The Justice of Heaven

Crying for Justice

2020 was a year in which many called for a righting of wrongs. Many cried for Political Justice, Racial Justice, Social Justice. Factions of people who declare more than 60 genders and yet cry foul for the Gender injustice declared in work platform between men and women. Politicians and False teachers run to the aid as super heroes to resolve many of these issues and so inaccurately address a simple word such as “Amen” as though it had a gender with “Awoman”

We can attribute much of this behavior to the selfish desires of what we think we deserve. We deserve to be treated with dignity, we have suffered enough and so we deserve to be found in happiness, too much has been taken from us so now its our turn to receive regardless what it costs or who it costs its our turn now we deserve better. It is a selfishness that is devoid of God.

Regardless of which side of the aisle you are on we in Christ are reminded that there is truly one form of justice that justice is not premised on the justice we think we deserve… You see anything that we would add to that justice is not really justice at all. Our justice is premised on the justice found in heaven.

Matthew 18:21–35 ESV

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Peter’s question about forgiveness precipitates what we should know as justice

We were sinners and had a debt to big to pay

at the foot of the cross e surrendered that debt and God forgave

We too should forgive as God has forgiven with all our hearts

Master calls the house to an account

Servant owes a substantial debt that cannot be repaid

The master is filled with compassion

There is forgiveness of the debt

Servant isn’t willing to forgive

Servant is punished

At the heart of the Justice of Heaven is the ability not just to forgive but to posture one’s heart to forgive with everything.

The Master Settles Accounts

Matthew 18:24–27 ESV

When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

There are two types of people that will come to the settlement table.

The one’s who unwillingly are dragged before the master (The unsaved)

The one’s who come willingly (The house of the Lord)

None escape justice of the Lord

Isaiah 42:1–4 ESV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

Scripture reminds us that it is not in our hands to execute justice as the Lord’s will will be done.

Again it reminds us that instead of seeking vindication we should seek forgiveness. For none are found perfect. This is a lesson we learn with Peter’s question.

What do we deserve?

The Wages of Sin

When we ask ourselves what we deserve… The only thing we have earned is found here

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Interesting statement made in this parable.

The man cannot with his life pay for what he owes

Wife and children are sold

all that he had was sold (inheritance)

Your Debt on Your Generations

Deuteronomy 5:9 ESV

You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

if we only knew how much this is true… Our sins the ones we hold in high esteem and hide from the rest of the world are leading us to death. But our death is not enough these outstanding debts are visited onto to our children and their children. The struggle in covenantal generational ties.

The Justice of Heaven Revealed

The first servant owes a debt he cannot pay

The master has compassion

Taken from a posture of death and given new life

Ephesians 2:1–7 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Too whom much is forgiven they too must forgive. This is the justice of heaven

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The servant does not take the forgiveness he has received as grace and instead postures his heart to level one that is just like him *not coddling*

He chokes suffocates or drowns the one who owes him…

This parable on the Kingdom of Heaven is such that it demands we show forgiveness to others… if we fail to forgive other “with our whole heart” we too will not be forgiven

Hebrews 10:28–29 ESV

Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

I appeal to you if there is unforgiveness in your heart today you let go… forgive those who have offended you. Let go of that root of bitterness before that root turns you in strangles you… find yourself surrendering as forgiveness and mercy is poured out over you.

It is because of the justice in Heaven that you have forgiveness and because of grace that you have found mercy. Do not despise this gift the Lord has given to you.