Introduction

 What do you think of first when you see the word ‘justice’?

In our culture and society I imagine that many people would initially think of criminal justice, and the idea of getting justice when someone has committed a crime.

In the Bible this is certainly one aspect of justice, but on closer inspection justice is a complicated concept that has various senses. These different senses certainly involve tension, and possibly even contradiction between God's justice that requires punishment for sin, and his gracious justice towards us in giving us salvation that we do not deserve.

The ultimate example of justice appears in the person and work of Jesus: Jesus who lived a sinless life and practised ethical justice in caring for the poor, sick and oppressed, died on the cross so that God's moral justice would be satisfied, and yet by him taking the punishment for our sin God has shown us gracious justice. Our God truly is a God of justice.

When talking about issues of justice, Jesus often quoted the Old Testament and then physically acted out his belief and calling. One example of this is the ‘Nazareth manifesto’ in Luke 4:16-21

"He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." "

In many places the Bible talks about how believers should act with justice towards others. 

Micah 6:8 says “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Paul in Romans 5 expounds on the ideas of personal righteousness and justification, but the implicit sense of at-one-ness with the justice of God is more than a matter of personal salvation.

James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool, in his book ‘Jesus and the Earth' (SPCK, 2003) says; ‘If it is God’s justice that we enter into, that we experience through our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we are necessarily caught up in God’s holy desire for justice on the earth. You cannot be in a right relationship with the God of justice and be indifferent to the injustice that is in the world. That is a contradiction of terms. You cannot say that you love the God of justice and at the same time turn a blind eye to the injustices that are an offence to his character.’

It is this ethical sense of justice - active intervention on behalf of the helpless - that we will be looking at in more detail this week.

Matthew 22:35-40 “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." “

Take some time now to think about the passage above. As you read it ask God to reveal his heart of justice to you. Ask God to help you love him with your whole being today. Who is my neighbour? 

Lord, let justice flow like a river. (Amos 5:24)