The Bible says that Christians are to imitate God in all we do. But what is God like? An exploration of the attributes of God will help us to know what God is like and understand who God intends for us to be. There is no higher or greater calling than to know God and reflect His image to the world. Knowing God will lead to a life of freedom, purpose, and understanding of His will for your life.
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT
3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God! 4 He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.Everything he does is just and fair.He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!
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Micah 6:8 ESV
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
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1. Justice of God defined.
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The justice of God is “that essential and infinite attribute which makes his nature and his ways the perfect embodiment of equity, and constitutes him the model and the guardian of equity throughout the universe”
(ATS Bible Dictionary, 1859)
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2. Justice of God demonstrated.
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In the Garden
At the Cross
Through Retribution
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Genesis 3:21-24 ESV
21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
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Romans 3:25-26 ESV
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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Matthew 12:36-37 ESV
36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
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John 5:24 ESV
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
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2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
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3. Responding to the Justice of God.
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Embrace Jesus
Leave Vengeance to the Lord
Act Justly
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John 5:22-24 NLT
22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, 23 so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. 24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
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Romans 12:17-19 ESV
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
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Micah 6:8 ESV
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
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Application:
I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17 NLT)