The Argument From Justice

My dictionary app defines justice as “rightfulness, lawfulness, equitableness, or moral rightness.”

Granted that there are flaws in the justice system in America, it is still one of the best in the world. There is no system of justice in this world that has ever been perfect because they all involve fallible humanity. That is why there are occasions where the guilty go free and the innocent are punished. And yet, America has one of the most just systems in the world.

Let’s consider some hypothetical situations regarding justice. Consider a capital murder case. The criminal has committed multiple murders, brutally killing seven innocent victims. There is no doubt to his guilt. His fingerprints and dna are linked to all of the crimes. There are eyewitnesses to what he did. Guilt is not in doubt.

Then there is an unfathomable turn. The judge decides to pronounce the man innocent, and to let him go free. (remember this is s hypothetical)

If that were to happen people would be incensed and outraged. How could a judge who is supposed to uphold justice do such a thing?! That is criminal in and of itself. That is the opposite of justice. That criminal deserves the full punishment of the law. Such a judge would be downright evil to allow such a situation to occur. He would be thrown out of office at the first opportunity. We would not stand for that.
There has been a lot of discussion lately in the news and in the world of the internet about the Biblical concept of hell. The catalyst for this discussion was the release of a book by Rob Bell called “Love Wins.” In this book Bell is battling against the biblical idea of a real hell. His attack is nothing new(good review here). Many have wondered, “how could a loving God send people to hell?”

Besides the fact that the scriptures are unmistakable clear in teaching the reality of hell, let’s consider the argument from justice.

It is a flawed task to compare the justice of man with the justice of God. His ways, are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts( Isaiah 55). For all the imperfections of human justice, God’s justice has no imperfections. He always does what is perfectly just. He can do no different.

People would be outraged if a human judge let a guilty mass murder off free. And yet people are outraged that God would NOT do that. God would be just, rightful, equitable and lawful. He is the epitome of true justice.

The response that people give to that would sound like this, “Yes, but we are not all murderers. What about all the innocent people? Do they really deserve hell just because they don’t accept Jesus?”

God would not send an innocent person to suffer for all eternity in hell. And yet the Bible is clear that hell will be filled to the brim with all kinds of people. This raises a more important question. Are there any innocent people in hell? Are there any innocent people?

The answer to both of those questions is “NO”. There are no innocent people. Let that sink in. There are no innocent people. Some might object, “I am not a mass murderer. Sure, I may have told a white lie, and do some things I shouldn’t have, but surely there is a difference between me and a mass murder?”

There is no difference. Compared to other humans, you might be a bit better. But the standard we are measured against is not humanity but God. God is infinite in Holiness and Perfection. His law is the perfect standard. This means that even the slightest infraction of His law is a crime against the infinite measure of God’s goodness. We are worse than mass murders.

That is why we deserve hell. That is why hell is a place of eternal torment. Our crimes of sin against God are infinite in measure. Justice requires equitability. The only equitable punishment would have to be eternal in measure. That is why hell is an eternal punishment.

That is true justice. For God not to do that would make God bad, and an evil judge. He is Holy, Righteous and Just. That’s why hell exists.

Coming: Part 2 – Jesus and God’s Justice