In a world that seems to be ever falling apart, the idea of justice seems to be non-existent at many points in our lives. The world seems unfair and unjust in how it treats people. Wrong is committed and justice is not served. How can a good God let all this injustice unfold? Will there ever be true justice? These ideas surrounding justice are age-old questions and they can often bother us as we see chaos ensuing our world. What is God’s idea of justice? How does he see justice? We’re going to explore the topic of justice from a biblical perspective to answer some of these questions. Let’s begin. 

One thing we must realize is that God is the fulfillment of true righteous judgment. Deuteronomy 32:4 declares, “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” The song of Moses declares that “all his ways are just”. Not just some of his ways, or some of the time. All the time His ways are always just. He does not do wrong and only does what is right. We cannot move past this point without recognizing and accepting this fact. 

If we recognize and accept this attribute of God that He is perfect, good, and just, some other things might start to clear up. The next three words that come after the last phrase we looked at will answer the question of why injustice in the world. If God is so just and perfect, why is there injustice in the world? The answer: “They are corrupt” (Deuteronomy 32:5). Humans are corrupt. The reason there is injustice in the world is not a fault of God but because we choose injustice all the time. We choose it for ourselves because we are corrupt and we create our own sin and problems. We like to put blame on anyone or anything other than ourselves, but when it comes to injustice, we have nothing to blame but our own decisions and evil. 

When justice is not served and we can’t rely on our justice system to deliver for us, who can we go to? Where can we turn to provide justice for us? The answer lies in Psalm 50:15, “call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you”. God is the only one we can turn to, He is the only one who can deliver us and bring us true justice because He is perfect and just. 

The other aspect of justice in relation to God is that we often don’t recognize the justice we deserve. Justice determines what is just and right, not necessarily what benefits everyone. Think about this: If a man commits a robbery, justice says he must spend time in jail for the wrong he committed. Does that benefit the man who committed the robbery? Not really. He is being punished for the crime committed and therefore, justice is served. Everyone deserves the punishment of death for the sins we commit (Romans 6:23). However, God also reigns in grace and mercy. Justice says we should die but grace says that Jesus’ death pays the price for us to have salvation, even though we don’t deserve it (Ephesians 2:8). 

It is for our benefit that God is just, but that he also is abundant in grace and mercy that leads to love and life. God is just and he will give justice to those who reject Him and to those who love Him (Matthew 25:46). We all deserve justice in the form of eternal death. However, it is the decision we make to accept Jesus or not that determines if justice is served with grace and mercy or without.