Just and True

A lot of people talk about right and wrong these days, as if they were random or variable things. If no absolute truth exists, then the powerful determine what justice is.

Isaiah’s words — written thousands of years ago — sound eerily like our current society. “So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey” (Isaiah 59:14-15).

Yet, it’s not merely today’s society at large that has a warped view of justice. Too often, Christians doubt God’s justice. Believers read the Old or New Testament passages about God’s wrath and think God acts unfairly.

So, John reminds us in today’s verses from Revelation that all God’s ways are just. God defines and exemplifies righteousness, justice, and truth. All God’s deeds are righteous. Indeed, all creation will worship God because of these attributes.

God can’t act in opposition to his nature. So, it’s impossible for God to do anything unjust. In fact, our internal sense of justice comes from being made in the image of the true and just God. We wouldn’t know what justice meant if God hadn’t revealed it to us.

Therefore, we must approach difficult passages with humility. Our limited knowledge and perspective make it absurd for us to judge God. Instead, by affirming the truth of God’s character and submitting to the Holy Spirit for guidance, we ask God to show us how to correctly view his justice.

Lord God Almighty, you are just and true. Show me how to think and speak and live in a way that reflects that reality. There are so many things that I don’t understand; give me faith to believe that you are who you say you are. Amen.

Go Deeper — Is there an injustice that you are struggling with understanding? Will you take it to God in prayer and ask for his Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and reveal the truth?

Read Further — Does right and wrong get blurred in your world? This article may start to clear things up a bit.