Question 1

How do I know that God is always fair and just?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 32:4“He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!”2 Samuel 22:31“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.”2 Thessalonians 1:5-6God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.We know that God is fair and just because he is perfect. If he weren’t perfect, he wouldn’t be God. When we are burdened with trouble, we may think that God is not fair or just. We may wonder how he could allow Christians to suffer when so many dishonest people prosper. In Scripture God makes it clear that selfish people often pervert justice and fairness in this life. The Bible also makes it clear that justice will not be twisted forever. True justice will one day prevail.

Question 2

Why should I work for justice?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 23:1-3“You must not pass along false rumors. You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand. You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor.”Amos 5:24“Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”John 14:15“If you love me, obey my commandments.”We should work for justice because god tells us to.Psalm 19:7-10The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.1 Peter 1:15-16You must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”We should work for justice because God is just. Those who follow him try to be more and more like him each day, and this includes desiring justice in all situations.Psalm 58:11Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.”Matthew 5:6“God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.”Revelation 20:12-15I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.We should work for justice because God rewards those who seek after justice.Matthew 23:28“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”1 Corinthians 1:10I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.James 3:16Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.We should work for justice because justice is essential to living in peace. Without justice, chaos and evil will reign.The world seems so unjust. Will God’s justice really prevail?Psalm 96:12-13Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.Matthew 16:27“The Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.”John 12:48“But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.”Romans 2:5-6Because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done.Complete justice will occur when Jesus returns. This is his solemn and certain promise.Matthew 6:10“May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”Through the work of his Church, God’s Kingdom is advancing in the world now. Though complete justice will come only in the future, we can—and must—work for justice in our own spheres of influence.

Question 3

What should I do when I see justice abused?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 82:3“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.”We should speak out against injustice.Psalm 58:6-7Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord! May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands.We should pray, asking God to intervene to bring justice.Isaiah 56:1This is what the Lord says: “Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you.”Romans 13:7Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.We should continue to do what is right, regardless of what others are doing.Proverbs 20:22Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.We should not seek revenge and repay evil with evil.

Question 4

How can I work effectively for justice?

Accepted Answer

Amos 5:21, 24“I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. . . . Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”We can work effectively for justice by making justice a top priority.Psalm 82:3“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.”We can work effectively for justice by speaking out against injustice.Psalm 58:6-7Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord! May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands.Psalm 59:1-2Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me. Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers.We can work effectively for justice by asking God to intervene where injustice prevails.Isaiah 1:17“Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.”We can work effectively for justice by taking the initiative ourselves, speaking out and acting with energy and dedication.Psalm 106:3There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.We can work effectively for justice by rejoicing when injustice is overturned and justice is served.Isaiah 56:1This is what the Lord says: “Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you.”Romans 13:7Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.We can work effectively for justice by persisting in doing what is right and not becoming unjust ourselves.Proverbs 20:22Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.We can work effectively for justice by refusing to repay evil with evil, working for justice without a vengeful spirit.

Question 5

What can I do when I am a victim of injustice and suffer unjustly?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 20:22Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.” Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.Romans 12:17-19Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.When treated unjustly, we should not seek revenge. God’s way is different from the world’s way of vengeance and retribution. God wants us to trust in him to settle the score.

Question 6

How should I respond to persecution?

Accepted Answer

John 15:18-19“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”2 Thessalonians 1:5-6God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.To respond correctly to persecution, first we should understand that persecution is part of what comes with being a follower of Jesus and that God blesses those who bear dishonor and hardship for his sake.Matthew 5:11-12“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”1 Peter 1:6-7So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.When persecuted for believing in Jesus, we should rejoice and thank God for the testing and opportunity to glorify him through our troubles.Matthew 5:43-44“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”Luke 6:28“Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.”When persecuted, we should pray for those who hurt us, asking God to bless them.1 Peter 3:9Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.When persecuted, we should not respond in kind, verbally or physically.

Question 7

How do God’s justice and mercy relate?

Accepted Answer

Numbers 35:9-11The Lord said to Moses, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, designate cities of refuge to which people can flee if they have killed someone accidentally.”2 Samuel 24:14“I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands.”Romans 6:23The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.Because God is loving and just, he clearly tells us about sin and its consequences. All people are treated equally. God is merciful in that he offers a way for us to be spared the punishment we deserve for our sin. We would be much worse off if we always got the justice we deserved. Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve—forgiveness for our sins and friendship with God.Matthew 5:43-44“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”Justice punishes evil thoughts and deeds. Mercy forgives the sinner. One of the hardest things we can do is to forgive those who have wronged us. But only through forgiveness can we be free of the bitterness of injustice. Our mercy may be exactly what someone needs to understand the mercy of God.

Question 8

Why is justice essential in leadership?

Accepted Answer

Isaiah 56:1This is what the Lord says: “Be just and fair to all. Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you and to display my righteousness among you.”Amos 5:24“I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”Leaders must ensure justice, fairness, and equality for their followers and in their organizations. We should not show favoritism or have multiple standards.Proverbs 16:12A king detests wrongdoing, for his rule is built on justice.Proverbs 25:4-5Remove the impurities from silver, and the sterling will be ready for the silversmith. Remove the wicked from the king’s court, and his reign will be made secure by justice.Wise leaders know that injustice erodes the foundation of their group or organization. Justice and fairness, however, keep them above reproach and lead to peace.Proverbs 31:8-9Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.Justice ensures that those who cannot defend themselves are not abused.1 Kings 3:28When all Israel heard the king’s decision, the people were in awe of the king, for they saw the wisdom God had given him for rendering justice.A reputation for justice gives people confidence in their leader.

Question 9

How can leaders cultivate justice?

Accepted Answer

2 Chronicles 19:6-7“Always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the Lord. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case. Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.”Godly leaders know that they ultimately answer to the Lord; therefore, they take time to process their decisions. We should understand that not everyone will be pleased with all our decisions, but we should trust that a fair process and integrity will bear fruit in justice and fairness for all.