Forgiveness and Justice for All

And Forgiveness and Justice for all? How forgiveness relates to Justice Mercy and truth are metMercy together; and peace have kissed each other. and righteousness truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psalm 85:10 Is there a way in which the mercy of forgiveness can kiss the truth of justice? In forgiving are we just kissing justice goodbye? Understanding Justice “the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments” Merriam Webster When speaking of justice we generally mean we’re seeking protection from those who are or have harmed us, or punishment of those who have harmed us; or seeking recompense for what we have lost through the unjust actions of others, or a combination of the three. Justice is often a matter of perspective Who ever goes to war not believing that their cause is just? In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom That transfigures you and me; As He died to make men holy, Let us die to make men free; While God is marching on. The song, called ''John Brown's Body,'' became a popular marching song amongst Union soldiers when the Civil War broke out in 1861. That year, abolitionist Julia Ward Howe heard the songs and wrote a new set of lyrics, tying the Union cause to abolition and justifying both as the righteous will of God. Thoughts and Musings… In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines. Prov.18:17 “When we’re looking at each other through the sights of our guns we see only the righteousness of our own cause. We think more about how to enlarge our power than to enlarge our thinking.” Miroslav Volf Exclusion and Embrace Trying to win an argument (much less a war) isn’t usually a very good way of arriving at the truth. Truth is often sacrificed for the sake of the argument. The real truth is there are 3 sides to an argument. Justice is often just me getting my own way However, the need for the protection of justice is unquestionable Rom. 13:1-5 Government at its best… In the matter of punitive justice when the system works, it helps the victim to engage in forgiveness. In criminal cases the state bears the burden of justice, while the victim is free to forgive, if they choose. The victim may choose to forgive, but the state will still mete out punishment Justice and Faith Ultimately our hope for justice lies with our faith in God. Governments can be tyrannical, judges bribed, and police corrupt; and even when all are well meaning, justice may not be accomplished. The choice to forgive is NOT the exoneration of the criminal, it is the choice to end the cycle of revenge and leave the matter of justice in God’s hands. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom.12:17-21 Imprecatory Psalms The Lord is a God who avenges. O God who avenges, shine forth. Rise up, Judge of the earth; pay back to the proud what they deserve. Psalm 94:1-2 Anger against deep injustice is unavoidable. That anger can be brought before God in an appropriate way. This is where the passion belongs! Bring it before Him and trust Him to bring justice WARNING….these psalms are addressed regarding those who have committed violent and murderous injustice Lady Justitia, the Roman goddess of justice The scales of justice The sword of judgment The blindfold of impartiality The blind, even impartial justice is not necessarily what we find when dealing with the God of the Bible. God seems to have a predisposition to show partiality to the poor, the widow, the orphan and the alien God’s concept of justice as revealed in Scripture seems to have more to do with covenant and reconciliation And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, when Ehud was dead. And Jehovah sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto Jehovah: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel. Judges 4:1-3 Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water, There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of Jehovah, Even the righteous acts of his rule in Israel. Then the people of Jehovah went down to the gates. Judges 5:11 In the historic narrative of Scripture, God seems more interested in achieving a faithful relationship with Israel than in achieving impartial justice between warring clans of the ancient near east Righteousness and Justice in the Scriptures Hebrew/Greek word H: tsedeq Hebrew/Greek word Tr. as 'Justice' as 'Righteousness’' Tr. as other 102 394 14 Tr. as 'Justice' Other Hebrew words H: tsedeq 102 Other Hebrew words Gk: Gk:dikaios dikaios 5 Other Greek words Other Greek words 0 38 Tr. as 'Righteousness' 5 394 Tr. as other 11 14 135 7 11 38 135 1 0 1 7 What do these figures tell us? First, it implies very strongly that, to both Hebrew and N.T. Greek thinking justice and righteousness are the same thing. Second, it implies that our conception of 'justice' and 'righteousness', by which we give them different meanings, is likely to be wrong. Justice is: right relationships among all things in the created order of things. Paul Marshall “Our conventional conception of righteousness is centred on an entity (a human being); Marshall's conception is centred on relationships. Our conventional conception of justice is centred on a legal framework, whereas Marshall's conception is centred on our 'dwelling' amongst all created things. Our conventional conception of justice is of a balancing act; Marshall's conception is of quality of relationship.” Andrew Basden God interprets justice in terms of relationship and reconciliation, not necessarily in terms of what we consider fair. God’s ultimate goal is reconciliation and not retribution or even redressing of wrongs. This is why forgiveness cannot run its full course and achieve reconciliation unless the offending party engages in genuine repentance –a repentance where sin is acknowledged, named as sin, and forsaken Therefore….. If we are sinned against by someone who in some way harms us, we can forgive them in the sense of making a decision to end the cycle of revenge and leave the matter with God. However, for there to be a possibility of reconciliation and restoration of relationship, there must be repentance The goal of forgiveness and the goal of justice is reconciliation, not retribution The Prodigal Sons Important to Jesus Important to the Pharisees Relationship Rules Reconciliation Retribution Sitting at the table with Reconciled people Stoning the sinner “ The sight of the younger son wearing the father’s robe, ring, and shoes and dancing at a reconciliation party was injustice in the eyes of the elder brother. But having the estranged son back at home was the only thing the father would accept as justice. The squandered inheritance was gone. It was lost. It could not be recovered. What could be recovered was the broken relationship. That is what would constitute justice. So it was, and so it is. The past cannot be made right. What can happen is reconciliation. Not cheap reconciliation, but the costly reconciliation based in repentance and grace. This is what God calls justice.” Brian Zahnd The relational paradigm is the very thing God calls justice!! Question: Whose “justice” are we talking about when we speak of the justice we demand? Is our goal impartial justice where everyone gets what’s coming to them? Where every wrong is righted? Think about this: With the father, every wrong was not righted; the inheritance that was lost was never restored, but the reconciliation of the relationship was restored At the cross Jesus abandoned his right for justice and asked for forgiveness in order for there to be reconciliation “Father, forgive them” And all things are from God, the One having reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and having given us the ministry of reconciliation: how that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself— not counting their trespasses against them, and having placed the message of reconciliation in us. Therefore, we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, since God is appealing through us. We are begging on behalf of Christ: “Be reconciled to God! II Cor.5:8-20 (DLNT) What is Practical Outworking of God’s Justice? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah6:7-8