Only Good

Justice is necessary for the smooth running of any society.

The Pledge of Allegiance affirms that the United States is “one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.” God’s message to His people in Zechariah 7:9 was that they “execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother,” while Micah 6:8 exhorts all to “do justly.” Anyone who read the news story about the fourteen-year-old girl who was executed for adultery might have been thankful that Jesus doesn’t mete out justice the way some societies do.

God is frequently depicted as a God who majors in justice, and while it is true that God is just, He is incredibly merciful. The Monarch of the universe —who has a perfect right to dispense stern justice in the case of every human being— prefers to win us with love rather than fear. He delights in “exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth” (Jeremiah 9:24).

This does not suggest that God is not a God of justice.

But heaven’s justice is tempered with mercy and goodness.

God deals graciously with His people. He is patient and merciful toward sinners, and instead of looking to do away with sinners, He does all He can to win the fallen and demonstrate that He is good. The Ten Commandments —the standard of justice— were in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary in the wilderness (Exodus 25:21) and are in the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary in heaven (Hebrews 8:5; 9:5).

But on top of the ark of the covenant rested the solid gold mercy seat, demonstrating that in God, “mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed” (Psalm 85:10). Before God looks to administer justice, He looks to exercise mercy. While human beings often engage in a rush to justice, God’s character is to rush to mercy.