As I’m writing this, the nation in which I live is (again) being convulsed by protests demanding justice. Some of the protests are turning violent. This reflection isn’t really “topical” though, in the sense of being anchored to a particular moment. It isn’t a subject that’s going to get stale once the headlines fade. Because there is always injustice in this world.

In common usage, “justice” is mostly about retribution, “bringing to justice” someone who is guilty of serious crime or who has caused grievous harm. However this isn’t what the Bible means when it talks about justice. The Bible certainly talks about accountability, and both God and the Lord Jesus back up the prophets who declare that judgment will fall upon wrongdoers. But justice is something else. (Side note, in the KJV it can be even more difficult to sort out. Where more recent versions say “justice”, the KJV usually says “judgement”.)

There is a LOT said in God’s Word about justice, so much that it’s fairly easy to get a good feel for what God means by it, with a little concordance work. The patterns that emerge very strongly:

• God’s definition of justice is equity—fair treatment, with no partiality.  There is particular emphasis on defending the helpless, often summarized as the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the refugees.

• God Himself is just, delights in justice, and acts to uphold justice.

• God expects us to be just, and considers it sin when we are not. He holds people accountable for doing justice.

• Jesus will reign with justice, and in particular will preserve the weak.

• Justice is so frequently and closely linked to righteousness, they are clearly inseparable. We aren’t doing righteousness if we show partiality in any way.

You don’t have to just take my word for all this.  You can do your own concordance study. Here’s a starter set of passages you’ll want to consider:  Gen 18:19; Deut 16:19-20 & 32:4; Ps 72:1-2 & 82:1-4 & 103:6 & 106:3; Prov 21:3; Isa 1:16-17 & 9:7 & 10:1-2; Jer 22:3 & 23:5; Micah 6:8; Matt 12:17-21 (quoting Isa 42) & 23:23.  There are hundreds more.  [Note: versions vary of course. Where one version says justice, another might say equity or some other word.]

Right now, around us, people are doing just what the prophets and psalmists did – crying out against injustice. And we should be as well. Not crying out in the streets, but crying out in prayer. Remember: it was the outcry against Sodom that the Lord responded to. (Gen 18:20-21, cp 2Pet 2:7-8)

For ourselves, we absolutely must not be people who show partiality. To do so pits us against our Creator and our Savior. We cannot count anyone as inferior, but especially the poor, the immigrants, others who are at the bottom of society. Our God expects us to treat them as He would.  They are, Jesus says, our neighbors.

Justice isn’t inactive. Justice means coming to the aid of the helpless, doing what we can for them.  It isn’t political.  Almost everyone who’s talking about justice has a political ax to grind one way or another. But that’s not us.

Events around us may upset us. They should!  As they did the prophets.  And they should motivate us to cry out against partiality and injustice, imploring the Father to establish righteousness, justice, truth, and peace in the earth.

Love, asking you to please join me in prayer, Paul

If you have any feedback, please contact me at: paul.zilmer@gmail.com