This is a part 2 to last week – read that for an introduction. This is already a long post, so I’m jumping right in by talking about
Justice & Righteousness
I’m not sure that this is actually a good pair, it’s kind of overlapping. In biblical Greek, these are both from the root dikaios. Depending on the context, sometimes its translated just, sometimes righteous. If we had the English word for it, we could trade out the word “Justification” for “Righteousification” and not lose any meaning.
And so Justice and Righteousness are those moral qualities that line up with who God is.
A lot of times, given that we’re squeamish toward the righteousness and justice of God, we like to kind of deny God’s independence (aseity) and His simplicity and make justice a standard outside of God that He submits to.
We say things like, "Justice requires God to do this or that.” Like, “It’s not His fault, God’s hands were tied by justice.” But “Justice” isn’t a principle outside of God that He submits Himself to. There is no thing called “Justice” that is superior to God. Justice is based in the character of God.
“Justice, when used of God, is a name we give to the way God is, nothing more; and when God acts justly He is not doing so to conform to an independent criterion, but simply acting like Himself in a given situation.”[1]
So everything God does is just. Everything God does is righteous. It’s not possible for Him to do otherwise. Our categories of Justice and Righteousness are based on God’s category of – just- being. His is-ness. Justice isn’t something He does, it’s something He is.
This is a bedrock truth for my soul. In times of grief and mourning, in struggles to believe that God is good and just, I have to plant myself here.
Genesis 18:25 - Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?
I still don’t understand why God does some of the things He does. I can’t figure out how it’s good and right. But that’s not my job. My job is to trust Him that He does do what is good and what is right.
And analogies help to an extent. I know God’s laws are for us and our good, not necessarily for Him and His.
Just like in my house, the kids aren’t allowed to touch the kitchen knives. But I am. I actually show my goodness by using the knives to cook my family dinner. And yet, without hypocrisy, I don’t let the kids touch them.
Because I’m a dad and they’re a kid, there are things that are good and right for me but wrong for them. And because God is God and I’m a creature, there are things that are good and right for Him but wrong for you and me. That helps my understanding a little bit. [2] But it doesn’t get me all the way to clarity.
But when Paul tries to discover the depths of God’s love and Justice, he ends up here in Romans 11:33–36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
I think that’s where we’re supposed to end when we think about these things. In worship.
Let’s keep moving.
Kindness & Mercy
God’s mercy and justice – because of the truth of divine simplicity – are not at odds. His righteousness and compassion go hand in hand. We don’t want to try to artificially divide what we see as the positive and negative aspects of God.
The marketable ones and the fine-print ones.
In some senses, Justice and Mercy are the same actions by God. Only our understanding of the extent or maybe the recipient of that action changes. Kind of like how God’s goodness could be mercy or patience or grace or love.
Thomas Aquinas iss really helpful here, I’ll try to condense his argument.[3]
If I owe you $100, and I give you $100, that’s justice, right?
If I owe you $100, and I give you $200, I’m not denying Justice there, am I? No, I did justice, then went beyond Justice into kindness and mercy. The same act – paying you – but with a greater quantity, a greater duration.
We would usually call that grace – getting something we don’t deserve – but I don’t think we need to split hairs that finely.
But if you wanted to flip it. We’re at Chipotle talking about God’s mercy and I forget my wallet so you spot me $10. Is it unjust for you to say, “don’t worry about it” and make me not repay my debt to you?
No, of course not, it’s your money. It’d be unjust for me to forgive that debt, it’s not my money, but it’s totally fine if you do it. You get to decide if I pay you back or not. To not collect on your own loan isn’t unjust. Rather, in a sense, you pay for my debt. It’s paid – justice – by you – mercy.
And we don’t dare pit justice against mercy because in a sense, well – this is James 2:13 – “Mercy triumphs over judgment”.
And being that God never owes us anything, (I just referenced that that in Romans 11 – who has given Him a gift that he might be repaid) He can’t not fulfill justice. And any sense of mercy comes out of his own pocket, if you will. He gives us more than we deserve at a cost to Him and no one else. Mercy does not destroy Justice, no, it’s the fulfillment of it, and then some. Mercy is the completion of Justice.
