by P. Hulsey | Dec 31, 2014 | blog, J, TOPICS
JUSTICE
DEFINITION: Justice is fairness in protection of rights and the punishment of wrongs.
FACTS ABOUT JUSTICE:
Most legal systems aim to uphold the ideal of justice through proper administration of the laws of their land. It is possible, however, to have unjust laws and miscarriages of justice.
Injustices occur because we live in a sinful world. No one is perfect–this includes law enforcement officers, judges, juries, and courts involved in the legal system. Injustices also occur in business dealings and personal relationships.
Injustice breeds further injustice. “Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11, NKJV).
Justice is not always fairly dispensed. Injustices are often experienced by people without funds for proper representation in a court of law or a business transaction. Injustices sometimes occur because of race or religious beliefs.
God is a God of justice. He keeps perfect records. Although someone may escape justice in this world, he will not escape in the world to come unless he repents and comes to Jesus Christ.
Our standard of justice is the Word of God. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God, and we are governed by the mandates of the Word.
DEALING WITH JUSTICE:
Look to God for justice. God is a righteous judge and the true judge of us all (Romans 14:12-13). Look to God for justice instead of man (Psalm 140:12).
Do not seek revenge. Do not seek revenge for injustices committed against you. The Bible says that God forbids revenge (Leviticus 19:18). Vengeance for injustice is God’s responsibility (Romans 12:19).
Love your enemies. God’s strategy for dealing with someone who commits an injustice against you is to show them love and compassion (Luke 6:27)
Seek to resolve offences. To the best of your ability, try to resolve offenses that cause injustices and set right any wrongs.
WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT JUSTICE:
Will not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25b)
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. (Leviticus 19:15)
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)
Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 16:20)
Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow. Then all the people shall say, “Amen!” (Deuteronomy 27:19)
I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.” (Ecclesiastes 3:17)
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. (Psalm 103:6)
I know that the Lord will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.(Psalm 140:12)
Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you. (Proverbs 20:22)
Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the Lord understand all. (Proverbs 28:5, NKJV)
The righteous considers the cause of the poor, But the wicked does not understand such knowledge. (Proverbs 29:7, NKJV)
Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (Ecclesiastes 8:11, NKJV)
Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:17, NKJV)
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! (Isaiah 30:18)
Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. (Isaiah 51:4)
For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. (Isaiah 61:8)
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.” (Zechariah 7:9-10)
And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. (Luke 18:7-8)
You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. (John 8:15-16)
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)
by P. Hulsey | Dec 31, 2014 | blog, J, TOPICS
JUDGING
DEFINITION: Being judgmental or judging is to make and express assumptions about the moral and personal conduct of others.
FACTS ABOUT JUDGING:
God is the judge. God is the judge of us all (Romans 14:12-13). When you take it upon yourself to judge others, you are trying to assume a function of God.
You will be judged the same way you judge others. Think about that when tempted to criticize others (Matthew 7:2).
When you judge others, you condemn your own self. Very often, you are doing the same things you are criticizing others for–if not worse (Romans 2:1).
When you judge your leaders, you are criticizing God Himself. Israel criticized Moses and Aaron, but God viewed it as criticism of Himself because He had set these men in places of leadership (Numbers 14:27).
DEALING WITH JUDGING:
Ask God to forgive your judgmental spirit. Since Jesus said not to judge others, then it is a sin when we do so.
Focus on dealing with issues in your own life. Instead of judging and criticizing others, focus on your own moral and spiritual condition (Matthew 7:1-5).
Ask God to help you guard what you say. David said, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
View others as God sees them. God sees you and others not as you are, but as you have the potential to become. Look at a person’s potential, not their problems.
WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT JUDGING:
Will not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25b)
Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3)
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. (Luke 6:37)
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5)
And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. (Luke 18:7-8)
You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. (John 8:15-16)
For at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. (Romans 2:1)
So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? (Romans 2:3)
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. (Romans 14:1)
You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. (Romans 14:10)
Each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. (Romans 14:12-13)
The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment. (1 Corinthians 2:15)
I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)
Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you–who are you to judge your neighbor? (James 4:11-12)
by P. Hulsey | Dec 31, 2014 | blog, E, J, TOPICS
ENVY AND JEALOUSY
DEFINITION: Envy is a synonym for jealousy and covetousness excited by the success of others. It is resentment of the spiritual, financial, or material blessings of others. It is lustful desire and longing for something that someone else has. It is sometimes characterized by snide remarks against others in an effort to build up one’s own self.
FACTS ABOUT ENVY AND JEALOUSY:
Envy comes from the spirit of man. “Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?” (James 4:5)
Envy is a sign of being a carnal Christian. “…for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:3, NKJV)
Those living in sin are filled with envy. “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers…” (Romans 1:29, KJV)
Where there is envy, other problems arise. “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:14,16).
You are not to envy sinners. “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 23:17)
Envy is a characteristic of false teachers. “If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain” (1 Timothy 6:-4).
DEALING WITH ENVY AND JEALOUSY:
Acknowledge that you are envious and jealous. Until you recognize these responses are operating in your life, you will not be able to deal with them.
Recognize the ramifications of envy and jealousy. It results in confusion and other evil works (James 3:16) and it ultimately ends in tragedy (Galatians 5:19-21).
Repent. Envy and jealousy are sins which require repentance.
Ask God for a new manifestation of His love. When you truly love someone, you do not envy them, nor are you jealous of them: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy…” (1 Corinthians 13:4)
In the future:
-Walk in the Spirit: Romans 13:13.
-Manifest the Fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-23.
-Focus on things of eternal value instead of things of the world: Colossians 3:1-4.
WHAT GOD’S WORD SAYS ABOUT ENVY AND JEALOUSY:
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. (Proverbs 14:30)
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. (Proverbs 23:17)
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers… (Romans 1:29, KJV)
Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. (Romans 13:13, NKJV)
…for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Corinthians 3:3, NKJV)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy…(1 Corinthians 13:4)
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:19-23)
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:3-6)
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, and deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. (Titus 3:3, KJV)
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:14,16)
Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? (James 4:5)
(See also “Covetousness” and “Greed” in this database.)
by P. Hulsey | Dec 23, 2014 | A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
