Preacher on the Run…

“It’s not right!” I’ve heard this cry from the elderly and the youngest of toddlers. It’s a recognition that something they have witnessed or experienced does not align with the world as they believe it should be. Reality does not match the ideal. This cry for “what’s right” comes from both sides of the political aisle, all spectrums of the age demographic, and all arenas regardless of religious beliefs. The desire for justice is a deeply embedded human longing.

We live in a world where things are not as they should be. Everyone recognizes that truth. It’s almost universal in experience. From the playground to the boardroom, injustices seemingly run rampant. Believing in a deity doesn’t necessarily make it any better. Honestly, the idea of a “god” can make the ideal of justice even harder to square with our experience. This is why one’s view of the overarching story and the character and nature of God matter immensely.

The rub comes when perceived contradictions emerge within the character of God Himself. The Bible describes God as both loving and just. Both merciful and judge. But in practice how can both of those exist and not have one prioritized to negate the other. This is where Timothy Fox’s article “Justice at the Cross of Christ” can be helpful. Without minimizing the tension between justice and mercy, Fox walks through how the Bible’s central figure and action hold compassion and justice together.

The world we live in is anything but perfectly just. The good news of the gospel of Jesus is that a God who is perfectly just exists. He has made Himself known. He has experienced an injustice unlike anything else and offers love to all. I would love to interact with anyone looking for hope and how the hope they are looking for can be found in the person of Jesus. As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day.

Until Next Time…