The Inflexible Justice of God

(Article for publication week of 4-13-2011 AD)

“…the soul that sinneth it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). Here we have before us the strict and inflexible justice of the Thrice Holy God of the Bible. The pronouncement of God’s just and holy law is that those who are found guilty of breaking it are under the just sentence of eternal death.

“The soul that sinneth”! Poor sinner, do you not see that this verse is talking about you? Sin is the transgression of God’s just and holy law (I John 3:4). Do you not see that you have sinned? You have transgressed the good law of God. You have not loved God with all your heart, soul and mind and strength. And you have not loved your neighbour as yourself. You have sinned.

Death is a just and fitting sentence for such an one as yourself. God warned Adam the first that in the day he broke His law he must needs die. As our federal head (Romans 5:12), Adam brought our whole race under that condemnation. You and I were born under that condemnation. And then we were conceived with a sinful nature (Psalm 51:5). And then as soon as we came forth from the womb we began to practice sin (Romans 3:23). We are thrice condemned as transgressors of God’s just and holy law. Sin is nothing less than cosmic treason and rebellion against God. Such traitors and rebels deserve death.

Now this sentence was first executed against the human race by spiritual death. Thus sinners are dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1). Secondly, this sentence is executed against us by physical death. “The wages of sin is death, “ we read in Romans 6:23. All that are under the federal headship of Adam the First are under the sentence of natural death (I Corinthians 15:22). Sinner, you are going to die one day. One day your breath will be taken away from you, your heart will cease to beat, and your brain will no longer function. You are a sinner so you must needs die. But there is another death that awaits you my unconverted friend. That is the second death of hell and finally the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14).

This is the inflexible justice of God Who has pronounced that He will render unto every man according to his deeds (Romans 2:6). I write it with awe and reverence- God MUST execute the penalty of His law. God is immutable and thrice holy. He will not- He cannot quit being God. So He must send you to hell. He has given His law. He has pronounced its just execution upon its violators. He has whetted His sword, and He will not relent in His promise and purpose and determination to punish sinners. So God will send to hell everybody who is found guilty before Him for the awful crime of sin- the transgression of His law.

Now poor trembler, I have a word of hope for you before I close. God’s Eternal and Coequal Son has satisfied the penalty of the law for all who are joined unto Him by sovereign grace. Flee to Him poor sinner. Flee to Him in faith and see that your sins were totally absolved in Him Who died and rose again for the justification of His elect. May the Blessed Spirit draw you to the Sin Bearer.

I need to mention that some of our readers were so kind as to let us know we gave the wrong address last week for the Narrow Way blog spot. It is matthewsevenfourteen.blogspot.com. Now, may the Lord bless you all my dear readers.

The Holy Justice of God

(Article for publication week of 3-6-2011 AD)

"He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He" (Deuteronomy 32:4).

As we continue our series of articles on the attributes of God, we come now to consider the justice of God. As our more serious and spiritually minded readers know, we are barely skimming the surface of these eternally important truths. But we are making an earnest effort to bring out the main points in these articles. Awhile back, we brought a lengthy series of sermons on the attributes of God in our church, and those messages can be heard at Sermonaudio.com, if any of you wish to pursue more in depth studies on the doctrine of our Great God. I have also been asked by one of our dear readers to remind everyone that the Narrow Way is archived at matthewsevenfourteen.blogspot.net if any desire to peruse past articles.

As we take up the justice of God, I want you to keep in mind what we have written the past few weeks regarding the holiness of God. All of God’s other attributes must be understood in light of His Thrice Holy character. Thus our title this week is deliberately “the holy justice of God”. I may or may not include the word “holy” in subsequent articles, but I will remind you of it from time to time, to remember that God must deal with us with regard to His holiness, for He is unchangeable, and will not quit being God.

When the Bible says that God is just, it is telling us that God is altogether righteous Himself, and will always maintain His righteous character in perfect justice. In Genesis 18:25, God is called the “Judge of all the earth.” God is the Righteous and Thrice Holy Judge of all of us. Every one of us will one day be called before the great tribunal of God to give an account of how we have lived. God has given us a just and holy and very good Law by which to live, and He will judge every one of us in regard to His Law. Keep in mind that God is also omniscient and knows everything we have ever done, said and thought. And when He finds us guilty of breaking His law, He must and will execute the penalty of His law upon those who have broken it.

Poor sinner, can you bear the thought of having to answer to this holy and just God?! What will you say for yourself when God brings the righteous charge of his broken law against you? God cannot violate His Own justice because He is the immutable God. His justice is inflexible. God will hear no plea of extenuating circumstances or good intentions. He is as our text says “a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right.”

I will not close without giving hope to poor tremblers. All those who are in Christ have a Sin Bearer who has answered all the just requirements of a Thrice Holy God, and has completely paid the just penalty of His peoples’ lawbreaking. Poor sinner, flee to Christ the Sin Bearer. I leave you with the encouraging words of number 103 in the Gadsby hymnal:

“Bold Shall I stand in that great day,

For who ought to my charge shall lay,

While through Thy blood absolved I am,

From sin’s tremendous curse and shame?”