Justice (2)

Micah 6:1-8

OVERVIEW

Justice, mercy, and humility are vital to our relationships with God and each other. These ideas must be practically applied in order to honor God and demonstrate His justice to our lost world. Thankfully, these topics are clearly taught in Scripture and masterfully displayed by Jesus Himself. As we live as children of God in this world, we must do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God in order for scriptural justice to be accomplished and for people to see Christ living in us.

In our last unit, we looked at the justice God commands His people to show. And we looked at some of the counterfeit forms of justice commonly labeled as "social justice."

But to come full circle on this topic, we want to now ask, how can Christians promote justice in this world? In other words, if social justice cannot provide the answers our world needs, if "doing justly" is not about condoning ungodly lifestyles, advancing a victimization mentality, or redistributing wealth, how do we bring justice to this world?

To regain some context from our last lesson, let's look again at our text verses.

Micah 6:1–8 KJV 1900

1 Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, And let the hills hear thy voice. 2 Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, And ye strong foundations of the earth: For the Lord hath a controversy with his people, And he will plead with Israel. 3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me. 4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, And redeemed thee out of the house of servants; And I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him From Shittim unto Gilgal; That ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. 6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, And bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, With calves of a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the Lord require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly with thy God?

we briefly studied how these words were spoken and written when the nation of Judah had turned from God. The prophet Isaiah said that truth had fallen in the streets.

Isaiah 59:14-15

And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

During this time period, the prophet Micah cries to the people to turn back to God. He calls them to remember the goodness of God to them and to have an appropriate response to that goodness.

And then in verse 8, he laid out three simple instructions for the ways that God wanted them to relate to Him.

So there it is in a nutshell:

Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly.

In our last lesson, we looked primarily at the first of these three points: do justly.

We started with a biblical framework to justice, noting three important truths:

First, God is the habitation of justice. Justice is essential to His nature.

Second, God desires for His people to exhibit justice in the way that they live.

Third, each of us is directly responsible to God for the way we live and the actions we do. Therefore, living out biblical justice in our corrupt society is important in the eyes of God, because we will answer to Him first.

It is important for us to biblically and clearly define justice in order to study it effectively. Simply put, biblical justice is "the faithful application of the law of God." Unlike social justice, biblical justice does not focus primarily on politically-mo-tivated headlines, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of God to transform lives. That is why it is vital for Christians to be engaged in biblical justice.

Of course, defining justice is one thing; doing it is another. To fulfill what God requires we need to move past conversation and into action. And that is what we want to focus on in this lesson.

In the same verse where God tells us to do justly, He gives two more necessary instructions to advance justice: love mercy and walk humbly with God.

1. Love Mercy

Think about the merciful ways in which God displays His justice. In the passages that we studied last week, we saw that God's justice is used to deliver the poor, help the oppressed, and care for the orphaned.

Slide 1

God's justice is carried out through His mercy.

Psalm 103:8

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

As much as we cry out for justice in our world, sometimes we would actually prefer mercy.

Once we understand what justice is, we don't always want it. And God, in His love, often gives us mercy instead of justice.

As the people of God, we should also be people of mercy.

How do we demonstrate mercy?

A. Stand with Mercy

God calls for His people to stand with mercy and to use mercy as they exercise judgment.

We need to know God's moral law and stand by the principles of His Word, but we must do this with love and mercy. In this way, God's justice is carried out through righteous living. And in this way, His mercy and justice directly impact the lives of those around us.

Christian churches should be places where all people, whether children or adults, who have experienced abuse or betrayal can go and hear that God loves them and that Jesus died for them.

They should see the mercy of God in Christians and hear the gospel of Christ from Christians.

There is no way to overestimate the healing that comes to a shattered heart when someone who has been made to feel worthless through abuse learns of the steadfast love of God, receives His gift of salvation, and finds compassion and encouragement from brothers and sisters in Christ.

Standing with mercy means we stand for justice amidst the ravages of sin in society. Think of families who have been torn apart by substance abuse or children devastated by physical or sexual abuse. Children in these homes need people who will give them Christlike love and show them what a consistent Christian testimony looks like.

Standing with mercy means that we stand against racism. As we saw in our previous lesson, the word racism is sometimes tossed around in an incendiary way. But there is real racism, and anytime it takes place, Christians who do justly and love mercy should be the first to stand up for those who have been discriminated against. Start in your own home by teaching your children that every person is equal in the eyes of God and no one is better than anyone else.

