God’s Justice, God’s Peace

“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Jehovah ponders the hearts.  With Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice is to be chosen over sacrifice.”  Proverbs 21:2-3

 

“But Jehovah shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for justice.  And He shall judge the world in righteousness; He shall execute judgment to the people with equity.  Jehovah also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of distress.  And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Jehovah, have not forsaken those who seek You.”  Psalms 9:7-10

 

“If you see the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, do not be astonished at the matter; for He who is higher than the highest watches; so there are those higher than they.”  Ecclesiastes 5:8

 

Under the guise of justice for George Floyd, our major cities are literally being burnt, looted and violence prevails.  Where is the justice for those small business owners?  Where is the justice for replacing government property that was paid for by taxpayers?  Where is the justice for more missing sales?  Where is the peace in those neighborhoods?

 

Well, they hold banners and they hold signs saying ‘No Justice, No Peace’.  What does that mean?  With injustices in this country there is no peace?  Get used to it, this world has been full of injustices sin Cain murdered Abel (Gen. 4:8).  What happened to George Floyd should not have happened and indeed this is by no means an isolated case.

 

Yet should a set of relativistic morals be placed on police officers throughout the entire country?  Wouldn’t it be nice if certain police didn’t plant drugs on people?  Wouldn’t it be nice if certain police couldn’t be bribed to ignore crimes? 

 

For some time my family and I lived just outside of Chicago.  We were within a quick walk to the East Side.  There was this joint in town that I had gotten a job at briefly, a restaurant and the job simply didn’t work out.  I had spoken to a police officer and knew that they were friends with the owner of this place.  About a year after my brief stint at this restaurant it was raided by the FBI.

 

The place had apparently been a cover for dealing cocaine and my understanding was the owner was tipped off that a raid was going to happen from the local police, he himself being able to get in the clear before it happened.  Down in that area I also did some restaurant management, I would hear stories.

 

I had a few former gang bangers who were working over there, trying to become something productive (one was going to heating/plumbing school, others to college) and worked over in this neighborhood to keep out of trouble.  They told me stories of how the police would stop them on the East Side dealing drugs.  What would they do?

 

They would take their drugs, their cash and drive them to a rival neighborhood on the South Side, dropping them off and wishing them luck on their foot journey back to their turf.  Still, in my two and a half years in that part of the country I also worked with a security guard who also was a local police officer during the day.

 

As I had an interested in going to police academy myself, he told me that he was an honest cop and would never get promoted.  He worked at this place for a second job, lived in a modest house and those less honest police officers lived in the bigger houses on the corners, through corruption.  Then there is also the story of how the Chicago police department electrocuted black men to have them make false confessions to crimes they didn’t commit.

 

This world is full on injustices and people should be held accountable for their actions, justice should be served.  When it comes to public servants or people in positions of trust, the accountability should be at an even higher standard and the punishment more severe.  In the United States of America people have the right to PEACEABLY assemble. 

 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

First Amendment of the United States Constitution

 

In all reality, I would say that 95%+ of the people who are protesting are doing just that.  When it comes to late at night when the real carnage begins, of what value is it to be protesting then?  None. 

 

So the argument goes is that people have finally had enough.  This world is full on injustices and people do not do as Jesus taught.

 

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 7:12

 

Yet for some I cannot even write this verse without setting off certain people.  For the Bible says men and they say that is not inclusive, to those:

 

“For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is clearly recognized by them, for God has revealed it to them.  For ever since the creation of the world the unseen things of Him are clearly perceived, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they know God, they do not glorify Him as God, nor are thankful, but become vain in their reasonings, and their stupid hearts are darkened.  Professing to be wise, they become foolish, and change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.  Therefore God also gives them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who change the truth of God into the lie, and fear and serve the created things more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.  For this reason God gives them up to vile passions. For even their women change the natural use for what is contrary to nature.  Likewise also the men, abandoning the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men with men performing what is shameful, and receiving the retribution within themselves, the penalty which is fitting for their error.  And even as they do not like to have God in their full true knowledge, God gives them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with every unrighteousness, sexual perversion, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, depravity; whisperers, defamers, haters of God, insolent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do them, but also approve of those who practice them.”  Romans 1:18-32

 

Also we must remember that God is the one who avenges.  He is the Judge and He will execute justice on the workers of iniquity.

 

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  If it is possible, as for yourself, be at peace with all men.  Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.  Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  Romans 12:17-21

 

“And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who work out lawlessness!”  Matthew 7:23

 

To watch as groups of protesters bend the knee, supposedly in prayer to their Creator and then turn around and disobey His Word is absolutely astonishing!  People want justice and peace, well what about themselves?