But that’s not actually what I wanted to talk about under this point. That was just the segway from Justice and Righteousness to Kindness and Mercy.
I think that one of the most important truths to nail down in your mind is that God is kind. That God is caring. That God is merciful and good and loving. Whatever word you want to put there, that fits best with your mind and emotions. Because, while I already said that God’s Righteousness keeps me sane, I think God’s kindness keeps me Christian.
It’s God’s Kindness, Romans 2:4 says, that leads us to repentance. The Bible doesn’t call out any other specific attribute or characteristic of God as leading to repentance. You could argue patience from 2 Peter 3:9. But that’s more of an action, and I think it actually stems from kindness and mercy.
And I think it’s significant that in the Garden of Eden, Satan didn’t argue about the nature of God. He didn’t deny or dispute God’s existence, independence, eternality, immutability, triune nature, sovereignty, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, justice or righteousness.
The foundation of the serpent’s lie was that God was unkind. That God didn’t care.[4] That He was stingy, selfish, and holding out on them.
It wasn’t so much that God’s not trustworthy. Rather, you don’t want to trust because He’s not actually kind.
We would be foolish to think that the same temptation isn’t around for us all today. Satan wants to undercut the kindness of God. Because if we don’t think God is kind, there won’t be joy in Him, fellowship with Him, eager repentance toward Him. We might have a professional, business relationship with Him, but never the real experience as adopted sons and daughters.
I think I’ll write a longer post about God’s kindness later this week, but just anecdotally, I think Jerry Bridges’ confession is common. He says, “My own experience suggests that Satan attacks us far more in the area of God’s love than either His sovereignty or His wisdom.”[5]
Jealousy & Glory
God is a jealous God, He is jealous for His own reputation and glory.
That can’t be right, can it? We know jealousy is bad, it makes the top 10 commandments. And selfishness is bad. So how is it right that God is jealous.
I think this goes back to the fact that God’s laws are for us, not necessarily for Him.
Because, whatever is ultimate is deserving of worship. And what’s more ultimate than God? You and I know this – and God knows this too. If God were to humbly deflect His praise to someone or something else, that wouldn’t be virtuous. That would be idolatry – claiming that something is more worthy of praise than He Himself is.
God’s jealousy for His Glory come from recognizing who and what He is.
It is good and right for God to be jealous. For God to protect His own glory and renown.
The Book of Hosea makes this clear. When God’s people stray from Him, His jealousy produces wrath.
And when God’s people stray from Him, His jealousy also produces compassion, steadfast love, and mercy. It’s because of God’s jealousy that He brings His people back. [6] Because God is Jealous, He doesn’t give up on His people. Rather, He saves them.
Hosea 11:1–11 contains just this jealous, heartfelt emotion. You hear it, even if you don’t know all the events and places referenced.
[1] When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
[2] The more they were called,
the more they went away;they kept sacrificing to the Baals
and burning offerings to idols.
[3] Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;
I took them up by their arms,
but they did not know that I healed them.
[4] I led them with cords of kindness,
with the bands of love,
and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
and I bent down to them and fed them.[Then the jealous compassion turns to jealous wrath]
[5] They shall not return to the land of Egypt,
but Assyria shall be their king,
because they have refused to return to me.
[6] The sword shall rage against their cities,
consume the bars of their gates,
and devour them because of their own counsels.
[7] My people are bent on turning away from me,
and though they call out to the Most High,
he shall not raise them up at all.[But then, back to Jealous mercy]
[8] How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
[9] I will not execute my burning anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
[10] They shall go after the LORD;
he will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
his children shall come trembling from the west;
[11] they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
and like doves from the land of Assyria,
and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD.
If God wasn’t jealous, He’d let His people stray. Give up on them, let them experience His wrath and move on.
But vs 9 – He is God, not a man. His jealousy and compassion go hand in hand. And so, He rescues His people and brings them back to Himself.
God’s glory and jealousy are fitting of Him. And God’s glory and jealousy are good for us.
Lastly, God’s
Wisdom & Omniscience
God knows everything, and thus has perfect wisdom.
