By Nick Bibile
As I said before justice and punishment has to do because God is righteous. God’s justice can be divided into three.
1.
Rectorial justice of God.
2.
Remunerative Justice.
3.
Retributive justice
All
of the above three shows that God is righteous. Now lets take one by one and
make these words simple to understand.
The
word ‘recto’ is the Latin word for ruler. Rectorial justice has to do with
God’s rule of this world in justice.
God
manifests as the Ruler of both the good and evil. God is not the author of evil
but is under God’s control. God is the lawgiver.
James
4: 12There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able
to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your
neighbor?
His
laws are righteous laws.
Deut
4: 8And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so
righteous as all this law that I set before you today?
As
the ruler of the earth one day he will give rewards and punishments, rewards to
the believers and punishment to the unbelievers.
Rom 2:6 He will render to each one according to his
works: 7 to those who by patience in
well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Remunerative Justice.
A.W.
Pink said, “Remunerative justice, or a distribution of rewards; the rule of
which is not the merits of men, but his own gracious promise; for he first, of
his own grace and good will, makes promises, and then he is just and righteous
in fulfilling them.”
Remunerative
means to reward someone. This is where God will reward both angels and
believers.
Ps
58: 11 So that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
Surely He is God who
judges in the earth.”
Mat
25: 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few
things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your
lord.’
34
Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Heb
11: 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the
treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
James
1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast
under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life,
which God has promised to those who love him.
Colossians
3: 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for
the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from
the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.
The
word retribute means to pay back. There
is a payback time coming for the ungodly.
This is the expression of God’s wrath. There will be no God’s wrath in a
sinless world but our fallen world is full of sin and the payback time is
coming for those who live in disobedience to God.
Romans
12: 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but
leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written,
“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
God’s
holiness is the cause for his justice. God’s holiness always does what is
right, as he is righteous. If God is unjust then he will be unholy. Justice is
the perfection of his divine nature. Justice flows from his nature as he cannot
be bribed or forced. God is perfectly holy and just.
Even
in our earthly court system there is the {Penal code} (Law), a code of laws
concerning crimes and offenses and their punishment. Penal means pain,
punishment.
God
as the Judge of the earth, he will do what is right. (Gen 18:25)
Romans
1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their
unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Romans
2: 5 But because of your hard and impenitent
heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's
righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans
2: 16 on that day when, according to my
gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
2
Thes 1: 8 in flaming fire, inflicting
vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel
of our Lord Jesus.
Eph
5; 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words,
for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of
disobedience.
Heb
9: 27 And just as it is appointed for man to
die once, and after that comes judgment.
Question:
How can God keep his righteousness and then forgive someone like me a sinner? I
would like you to think of this statement this week and answer next week.
How
can God keep his righteousness and punish people in hell?
How
can God keep his righteousness and elect some for everlasting life and punish
others?
In
conclusion there is a profound teaching in the Old Testament that God’s people
are to do just and righteous things. In short the Old Testament has a very high
view of social reform, to help the needy, the fatherless and the oppressed from
injustice. We lack this teaching from the pulpits today. We are called to take
care of the poor and the needy. This was one of the crimes of Sodom as they
were prideful, plenty of food and prosperous but neglected the poor.
Ezk 16: 49 Behold, this was the guilt
of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and
prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. 50 They
were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw
it.
Mat 25: 41 “Then he will say to those on his
left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil
and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave
me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did
not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did
not visit me.’ 44 Then
they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or
a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them,
saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of
these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Christ has imputed his
righteousness to the believers. How do we know that we are truly born again? We
will do righteous things.
1 John 2; 29 If you know that he is
righteous, you may be sure that everyone
who practices righteousness has been born of him.