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NASB | Deuteronomy 32:4 "The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Deuteronomy 32:4 "The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness without iniquity (injustice), Just and upright is He. |
Bible Question:
Is God just or not. This has confused me a bit. We all sin and all fall short. We are all sinners and the wages of sin is death. Just because we believe in Christ, doesn't make us any less a sinner. It is by God's grace alone that we do not end up where all sinners deserve. But that's the question. If a non believer dies, they go to hell. This is a just reward for their sins. But believers sin too. So wouldn't the just reward also be hell? And if we don't get our "just reward" but something else, then wasn't God being merciful and not just? I'm not saying this is a bad thing! Just trying to reconcile this in my head. Bless...ArtS |
Bible Answer: Let me try again, Art. You query, "But believers sin too. So wouldn't the just reward also be hell? And if we don't get our "just reward" but something else, then wasn't God being merciful and not just?" It would be unjust for God punish the believer for his sins. Why? because the believer's sins have already been laid on Christ and punished. Is 53:6, "All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him." On the cross the justice of God was satisfied. The death that Christ died, he died for sin. Therefore the sin-penalty is paid once for all, and need not be paid again 1 Pet 3:18, "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;" In fact, though in your experience you sin and will struggle with it until you meet the Lord, God counts you as being righteous in Christ, because Christ has not only taken your sin, but God has clothed you with Christ's perfect righteousness. 2 Cor 5:21, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Concernig God's justice and mercy, God is being merciful AND just. God is free to extend mercy to whomever he will (Rom 19:5) because the believers sins have been justly punished in Christ on the cross. God remains just, because NO sin goes unpunished, AND he can and does freely extend mercy to whomever he will. Finally, God does not "punish" believers for their sins. He, now as our heavenly Father in Christ, disciplines us that we might bear the peaceful fruit righteousness that we already have in Christ. (Heb 12:5-11) Peace, Lionstrong |