Mark, aren't you leaping from "love and justice SHOULD go together" to "love and justice MUST go together."
I intentionally spoke of defining in my article because it seems that people are getting very good at mashing concepts together, but not so good at defining them.
"Love" is something distinct, is it not? Likewise, "Justice" is something distinct, is it not?
It seems very obvious to me WHY so many people want to expand "justice" into an all-encompassing mish-mash of good vibes. Because if they can accomplish this, they can slap the label "justice" or "injustice" on anything they want to. Then they can compel their neighbors to support their "just" cause.
Eric, thank you for providing a deep Scriptural context to this discussion.
I have used this example to explain the difference between a good and bad definition of justice. Imagine that you go on a sky-diving trip. At 20,000 feet, you decide that the laws of physics don't apply to you, and you jump out without a parachute. Naturally, you plummet to your death. Has justice been done? Using the bad definitions of justice such as "Achieving shalom" or "Restoring creation to God's intended purpose" or "Making things right," you would have to say that a grave INJUSTICE has been done. You're dead! Your wife is now a widow. Your children will grow up without their father. Your friends have lost a loved one. Nothing good came of you falling to your death. Certainly nothing was "made right" or "restored" to the way God originally wanted it. There is no shalom. Just the opposite.
But...using a good definition of justice (one where we actually attempt to impart a useful meaning to the word), we would say that justice HAS been done. You got what you deserve. The laws of nature and of nature's God dictate that if a 180 pound human jumps out of a plane at 20,000 feet without a parachute, that person is going to die. Choice = consequence. Behavior = result. That is justice.
By the way, the person using a bad definition of justice would probably say there was a systemic injustice present, and would call for greater regulation of the sky-diving industry.
I admit my fingers paused for long time after describing "wisdom" as "common sense." I was going for brevity and ease of understanding, and probably lost accuracy in the process.
I like your suggestion of "the essence of the knowledge and character of God."
The 9th Commandment commands us to avoid bearing false witness against out neighbor.
Unless we are able to read the internal motivations of people (i.e. we're mind readers), or the person has explicitly stated their internal motivations, isn't it bearing false witness against them to say they are motivated by fear and hate?
Wouldn't it be better to take them at their word: that they are motivated by faithfulness to Scripture, concern for the integrity of God's design for Family, and love of people who are lost in sinfulness and headed to destruction?
Posted in: How Do You Define "Justice"?
Mark, aren't you leaping from "love and justice SHOULD go together" to "love and justice MUST go together."
I intentionally spoke of defining in my article because it seems that people are getting very good at mashing concepts together, but not so good at defining them.
"Love" is something distinct, is it not? Likewise, "Justice" is something distinct, is it not?
It seems very obvious to me WHY so many people want to expand "justice" into an all-encompassing mish-mash of good vibes. Because if they can accomplish this, they can slap the label "justice" or "injustice" on anything they want to. Then they can compel their neighbors to support their "just" cause.
Posted in: How Do You Define "Justice"?
Eric, thank you for providing a deep Scriptural context to this discussion.
I have used this example to explain the difference between a good and bad definition of justice. Imagine that you go on a sky-diving trip. At 20,000 feet, you decide that the laws of physics don't apply to you, and you jump out without a parachute. Naturally, you plummet to your death. Has justice been done? Using the bad definitions of justice such as "Achieving shalom" or "Restoring creation to God's intended purpose" or "Making things right," you would have to say that a grave INJUSTICE has been done. You're dead! Your wife is now a widow. Your children will grow up without their father. Your friends have lost a loved one. Nothing good came of you falling to your death. Certainly nothing was "made right" or "restored" to the way God originally wanted it. There is no shalom. Just the opposite.
But...using a good definition of justice (one where we actually attempt to impart a useful meaning to the word), we would say that justice HAS been done. You got what you deserve. The laws of nature and of nature's God dictate that if a 180 pound human jumps out of a plane at 20,000 feet without a parachute, that person is going to die. Choice = consequence. Behavior = result. That is justice.
By the way, the person using a bad definition of justice would probably say there was a systemic injustice present, and would call for greater regulation of the sky-diving industry.
Posted in: Social Justice ... With a Side of Salt
Eric, thanks for your well-reasoned input.
I admit my fingers paused for long time after describing "wisdom" as "common sense." I was going for brevity and ease of understanding, and probably lost accuracy in the process.
I like your suggestion of "the essence of the knowledge and character of God."
Posted in: Fear and the Nashville Statement
The 9th Commandment commands us to avoid bearing false witness against out neighbor.
Unless we are able to read the internal motivations of people (i.e. we're mind readers), or the person has explicitly stated their internal motivations, isn't it bearing false witness against them to say they are motivated by fear and hate?
Wouldn't it be better to take them at their word: that they are motivated by faithfulness to Scripture, concern for the integrity of God's design for Family, and love of people who are lost in sinfulness and headed to destruction?
Posted in: Earth Day Prayer
This earth day, I thank God for His gift of fossil fuels!
https://network.crcna.org/biblical-justice/thank-god-fossil-fuels
Posted in: Christians Clothed in Babylonian Silk
This reminds me of something I heard somewhere once...
"That perfume could have been sold! And the money given to the poor!"
"There will always be poor."