God’s Justice Continued
Gtcotr/ws070704
The US legal system is based upon a presumption of innocence. This simply means that a person is innocent until proven guilty.
God’s justice system has no presumption in it at all. God knows, without a shadow of doubt, whether we are innocent or guilty.
In fact, God has already informed us before trial that all have sinned and all are worthy to be sentenced to eternal death. However a pardon is available through a specific sacrificial substitute.
The fact that God will only accept one way to forgiveness doesn’t seem fair to our western way of thinking, leading some to believe that if God is not a fair God, then they feel they have righteous ground to take against Him. I promise you, this is not the case.
The Lord may not always seem fair, but He is always just.
What is the definition of just?
Whatever God does is just.
Let me ask you: If God decided to send you to hell, to whom would you appeal? What court or power can reverse the decision of a sovereign, all encompassing, omnipotent Creator of the universe?
I have seen people get angry with God - so mad at Him that they wrongly accuse Him, even curse Him, or withhold relationship from Him in a feeble attempt to demonstrate their disagreement like some bratty misbehaving child. This is never acceptable.
God is a good and loving God. He cares for each one of us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son as a sacrificial substitute for our sins. God is a just God and a justifier of those who love His Son.
I tell you again, one of the most enlightening subjects I have ever attempted to study is the subject of God’s Justice.
Last week I attempted to share some things which I have learned about God’s justice. Tonight I would like to continue with that topic. Last Wednesday, in looking at God’s justice, we discussed that:
1. Every person is 100% responsible to God for their actions and decisions.
* Obedience is our proper response to God’s word.
2. Forgiveness and restoration are two separate issues.
* A person can be forgiven without being restored.
> “You haven’t forgiven me because you still treat me like you don’t trust me.” It’s because I don’t trust you!
> Forgiveness is free, paid for by Jesus.
> Restoration may take time and effort from all parties.
* Forgiveness does not mean exemption from consequences
> Deuteronomy 3:25ff Moses was forgiven but not restored.
> David’s sin with Bathsheba & their son’s death
* God does not have to forgive (Esau’s quest)
> Hebrews 12:17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
3. If we roll a stone it will roll back on us - Proverbs 26:27
We talked about Adoni-Besek from Judges 1 - “God has repaid me”
* We reap what we sow … but do we understand that:
* We can also reap what our hearts intended to sow.
Deuteronomy 19
19 "then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
* God reserves the right to judge us by our intentions, not just the letter of the law.
> for good or for bad
4. If someone smites us on one cheek, we turn the other - Luke 6:29
* 2 Samuel 16 (Shimei the cursing rock thrower)
> “Maybe the Lord will look on my affliction and be good to me for the cursing I am taking today”
* Pray for those who persecute us and treat us unjustly
> Give God time and space to work.
* Historically, God has been a God of the underdog
5. It ain’t over till it’s over
* It wasn’t over for Joseph when he was wrongfully sold into slavery by his brothers.
> or when he was falsely accused by Photiphar’s wife
> or when forgotten by the king’s cup bearer
* It wasn’t over for Job when he lost all he had in the world
> or when he got so sick he could hardly survive
> or when his friends forsook him
> or when his wife abandoned him
* It wasn’t over for Samson when he fell for the wrong woman
> or when he had his hair cut off and his eyes put out
> or when he was made a laughing stock to his enemies
* It wasn’t over for the children of Israel by the Red Sea
> or when the water of Mara were poisoned
> or when they were defeated at the battle of Ai
* It wasn’t over for David when he was hated by Saul
> or when he lost his wife to his army buddy
> or when he conspired to commit adultery and murder
> or when his own army wanted to kill him
> or when his own son dethroned and dishonored him
* It wasn’t over for Peter when he caught no fish that day
> or when he sank trying to walk on water with Jesus
> or when he cursed and denied Christ three times
> or was in Herod’s jail chained between two guards
* It wasn’t over for Paul when he was arrested and imprisoned
> or when he was shipwrecked on an island
> or when he was bitten by a venomous snake
> or when he was stoned and left for dead on a trash pile
> or when he was run out of town by an angry mob
* It wasn’t over for Jesus when He was rejected by His church
> or when He was not accepted by His community
> or when He was betrayed by His friend
> or when He was crucified by His creation
> or when He was forsaken by His Father
It’s not over for you either
* Just because things aren’t going your way
Romans 8
31 ¶ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I promise you,
It ain’t over till it’s over!
And it ain’t over yet!
Soon the trumpet of God will sound
The Eastern clouds will part
The Son of Man will come in the air
The dead who have received Christ will rise to meet Him
We which are alive will be caught up together
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye
This corruptible body shall take on an incorruptible image
This mortal shall put on immortality
Death will be swallowed up in victory
I shall see my Savior face to face
