Seemingly-Righteous

Have you ever assumed that because you're a good person - 'righteous' - that you're in? Meanwhile you've assumed that the others - the 'wicked people' - were obviously out?

What if a prophet showed up on your doorstep and claimed that a righteous man who trusts in his own goodness is in serious sin while the wicked people who are discovering truth and goodness and living it out and relying on God are the ones actually being called into the Kingdom?

Would you call this justice? Would you believe this bass-ackwords way of righteousness stems from the source of a Just God? That this God truly desires that all 'wicked people' turn (repent) from their crap, shake evil from their bones and follow His way to life, while the seemingly-righteous fall?

Ezekiel nailed the role of the watchman. He was that prophet knocking on doors, called to share Gods truth with Gods people: with words, prayers and wild physical analogies. He was vitally responsible to get the truth out. That was his role and the rest was up to the hearers to act on that truth.

Ezekiel may have been speaking to the Israelites but his truth spills over the centuries and cultures onto you and I. Divine-righteous-truth doesn't change.

We may say 'The way of the Lord is not just' as the Israelites did...but the reality is there's no foundation for justice apart from this God which means that He is able to 'judge each of [us] according to his own ways...[that] unless you repent, you too will all perish.'

In all sincerity, good luck proclaiming steadfast, perfect justice according to your own understanding and standard.

From Ezekiel 33:1-20 and Luke 13:3

Go Ahead...Point that Finger

'Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?' Job 40:8

'If this God allows ________ to happen he is clearly not a God I want to follow.' Many of us have heard or even said this regarding some offense or pain that affects us personally, philosophically, emotionally. That God is unfair, unjust or simply blind and ineffective in real life...this is usually our own attempt at making sense of life yet in the process putting our wisdom and worldview far above the Eternal God.

My view of justice is based on 30 years of life in Midwest America, a democratic-republic, ideas of equality, tolerance, rational explanations and a loving God in a naturalistic environment. I have one legal, cultural, social, religious point of view in world full of views. Who am I to corner the market on justice? Who am I to stand outside creation and point a finger, scolding the Lord for living out to a system I don't fully understand?

But our thoughts are not like His. Our ways are not like His. (Isa. 55:8)

We will never understand each and every action taking place upon the earth and beyond. Though when we're united with Christ our minds/attitudes/hearts/worldviews are renewed and can begin to fathom His total sovereignty over the good and the bad, the righteous and the evil.

'Good teacher,' says a young man to Jesus who immediately corrects him, 'No one is good - except God alone.' If no one is inherently virtuous but the Lord can we really justify our imperfect actions and thoughts and beliefs in light of perfection? Now if you don't believe in God then who cares about justification right? But if there is a God, as all of creation signifies, then discrediting His righteousness is a far more dangerous undertaking.

Aaahh - 'to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.' (Tim. 1:17)