A continuation of a study on 10 attributes of God.

1. ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
LESSON 6
THE JUSTICE OF GOD
Ptr. J.F. Smith, DMin
Faith Missionary Church & Bible Institute,
Gruetli-Laager, TN, USA
jerryfranksmith@gmail.com

2. How do you feel when you see...

3. When a person commits a horrible
crime...
Justice!
What is it that we
want?

4. Justice League?
Meron din tayo ng
Justice League.
But, what justice are
they providing?
Whose?

5. We want… We demand justice!

6. Why do we want justice?
Maybe because when people break the
law there is injustice (unfairness and hurt).
Perhaps because we were made in the
image of GOD (Genesis 1:26-27).

7. But, what is justice?

8. (Today we will look at three aspects of GOD’s attribute of justice)
Justice, Just, and Justified
• Justice demands penalty for breaking the law
• Someone who is just is one who is without guilt
• One who has been justified, is one who is viewed
as not having broken the law.

9. Justice, Just, and Justified
Justice [defined]
1. Fairness
2. Impartiality
3. Merited punishment
4. Without respect of persons
Justice demands penalty for breaking the law

10. Justice judges crimes
Justice determines guilt or innocence and pronounces
judgment [punishment] on the guilty

11. So, we need a judge
Judges hear the cases, declare guilt or innocence according
to the law, and pronounce judgment on the guilty

12. Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee to do after this
manner, to slay the righteous with the
wicked: and that the righteous should be
as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall
not the Judge of all the earth do right?
GOD is our Judge

13. Psalm 89:14a
Justice and judgment are the habitation
of thy throne...

14. GOD’s Justice
(Is fair)
Proverbs 20:10
Divers weights, and divers measures, both
of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
(See also Proverbs 20:23, Leviticus 19:36)
GOD does not like corruption
(or cheating)!

15. GOD’s Justice
(Is impartial)
1 Peter 1:17
The Father... without partiality judges
according to each one's work, conduct
yourselves throughout the time of your
stay here in fear.
Everyone answers for themselves.

16. GOD’s Justice
(Is merited punishment)
Ezekiel 18:24
But when the righteous turneth away from his
righteousness, and committeth iniquity… All his
righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned:
in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin
that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
There are no IOUs.
(Punishment for what you did.)

17. GOD’s Justice
(Is without respect of persons)
Romans 2:11
For there is no respect of persons with
God.
It doesn’t matter who you are or
what you are.

18. When a person commits a horrible
crime...
Justice!
What is it that we
want?

19. GOD’s justice combined with
GOD’s immutability, mean that
GOD’s judgment is SURE

20. GOD sees the injustice in the world
Ecclesiastes 5:8
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and
violent perverting of judgment and justice in a
province, marvel not at the matter: for he
that is higher than the highest regardeth; and
there be higher than they.

21. David found comfort in GOD’s justice,
because one day, GOD will make all
things right
Psalm 7:9
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end
Psalm 9:17
The wicked shall be turned into hell
Psalm 31:17
…let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the
grave.

22. GOD will make all things RIGHT
• We know that the unkind boss who overworked and
underpaid his employees will be dealt with
• We know that corrupt politicians will face GOD for
their mismanagement and the suffering they
caused
• We know that greedy business people will answer
for their business practices.
• (I believe) even owners of pollution-belching
vehicles will answer for their neglect.

23. But, let us not get too excited
about GOD’s judgment
Amos 5:18
Woe unto you that desire the day of the
LORD! to what end is it for you? the day
of the LORD is darkness, and not light.

24. The Book of Revelation is a
book of GOD’s justice

25. Damnation is a just act of GOD
Romans 3:8
Whose damnation is just

26. In the day of judgment, there will be
only two kinds of people
Isaiah 3:10-11
10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with
him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for
the reward of his hands shall be given him.