Standing with mercy includes standing for the life of the unborn. It includes loving the mother considering abortion as well as the abortion worker who has been misled about the realities of his profession.

Standing with mercy means caring for people struggling through drug addictions as well as reaching out to the teenager experimenting with drugs.

Standing with mercy involves ministering to the hungry and the homeless, the abandoned child, and the single parent.

Ezekiel 18:5, 7, 9

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; ° Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

The injustices of evil are many—more than we can discuss in one lesson. But the mercy of God should shine brightly through Christians who mercifully do justly in the face of evil.

Romans 12:9-10

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 1º Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

B. Stand with the Gospel

As people who have received the great mercy of God, we must in turn show mercy to others who are without Christ. The primary way we do this is by sharing the gospel.

A biblical Christian always lifts up Christ and the gospel as the equalizer of injustice and the restorer of every heart. It is only in Christ that we find the perfect union of justice and mercy.

God, in His justice, must judge sin. But God, in His mercy, took on human flesh as He came to earth to pay the price for our sin when He died on the cross. He rose three days later, and He offers us forgiveness for our sin through His own sacrifice.

This is mercy.

Ephesians 2:4-5

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

So yes, as Christians, we must stand firmly for the moral absolutes of God's Word. And that includes rejecting distortions of justice peddled through the various social justice movements and anti-God rhetoric within them.

But while we stand for true biblical justice, we must also stand for true biblical mercy. And that includes sharing the message of the gospel.

Is there any greater need in this world—is there any greater need in a person's heart-than the message of the gospel?

Jesus asked His disciples what could be more valuable than a single soul.

Matthew 16:26 KJV 1900

26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

If we help resolve the earthly injustices of our day, the oppressed find relief in the moment, which is good. But if we do it to the neglect of revealing the mercy of God on the cross to people who are spiritually dead in their sins, have we really provided ultimate help?

If we who know Christ help someone experience the righting of a wrong in this life, but we fail to tell them how they can avoid eternal damnation in the next life, we have done them a great injustice.

If we are not mercifully reaching out to the lost with the gospel, we are not doing justice to a world lost in sin.

It is easy to see the need for this kind of justice in medical terms. If a person had the cure for cancer but never shared it with a cancer patient, we would decry such a terrible act of selfish injustice.

We who know Christ have the answer for sin, and if we do not share it, we are of all men doing the greatest injustice.

1 Corinthians 9:16

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

A Christian who constantly discusses social justice causes but makes little effort to talk about Jesus with those who need the gospel is hypocritical. The best way to show mercy is to tell people who are lost in their sin that there is a God who loves them and made a way for their salvation.

A missionary was once invited to address a large church in the States for their "mission minute." This was in the day of the Iranian hostage crisis, and since he had only been given a minute to speak, he wanted to do something that would make an impact.

He decided to ask the audience two questions. He started with, "How many of you are praying for the fifty-two American hostages being held in Iran?" Hands went up all over the auditorium. "Praise the Lord," he said. "Now put your hands down and let me ask you another question. How many of you are praying for the forty-two million Iranians being held hostage by Islam?" Just four hands went up.1

Sometimes we're so quick to care about the injustices of this world that we fail to see the cosmic injustice of sin and the spiritual reality of people without Christ. Yes, Christians should seek to right the wrongs within society. But the main responsibility of the church is to take the gospel to this world.

Matthew 28:19-20

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

Amen.

If we are not sharing the gospel, or if we are taking up social causes that undermine the gospel, we are not, as Christians, doing justly and loving mercy.

2. Walk Humbly

The completeness of God's instruction through the prophet Micah is amazing. Some people, in their emphasis of justice, proudly enforce the law.

Others, in their emphasis of mercy, haughtily despise the enforcers. Yet, Micah 6:8 brings it all together with the final instruction "walk humbly with thy God."

In both justice and in mercy, we must act humbly.

A. Humility before God

The verses preceding verse 8 asked several questions about how to please God:

Micah 6:6-7

Wherewith shall I come before the LorD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

The answers in verse 8 — do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly-remind us that God sees the heart.