 

Laws may be passed, judgments may be given, practices may be changed by police departments, but only Christ can change the heart, only through Him can peace come.

 

“There is no peace, says Jehovah, unto the wicked.”  Isaiah 48:22

 

What about the injustices and lack of peace in many neighborhoods across the country?  Where is the peace with all of the murder in Chicago and Baltimore?  Where is the peace with all of the sinful behavior in Los Angeles and Phoenix?  Where is the peace on OBT in Orlando? 

 

The world demands that people change and that there is justice for all and peace everywhere, yet they deny their Creator.  Why not turn to God?  Why not repent and believe into Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, that you may see how God works among His Creation?  That you might learn His ways (Is. 55:8-9).

 

“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, unyielding, slanderers, without self-control, savage, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away.”  2nd Timothy 3:2-5

 

“Say to them: As I live, declares the Lord Jehovah, I take no delight in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why will you die, O house of Israel?”  Ezekiel 33:11

 

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has established a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has appointed. He has given assurance of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”  Acts 17:30-31

 

“Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  John 14:6

 

“Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ to the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Acts 2:38

 

“But what does it say? The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the Word of Faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture says, Everyone believing on Him will not be put to shame.”  Romans 10:8-11

 

Without Jesus as your Savior, understand God’s justice, God’s peace!  You, dear reader, are guilty before the Most High God.  You want justice, God demands it and sent His Son to die on the Cross for your sins.  He paid the penalty for your injustice, for your sins and He offers peace to those who accept the free gift of Salvation.

 

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through the faith of Jesus Christ, to all and upon all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to give evidence of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to prove at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who is of the faith of Jesus.”  Romans 3:21-26

 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

 

“Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but gave Himself over to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.”  1 Peter 2:22-24

 

“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  1st John 2:2

 

“Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of Jehovah been revealed?  For He grows up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of the dry ground. He has no form nor splendor that we should regard Him, nor anything spectacular that we should desire Him.  He is despised and rejected by men; a Man of pain, and knowing infirmity; a hiding of faces; being despised, we have esteemed Him not.  Truly He has borne our sicknesses, and carried our pain; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; and Jehovah has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.  He has been oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opens not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is mute, so He opens not His mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken.  And His grave was assigned with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.  Yet it pleased Jehovah to crush Him; to grieve Him; that He should give His soul as a sin-offering. He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the delight of Jehovah shall prosper in His hand.  He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be fulfilled. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will apportion to Him with the great, and He shall divide the spoils with the strong; because He has poured out His soul unto death; and He was reckoned among the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”  Isaiah 53

 

“For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not of works, that no one should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:8-10

 

Understand and understand clearly that a day will come where Justice will be had by your Creator.  Without your name being written in the Book of Life, God’s just Justice will be handed down and you will be accountable for your sins and rebellion against your Creator.  As you stand at the Great White Throne judgment, God will met out to you what is deserving and you will be cast into the Lake of Fire for all of eternity.

 

“And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. And books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, out of the things which were written in the books.  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one, according to their works.  And Death and Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.”  Revelation 20:11-15

 

I plead with you to consider yourself, not just others.  Don’t just look at a few Minneapolis police officers who murdered and allowed murder to happen, who if our system of justice in this country works, will find themselves behind prison bars, look towards yourself. 

 

Do you wrong people?  Are your ways full of justice?  Are your ways peaceable to your neighbors?

 

“You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?  You who say, Do not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?”  Romans 2:21-22

 

“The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.  But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has done, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall live life; he shall not die.  None of the transgressions which he has done shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live.  Do I delight with pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord Jehovah, and not that he should turn back from his ways and live?  But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the treachery of his unfaithfulness, and the sin which he has sinned, in them he shall die.  Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not fair. Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair.  When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is for the iniquity which he has done that he dies.  Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he has done, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.  Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he has done, he shall live life; he shall not die.  Yet the house of Israel says, The way of the Lord is not fair. O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair.  Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord Jehovah. Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity shall not be a stumbling block to you.  Cast away from you all the transgressions by which you have transgressed, and prepare for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit; for why will you die, O house of Israel?  For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies, declares the Lord Jehovah. Therefore turn and live!”  Ezekiel 18:20-32

 

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?  Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”  Matthew 22:36-40

 

Amen!

“He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill them with dead bodies; He shall greatly shatter the heads over the earth.”  Psalms 110:6