God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted… (2 Thessalonians 1:6, ESV)
Does it ever bother you that the justice of God is not more obvious in this world? Have you ever noticed that people who do good often suffer and people who do evil often prosper?
In a world like this it’s important to know that God is just, and even though his justice may be hidden for now, it will become obvious on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed (1:8).
The justice of God is a central truth in all of the Bible. We see this played out in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. God never acts out of vindictiveness. He always acts with justice.
What does that mean? It means you can have absolute confidence that no one will ever be punished for a single sin that he or she did not commit. And no sin will ever be punished in a way that is out of proportion to the offense.
God’s justice also means that no one will be able to escape from the justice of God. God knows all things. That means nothing is hidden from him, and no one intimidates him. No one has leverage against him—power and wealth count as nothing before him.
God’s justice is always important, but we become more aware of it when we’re suffering, or when someone we love is suffering. We won’t see God’s justice fully carried out until Christ is revealed, but in the meantime, you can have confidence in the absolute justice of God.
Where are you most tempted to doubt God’s justice today?
