy for the things we have done that are wrong, but often, we are wanting justice in regards to those who have wronged us.
Why is this?
Motivations
Well, part of the reason is that we think our motivations are good or at least understandable.
We speed and pass and cut others off because we are late or need to get somewhere.
The others speed and pass and cut others off because they are jerks, so we think.
We talk to others about our friend because we are concerned for them and want others praying for them
Other People talk about us to others because they are gossiping!
They should be judged justly for their wrongs, where we should be shown mercy because we were doing these things for the “right” reasons.
The problem with that thinking is that we say our heart was pure in doing what we did, but the reality is that none of our motives are completely pure.
Listen to what the Lord tells us about our hearts.
Jeremiah 17:9-10
Slide
9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
10 "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
Our hearts deceive us and we give ourselves the benefit of the doubt and desire mercy and grace, but we often apply only impure motives to others and want justice.
But there is a God who knows all things perfectly and
God will judge Everyone Justly
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Acts 17:31 - For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.
Now, maybe you are thinking that because you are a believer in Jesus Christ, your sins will not be judged.
Wrong.
God judges everyone , however there are different judgments that occur in the course of time for different reasons.
Transition
We are going to examine 4 judgments of the Lord and see when they occur.
Now,
For the believer in Jesus Christ:
Just judgment regarding salvation happened at the cross
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Romans 5:8-9
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
Our sin was judged at the cross. Jesus took it on Himself and He suffered the just judgment that we deserved.
This is the good news.
Your sins, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, had to be paid for and Jesus Himself, God in the flesh, took the judgment upon himself to pay for your sin.
When you receive Jesus Christ, your sins are paid for, and righteousness is credited to your account.
For the believers in Jesus Christ, don’t think that judgment has been escaped. Justice has been executed, only Someone else stepped into your place to take the punishment that was rightfully yours.
Just judgment has been meted out because God is Just.
Now what about for the unbeliever?
For the unbeliever:
Slide
Just judgment regarding salvation happens continually
John 3:16-18
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Savior, believing in Him for the forgiveness of your sins, your sin is still applied to your life even though there has been a payment made that is sufficient for you.
Not receiving Jesus means that you have not received His righteousness and you are continually judged and condemned to an eternity in hell, unless you repent and receive Jesus as your Savior.
You have no hope apart from receiving Jesus Christ, and the payment he made for your sins, to satisfy God’s just judgment regarding your sin.
Without receiving Christ, you stand here today Justly judged and condemned by your sin because you have not received Christ.
Your only hope, if you have not believed and received Christ as Savior, is to do so.
Romans 10:9 - if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Summary
So regarding salvation, justice has been done by Jesus paying the penalty for your sins, so you might have eternal life.
But the judgment at the cross regarding salvation and eternal life is not the only judgments that will happen.
There are also future judgments regarding rewards and punishments.
For the believer in Jesus Christ,
Just judgment regarding rewards happens at the judgment seat of Christ
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Paul tells us in
2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
And listen to what he says in
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1 Corinthians 3:10-15
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Believers in Jesus Christ will be judged in regards to the things they have done, whether good or bad and will either receive rewards in heaven or will suffer the loss of rewards.
The believer will be saved because Jesus suffered the just judgment for their sin, but the things we do or don’t do, will still be judged at the judgment seat of Christ regarding any rewards we receive.
For the unbeliever,
Just judgment regarding punishment happens at the Great White Throne judgment
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Revelation 20:11-15 - 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
For those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, there is no hope, only eternal separation in Hell.
There is however different punishments in hell just as there are different rewards in heaven.
Don’t get me wrong. Hell is bad for all, but it will be even worse for some depending on what they do in this life.
Listen to what Jesus said to the people of some of the cities that he had performed miracles in.
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Matthew 11:21-22
21 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
It will be more bearable for the people of Tyre and Sidon when they are judged, because the people of Korazin and Bethsaida were given much more to be faithful with and yet they rejected it. They continued in their sin and sinned more!
They will face worse punishment in hell than others.
Summary
So Justice will be meted out at the various judgments.
You do not want to face judgment at the great white throne judgment. All who face that judgment there will be cast into hell.
But believers who face judgment at the judgment seat of Christ, will receive rewards or will lack rewards based on what they have done in this life, but everyone who is judged at the Judgment seat of Christ will be saved, even if some are only escaping through the flames!
Conclusion
God is just, even in this world where it seems injustice is happening all around us.
The seeming lack of God’s justice now is not because justice is not coming.
It is because God is merciful and patient,
Slide
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
For the unbeliever
If you are here today and have never received Jesus Christ by turning and confessing your belief to Him, then won’t you do so today. You are here today because God has been patient with you, not wanting you to face the just judgment that will come for those who reject the salvation He has provided through Jesus.
Jesus has faced the just judgment you deserved and now stands ready to give you His righteousness so you can inherit eternal life.
I am going to lead in a prayer of confession in a moment. Won’t you believe in Him and the judgment He faced on your behalf and receive the righteousness that brings eternal life.
For the Believer
For those who have already believed and received Jesus Christ as your Savior, how are you building on that foundation?
Are your acts like gold, or silver, or costly stones, that when you stand at the judgment seat of Christ will cause you to be rewarded and to hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' (Matthew 25:23)
Or are you building with wood, hay and straw that will be burned up on the day you face Christ and you will stand there with no rewards, but only the free gift of salvation.
You will understand justice in a new way at that point as well as God’s mercy. Don’t let that be you. Live in the power and strength of the Lord and be faithful with His gifts and follow Him obediently, so you too can receive your reward!
Prayer
Let’s go to the Lord in prayer and for those who need to received salvation, confess your belief to the Lord and for those who need to build with a more faithful life, ask for the strength and power to live it to His glory.
Let’s pray
