Hello, My Name Is Justice

Discussion Question:

Which direction do you tend to lean when the question of God’s justice comes up? Would you share a bit more of why?

• Cognitive dissonance – intellectual or theological questions about God’s justice and how the world can still suffer from so much evil.
• Personal suffering – you or people you love have suffered much, and it’s created deep wounds or unresolved questions about God’s goodness.

 

Read

Romans 3:9-31

Note: This is an expanded section of scripture from what was explicitly discussed during the message.

 

Observe

• What are the primary things that stand out just from what you read here?
• What do you notice? What are you curious about?
• What can you understand about the concept of “righteousness” (Greek: dikaiosyne) from this single passage?

 

Interpret

• What do you learn about humanity from this passage?
• What becomes clear about God from this passage?
• How do we reconcile God’s “passing over” of sins (v.25) and his justice?
• Do you think God’s approach to justice involving Jesus’ atonement is truly just? Why or why not?

 

Apply

• How does your approach to the people who have wronged you differ from how God approaches those who have wronged him?
• How does this understanding of justice impact what you think needs to happen in order to “make things right” on planet earth?

 

Following Jesus into Justice

We discussed three ways that we can follow Jesus into his strange kind of justice. Which ones of these catches your attention or may be a place where God is drawing you to interact with him?

 

1. Jesus forgives – Rather than seeking retribution for his pain, Jesus chose to forgive the very people who crucified him (Luke 23:34; see also 1 Peter 3:21-23).
2. Jesus doesn’t distance – Despite the fact that we wronged him, God drew near to us in Jesus. He refused to dehumanize or demonize us, but approached us as people.
3. Jesus prioritizes restoration – Wherever possible, Jesus desires to restore people. His intervention in a woman’s sin (John 8) shows that justice with love often looks different than just punishing the wrong.

 

Pray

• If there is a place of intellectual confusion, ask the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth) to lead you into a place of revelation and understanding. 
• If there is a deep wound caused by suffering, ask to encounter God in a new way that helps you know his heart and move toward a new future. It may not be sudden or quick, but you can seek him with all your heart.
• If what Jesus is asking of you to follow him into his strange kind of justice feels too difficult, ask him to show you what is underneath your resistance or difficulty. He approaches you this way – what is it that keeps you from offering the same to others?

 

Scriptures for Reference

• Romans 3:9-31 – The righteousness of God
• 2 Peter 3:9 – “God is patient…”
• 1 Peter 3:21-23 – Christ’s suffering as an example
• Luke 23:34 – Jesus forgives
• John 8:2-11 – Jesus’ interaction with the woman caught in adultery

 

Putting It Into Practice

• If you’ve got nagging intellectual issues regarding the problem of evil, check out the Recommended Resources document. Pick one to work through over the next few weeks.
• If you need to work through the effects of personal suffering:
  • Draw in at least one other person and share with them the nature of what you’re going through.
  • Create space to spend time with God, talking with him about how they past has affected you and inviting him to encounter you in a new way
• When you see or experience injustice this week, ask Jesus to teach you how he would approach this. Ask for something specific to do in response to what you see and take any action you feel prompted to take. Share with someone in the following week (maybe at your Group?) what you experienced and learned as Jesus’ disciple.