God's Justice and Unmerited Grace in Human Relationships

God's justice is an inherent perfection of His nature, signifying His infinite righteousness in Himself and in all His actions ^[2]. This justice is not an optional attribute but an unchangeable principle of His being ^[2]. It is expressed in His moral governance, where He imposes righteous laws on His creatures and executes them righteously ^[2]. The Bible affirms God's justice as plenteous, incomparable, incorruptible, impartial, unfailing, and undeviating ^[6]. For instance, Job 8:3 asks, "Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness?" implying that He does not ^[4].

Alongside justice, God also demonstrates goodness, which is a perfection of His character exercised towards His creatures ^[1]. This goodness manifests in various ways: as benevolence generally, as mercy and compassion towards the suffering, and as long-suffering patience towards impenitent sinners ^[1]. When God's goodness is extended as favor to the unworthy, it is called grace ^[1]. Thus, goodness and justice are seen as different aspects of God's single, unchangeable, and infinitely wise moral perfection ^[1].

The relationship between God's justice and unmerited grace is complex and foundational to Christian theology. While justice demands conformity to the moral law and holds accountable those who transgress it ^[2], grace offers favor to the undeserving ^[1]. The psalmist notes a harmonious interaction between these attributes, stating, "Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Psalm 85:10) ^[5]. This suggests that God's justice and mercy are not in conflict but are reconciled within His divine character.

In human relationships, the concepts of justice and grace are often reflected in how individuals interact. The book of Proverbs encourages seeking "grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man" (Proverbs 3:4 YLT) ^[3]. This implies that receiving favor from others, akin to divine grace, is a desirable outcome. However, human interactions can also involve injustice and a lack of mercy. For example, divisions and social discrimination were issues within the early Christian community in Corinth ^[11]. Paul's instruction to "give generously" in Romans 12:8 highlights the importance of extending grace and benevolence to others ^[9].

The Bible also addresses the consequences of a lack of mercy. Adam Clarke, commenting on James 2:13, states that "He who shows no mercy to man... shall receive no mercy at the hand of God" ^[12]. This underscores a principle of reciprocity in divine judgment, where those who are unmerciful will not obtain mercy ^[12]. Conversely, "mercy rejoiceth against judgment," meaning that a merciful person is not afraid of judgment, having acted according to God's will ^[12].

God's justice is also evident in His judgments and even in afflictions. Afflictions, though often severe, are appointed and regulated by God ^[8]. They can serve various purposes, such as promoting God's glory, teaching His will, turning people to Him, and convincing them of sin ^[7]. Even in these difficult circumstances, God does not willingly send affliction ^[8]. The concept of divine justice is further illustrated in instances where God allows people to be handed over to the power of sin or deception they have desired, as seen in passages like Romans 1:24, 26, 28 ^[10]. This can be understood as a just consequence for rejecting truth ^[10].

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Goodness of God — A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
Proverbs “Proverbs 3:4 (YLT) — And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.”
Job “Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert righteousness? -- Job 8:3”
Psalms “Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. -- Psalms 85:10”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Justice of God, The — Is a part of his character -- De 32:4; Isa 45:21. Declared to be Plenteous. -- Job 37:23. Incomparable. -- Job 4:1. Incorruptible. -- De 10:17; 2Ch 19:7. Impartial. -- 2Ch 19:7; Jer 32:19. Unfailing. -- Zep 3:5. Undeviating. -- Job 8:3; 34:12. Without respect of persons. -- Ro 2:11; Col 3:25; 1Pe 1:17. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 89:14. Not to be sinned against -- Jer 50:7. Denied by the ungodly -- Eze 33:17,20. Exhibited in Forgiving sins. -- 1Jo 1:9. Redemption. -- Ro 3:26. His government. -- Ps 9:4; Jer 9:24. His judgments. -- Ge 18:2”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflictions Made Beneficial — In promoting the glory of God -- Joh 9:1-3; 11:3,4; 21:18,19. In exhibiting the power and faithfulness of God -- Ps 34:19,20; 2Co 4:8-11. In teaching us the will of God -- Ps 119:71; Isa 26:9; Mic 6:9. In turning us to God -- De 4:30,31; Ne 1:8,9; Ps 78:34; Isa 10:20,21; Ho 2:6,7. In keeping us from again departing from God -- Job 34:31,32; Isa 10:20; Eze 14:10,11. In leading us to seek God in prayer -- Jdj 4:3; Jer 31:18; La 2:17-19; Ho 5:14,15; Jon 2:1. In convincing us of sin -- Job 36:8,9; Ps 119:67; Lu 15:16-18. In leading us to con”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflictions — God appoints -- 2Ki 6:33; Job 5:6,17; Ps 66:11; Am 3:6; Mic 6:9. God dispenses, as He will -- Job 11:10; Isa 10:15; 45:7. God regulates the measure of -- Ps 80:5; Isa 9:1; Jer 46:28. God determines the continuance of -- Ge 15:13,14; Nu 14:33; Isa 10:25; Jer 29:10. God does not willingly send -- La 3:33. Man is born to -- Job 5:6,7; 14:1. Saints appointed to -- 1Th 3:3. Consequent upon the fall -- Ge 3:16-19. Sin produces -- Job 4:8; 20:11; Pr 1:31. Sin visited with -- 2Sa 12:14; Ps 89:30-32; Isa 57:17; Ac 13:10,11. Often severe -- Job 16:7-16; Ps 42:7; ”
Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 12:8: 12:8 give generously: See also 2 Cor 8:2; 9:11, 13.”
2 Thessalonians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Thessalonians 2:11: 2:11 As seen elsewhere in Scripture (Exod 9:12; 2 Chr 18:22), God sometimes hands people over to the power of the sin or deception they have desired in place of the truth (Rom 1:24, 26, 28; 11:8).”
1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:18: 11:18 The divisions may be those spoken of in 1:10-12 (cp. Titus 3:10), or (more likely) the result of social discrimination when they shared meals (see 1 Cor 11:21-22, 33; Acts 6:1).”
James (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on James 2:13: For he shall have judgment - He who shows no mercy to man, or, in other words, he who does not exercise himself in works of charity and mercy to his needy fellow creatures, shall receive no mercy at the hand of God; for he hath said, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. The unmerciful therefore are cursed, and they shall obtain no mercy. Mercy rejoiceth against judgment - These words are variously understood. 1. Mercy, the merciful man, the abstract for the concrete, exults over judgment, that is, he is not afraid of it, having acted according to th”

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