God's Justice (2)

God, apart from Christ, is an angry, offended Sovereign. Unless we behold Him in and through Christ, the Mediator, the terrors of His Majesty would overwhelm us. We dare not approach the Father except in Christ because of our sins. We first fasten our eyes upon Christ, then upon the Father. If Christ does not bear our guilt and reconcile us unto God, we perish! Before any man can think to stand before the face of God’s justice or be admitted to the secret chamber of God’s mercy or partake of the riches of His grace, he must look to the Mediator, Christ Jesus.

The Existence and Attributes of God. Stephen Charnock

The wrath of God, the justice of God is a very real, very present, and very terrifying reality that we must behold.

We will talk more about what Christ has done for us in the next section but we need to return to God’s justice for a moment.

Review.....

Anyone remember what the first box is that wants to summary it for me?

So…God is the loving ruler of the world.

He made the world

He made us to rule the world under him.

Anyone remember the reference or memorize the reference?

Revelation 4:11

BUT is that the way it is now?

Anyone remember what the second box is that wants to summary it for me?

We all reject the ruler - God - by trying to run life our own way without him.

But we fail to rule ourselves, society, or the world.

Anyone remember the reference or memorize the reference?

Romans 3:10-12 or Isaiah 53:6a

So, what is God to do about this rebellion?

Anyone remember what the Third box is that wants to summary it for me?

That bring us to box three of our little outline....

God’s won’t let us rebel forever

God’s punishment for rebellion is death and judgment.

Anyone remember the reference or memorize the reference?

Hebrews 9:27.

God’s justice may sound harsh, but that is not the end of the story.

Our rebellion against God demands a JUST response.

There is a coming judgment.

A reality we must understand and we must make clear to those currently in a state of rejection of God.

We discussed last time this coming judgment.

Outline

Big Idea: God’s wrath and justice is a display of His great goodness and love.

God’s Response to Rebellion

God’s Love and Justice

Why Justice and Wrath are Good

Sermon Body

God’s Love and Justice

Review:

There is a coming Judgment

Hell is real - A place of God’s divine wrath against sin which burns for eternity…an eternal fire…for that is the cost of our sin against God.

We must know this. We must warn others of this.

THIS WRATH of God and HIS PERFECT JUSTICE is a necessary part of his good character.

Big Idea: God’s wrath and justice is a display of His great goodness and love.

God’s Response to Rebellion

God does not leave our rebellion unaddressed.

HOWEVER, before we can talk about why his wrath is good, we must see the connection between love and justice.

God’s Love and Justice

Why Justice and Wrath are Good

How does the justice of God mesh with the love of God?

When people think of God, they often think of him in terms of 1 John 4:16.

1 John 4:16.

1 John 4:16 ESV

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

This is what many people like to come to and insist upon.

God is love.

And people will get on the “God is love” boat and ride that for all that it is worth

But the problem is, we define the standards and parameters of love

How is the world defining love?

Love is...

A good feeling, a pleasurable desire.

Love is something you cannot control.

Love is about being happy, fulfilled, satisfied.

Loving others often means....

Not making someone feel bad. If love is an emotion, a pleasurable feeling, than making someone feel unpleasant is not loving right?

If love is about being happy, fulfilled, satisfied than it is not loving...

To permit harm, hurt, loss

To experience lack or need

If love is about being happy, fulfilled, satisfied, than love is...

Supplying us whatever we want or “need” to make us happy (in the flesh)

Permitting me to pursue that which makes me happy (in the flesh)

Letting me determine what is right and true for me.

Letting me do what I want without condemnation or judgement or ridicule or criticism

What has led to societies wrong understanding of love?

A departure from dependency upon the sufficiency of scripture.

An over emphasis on feelings; a romanticized view of love.

Selfishness and allowing our fleshly desires to dictate our thinking.

How do we begin to correct these wrong understandings of love?

Living biblical love. Modeling it.

Teaching it.

Discipling others in it one at a time or in small groups as we have opportunity.

Stop feeding into the false narratives of love.

See, problem is…WE set the boundaries of love.

We define what is good, loving, and protective.

BUT WHAT IS THE BIBLE’s DEFINITION OF LOVE?

C. S. Lewis said, “Love is unselfishly choosing for another’s highest good.”

What does love look like for Jesus?

John 15:13.

John 15:13 ESV

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

1 John 4:7-10.

1 John 4:7–10 ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Or the old time favorite....

John 3:16.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

LOVE DOES NOT always avoid pain and suffering

ALSO, note the reason WHY Jesus had to die....

1 John 4:9-10.

1 John 4:9–10 ESV

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Why did Jesus have to die in the place?

To be a propitiation (Satisfaction) of God’s HOLY WRATH and JUSTICE for our sins.

