Justice In The Old Testament, New Testament, And The Church Today
Table of Contents
Justice
In conclusion,
Reference Collection
No, this is not an accurate paraphrase. An accurate paraphrase would be “Reference Listing”.
Justice
Justice is a concept built on many theories and ideas from many perspectives. In simple terms, justice can be defined as being fair to all or making things right (Pomerleau and others, n.d.). Even though this definition may seem simple, it raises important questions about who “sets the right things” and what constitutes “right” justice. Humans have an inherent sense of right and harm. They also have a conviction about the need to punish wrongdoers and protect and make whole those who are weaker or more vulnerable. Collectively, mankind wants justice. Since God created us in His image, justice is an attribute that God gives. Jesus, the prophets, the Bible and the Bible showed humanity the right path and encouraged people to live justice. The idea of justice appears in many different contexts in scripture. These include matters between people and as an attribute or path to salvation. The Old Testament’s creation and exodus stories include justice. Prophets have repeated these themes and highlighted instances in which God acts as a judge. Jesus’ mission and the New Testament inspire believers to live justly, seek salvation, and God acts as a judge. Today, justice plays an important role in the lives and ministries of the church. It is mandated by scripture to do justice, and it calls for protection of all God’s creatures. Each person has their own way of living their life. People choose their moral standards based on what they believe to be right. Many Christians believe that living a just life is the best way to live. They follow Christ’s example and follow God’s plan.
The Christian God is monotheistic. He is the creator, God of heaven, earth, and all things. God is also pure of spirit. According to Wainwright 2005, “Theists believe that the ultimate principle of reality is God–an all-powerful, omniscient, and creative ground for everything else than itself.” God’s main attributes are love, all-knowing, all-powerful. The Christian God also has justice as an important attribute. Deuteronomy 10.1:9-10 describes God as “not partial and does not take bribes”, and then continues by saying that “He executes justice”. This idea is also demonstrated in Isaiah33.22. God is the creator. He is all-powerful. God must remain just. God decides what is right or wrong. God also sets the standard for justice. God acts justly. God is faithful to Israel and His chosen people. God makes a promise to humanity and holds it up faithfully. God can perfectly demonstrate justice. People seek God’s wisdom because God is able. Humans have the freedom to choose and can be just. God gives us a guideline to help us live justly and in accordance to our will. Creator gives man the ability to sense justice. God provided justice for mankind by giving them the Sinai Covenant (Exodus 20.23-23.19). They must keep the commandments and covenant in return for God’s promise to humanity. The 10 Commandments, which are ‘written by God’ (Exodus 3:18), were given to the people (Exodus 25.21), in order to allow them to live according to God’s will. To do God’s will, humanity must be just, fair, kind, and compassionate (Isaiah 1:17). Humans who choose God follow have the responsibility of keeping God’s covenant and living in accordance with the commandments.
Today, justice is often linked to the law or the judiciary system. It is the duty of judges to be fair and just. Romans 13 :1 reads, “God is highest authority”, referring to God’s omnipotence. While humans can attempt to live ethically and in line with the laws of the world, they must ultimately follow God’s plan and will if they are to find salvation.
The Old Testament is filled with justice themes. It is first established in creation, but it is again shown through Exodus.
The creation story is about God’s gift and call to justice. The Imago Dei stems from Genesis 1:26-27 and states that God created all of humanity in his image (Middleton, 1994). God doesn’t discriminate between different kinds of people and sees everyone as equal. In God’s image and likeness, justice is one of God’s attributes. Humans therefore have inherently value and basic human rights related to equality.
Exodus’ story also focuses on justice. Exodus 1:11-14 reveals how the Egyptians oppressed Israelites by making them slaves and subjecting them all to heavy labor. God saw the injustice and responded with Moses. Exodus 1,7-10 describes God’s response to the injustices that occurred in Egypt. This is significant as it clearly shows God intervening with humans to show them how to be just.
God also used prophets (Houston 2019,). There have been periods in history where humans struggled to uphold the covenant or follow the commandsments. These times saw God send prophets to help people who had deviated against His will. These prophets’ messages all reiterate the theme of God being just (B.l.j. ; Groenewald). 2014). Prophets in the Old Testament spoke of justice as messengers from God. They were meant to guide Israel’s people back to God’s will. Micah provides the best example for Justice as one Prophet’s main points. Micah writes, “He showed you, mortal, what is right.” What is the Lord asking of you? To love your God and act justly, to show mercy, and to walk with humility” (Micah 6-8). Prophets are God’s agents and bring people back to God.
The Old Testament is full of examples where God has resolved injustices. This is God’s most literal method of transferring his justice will onto humanity. There are two types or judgments in the Old Testament. The first is one that acknowledges injustice and punishes, while the second refers only to a final or judgment day. Exodus 32:26-35, Genesis 2:17 and Isaiah 66.16 are three examples of God “executed justice” against unjust people. In these scripture sections, God acts as judge and punishes injustices. The Old Testament depicts another type God’s judgment. It is called a “final judgement” and God will decide goodness or evil (Ecclesiastes 13:14). The threat of a final judgement encourages just and good behavior.
The New Testament also has justice as a major theme, however the concept and execution of Justice have changed slightly. The New Testament authors portray justice in a completely different way. They have a change in how they view God. Instead of the God who should be feared as in the Old Testament, they present a loving God in New Testament. Christ’s life, mission, and example of love bring out the loving God.
