Am I living justly? Most people would not incriminate themselves and would answer to the affirmative if this question was posed to them. We as Christians have this notion that if and when our life is called to be examined we would appear before our Father in heaven with Jesus as our advocate and Satan would play the role of accuser of the brethren. But who has imagined that they would be called as witnesses or to give testimony about the events and the people in their lives? What would the witnesses of our lives say if perjury before God is not an option?
Psalm 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face
As Americans citizens we pledge to live as one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Scripture also states that justice is foundational to God’s Kingdom. Therefore I pose these questions to all of us. Is there sufficient evidence that we are living justly? This should immediately cause us to ask, what proof could I offer to substantiate that I do indeed live a just life?
Psalm 82:2-4 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 82 calls to all humans to live justly. It also reveals that as children of God it is in the capacity of humans to be just to one another. As humans we are all members to various ethnic, cultural and religious groupings. But as humans we are all the same and aware that we are children of Adam and Eve. However also dawning on our consciousness is the understanding that we are also children of God. This makes us heirs to some remarkable human capabilities and living justly is one of them.
Galatians 4:1 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
Our lives as members of the Kingdom of God (KoG) should be showing forth the evidence of justice because it is foundational to our Father’s Kingdom. In August of 2013 we Americans celebrated some transformational victories in the laws that made our culture more just for some of its citizens. But the KoG is about the transformation of our hearts. So. after 50 years we can watch the constraints of laws being removed as we wonder about the conditions of the heart. Has the heart of the American citizen been transformed to where it does not need external laws or will it revert back to living unjust as it did prior the restraints put in place by laws?
Justice for others will always be a big test, a private test that each of us will continually take. As circumstances change will we do justly to one another or will we seek to fulfill the desire of our lust. Justice’s call requires that we constantly evaluate for every “neighbor” in our society and defend those who need help. Each of us has this call and God’s design and perspective will be measure by which we are held to account.
If I am unjust to someone because he or she is not a part of my religious, ethnic, social order then I am missing the point of Kingdom living. I want to encourage us all to remain aware of others around us and judge our attitudes, emotions, and feelings we have towards others. Then we must examine the use of our resources, our affiliations and the motives and outcomes of our votes for political and social issues.
This blog is about the evidence of our lives. Does it reflect the spiritual values of the King of our Kingdom? Or does it reflect the material values of the social order and traditions of our culture and religious associations? Is our field of “neighbors” expanding or are we still limited by the legal definition of American citizenship or the denominational lines of our Christian membership. Is justice applicable to all humans equally? Is God’s Kingdom open to all humans universally?
As Americans we believe that before the law all citizens are indivisible with liberty and that we all get equal justice. We also know however that this is a work in progress. But as members of God’s Kingdom do we attempt to live from His perfection or are we satisfied the imperfection of our social order? We are truly Disciples of Jesus and children of God therefore by faith I believe that our lives are capable and do show forth the evidence of our just living.
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
Luke 18: 1-8 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” 6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
EVidence LOCKER 