Love did not save Jesus’ from suffering. God’s love actually crushed his Son.

LOVE DEALS JUSTLY WITH SIN…(we will return to this point in a bit)

Isaiah 53:10.

Isaiah 53:10 ESV

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

NASB reads...

New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version Chapter 53

10 But the LORD was pleased

To crush Him, bputting Him to grief;

If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,

He will see His offspring,

He will prolong His days,

And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

The Lord was pleased....How is that love? Why is that love?

Romans 5:1-11.

Romans 5:1–11 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

JESUS’ suffering was the means by which WE are saved.

God’s love was the source of Jesus’ suffering

BECAUSE our HIGHEST GOOD was on his mind

He WANTED OUR GOOD by restoring us to right relationship to Him

We could not pay the debt owed

God supplied the payment for the debt DUE TO HIM because of his love for us.

But the pathway was the worst suffering imaginable.

THEREFORE, we can rejoice in OUR SUFFERING because in God’s love, it is often his means to make us more like Him.

James 1:2-4.

James 1:2–4 ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Peter likewise speaks of our suffering and trials as a good thing because it validates our faith.

1 Peter 1:3-9.

1 Peter 1:3–9 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

THE POINT IS…

LOVE does not always avoid pain

LOVE often times permits or inflicts pain BECAUSE THE END RESULT OF THAT IS GOOD, is right, is true.

Trial, hardship, suffering IS OFTEN ALL ABOUT LOVE because the FRUIT of that suffering and struggle is OFTEN the means to produce THAT WHICH GOD deems best and good for us.

If God withheld the struggle, we might not see the GOOD produced in us.

IF Jesus had not suffered and died, the GOOD of redemption, reconciliation, and salvation would NOT have happened.

POINT IS, not all that is hurtful, painful, or difficult in the world is devoid of love.

In what way(s) can love permit or inflict pain?

Doctor inflicting pain to surgically remove cancer

Confronting one’s sin to call them to repentance so that they do not become enslaved to or hurt by sinful, dangerous, destructive behavior.

Love is yelling at a child NOT to touch a hot stove. Yeah, they may be started, scared or upset, but you do so because you love them enough to warn them away from a greater danger.

What else must know and believe about life to reconcile pain and love?

Physical comfort is not the main objective.

What is our purpose and our identity? What were we made for? What is our future? Understanding these things will helps us to understand actions made now and see those actions in light of the greater purpose and goal.

NOW....

A point I have alluded to but need to clarify more before we see how justice and love fit together...

GOD IS LOVE, yes…BUT he is SO much MORE!

We forget that God is also Holy and Just.

1 Peter 1:14-16 - God is HOLY

1 Peter 1:14–16 ESV

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Peter is citing Leviticus 11:44 here.

Holiness means to be distinct or separate, particularly from that which is sacred or profane. It means to be sacred, pure. In reference to God, it refers to his being absolutely separate from all evil and sin. GOD HAS NO SIN.

James 1:13.

James 1:13 ESV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

God is FREE FROM ALL SIN. HE CANNOT sin.

This holiness, this separation from all sin poses a real problem of how God will deal with our rebellion.

His holiness demands justice.

Revelation 15:1-4 - God is JUST

Revelation 15:1–4 ESV

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Hosea 14:9.

Hosea 14:9 ESV

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

God is HOLY

God is JUST.

God is righteous (Right) and true.

YES, he may be love, but he is also just and right and THEREFORE, God cannot be rightly and properly understood unless we acknowledge all of these truths.

BUT because people ride the GOD IS LOVE wagon, defining for themselves what that love looks like, when things happen that do not align with their view of love, they become disillusioned, turned off, and God becomes abhorrent to them.

The justice, and righteousness of God is completely overlooked, ignored, minimized

SO, how do we connect all of this? How is love and justice connected? How is God’s wrath good and loving? How does his justice actually fit with love?

I CONTEND TO YOU that, in fact, God’s love means HE MUST BE JUST and that His justice and means HE MUST BE A GOD OF WRATH in a world where sin exists and that therefore that wrath is good.

Paul Tripp states in his book, Broken Down House….

“We all need to reevaluate how we think about the anger of God. Sometimes we treat God’s anger like we treat the embarrassing uncle in our extended family. We work hard to keep this attribute of God away from public exposure. Are we worried about causing undue embarrassment to the family of Faith? We act as if anger were the dark side of God’s character that we need to keep hidden.” (Paul Tripp, Broken Down House, 130)

God’s anger is actually a display of his love because his holy justice demands correction for that which has gone wrong.

Why should we be more vocal about God’s anger and wrath?

To correct wrong ideas about it

To help people see God’s holiness and goodness behind the wrath

To warn them to repent and avoid the coming eternal judgment.