27. Justice, Just, and Justified
Just [defined]
1. Conformed to the law
2. Righteous (often, interchangeable terms)
Someone who is just is one who is without guilt

28. Just (Conformed to the law)

29. GOD is Just
Psalm 18:30
As for God, his way is perfect...
GOD’s justice is just (c/w Psalm 145:17),
because it is His justice system

30. Our natural condition is unjust
Ecclesiastes 7:15
There is not a just man on earth, that
doeth good, and sinneth not.
So, our justice system is
not perfect.

31. Adam sinned
Genesis 3:6
… she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband with her;
and he did eat.

32. Now, we all sin
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God;
We are all guilty of not conforming to
GOD’s law

33. And the penalty flows from Adam
Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned

34. We are all worthy of death
Romans 1:32
…they which commit such things are
worthy of death
We are all condemned under GOD’s
justice

35. God is Just
(Righteous)
Romans 9:14
What shall we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
(See also Psalm 7:9, 116:5; Daniel 9:14)

36. GOD will one day judge the world
in righteousness
Acts 17:31
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he
will judge the world in righteousness by that man
whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given
assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him
from the dead.
GOD’s judgment is just (c/w Psalm 145:17).

37. Righteous is a term that refers to
being without guilt
• Lawbreakers are guilty
• The righteous are not guilty of breaking
GOD’s law (His commands)

38. All the evil that goes on in the WORLD
will be judged by the LORD
Psalm 37:28
For the LORD loveth judgment, and
forsaketh not his saints; they are
preserved for ever: but the seed of the
wicked shall be cut off.

39. GOD will not be bribed
Mark 8:37
Or what shall a man give in exchange for
his soul?

40. Some people make a mock at GOD’s
judgment
Isaiah 5:18-19
18 Woe unto them …
19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his
work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the
Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may
know it!
(See also Jeremiah 17:15 and 2 Peter 3:3-4)

41. People will be judged according to
their works
Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand
before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books, according
to their works.

42. Judgment by a holy and
righteous GOD
Revelation 20:12
… and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books,
according to their works.
Would you want to be judged by Omniscient GOD
according to your works?

43. But of ourselves we are
unrighteous
Romans 3:10
...There is none righteous, no, not one

44. Only Jesus Christ is righteous
1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I
unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man
sin, we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

45. So, we must be in Christ to be
found righteous
Philippians 3:9
And be found in him, not having mine
own righteousness, which is of the law,
but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God
by faith:

46. Righteous is a term that refers to
being without guilt
• Lawbreakers are guilty
• The righteous are not guilty of breaking
GOD’s law (His commands)
- They have been justified

47. Justice, Just, and Justified
Justified [defined]
• One who has been declared righteous
in the eyes of the law
Just-as-if-I-had-never-sinned
One who has been justified, is one who is viewed
as not having broken the law.

48. GOD is justified in judgment
• The righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8; He
cannot be corrupted, nor is He biased)
• All things belong to Him (Isaiah 66:2; He
makes the rules)
• Will not pardon the guilty (Exodus 34:7;
everyone will answer for their sins)

49. GOD’s JUSTICE requires that SOMEONE be
punished for our sins
Me?
or
JESUS CHRIST?

50. We are already condemned!
John 3:18
He that believeth on him is not condemned:
but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the
name of the only begotten Son of God.
We are born without faith (It is the gift of
GOD, Ephesians 2:8-9)

51. A judge...
• Hears the case (the books were
opened, Rev 20:12).
• Declares guilt or innocence
according to the law (all have
sinned, Rom 3:23; none righteous,
Rom 3:10).
• Pronounces judgment on the
guilty (Rev 20:15).

52. If I want to pay the price for my sin...
All I have to do is spend eternity in the
Lake of Fire

53. Psalm 89:14
Justice and judgment are the habitation
of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go
before thy face.
GOD is our Judge
GOD goes by the book [truth], but He has
also made provision [mercy] for us.

54. GOD, the Judge, became a man...
Isaiah 53:5-6
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he
was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of
our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the LORD
hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Jesus Christ was already punished for us.

55. 1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also hath once suffered for
sins, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us to God, being put to death
in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

56. Justified (Viewed as righteous)

57. Christ paid the price
Colossians 2:14
Blotting out the handwriting
of ordinances that was
against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it
out of the way, nailing it to
his cross;

58. Justification is ours by faith
Romans 5:12
Therefore, since we have been justified
through faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ
Justification : declared righteous (not guilty)

59. By faith, we are made
righteous in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who
knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.

