The Need for Justice

FOR thousands of years, men have wrestled with the problem of maintaining law and order. A multitude of regulations have been formulated to protect the person and property of individuals. To bring violators of law to justice, law enforcement bodies and judicial systems have been created. Despite man’s well-meaning efforts, however, no arrangement has been able to secure complete justice for all.

While many principled men have done their best to uphold human rights, others have profited from practicing injustice. For example, some years ago one North American judge was found guilty of receiving over $600,000 for judicial favors. Through legal loopholes known criminals have escaped punishment. Certain criminal lawyers have become wealthy by creating false alibis for their guilty clients and by using unscrupulous means to call into serious question the testimony of truthful witnesses.

Corruption is not the only obstacle that stands in the way of administering justice. At times the problem is outright incompetence. Cases have been handled by judges who were intoxicated, too bored to listen, too tired to keep from dozing during the trial or so ignorant of the law that their secretaries actually wrote the decisions.

Because of corruption and incompetence in high places, untold numbers of people have suffered. They have been wrongly confined to asylums and prisons or have even been sentenced to death. Women have been deprived of their husbands’ financial support. Children have been taken away from their parents. Entire estates have been lost to the rightful heirs.

Not infrequently lawless men never come to trial. In the present system of things, there simply is no way to rectify all the injury caused by backbiting, slander, gossip, fraud, scheming, half-truths, exaggerations and other ethical wrongs.

Truly, there is a need for balancing the scales of justice. An outstanding jurist of the 20th century alluded to the manner in which this could come about. When describing the “spirit of true liberty,” he stated that this spirit “has never quite forgotten that there may be a kingdom where the least shall be heard and considered side by side with the greatest.” But will there really be such a judgment? What reason do we have for believing that it will take place? How should this affect our lives even now?

A Day of Reckoning Is Guaranteed

OVER 1,900 years ago a man who was well educated in the law of his nation expressed his belief in a future day of reckoning. He did so on foreign soil before the court of the Areopagus in ancient Athens. The man was a Christianized Jew, the apostle Paul.

For a while his audience listened to what he had to say about God. But, then, with reference to the Creator, Paul made this startling declaration: “Because he has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead.”​—Acts 17:31.

The apostle was unable to continue speaking, for ridiculers began to raise their voices. However, the truths that he had expressed were the means by which the Almighty God opened up the hearts of some who heard Paul’s defense. As the apostle left, these persons “joined themselves to him and became believers.”​—Acts 17:32-34.

We may ask: Who is the man by means of whom God will judge the inhabited earth? Why can we be confident that justice will be executed? How sure is the guarantee respecting a day of reckoning?

The man whom God has chosen is the Son who emptied himself of his heavenly glory and then by divine power began to develop as a perfect baby in the womb of a Jewish virgin named Mary. (Luke 1:30-35; Phil. 2:7) This Son came to be known as Jesus Christ.

Regarding his judicial authority, Jesus declared: “The Father judges no one at all, but he has committed all the judging to the Son.” (John 5:22) “I cannot do a single thing of my own initiative; just as I hear, I judge; and the judgment that I render is righteous, because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.”​—John 5:30.

A JUDGE WHO CARES

As to the kind of judge Jesus would be, it was stated prophetically: “He will not judge by any mere appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his ears. And with righteousness he must judge the lowly ones, and with uprightness he must give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth.” (Isa. 11:3, 4) Jesus Christ will not be impressed by an imposing personality or outward handsomeness or attractiveness. He can look beyond surface appearances, discerning the real heart motivation of the individual. (Rev. 2:23) Clever words and arguments will not prevent him from arriving at the facts of the case and rendering an impartial judgment. No matter how lowly persons may be, Jesus Christ will deal justly with them. “Their blood will be precious in his eyes.”​—Ps. 72:14.

We have every reason to be confident in the complete impartiality of Jesus’ judgment. He proved his concern for humankind by the greatest act of self-sacrificing love, willingly laying down his life. Calling attention to what he would do in this regard, he had told his disciples: “No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends.”​—John 15:13.

AN EXALTED JUDGE

Of course, a dead person could not act in the capacity of judge, and the apostle Paul made it clear that God’s appointed Judge had been resurrected from the dead. This resurrection stands as an unchangeable guarantee regarding the future day of reckoning. It is no ordinary guarantee. Upward of 500 witnesses saw the resurrected Son of God. So that there would be no question as to the reality of the resurrection, Jesus Christ spoke with his disciples, asked them to feel him and ate food in their presence. (Luke 24:36-43) The Bible reports: “By many positive proofs he showed himself alive after he had suffered, being seen by them throughout forty days.” (Acts 1:3) Because the proofs were undeniable, the disciples courageously bore witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the face of physical abuse, reviling and the threat of death.