The point wasn't that the Old Testament sacrifices were irrelevant, but that without obedience from the heart, they were meaningless. We can go through any number of outward forms of religion or even of caring for people experiencing injustice, but if our hearts are not humbly surrendered to God, our actions are offensive to Him.

James 4:6 KJV 1900

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

God is not impressed by people who are consumed with demanding their rights. He delights to give grace to those who serve others in humble dependence on Him.

Discussion How can we, as Christians, show genuine care for the needs of our world and our community in a Christlike, humble fashion?

Humility does not mean giving up the right to justice. Rather, it means employing justice and mercy both with an attitude of humility. When we get caught up in the anger and vitriol of the social justice system, we undermine our credibility to share the mercy of the gospel.

B. Humility before Others

When we are walking with God, we are walking in humility. Paul instructs us to show this humility toward others.

Philippians 2:3-4

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Sometimes we are quick to point out pride in worldly movements but slower to see it in our own lives and thought processes. This pride can be revealed in our actions when we fail to give the gospel to someone who lives an overtly wicked lifestyle or through times we might look down on someone who we deem less worthy than us.

Justice and mercy alone are not enough. We will never lead people to Christ without having the humility to personally and lovingly share the gospel with those around us.

As servants of God, we should be distinctly known for our humility. While we must take a strong stand in our world today, we should never take a proud stand.

Our Christian heritage is filled with men and women throughout history who have been so committed to Christ and to biblical truth that they were willing to give their very lives for those beliefs.

Consider just a few men whose love for God and strong biblical convictions led them to a martyr's death.2

John Huss (1369-1415): Through studying Scrip-ture, Huss (regarded today as a forerunner of the Reformation) discovered that salvation is only possible through faith in Christ's payment for sin. With strong biblical conviction, Huss began preaching compelling sermons against works-based salvation.

Because of his "heresy," the Roman Catholic Church excommunicated him and later called him before a council in Constance, Germany, to stand trial. He was sentenced to being burned alive at the stake on July 6, 1415. As his executioners chained him to the stake and urged him to recant his faith, Huss replied, "No, what I taught with my lips I now seal with my blood."

William Tyndale (1494-1536): William Tyndale set out with a singular goal—to translate the Bible into English so common people could read for themselves what God had said. The King of England and the state church, however, forbade such a translation, because it would expose the false doctrine preached from the pulpits of English churches.

Tyndale spent much of his adult life on the run from the authorities, all while continuing his translation through exile, cold, and hunger. Eventually, Tyndale was apprehended, tried, and executed. Just before he died, Tyndale, ever loyal to his country but yet committed to his God, prayed, "Lord! Open the King of England's eyes." Four years later, Tyndale's translation (under another name) was published in England at the King's request.

Felix Manz (1498-1527): Through studying Scripture, Felix Manz came to faith in Christ in Zürich, Switzerland. Through continued study, Manz came to the Baptist convictions of believers' baptism and a saved church membership, making him an Anabaptist. (The title meant "re-baptizers" because belief in believer's baptism meant that even those who had been "baptized" as infants would be baptized by immersion after their profession of faith in Christ).

For Manz's beliefs and his continued preaching and starting new Baptist churches throughout Switzerland, he was arrested, imprisoned, and sentenced to death by drowning in the middle of Lake Zürich.

These did not go to their deaths with clenched fists and angry spirits. They went with humble prayers for God to save their oppressors.

The Bible commands us to speak the truth, but it also commands us to speak the truth in love and with a spirit of meekness.

Ephesians 4:15

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

2 Timothy 2:25

In meekness instructing those that oppose them-selves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Holding a biblical position without having a humble spirit is contrary to the message of the gospel and even to the character of Christ Him-self. Philippians 2 admonishes us to take on the humility that Jesus exercised perfectly.

Philippians 2:5–8 KJV 1900

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

In the midst of a world marked with angry and hateful spirits, our humble spirits should set us apart for the purpose of humbly serving in the name of Christ. If we are to be people who do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, we must be people who love the lost, serve with com-passion, and reach out to men and women with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. Declare Christ's Provision

We know that injustice exists, and that can be discouraging. All around us is a world filled with sin and inequity. Even as we try to live justly, it can feel like our attempts are so insignificant when compared to the injustices that plague our society.

In light of this, we must ask this question: What does Christ provide? The answer to this question highlights two aspects of Christ's provision that give perspective and hope. They also bring us back to the central message we need to share.

