God Is Just—So We Can Forgive

“Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.” – Proverbs 29:26

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” – Romans 12:19

Back in 2009, 14-year old Amber Dubois disappeared walking to school one morning in a town to the north of me.  There were few clues as to her whereabouts.  She was even considered by some in law enforcement to have been a runaway.  But in less than a year, another teenager, Chelsea King, a 17-year old from an even closer town, disappeared while on a training run.  Many of us joined search parties that seemed to last for days.  Chelsea’s brutal killer was finally captured when, while evading police, he sat down for a meal at a local Mexican restaurant.  The waitress recognized him from news reports as a person of interest.  

Thankfully for Amber’s mother, Chelsea’s murderer confessed to both killings and revealed Amber’s location.  A story that all too often happens across the world today.  Young women brutalized and left for dead by evil people.

I share this story because when the killer was brought before the courts both sets of parents shared something which shocked many.  Something that without knowing a just God would be difficult to accept.

“I got the answers about her last moments that I wanted … I forgave him because I had another daughter to raise, and if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to live,” said Amber’s mother, Carrie Cave.  But it wasn’t only her who forgave the man, Chelsea’s parents did as well.

Limits To Forgiveness?

About a year later while I was in a church home group, we discussed the Christian idea of forgiveness.  These terrible murders became the topic.  One member stated emphatically, “I think they’re lying (the parents).  There is absolutely no way they can or I could forgive that man.  Ever.”  Yet Jesus, while bleeding and beaten, in agonizing pain on the cross looked down at His tormentors and murders and pleaded with God.

“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” — Luke 23:34

So how is it that as believers we can forgive the slights, the maliciousness, the cruel or even the evil done to us or those we love?  How can we forgive when we have been wronged by a friend, a spouse or family member?  We forgive because we should know in our hearts that God is just.  He has forgiven us all our slights and taunts and disrespect we have done to Him because a sacrifice was made in our place.  We aren’t forgiven without a penalty being wrought.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” – Galatians 6:7

When we forgive, we say two things to God: 1) thank you for forgiving me my sins and 2) I trust that justice will be done.  That what a man sows, he will reap.  Throughout the Old Testament we see God’s justice in the sacrifices and penance of the Jews.  We do wrong, and someone must pay.  Our bull escapes and injures someone so He created the penance needed for restoration. 

He never asks us to seek vengeance.  He reminds us that vengeance is God’s and His alone.  Even the death penalty for committing murder was to first be proven by three witnesses beyond reproach.  And the subsequent death for the offender was not to be seen as our justice, but God’s.  A purposeful death of one of His own requires the ultimate payment.  And forgiveness towards that person on our part never meant excusing evil or removing legal consequences.

All Will Be Judged

One day everyone will stand before God and our lives taken into account.  It’s not “kharma” or some tit for tat.  If we accept the blood shed for us by Jesus as our covering for sins, our names are written into the Book of Life.  If we don’t there’s only one other path – hell.  We can argue as to what that might look like for different people, but I can guarantee that it’s not any place we want to be.

Friends, the world’s sense of justice and forgiveness, especially that which we’ve seen emerge in the last 15 years or so, doesn’t really look much like God’s justice.  That’s because we are all first children of the evil one, led astray to do works against God’s plan.  Black, white, brown, male, female, rich or poor – all of us were dead in our trespasses against Him.  All of us were lined up for wrath.

I once slogged my way through Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s, “The Cost of Discipleship.”  For much of it you find yourself in a deep study of Jesus’ words on the Sermon on the Mount.  With each chapter I would become a bit despondent.  Because to truly follow Jesus’ words would be impossible.  Just like following the 10 Commandments convicted the Israelites.  Bonhoeffer says in his book:

“When we come before God with hearts full of contempt and unreconciled with our neighbors, we are individually and as a congregation worshipping an idol.”

You see without a full and complete submission to our Lord Jesus Christ our lives are filled with unjust, evil thoughts and works.  New “social justice” says only the rich or the white man, the straight person or the Christian, commits atrocities and therefore must be punished.  But God says we all deserve death.  His standard of righteousness and justice is higher than any of ours.  Completely unattainable on our own.  His mercy towards us in our failures isn’t pretending sin didn’t happen; justice is dealt with by God at the cross or at His judgement seat.

So, when as Christians we say, as the one home group member stated so proudly, we can never forgive someone, how should God then view us if He is a God of justice?  When we say the Lord’s prayer do we really believe it?  That God will mete out justice to those who not only haven’t sought forgiveness from our Righteous God but also refuse to pass on the forgiveness we have been gifted?  

“Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.”  — Matthew 6:9-15

A Full Life or A Life Full of Bitterness?

The murder of someone I cherish is something I hope to never experience.  Because I know if I do, I’ll be faced with this difficult question.  Will I accept that God’s justice is all I need to forgive?  As Amber’s mom so rightly pointed out, we need to forgive or else we cannot fully live.  And Bonhoeffer says we then worship something other than God. 

The unbeliever blinks at us in confusion, thinking we aren’t in pain over what someone has done to us because we forgive.  We, however, know God has already forgiven us much and the justice we so crave, if needed one day, will find it at the foot of God’s throne.

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” – Revelation 21:4

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” – Psalms 89:14