Justice

[Name], now that we have finished walking the Romans Road, I have been thinking about what to do next. Since English is your second language and some Christian words may not be meaningful to you I thought I would work on a series based around various words. I thought I would select a word, develop its meaning in the context of its usage, and show how I might use that word in a personal prayer.

Justice

Sin comes in many forms and every member of the human race is guilty (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) and according to the law of God is worthy of death, because the law informs us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Since God is righteous He must administer justice and so as a result every member of the human race is born spiritually dead and will eventually die physically. God’s justice seems severe, leaving the impression that God is harsh. But God is love and as a result He is merciful, gracious, forgiving and long-suffering. How do we reconcile these two characteristics of God? On the one hand, God’s justice requires that there be payment of the penalty for sin. But on the other hand, God’s love desires man to be restored to fellowship with him. With God, justice is a loving justice and love is a just love and only as God could do, He brought love and justice together at the cross. Because of His great love for us, He sent His only Son to die on the cross to satisfy the requirement of justice. Love and justice embraced on the cross, providing a way for us to return to God.

My Prayer

Lord God, you are infinitely righteous and just, both in your nature and in all your proceedings with your creatures, but you are also a God of infinite love. Since we have all fallen short of the standard you set for us, we all deserve to die, but because of your great love and desire to have fellowship with us, you sent your Son to die in our place. Lord Jesus, thank you for being my sacrifice; for giving your life that I might live. Lord, I pray that I will be upright and sincere in my actions and dealings with others. Help me to love justice and to act justly, to love kindness and to walk humbly with you. And thank you for demonstrating for us how justice and love work together. I pray that my life will reflect that to those around me.

Related Verses

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you” (Psalms 89:14 ESV).

“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,   just and upright is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4 ESV).

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8 ESV)?

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed’” (Isaiah 56:1 ESV).

“Sin pays its servants: the wage is death. But God gives to those who serve him: his free gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 Phillips).

“For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NET).

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 ESV).

“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (Romans 5:9 ESV).