Sometimes people like to use the term “Foreknowledge” here, but I don’t think that’s helpful. Because He’s eternal, there’s no such thing as like “Foreknowledge” – that God knows what will happen before it happens – because categories like time and before don’t exist with God. [7] God knows Everything outside of time. He lives in an eternal-present. And thus, He can plan and ordain things meticulously with perfect wisdom. Like when a sparrow falls from the sky or when a hair falls from your head.
God’s wisdom reminds us that His plan and His ways are always the best, always the wisest, never to be improved upon, and He is fully trustworthy in them. (And lets not forget, they’re also loving and righteous – and He has the power and authority to carry them out).
And still, we often second guess God’s wisdom, especially when He gives clear instructions in scripture. If we have to act by faith and not sight, trusting His wisdom, we’re not sure if we want to do it. Even though our doctrine of God should be convincing us how good for us it actually is to submit to His perfect, omniscient wisdom and obey.
We’re in the midst of those plans, we don’t understand, but He sees the whole thing in front of Him, and understands perfectly. And thus, His plans are wise -and kind – and loving.
And let me just add, God doesn’t have to explain Himself and His wisdom. Often He doesn’t. Sometimes I wonder if Job ever – I don’t know how this works, but he was like staying in a hotel in heaven one night. And he opens the bedstand and finds a Gideon’s Bible. He starts reading. “Woah, there’s a book that shares my name.” “Woah, this book is actually about me.” And then he reads chapters 1 and 2 and realizes everything that happened behind the scenes. Satan’s taunts, God’s pride in Job. And the things that never made sense on earth begin to make sense in heaven – because as far as we know – he died never knowing why He suffered like He did. God didn’t owe Job an explanation, and God doesn’t owe us one either.
And yet, Job trusted God in His sovereign, omnipotent, loving, good, just, righteous, kind, merciful, jealous, glorious, omniscient wisdom. And that’s what we’re called to do as well.
Conclusion: To Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever
And so here’s where I want to end this mini-series on the doctrine of God.
What’s the chief end of man? To glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever.
Do you do that? Do you enjoy God?
Here’s what I’ve tried to do for the last several weeks of my weekly posts. I’ve tried to bring you closer, bring you face to face with a Biblical view of God, so that you would see Him, and desire to glorify Him, and you would actually enjoy Him.
So do you like God? Do you enjoy Him? Do you want more of Him?
John Piper once asked this question. He writes:
The critical question for our generation-and for every generation- is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were not there?[8]
Do you enjoy this God? He’s here, and that’s what He wants. Not begrudging worship and obedience, but to be prized and enjoyed.
That’s who I’ve been – feebly – trying to show you. The triune God who is who He is.
That you might glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.
[1] A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (Shippensburg, PA: Sea Harp Press, 2022), 159–60.
[2] Gerald Lewis Bray, The Attributes of God: An Introduction, Short Studies in Systematic Theology (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2021), 99.
[3] Thomas, Summa Theologica. 1: 1a Qq. 1 - 119 (Westminster, Md: Christian Classics, 1981), 119.
[4] Tim Chester, Enjoying God: Experience the Power and Love of God in Everyday Life (Purcellville, VA: The Good Book Company, 2018), 44
“The lie of the serpent in the Garden of Eden was that God is an uncaring Father and so we should go it alone. Satan didn’t dispute the existence of God nor his power. The lie was that God doesn’t care. All the evidence was to the contrary. God had placed Adam and Eve in a place of security and plenty and given them the fruit of every tree except one. His provision was complete. Yet humanity believed the lie that God is distant and uncaring. We still do. Still today, says Jesus, our problem is that we lack faith (Lk 12:28). We don’t believe God cares. We think of him as distant. We see this world as unfathered.”
[5] Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, Fifth printing (Colorado Springs, Col.: NavPress, 1990), 137.
[6] Matthew Barrett, None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2019), 238–39.
[7] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics Volume 2: God and Creation, ed. John Bolt, trans. John Vriend, vol. 2, Reformed Dogmatics (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2003), 196.
[8] John Piper, God Is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s Love as the Gift of Himself (Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books, 2005), 15.