A. Christ Has Provided Justice for All

None of us can reach the standard God requires.

God is perfectly just, and as such, He cannot overlook our sin. Yet, all of us are sinners.

/ Slide 3A

Romans 3:10

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The payment for our sin is death-eternal separation from God. This is, in fact, what justice for our sin would be.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death ...

Romans 5 explains that our sin nature and the penalty for sin has been passed down from us to Adam, our original earthly father.

Romans 5:12

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

It isn't only the unjust people "out there" who deserve God's wrath. It is every one of us. God would not be just to simply overlook our sin or say that if we do enough good things we can cover up for our sin.

If you spend your entire life feeding the hungry and helping the poor, yet reject Christ and His payment for your sin, you are still under judgment for your sin and are headed to an eternity without God. Nothing we ever do can earn God's forgiveness.

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Sin has a price that must be paid: death. Yet God, who is not only just but is also merciful, sent His Son to us in the perfect blend of love and justice.

He has already provided what He requires. Justice, mercy, and humility are all found at the cross of Jesus Christ.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus is eternal God who took on human flesh and came to Earth to pay the penalty for our sin.

Romans 5:8-9

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, He did it as our substitute. He took our payment of sin for us. To do justice, God Himself paid the price for our injustice.

We can strive for social justice in our world, but we will only find spiritual justice at the cross. The ground is level at the foot of the cross, because we all come to God the same way—through Jesus' payment for our sin. This is what matters most.

Christ has provided the payment for sin to satisfy the justice of God, and in His mercy He offers it to us as a free gift.

How do we receive this gift? We simply ask for it.

God promises that when we call out to Christ in faith for this salvation, He gives it to us.

Romans 10:13

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Christ provides us with both justice and mercy.

are saved? take a few moments to invite anyone with further questions to discuss with you after the class time.

This message of justice is the central message our world needs to hear. As God allows you to advocate for justice for various people, always remember the worth of an eternal soul. Working to establish justice on earth is good and needful. But telling others of the justice and mercy Christ has already provided is essential and eternal.

• Discussion What are ways that we can further the message of the gospel while helping to establish justice?

B. Christ Will Bring Justice to All

Not only has Christ provided justice for all, but He also promises that He will bring justice to all. This will take place when Jesus comes again to this earth and reigns in His Millennial Kingdom.

There is a verse in Isaiah that we often think of at Christmastime because it begins, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." It is speaking of when Christ came to Bethlehem's manger that He might provide justice for all on the cross. But the verse actually continues to speak of Christ's establishing His kingdom.

Isaiah 9:6-7

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

When Christ came to Earth two thousand years ago, He didn't set up a kingdom. This passage, following the first phrases, is referring to Christ's Second Coming.

Justice will not fully be known on this Earth until the Just One returns.

As long as man is a sinner, there will be murder, racism, immorality, bias, and injustice of every kind. Only Christ can save a sinner and change a heart.

Of course, when people turn to Christ for salvation, love, righteousness, and justice increase. But ultimate and final justice will only come when Christ returns. On that day, He will make every wrong right. The things that we don't under-stand, the injustices that have been committed against us will be vindicated when Christ brings ultimate and final judgment.

During Christ's millennial reign, everyone will finally come together in love and harmony. For the first time since man's fall in the Garden of Eden, there will be true peace on Earth.

Isaiah 11:6

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Social justice promises a peace it can never bring.

Scriptural justice engages in a love only Christ can sustain.

In Christ alone, we find justice for our sin through His finished work on the cross. And in Christ alone, we find the promise of an ultimate justice yet to come.

Conclusion

Social justice can be a complex subject, especially when secular counterfeits borrow the terminology from biblical justice, as we saw in our last study. But this confusion doesn't make justice less necessary. It just makes our understanding of biblical justice more important.

As people created in the image of God, we should advocate for all other image bearers of God to receive justice. We should, as we saw in our past study, do justly to those in need.

As people who know a just and loving God, we should love mercy and walk humbly as we declare the gospel to those who need Christ.

Don't put your hope in a social justice warrior or an organization entangled in distorted ideas of justice. Put your hope in the One who shed His blood for you and who has promised to return for you. Let His love motivate you to mercifully and humbly do justly by sharing the gospel and serving others.

pray together for your town and for the message of the gospel to radically impact your community.