60. So we need not fear the justice
of GOD
1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may
have boldness in the day of judgment: because
as he is, so are we in this world.

62. What is our RESPONSE to
the JUSTICE of GOD?
(Some practical ideas)

63. In our attitudes: That’s not fair!
• If we all got what was FAIR according to
GOD…
– We would all be eternally damned.
• Let’s be careful when we demand fairness
• And, seek grace when things feel unfair.

64. In sharing:
Maybe we should not neglect the justice of
GOD when we share the Gospel
It gives substance to the Gospel

65. In judging [condemning] others
• We do not know what they are experiencing (Ro 14).
• We are told to examine ourselves first (Mt 7:1-5).
• We are told to let GOD judge others (1 Co 4:5).

66. In judging [discerning] behavior and
doctrine
• We are told to discern fruit of false teachers (Mt
7:15-20).
• We are told to judge ourselves as a church
regarding a member’s lifestyle, teaching, and doctrine
(1 Co 5:12-13).
• We are told to judge according to actions, not
appearance (John 7:24).

67. In our conversations
Proverbs 21:3
To do justice and judgment is more
acceptable to the LORD than
sacrifice.

68. A just balance...
Leviticus 19:35-36
35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment,
in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah,
and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD
your God

69. Justice (Fairness)
A just balance...
E.g. Fairness in dealing with employees,
subordinates, people in general, in business, and with
children
Good is rewarded and evil is punished
Good performance is rewarded and poor
performance is not.

70. Sometimes there are winners, and
sometimes there are losers.
C/w 1 Corinthians 3:8,13-15

71. Some brethren will have more crowns
(rewards) than others
C/w 1 Corinthians 3:8,13-15

72. Justice (Impartiality)
• E.g. Whether you like a person or do not, if they
have commendable performance, good behavior,
right attitudes, or excellent work is done, reward
it.
• If unacceptable performance, wrong behavior,
bad attitudes, or substandard work, do not reward
it.
C/w 1 Corinthians 3:8,13-15

73. Justice (Merited punishment)
Judgment according to rightness, not
according to bias

74. Justice (No respect of persons)
James 2:3
And ye have respect to him that weareth the
gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in
a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou
there, or sit here under my footstool
Not what they are, but who they are in Christ
(Js 2:1).

75. Just (Conformed to the law)
Live a life that honors Christ’s sacrifice.
Philippians 2:15
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons
of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked
and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as
lights in the world

76. Just (Righteous)
Live a life that points to Christ
1 Thessalonians 2:12
That ye would walk worthy of God, who
hath called you unto his kingdom and
glory.

77. Justified (Viewed as righteous)
Live a life that remembers the sacrifice of
Christ.
Ephesians 4:1
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you
that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye
are called,

78. Justified (Viewed as righteous)
Live a life that glorifies Christ
Ephesians 5:8
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are
ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

79. END OF LESSON 6
QUIZ TIME

80. (Today we will look at three aspects of GOD’s attribute of justice)
Justice, Just, and Justified
• Justice demands penalty for breaking the law
• Someone who is just is one who is not guilty
• One who has been justified, is one who is viewed
as not having broken the law.

81. Justice
1. GOD's justice is fair.
2. GOD's justice is impartial.
3. GOD's justice is merited punishment.
4. GOD's justice is without respect of
persons.

82. Just
1. GOD's way is perfect.
2. Our natural condition is unjust.
3. GOD is righteous.
4. GOD will judge the world in righteousness.
5. Only Jesus Christ is righteous.

83. Justified
1. GOD is justified in judgment.
2. Someone must be punished for our sins.
3. We are already condemned.
4. Jesus Christ was condemned for us.
5. If we are in Christ, we do not need to fear
the judgment of GOD.

84. END of LESSON 6
The JUSTICE of GOD
NEXT:
Lesson 7
The WRATH of GOD