Why Justice and Wrath are Good

Big Idea: God’s wrath and justice is a display of His great goodness and love.

God’s Response to Rebellion

God’s Love and Justice

Why Justice and Wrath are Good

Psalm 7:11.

Psalm 7:11 ESV

God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.

Psalm 2:4-5.

Psalm 2:4–5 ESV

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,

John 3:36.

John 3:36 ESV

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Jesus was angry on a number of occasions.

Mark 3:5.

Mark 3:5 ESV

And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Mark 10:13-14.

Mark 10:13–14 ESV

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

God is at times angry.

Paul Tripp says…

“In a world that has been terribly broken by sin, in a world where nothing operates as was intended, and in a world where evil often has more immediate influence than good, it would be wrong not to be angry. How can you look poverty in the face and not be angry? How can you consider the surge of AIDS and not be angry? How could you look at the political corruption that makes government more a place for personal power than societal protection, and not be angry? How can you look at the rate of divorce in Western culture, or the prevalence of domestic violence, and not be angry? How can you consider the huge numbers of homeless people who wander our streets and not be angry? How can you consider the confusion of gender identity and sexual impropriety that is everywhere around us and not be angry? How can you consider the state of our educational institutions, the state of art and culture, and the state of popular entertainment and not be angry? How can you look at the state of the church, which seems so often to have lost its way, and not be angry? How can you even look at your own life, your own family, your own circle of friends—how sin twists and complicates every location, relationship, and situation of your life—and not be angry?

“How can you consider disease, war, and environmental distress and not be angry? How can you look at the fact that nothing in your world is exactly as it was meant to be and not be angry? You simply cannot look at the world with the eyes of truth and with a heart committed to what God says is right and good, and not be angry at the state of things in this fallen world. In a fallen world, anger is a good thing. In a fallen world, anger is a constructive thing. In a fallen world, anger is an essential thing.

Paul Tripp - Broken Down House

If we experience anger at the sinful brokenness of the world, how much more the perfect and righteous God?

I mean, for one, who wants to live in a world where sin and evil are given a free pass and where wrong doing is ignored?

Example - If it was your child or spouse that died at the reckless foolishness of a drunk driver, you would be enraged at a judge who declared, Eh, it is his first offense, we will cut him some slack this time. That would not be a just judge and no one would be endeared to the judge because of his “loving” stance.

In fact, a judge would not be loving at all.

There would be no love for the victims.

There would be no love for the offender....because it gives the impression one can do wrong and get away with it, which only promotes further wrongdoing TO THEIR HARM.

In Romans, Paul addresses that this wrath results from a THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD and his inability to ignore sin.

It describes where Love and Justice Meet at the cross.

Romans 3:21-31.

Romans 3:21–31 ESV

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

God IS LOVE

God IS JUST

God is righteous.

TOGETHER at the cross, we see both.

God MUST punish sin....because HE is just

BUT...

But he is also merciful and gracious....he is also loving

SO, God made a way to maintain his righteousness WHILE finding a just way to punish sin.

Because for him NOT to punish sin would make him an unjust God.

His wrath IS RIGHT AND GOOD and must be satisfied.

Why is God’s wrath good?

Evidence of his holiness, righteousness, and goodness.

Why is God’s justice good?

It means he is good, right, and true. He is not corrupt or party to wronging. It means wrongs will be righted and he will always act good and rightly.

What is His justice not too harsh?

James 2:10 - if we break the law in one area, we are guilty of breaking the whole law.

He made a way for us to escape his judgment. He provided a means of forgiveness.

Conclusion

Big Idea: God’s wrath and justice is a display of His great goodness and love.

God’s Response to Rebellion

God’s Love and Justice

Why Justice and Wrath are Good

The kind of love that animates the inclusivist god is more akin to sentimentalism than God’s holy affection. If love means God abandons all of His other attributes, then love itself is deified. The love of God does not dictate that He abandon His justice or holiness. In fact, the glory of the gospel is that God is both just and justifier of the ungodly. God does not allow unregenerate sinners to do as they will, worship what they wish, live as they please, and still go free. In the divine scheme of things, sin demands punishment. The rebellion of self-worship requires wrath. Yet, the God of wrath is no less than the God of mercy. He is the same God. Were God never to have offered salvation to any sinner, His love would still survive unblemished. The reality and riches of God’s love is not measured in the number of person’s saved, but in the magnificence of the attribute itself. Ben Mitchell

LOVE, God’s love MUST be understood in light of all his other attributes.

He is love...

But

He is also just and holy

And his wrath, his justice and retribution against sin is ALWAYS a display of his love.

As we reflect upon the glory and wonder of God’s wrath and justice, may we also see his love and be compelled to be growing together to become more like Jesus for the glory of God --- and to be inviting others to do the same.

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