An Idea Borrowed

Years ago on a radio program someone shared that they read a chapter in Proverbs every day. Since there are 31 chapters and the longest month has 31 days it allows you to read through Proverbs on a regular basis. I use it as the launch pad for my personal worship time and branch out from there. On this blog I will try to share some of the insights I have in the Word. I will try to organize them in the archive by reference.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Unsocial Justice

 (Proverbs 1:3 KJV)  To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

In addition to “righteousness” (6664) we are expected to display “justice” (4941).  This is a word we need to be careful with, not because we do not understand it, but because it is another world that our anti-Christian elites have coopted and twisted to fit their agenda to frustrate the will of God.  Justice is a common word and concept in the Bible.  It means to judge things on the basis of right and wrong and apply the results with integrity.  If you look at the qualities used before and after it you get these values.  Justice is bracketed by righteousness and equity.  Since this is the word of God, I don’t think that is coincidence.  Righteousness refers to a standard God has established.  You can’t make up your own standards and declare it justice.  Equity has the idea of applying something equally.  Our modern culture has discarded both of these qualities and calls it “social justice”.  This means that men decide what is right and wrong based on their preferences.  Then they apply their judgment on a sliding scale which punishes those who disagree with them and rewards those who stand against you. 

Justice is not social, it is moral.  You cannot decide someone is wrong because they are rich or poor.  You cannot condemn someone because of the color of their skin, their age or their gender.  I am constantly amazed that they have “senior” discounts.  Most of the wealth of this country is controlled by seniors.  They do not have the expense of raising children any more.  Their homes are paid for.  And they are the ones who get discounts.  It bothers me, and I am one of them.  It is not justice.  I don’t want a law against senior discounts, I just think they are misguided.

We can be instructed in “justice” (4941).  One would think that justice is a matter of common sense, but common sense is easily overwhelmed by ambition and our sinful nature.  This is so easy to pervert.  That is why we need to wisdom of God to use as a measuring stick.  This goes against our post-modern culture that says all is relative. 

So, again, study the word.  Does it sound like a broken record?  No, it is more like that window that keeps popping up on your screen that tells you to register your software.  You need the reminder.  How do I know?  Because I need the reminder.  See, that is justice.  I apply the truth evenly.

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