Musings on Justice, Mercy & Faith

Jesus said that "Justice, mercy and faith" were the weightier elements of the Law that were being neglected by the Pharisees.

What is justice and how is it executed? Who is responsible for it? Is it always paired with mercy and compassion?

We know that we are to be just. Noah was referred to for our example as a just (lawful, righteous) man.

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

We are to be just in our business dealings and in our relationships with others (doing what is naturally, morally or legally right; showing equity).

We are justified (made innocent; righteous) by faith in Christ. We can't do it of ourselves.

Justice refers to making things right.
And it is often paired with mercy.

Isaiah 58:6-7 speaks of justice, of fasting to "loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free that you may break every yoke...to share your bread with the hungry and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him....." Justice and mercy.

The greatest mercy we have ever received was that while we were steeped in sin, Christ came and died for us. The greatest violence in the name of justice was the violence that Christ received to Himself to make us just/right/innocent of our sin. Christ brought justice through His blood, once for all. I do not need violence to bring justice. Christ already did that. I need to do justly, do what is right, be innocent and love mercy.

I can bring justice to the world by doing justly in my corner of it. I can uphold justice by my choices, attitudes, actions, and speech. And I can do it with mercy, the same mercy Christ showed me. Humbly before God.

The horrible truth is, Christ will come back to execute final justice. At that point all will be judged, both the just and unjust. Until that time, how great a charge we have to bring Christ's justice to each and every person, that they have the opportunity to believe on Him and be saved by faith. I cannot force justice on anyone. But I can show it, live it, think it, speak it. Humbly before God.

Am I walking justly? Treating others right? Am I standing for justice? Making just choices? Am I loving mercy? Am I relying on Christ's justice or seeking my own? Am I in humility?

more to think on....

Presumption

You know when you read the Bible and a verse causes you to pause and tremble, when the fear of God, an awareness of Who He Is, rises within in you? That moment which causes you to say "Lord, is that me? Keep me!"? It leaves me trembly inside. I read such a verse this morning.

"Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression". Psalm 19:12-13

I often pray and ask God to shine His light on my heart that nothing hidden can remain there, so I'm not nervous about secret sins (the Bible does remind us that NOTHING stays hidden). But what are "presumptuous sins", and how can they rule over us?

Numbers 15:30-31 says "But the person who does anything presumptuously...that one brings reproach on the Lord, and he shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him".

This tells me a few things about presumption:
1) We can be presumptuous about anything. Big or small, I can act presumptuously.

2) Presumption brings a reproach on the Lord. That word "reproach" means 'to hack with words'. It means 'revile; blaspheme'. That's what my presumption does!

3) It ends up hurting me and others around me. Not only will I be cut off, alone with myself, but others are deprived of the good measure I have been given to share with them. Presumption isolates me from others and stops my ability to share with them.

4) It means that I have despised the word of the Lord. I have gone my own way. Pride and arrogance. I've not sought what He would say, but have done what I thought was right.

5) Presumption is a sin, it breaks His commandments.

6) It adds guilt to me.

So, as I began to repent before God, I asked Him to show me what it looks like.
That moment when I don't stop to consider what His word says, to seek His counsel, but do what is right by my own knowledge, understanding or experience. When I lean on me. When I follow my emotions or what is "right for me". When I know something (a thought, attitude, or deed) is wrong, but I hold onto it anyway. When I allow sin to reign in me, presuming on the grace of God. When I don't change. When I stand in God's place and judge others harshly as if I know all that is to be known. When I don't read my Bible, but skate on grace. When I read only a portion of the word and stand on it's narrow ledge, forsaking the breadth of God's counsel.

Presumption presumes that we know what God would do, yet the Bible tells us that His ways are unsearchable. He doesn't operate the way we do. I can be all kinds of "right", yet fall into presumption. And such sin begins to control us when we fail to submit ourselves to the Word. That is why it is so vital for us to read the Bible, to let it wash over us and convict, challenge, cleanse and heal us. It shines a light on the way we should go. It does the most thorough of "heart checks".

Lord, "keep me from presumptuous sins", and let Your word do it's work in us.