Not only were disciples of Jesus Christ witnesses concerning his resurrection, but they were also witnesses as to his ascension to heaven. Ten days after this ascension about 120 disciples received the evidence that the Son had been exalted to the right hand of his Father. What proof did they receive? Before his ascension, Jesus Christ had instructed his disciples: “Do not withdraw from Jerusalem, but keep waiting for what the Father has promised, about which you heard from me; because John, indeed, baptized with water, but you will be baptized in holy spirit not many days after this.” (Acts 1:4, 5) Therefore, when, on the day of Pentecost in 33 C.E., approximately 120 disciples received the promised holy spirit and were empowered by it to speak in foreign languages to Jews and proselytes who had come to Jerusalem from distant places to attend the festival of Pentecost, those disciples knew that the Son was with the Father.

That is why the apostle Peter could declare to thousands on that day: “This Jesus God resurrected, of which fact we are all witnesses. Therefore because he was exalted to the right hand of God and received the promised holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out this which you see and hear.”​—Acts 2:32, 33.

THE SURE EXECUTION OF DIVINE JUSTICE

The well-attested events that took place in connection with Jesus Christ in the first century stand as an unchangeable guarantee that a day of reckoning for all the nations must occur. It was to this day for executing divine justice that faithful disciples of Jesus Christ looked forward with eager anticipation. The Christian apostle Paul pointed to this in one of his letters to the Thessalonians, writing:

“It is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you [believers], but, to you who suffer tribulation, relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, at the time he comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder in connection with all those who exercised faith.”​—2 Thess. 1:6-10.

The coming of Jesus Christ in the capacity of executioner of divine justice will begin a time for righting all wrongs. God through Christ will judge even “the secret things of mankind.” (Rom. 2:16) While we do not know the day and hour when that longed-for day will be here, we do have God’s guarantee that it will come and that it is drawing ever closer. This should stir us to live in harmony with his guarantee. But what does this require of us?

Living in Harmony with God’s Guarantee

IF WE have absolute faith in God’s guarantee regarding the coming judgment, there should be works to prove our faith. The Bible says: “As the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”​—Jas. 2:26.

Clearly, if we expect the judgment of Jesus Christ to be totally impartial, we should shun favoritism. This would mean according all persons the dignity that they deserve, not looking down on others because of their lowly position or their limitations, nor giving special preference to individuals just because they are rich or prominent. Then, too, we will want to avoid unduly favoring ourselves. How inconsistent it would be to be distressed about the ethical wrongs that others may commit while selfishly seeking our own advantage at every turn!

We do well to keep in mind that divine judgment through Jesus Christ is not only for our fellowman. It is for us personally. The Scriptures state: “If you are calling upon the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your alien residence.” (1 Pet. 1:17) When we have a wholesome fear of or regard for our Creator and his appointed Judge, we will be less inclined to look at what others may or may not be doing. Rather, we will be careful about the way in which we conduct our own affairs of life. Recognizing that only Jehovah God through Jesus Christ can set all matters straight, we will be restrained from becoming unduly disturbed about injustices and from flaring up in anger to the point of taking matters into our own hands. The Bible tells us: “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah.’”​—Rom. 12:19.

At the same time, if we can help others to come to appreciate the importance of living in harmony with God’s guarantee of a coming judgment, we certainly would want to do that. This may be done by responding kindly toward those who are unjust toward us. The Bible recommends: “‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals upon his head.’ Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.” (Rom. 12:20, 21) A kind response may make the unjust person feel ashamed, causing him to regret his course of action. Thus the kind treatment could have a refining effect on him, bringing out his better qualities.

Of course, our exemplary conduct would not be enough to make others aware of the need to harmonize their lives with God’s guarantee. We need to inform them about the divine will and purpose. To the people of Athens, the apostle Paul stated: “[God] is telling mankind that they should all everywhere repent.” (Acts 17:30) Since the day of executing divine justice has not yet arrived, this is still the message that needs to be proclaimed far and wide. Rightly the proclaimers should be persons who have accepted Jesus Christ as Jehovah’s appointed Judge. Those who truly have faith in God’s guarantee cannot help but speak, for ‘out of the heart’s abundance the mouth speaks.’​—Matt. 12:34.

The time for individuals to respond to the invitation to repent is limited. No human knows what the next day may bring for him. Tomorrow could be too late. (Prov. 27:1; Jas. 4:13, 14) That is why persons who do not delay in responding to God’s invitation to repent, and who start living a life that gives evidence of faith in the execution of divine justice, are truly wise.

Even now, living such a life is the course of gain. It contributes toward enjoying a clean conscience toward God and our fellowmen, resulting in inner peace and contentment. By being unselfish in our dealings with others, we enjoy the greater happiness that comes from giving. (Acts 20:35) Before us there is a bright future. Not only will we see justice rendered impartially, but all the suffering to which mankind has been subjected for thousands of years will become a thing of the past. The Scriptures set forth this heartcheering promise: “[God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”​—Rev. 21:4.

Indeed, we have sound reasons for living in harmony with God’s guarantee. If you desire to learn more about the Creator’s grand purpose and what he would have you do, Jehovah’s Witnesses in your area will be delighted to share with you the knowledge that they have gained from the Scriptures. We invite you to accept their offer of a free home Bible study.

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