This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24 NIV
God is just. He is perfectly righteousness in His treatment of us, His creation. He always does what is right, He determines right from wrong.
The Bible describes God this way:
He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He. Deuteronomy 32:4-5 NKJV
As we rejoice in God’s justice, we also relish in His kindness, mercy and grace. For He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Instead, He bore our sins upon Himself on the cross! His blood satisfies the justice of God and His grace allows us to be accepted, as if we had never sinned! What an awesome God!
The psalmist declares it this way:
You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face. Psalm 89:13-14 NKJV
Being just is a part of God’s true nature, and kindness is His true character! As Jeremiah tells us in our opening verse, we have the opportunity to know Him! How? Through the work of Jesus Christ.
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:25-26 NIV
Jesus came to save all who will listen. To have faith in Him is the only way to experience God’s justice, grace and mercy!
Praise the Lord!
Paul reaffirms this by writing:
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:31 NIV
If God weren’t just, we would not get His mercy and actually get the condemnation we deserve. Instead, He sent us His son! What a just and merciful God!
And Job reminds us:
Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Job 37:22-23 NIV
Remember to seek out an understanding of God’s true character, and to love one another.
Barnabas
Special thanks to Barnabas for this guest submission.