Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Genesis 18:25
God didn’t seem to be offended when Abraham recommended what he thought to be the correct mode of action for dealing with Sodom and Gomorrah. But seeing the big picture, we see Abraham’s ultimate motive for wanting to spare the twin cities, that is sparing the life of his nephew Lot. Was it really possible for him to persuade God to alter his intentions for destruction?
What is true justice? The dictionary has several meanings, but the one I think fits best is “the administering of deserved punishment or reward.” And Christianity-at-large is right on board with that. They see God as in charge of giving good or delivering whuppings. But can we, like Abraham, challenge his justice? Or are we wrong in our understanding of what his justice consists of? Are we even allowed to know how his true justice works?
I heard a TV preacher today say that some feared that Jesus had come to destroy us because of our sins. He assured us that Jesus came not to destroy, but to save. He went on to ask, “If we wouldn’t destroy our own children for their failures, why would our justice be greater than God’s?”
True justice, it seems, would be correcting the wrong and keeping righteousness going. We make valiant attempts at this through our legal system, but completed justice is never achieved. Punishment for crime doesn’t work as a deterrent. In fact, even greater evil is learned within our prison walls. And our jury system doesn’t help matters.
I was assigned to jury duty at least four times over my adult life so far. A typical jury consists of housewives, truck drivers, teachers, janitors and professors — to name a few. Most of these folks don’t bond in their daily routine; how are we to expect them to reach a unified decision in a little room, over a few hours, or days?
Lawyers are trained in the law. Judges are trained in the law. Police officers are trained in the law. How are we supposed to get legally smart in such a short time? Let them decide. On top of that, the jury must be unanimous in their verdict. That’s a good thing; you certainly don’t want to spend time in the slammer based on a majority vote. But it’s also a bad thing, because if the jury is split, the mission turns to finding the weakest link and badgering them into changing their vote. Is that justice?
God’s justice is perfect because he knows the heart. The truth is laid bare. His justice is perfect because his plan is to reconcile and rehabilitate. His ultimate goal is to bring true repentance and lasting change. The murderer will be reconciled to the victim because in eternity no one dies. Reconciliation goes well beyond the “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” stage. The perpetrator must be broken to the point that he or she not only recognizes the need for punishment, but desires it. Reconciliation is made complete when the victim’s heart is drawn in compassion toward the repentant one and intervenes to avert the punishment.
God’s justice reaches to every level with every relationship in every age. It is at work now. It is not bound by the finality (?) of death. It stays the course, pure perfection being its resting place. The only purpose for discipline is to heal, restore and renew. Christ taught us the ways of his Father and our Father. Sadly, many churches teach us doctrine over duty, and ritual over repentance. They put salvation on the fast track, often neglecting the greater process of sanctification.
Will the Judge over all the earth do right? He already is.
Read more about: reconciliation
