Justice and Worldviews

We are discussing justice this Saturday at our intellectual discussion group.

We ALL long to see justice take place, to see evil punished and the right and good vindicated. We long to see the oppressed delivered and the enslaved set free. How does one explain these desires and the longing for justice? How does one’s worldview (understanding of reality) account for our desire for justice and the concept of justice?

Is justice a metaphysical reality outside of human opinion, or is it a mere human invention? Where does this drive and impulse and longing for justice come from? Could it be a trick of our genes so that we reproduce or might there be a spiritual reality?

Contrasting Worldviews

ATHEISM: If atheism is true, and we are merely the accidents of time and chance, I don’t see how justice can be anything but a mere human invention. There is no God above who is a just judge telling us what is good and evil, all we have are our own opinions. One generation and society define justice one way and another generation of society define it another way. All that exists are opinions; subjectivism rules. We long for justice but justice is merely the definition of those who are loudest in culture. And there is no justice after we die, in fact, there’s nothing after we die. One day when the human race no longer exists, justice will also no longer exist.

CHRISTIANITY: The Christian worldview, which claims to tell the truth about reality, is far different. Before there was anything, there was the one true God who eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Within God, there is perfect love and perfect relations. God himself is the foundation of goodness and He tells us what goodness and evil are; He implants within our hearts a desire for justice. Justice is that which records with what is truly right. Justice is not a mere human invention, but our attempt to do what is just in the sight of God. One day God will judge every single one of us and evil will be punished. Justice takes place in part in this life and in full in the life to come.

GOSPEL But the Christian understanding does not stop there, it also speaks about the hope found in the gospel. God is a holy God but all of us have turned away from God‘s good design for our lives. In our hearts and lives we have been plunged and plunged ourselves into evil and wickedness. Everyone of us stands guilty before God and under His just condemnation. Yet God in grace and love sent his son Jesus Christ, who never sinned, to come and save sinners. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and God punished all of our sin and evil in him. Jesus took the guilty verdict for our sins and paid the price for us. He died but rose again on the third day and has a victory over sin and death. All who believe and him are given his righteousness and united with him in his life. Justice is fulfilled and God‘s love and grace are shown. This is the beautiful news of the gospel.