1 John 1.9 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (ESV)
There are people who want justice – they think. They want justice because the one percent is the one
percent. They want justice for Trayvon. They want justice because they readily
accept: life is unfair. The problem with their pursuit of justice is it usually
has these bounds: for me, but not
necessarily for thee.
I think justice is what we all want and because of our
fallen world, it doesn’t take us long to see that our world is often
unjust. We hear things like: Why can’t we
all just get along? Why can’t I be accepted for who I want to be? You must
accept my sexual preferences! Single-mindedness is narrow-mindedness.
Today, I read 1 John 1 and saw that the God of all
creation (the seen and the unseen) and beyond, is not only faithful to forgive our confessed sins, but He is also just in doing so. Wow! A faithful and
just God: what a concept! God is faithful and
just and will give everyone what they think they deserve. (That really is true if you think about it… I know, I
know, some of you won’t go there…)
Justice is comforting in that it makes us feel better
when we’ve been wronged and the wrongdoer gets what he deserves. But justice equally
makes us feel bad when we realize we are held accountable for wronging others
and we get what is coming to us. To the one who won’t confess the only justice is consequence for the crime; to the
one who does confess there is justice
in accepting God’s way of dealing with one’s transgressions. God knows we can’t
take care of things on our own: justice in this case is abiding by His decree
of confessing our sins to Him so that He may deal with us for who we are and what
we’ve done. He is just in doing so.
And He is also just
in cleansing us from all unrighteousness because we did it His way. I don’t know how He does it, but if I abide by His rules
there is faithful forgiveness and justice in His so doing. That’s a deal I can
accept.
I know it’s not a deal, it’s His grace and it’s His
divine wisdom that is above and beyond our ways (and my ways when I’m demanding
justice for me, but not necessarily for thee). I don’t think God is into deals,
I think He wisely rules in perfect righteousness and perfect justice and those
who don’t understand don’t need to know – He’s God, and last I knew He wasn’t
accountable to us for anything.
But He is faithful and just and that’s especially helpful
to me: one who doesn’t deserve either. I’m just glad He is, and I’m glad that I can
come to Him and come clean on the things I’ve done that I know are wrong – and when
I tell Him about it, He’s faithful and just to forgive and to cleanse – there ain’t
no residual effect.
Thank You Lord for saving my soul. Thank You Lord for
setting me free. Thank You Lord for giving to me, Your great salvation so full
and free. Amen.
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