Christianity has seen justice as a concept. Jesus’ teachings and life encapsulated justice and served as an example. Gospels capture Jesus’ life, ministry, and mission. His followers, inspired by Christ’s example, carry out his mission today. Jesus lived a life that was exemplary of justice and protection for those less fortunate than himself. All people are equal under God’s creator. Matthew 19:21 and 25:35 are examples of Jesus doing justice to the poor and encouraging others to do it. Luke 14 and 13 also show Jesus giving justice to the poor. These actions and words are an example of Jesus’s desire to live justly. Jesus spends most of his ministry speaking about salvation and how it can be achieved. The gospels are a major focus of the New Testament’s central theme, which is centered on the coming of God’s kingdom. This theme is a call to justice and to seek salvation. Jesus said this when he visited Galilee. Jesus also gave the following commandments (John 13;34-35 and 15:12 and 17). Jesus died for mankind’s sins in order to save them and grant forgiveness. Christ inspires people through his mission and life.
The New Testament is full of examples where God has executed justice. Two types of judgments were mentioned in the New Testament Scriptures. The first type of judgement refers only to an infliction of justice. The other type refers solely to the final judgment for all souls. Romans 12/19 and Acts 12-21-23 are two examples of God “executing judgment” against unjust people. Both these scriptures have God acting as judge and punishing injustices. The second type is a final judgment in which all Gods judge the Earth. Romans 2:16, Psalms58:10-11, 1 Peter 4:5 are all examples of this type justice. This idea of a final judge compels Christians not to lose sight of God’s light, and to do God’s will all their lives in order that they might attain salvation.
Looking at scripture can teach us a lot about justice, how it should be applied to our lives, and how to apply the lessons to today’s situations. Today’s church is important because justice has two key applications. They are the biblical mandate and the dignity and worth of each human being. Christians who seek salvation must live just and righteous lives, fulfilling God’s will till judgment (Hosea 12-6). If you are looking to make an impact in your community while following God’s plan, justice can be a good starting point.
His followers are called or mandated to do justice when looking at the life and works Christ. (Micah 6-8). This “doing justice” mandate is to recognize and confront evil, care for the less fortunate, and recognize and undo injustices (Isaiah 1:27). The bible repeats this call to act justly and live justly many times. Christ’s call for followers to face injustice and seek justice asks them to become more aware of it. Christians can do this by helping to make the world juster through God’s justice. Psalm82:3-4 teaches us that we are to give justice to those less fortunate than ourselves. This call can be fulfilled by people using the virtues of solidarity. The pursuit of justice is at the heart and soul of solidarity.
Christians are called to take care of God’s creation through scripture. This includes the care of others, as man is the pinnacle God’s creation. This is illustrated in The Final Judgment’s parable. God rewards those people who are just and show love to their fellow humans (Matthew 25.31-46). We must follow Christ’s lead and strive to bring justice in today’s world. As individuals and as a society, we should ask ourselves if our actions are in line with the dignity and lives of other people. A society that supports all members should be a place we can participate in. To ensure that every person has a decent and basic life, we must protect their basic rights. It is important to pay attention to those with less resources than we. Jesus’ example, Scripture, and prophetic writings all provide good examples of how to live in accordance with God’s will.
There are many meanings to justice. Justice is an attribute God and all things God does are just. In the Old Testament God created humankind in the Imago Dei. This gave them the foundational principles of justice and their likeness to God. The covenant between humanity and God is a promise to follow his plan for them and him. Despite these promises, humans have sometimes failed to honor them and God has sent prophets to help them get back on track. Even though prophets were sent, humans still felt lost. God sent Jesus, His son. Jesus was God and so was he. Jesus, through his ministry and life, set an example of just living. His disciples are now called to make justice through the scriptures. Jesus gave the possibility of salvation and freed mankind from the curse of sin. These are both present aspects of the church’s today. The virtue of solidarity makes justice possible, and all members of society are called to act justly.
References Cited
B?l?j?, B., & Groenewald, A. (2014). Malachi’s concern about social justice: Malachi 2:17, 3:5 and its ethics imperatives for faith community. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 70(1), 9 Pages. doi:https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v70i1.2072
Dupuy, P. (1999). The danger of fragmentation/unification of international legal systems and international courts of justice. In the New York University Journal of International Law and Politics, a study was conducted on the implications of international law on global politics. The findings suggested that international law has a significant impact on the global political landscape, particularly in the realm of conflict resolution and the promotion of human rights. The paper concluded that international law is an invaluable tool for addressing current and future global challenges.
Foster, R. (n.d.). Understandings about Justice in New Testament. Teaching the Bible: Society of biblical literature https://www.sbl-site.org/assets/pdfs/TBv2i5_Fosterjustice.pdf.
The sacred book of Christianity, the Bible, is full of wisdom and instruction. English Standard Version. Gideons International Australia. Houston, W. (2019) ‘Social Justice and the Prophets’, https://www.bibleodyssey.org:443/en/passages/related-articles/social-justice-and-the-prophets
Middleton, J. Is the image liberating (1994)? The Imago Dei and Context: Interpreting it. Christian Scholars Review 24.1, pages 8-25. https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/otesources/01-genesis/text/articles-books/Middleton-ImagoDei-CSR.pdf
Paprocki, J. (n.d.). Catholic Social Teaching is focused on social justice. Loyola Press is a publisher. Retrieved from https://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/ignatian-spirituality/introduction-to-ignatian-spirituality/social-justice-catholic-social-teaching.
Pomerleau, W. (n.d.). Theories of Justice in the Western World. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy is an online resource containing a variety of philosophical information, including articles, definitions, biographies, and more. It provides a comprehensive overview of the discipline of philosophy and its various topics. Retrieved from https://www.iep.utm.edu/justwest/.
Wainwright, William. (2005) Monotheism. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta, Ed. According to a recent study, the number of people using online streaming services is increasing rapidly (Source).
