Introduction
Considering justice in modern society means the justice of distribution or retribution. People seek restitution and compensation when someone circumvents or denies their rights. People often demand retribution for crimes committed against them. They demand “justice” for the guilty and “justice” for the victims of their crimes.
However, to live faithfully as Christians, people often strive for what Jesus taught about justice. Therefore, they must evaluate their thinking and understanding according to the Scriptures. Justice and truth are the two categories that Jesus emphasized the most during His earthly life; they are described in the scriptures as the central dogmas of a Christian.
The Importance of Truth and Justice to the Gospel Message
The Role of Justice
Biblical justice is based on the principles of retribution and distribution, which are considered shared responsibilities. For example, the US recently celebrated the anniversary of the death of George Floyd (Roach, 2020). After savage police actions resulted in the murder of an unarmed black man, there was a massive public outcry for justice (Roach, 2020). The authorities will, therefore, hold those responsible accountable for their actions and make changes to prevent injustices like this from happening again. This cry for justice is valid from a biblical standpoint because the biblical function of government is to promote good and punish bad (Romans 13:1-5).
In his preaching, Jesus spoke more about personal responsibility for justice. They include showing love to others and doing good deeds towards others, especially the poor and marginalized. Jesus spoke more concerning the role of people rather than governments in promoting well-being. According to Jesus, people do the work of establishing justice through their love and perseverance.
Justice is an essential attribute in the Gospel. Jesus spoke about justice, taking into account another point of view. He also considered the opinion of people who sought justice through faith and continued to ask until they received it. It is reflected in the parable of the widow who begged the unjust judge to give her justice in her case.
Jesus said: “And will not God execute justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night? Will he continue to put them off? I tell you, he will see to it that they receive justice, and quickly” (Lk. 18:7-8). He said this when he first rejected the Canaanite mother seeking release for her daughter, who was being tortured by a demonic spirit (Beck, 2017). The Gospel is full of stories about people who came to Jesus looking for justice, hoping to receive it.
In today’s world, justice of distribution and retribution are demanded. Governments are responsible for providing this kind of justice, but due to the sinfulness of human nature, justice is imperfectly administered. The crucifixion of Jesus is regarded as the greatest miscarriage of justice in history, except that God the Father desired it for us to obtain justice and be free from the enslavement of sin and death.
Jesus says in the Gospel, “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:35). When people receive the beatitudes and love their neighbors as themselves, their acts of justice, which Jesus spoke of, will have a positive effect on the demands of justice heard throughout the world.
The Role of Truth
Today, many people are looking for the truth. Scripture is the only one that opens the veil and gives people the revelation, or explanation, of the truth. Satan hates Divine truth because everyone claims some secret, hidden knowledge. Each person has their truth. Each of them has what is closest to them, what they experience, and what they feel is the truth for them.
Often, this also applies to religious people (Ogon, 2020). Often, people act the same way as unbelieving representatives when they are quick to anger, rebuke, or condemn someone. People feel this way because, from their point of view, this person should have acted differently (Beck, 2017). In fact, in such a way, it does not happen; God calls people to the knowledge of the whole truth.
Through the Holy Spirit, God leads people to understand His truth, which is greater than what people believe today and what is stated in the Gospel. In the Gospel, He says, “And you will know the truth – and the truth will set you free!” (John 8:32). It is what Satan wants to twist, to deceive people.
People today are chasing after information, after hidden knowledge, after some secrets to be like God, so that creation worships that person who has knowledge and information, but the Word of God is steadfast. The truth in the Gospel is God Himself; it is life. Truth is at the level of discovery, a feeling when God is there, when God acts in the Church, through that prayer, through that sermon.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jesus teaches how to live righteously and where to seek the truth during His earthly life. In the Holy Scriptures, the Lord says that he expects us to live according to his standards of right and wrong. Since these norms are righteous, we pursue justice and righteousness by following them. From the analysis of the contexts of the Bible, it follows that the truth in the absolute sense is good and is aimed at good, both for an individual and society. It flows from the very nature of truth and manifests itself in the motives, thoughts, and actions of individuals and social groups.
References
Beck, R. (2017). God the judge and human justice. Journal of Law and Religion, 32(1), 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2017.11
BibleStudyTools Staff. (2018, October 4). Bible Study Tools; Salem Web Network. https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-truth/
Ogon, B. (2020). The concept of truth in the Gospel of John the concept of truth in the Gospel of John. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1180&context=theses
Roach, D. (2020). Most US pastors speak out in response to George Floyd’s death. Christianity Today. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/june/pastors-george-floyd-racism-church-barna-research.html
Verhey, A. (2014). Should we live forever? The Ethical Ambiguities of Aging by Gilbert Meilaender. Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, 68(2), 192–194. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020964313517857