Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
The doctrine of the Theology of the plan of God. Part 8. Justice and righteousness produces integrity in man.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Point 2. The Essence of God is necessary to understand the Theology of God.
3. God is also just.
God’s holiness includes His justice as well as His righteousness.
The justice of God always administers what righteousness demands.
MAT 5:48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
He does not operate toward us just as a “father” but really as a “judge” … which is even more edifying for us.
God’s justice is also our point of contact with Him; so when we come to God, His absolute fairness is the attribute to which we must adjust.
ROM 1:16-17 = God’s ability to save man is not His love, not His sovereignty, not His omnipotence, not any divine attribute but justice.
If God’s point of contact with us were His sovereignty, He would choose who would go to heaven; He would program us to mechanically decree every detail of our lives on earth.
This is the position of Hyper-Calvinism which distorts the sovereignty of God.
If God’s point of contact with us were His omnipotence, He would be a tyrant. It would be impossible for us to fulfill the will of God because He would do everything Himself by direct decree.
There would be no freedom, no volition, no divine establishment; human history would not be permitted to run its course as part of the angelic conflict.
If God’s point of contact with us was His love then human sentimentality, instability, compromise, and emotionalism would develop from this false assumption.
The second attribute of God that goes along with this is the other half of divine integrity – the righteousness of God which also which guards divine justice.
Justice serves as a guardian toward man while righteousness serves as a guardian toward justice.
In the exercise of His justice, God is never arbitrary, impulsive, subjective, or eccentric.
Divine justice can never be corrupted because it always functions according to the standard of fairness found in God’s perfect righteousness.
PSA 9:8 And He will judge the world [His justice] in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity or fairness.
In the same way that justice is the watchdog over God’s entire essence, righteousness is the watchdog over His justice.
Whereas justice is the function of divine integrity, righteousness is the principle of divine integrity.
What righteousness demands, justice executes.
Absolute righteousness is the key to the character of God; all else depends on it.
Perfect unblemished impeccable righteousness is at the very core of His Being.
Justice and righteousness are related to the redemption of Zion –
ISA 1:27 Zion will be redeemed with justice, And her repentant ones with righteousness.
ISA 9:6-7 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
ISA 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of {His} government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
ISA 16:5 A throne will even be established in lovingkindness, And a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek justice And be prompt in righteousness.
ISA 28:17 And I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the level; Then hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters shall overflow the secret place.
ISA 32:16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness will abide in the fertile field.
ISA 33:5 The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
ISA 56:1 Thus says the Lord, “Preserve justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come And My righteousness to be revealed.”
ISA 59:9 Therefore, justice is far from us, And righteousness does not overtake us; We hope for light, but behold, darkness; For brightness, but we walk in gloom.
ISA 59:14 And justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter.