READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l There are different moral principles of justice which guide decisions made by individuals, organisations, governments and nations. Some examples include:
A. Greatest good for the greatest number
• Approach: Maximising Welfare
• Focus: Consequences
B. The sanctity of every human life
• Approach: Respecting Freedom
• Focus: Individual autonomy
C. Upholding the good or virtuous life
• Approach: Promoting Virtue
• Focus: Moral character, society’s values/end goals
Origins of Moral Principles of Justice
- Justice doesn’t come naturally
Many of us may think that the concept of justice is innate in humans or developed from logical thought. However, if we examine nature, we see that it is all about the survival of the fittest; the strong eating the weak.
Annie Dillard in her book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek observes the mating of praying mantises where the female mantises eat the male after mating:
“There is not a people in the world that behaves as badly as praying mantises. But wait, you say, there is no right and wrong in nature; right and wrong is a human concept. Precisely: we are moral creatures in an amoral world…”
If right and wrong is a human concept, then the principles of right and wrong are subjective – based only on what humans make of them at different time points and cultures, and not from a natural order. History is filled with examples of how human life is not valued equally.
“To believe that every human being possessed an equal dignity was not a self-evident truth. A Roman would have laughed at it. To campaign against discrimination on the grounds of gender or sexuality, however, was to depend on large numbers of people sharing in a common assumption: that everyone possessed and inherent worth.” (Tom Holland, Dominion)
Instead, the basis of human rights is the equal and intrinsic value of every human being – because ALL human beings are made in the image of God. This is the bedrock of biblical justice.
- Justice comes supernaturally – from God
When God called the Israelites out of Egypt, He set them apart to obey ‘statues and ordinances’ that were ‘just’ and unlike other nations. By doing so, they would set themselves apart as a wise and discerning nation. (Deut 4:5-8) God’s principles of justice valued each human life, especially the lowest in society.
For example, in Egypt, the Israelites were ill-treated as slaves and despised as foreigners. In contrast, God commanded the Israelites in to be different and love the foreigner as they would their own fellow Israelite.
When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. (Levi 19:33-34)
Other examples of God’s justice:
• On the 7th year
o Cancellation of all debts and being generous to the poor (Deut 15:1-11)
o Release of all slaves, and provide them with gifts (Deut 15:12-15)
• Land and vineyard owners should not completely harvest their crops but to leave enough for the needy and foreigner (Levi 19:9-10)
• Caring for and not oppressing widows, orphans, immigrants and poor; defending their cause and giving them food and clothing (Zech 7:9-10, Deut 10:17-18)
God’s principles demand a radical inclusivity!
Justice is not the idea of humans. Justice is God’s idea. It is His very nature!
This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. (Jer 9:23-24)
- Justice comes by losing
Advocating for the poor and needy always comes with a cost. We are to use our resources/finances in ways that do not benefit us on earth. Jesus illustrates with the example of hosting a banquet. We should not invite those who can likely repay us. Instead, we are to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and our payment will be in heaven (Luke 14:12-14).
Bruce Waltke, an Old Testament Professor, succinctly summarises what this looks like, as illustrated in the Book of Proverbs:
“The righteous are those who are willing to disadvantage themselves to the advantage of their community; the wicked are those who are willing to disadvantage the community to advantage themselves.”
We are invited to embrace the loss, the cost of justice.
Jesus first set the example when he ‘emptied himself’ and took the ‘form of a slave’ and died on the cross for us (Phil 2:5-8).
- From Justice comes flourishing
The Book of Ruth is a beautiful example of how Justice in action brings impactful goodness:
• Ruth chose to be faithful to Naomi, her mother-in-law, after the death of her husband and father-in-law. She chose to join Naomi in her poverty, becoming an immigrant in Israel (as a Moabite), without any patriarchal support (vulnerable).
• She was saved by Boaz who obeyed God’s command to leave harvest in his fields for the poor.
• They get married and became part of the genealogy of David and Jesus!
We live in a broken world. Healing and justice come through the actions and sacrifices of individuals (people like you and me) who choose to do what is right. Let us consider God’s call to biblical justice and ‘let the same mind be in (us) that was in Christ Jesus’ (Phil 2:5).
(Sermon notes by Stella Chiam)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Read Leviticus 19:33-34, Deuteronomy 15, Exodus 23:9, and Proverbs 31:8-9. Who was vulnerable and mistreated in Israel’s society? What does God instruct Israel to do for the vulnerable and why?
- How do you think humans’ role as image bearers of God (Genesis 1:26-27) informs what the Bible says is right and just?
- In the sermon, Ps Ian mentioned that Justice does not come naturally. What did he mean by that?
- According to Bruce Waltke, the righteous in Proverbs are those that disadvantage themselves to advantage others. In what ways do you have an advantage over others around you? And in what ways do you struggle to disadvantage yourself?
- Is there one way in which you’d be willing to disadvantage yourself for someone else? What does that look like?
