The Holy Justice of God

(Article for publication week of 3-6-2011 AD)

"He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He" (Deuteronomy 32:4).

As we continue our series of articles on the attributes of God, we come now to consider the justice of God. As our more serious and spiritually minded readers know, we are barely skimming the surface of these eternally important truths. But we are making an earnest effort to bring out the main points in these articles. Awhile back, we brought a lengthy series of sermons on the attributes of God in our church, and those messages can be heard at Sermonaudio.com, if any of you wish to pursue more in depth studies on the doctrine of our Great God. I have also been asked by one of our dear readers to remind everyone that the Narrow Way is archived at matthewsevenfourteen.blogspot.net if any desire to peruse past articles.

As we take up the justice of God, I want you to keep in mind what we have written the past few weeks regarding the holiness of God. All of God’s other attributes must be understood in light of His Thrice Holy character. Thus our title this week is deliberately “the holy justice of God”. I may or may not include the word “holy” in subsequent articles, but I will remind you of it from time to time, to remember that God must deal with us with regard to His holiness, for He is unchangeable, and will not quit being God.

When the Bible says that God is just, it is telling us that God is altogether righteous Himself, and will always maintain His righteous character in perfect justice. In Genesis 18:25, God is called the “Judge of all the earth.” God is the Righteous and Thrice Holy Judge of all of us. Every one of us will one day be called before the great tribunal of God to give an account of how we have lived. God has given us a just and holy and very good Law by which to live, and He will judge every one of us in regard to His Law. Keep in mind that God is also omniscient and knows everything we have ever done, said and thought. And when He finds us guilty of breaking His law, He must and will execute the penalty of His law upon those who have broken it.

Poor sinner, can you bear the thought of having to answer to this holy and just God?! What will you say for yourself when God brings the righteous charge of his broken law against you? God cannot violate His Own justice because He is the immutable God. His justice is inflexible. God will hear no plea of extenuating circumstances or good intentions. He is as our text says “a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right.”

I will not close without giving hope to poor tremblers. All those who are in Christ have a Sin Bearer who has answered all the just requirements of a Thrice Holy God, and has completely paid the just penalty of His peoples’ lawbreaking. Poor sinner, flee to Christ the Sin Bearer. I leave you with the encouraging words of number 103 in the Gadsby hymnal:

“Bold Shall I stand in that great day,

For who ought to my charge shall lay,

While through Thy blood absolved I am,

From sin’s tremendous curse and shame?”