Godless Law
Many now believe that “justice” is a matter of equity or majority opinion. However, God actually defines both as a perversion of justice explicitly.
You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.
Exodus 23:2-3
If those are definitions of perverted justice, than what is pure justice? Pure justice is to give to each what he is due. To the wicked, punishment. To those who do good, reward.
In some ways, then, justice will lead to inequality! In a just society, those who labor diligently and deal honestly would gain many rewards while those who depend upon dishonest schemes and theft would become more and more punished (at least, until they repent).
Why has our culture gotten this so wrong?!
Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.
Proverbs 28:5
Those driven by the spirit of lawlessness have undertaken to redefine justice for us, and they have no understanding.
Blind Leading the Church
To our shame, those who do seek the Lord have largely just followed along with whatever the wicked have defined justice to be. While God lists “do justice” as one of only a few things that he requires of man (Micah 6:8), those with the capacity to understand justice have instead adopted this redefinition of the wicked men who are incapable of defining it rightly!
Many organizations within the church have begun hosting speakers and consultants who’s entire career is defined by perverting justice. From those who advocate for partial treatment in criminal sentencing to those who promote wealth redistribution not on the grounds that it was dishonestly gained, but simply because there is an imbalance, the church promotes their reading materials, hosts conferences, and even allows them to determine congregational policies.
When The Wicked Rule
When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
Proverbs 29:2
It is a terrible thing when authority is surrendered willingly to the wicked. Such a thing is a betrayal of our brothers, sisters, and the broader communities in which we live. However, as a matter of this fallen world, there may be cases where the church will find herself without authority to ensure justice is done.
How, then, does God guide his people to pursue justice? When dealing with the ungodly, such a thing may not always be possible. Believers can expect to be victims to unjust courts in a fallen world, knowing that God credits those who suffer injustice.
For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
1 Peter 2:19-20
However, when there is a dispute between believers, we have been called to work it out as a matter between the faithful rather than bringing these cases before unbelievers.
When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?
1 Corinthians 6:1-6
The church must repent of being carried along by the perverting of justice happening in our time. The world may oppose the idea of Christian justice but even our unbelieving neighbors suffer for the lack. While those who depend upon dishonest scales and unjust balances will continue to support such things, we, as God’s people, cannot.