The topic of justice is a tough one and with no easy answers. It is one of those subjects that can cause great conflict and turmoil in soul and body. The desire for justice is in our nature because God has placed that desire in our hearts, and it does not go away when we are born again. The more we know about good and evil, the the issues of justice become more obvious. We can see more clearly when things are out of alignment with truth and justice. However, the scripture tells us to refrain from judging a situation prematurely.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God. 1Corinthians 4:5

If  injustice goes unchecked for long periods of time, it causes great turmoil and even rebellion in our hearts. People can lose their sanity trying to make sense out of tough situations in the world. Unless eternity is kept at the forefront of unjust situations, there will be a great strife in relationship to God and with one another.

This does not mean that evil can go unbridled forever; God has institutions such as church and civil governments to deal with the issue of evil appropriate to their sphere of responsibility. The church government has the responsibility to oversee the spiritual health of the body by holding its members accountable to their sinful lifestyle. The civil government is responsible for holding people accountable to the laws of the land and ensure that they are not violated to protect the safety and security of all the people. Therefore, the sphere of judgment is relegated to those who are in appropriate positions to judge the situation and have the authority to understand all sides of the issue before they render a judgment.

The intent of addressing evil with church government or civil government is not in establishing perfect justice; it is only deterrence of evil and establishing order.  The truth is that a person can be a church member or  a law-abiding citizen but still commit sins that are against God’s holy word and His commandments. No one  is capable to bring about perfect justice on this earth because man is sinful and not omnipotent. God has reserved true justice only for His son because He is the only one deserving and capable of rendering perfect justice!

Lord, give us insight into the injustices we see in the world and help us to know how we can be part of the solution for reconciliation.

The Lord has much to say in the area of justice. The Bible is full of scriptures that speak about this issue. However, when I looked at the word “justice” in my New King James Version (NKJV) Bible, I found that there is no mention of the word “justice” in the New Testament. I only found words  such as  “judging” and “judgment” in the New Testament.

There is a big difference between judging a situation and establishing justice. When we judge a situation, we determine the degree of good or evil of an action. However, justice is about dispensing a just sentence in a particular situation.

You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. John 8:15-16

In the New Testament, the scripture primarily points to mercy instead of judgment. Jesus, fought the injustices of His day in the opposite spirit of those who came against Him, and He finally went to the cross for it. His mercy overcame the injustice by forgiving the sinners who crucified Him. Jesus in several places spoke about coming to save the world and not to judge the world. 

Injustice is an abomination to the Lord, and there are serious consequences to being unjust according to scripture. God expects His people to be impartial and to act justly, but he does not ask any of us to render justice. He doesn’t call us to kill and punish the evildoers in order to please our God as some religions do.

Lord we pray that you would give us the courage to act justly and to not show partiality towards people. We rebuke the spirit of fear, prejudice, and pride, and we declare that you have given us a Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind to respond in the opposite spirit. Thank you Lord. Amen!

3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
7 Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it,
Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall fall by the sword;
They shall be a portion for jackals.

I had written a different devotional for this week, but after the tragedy of last night, I decided to change my blog for today. In times like this, we need to go before the Lord and ask for His mercy and grace upon the land. Psalm 121 is a good place to start. We need the Lord’s hand of mercy to keep evil in check or no human institution would be capable of protecting all people. Please keep our nation, France, and all those who are hurting or grieving losses in your payers.

Some will disagree with the fact that democracy must be established on Biblical principles in order to survive as a healthy system of government. They would argue that if Christianity is the basis of American democracy, then people are forced to follow Christian morality. They would contend that you cannot legislate morality. That is a true statement. However, man in his nature is a moral being and has to continually decide between good and evil. Many times people are not against a moral decision per se but rather they are against a morality that is based on faith. They deem religious morality as  irrelevant and outdated; they would rather have a morality that is based on people’s personal ideas or preferences than  one’s faith regardless of what that morality stands for. 

Every one of us has a value system that is based on our view of the world, hence, we all have a set of morals. The challenge is that if our morality is based on our humanistic thinking or preferences, it is continually subject to change because we live in an ever changing world with many new and old challenges. If we our morality is not based on Christianity, it will get downgraded to become a situational morality based on the convenience and the desires of the moment. That is a shaky ground for individuals and for all of us as a nation.

Christian morality is based on a set of beliefs that are not always easy to follow even for those who are willing. This morality is based on how God expects His children to behave in a hostile world. Jesus spoke to believers about injustices and persecutions, and He encouraged them to keep loving in the midst of the battle because he has overcome all evil in the world. If we don’t hold on to this morality, when the pressure comes, we will return to our old nature which is self-preservation. It will become an “eye for an eye” situation and will perpetuate hatred in the atmosphere.

Democracy still gives room for individual’s voice to be heard but Christian morality allows a restraining factor to be present where not every vain imagination gains equal value to the tried and true ways that have been tested over the centuries and have kept people and cultures healthy according to God’s word.

While Christianity has given room for everyone to have a voice in this amazing governmental system, unfortunately, it now gets the brunt of resistance from some people. If we forget where have come from, we will despise the very foundation that this nation was built upon. A faulty foundation will work towards its demise as a free and democratic nation for all. Let’s be thankful to God for this beautiful nation which is still one of the best governments to live under but work towards making it better for all. 

One of the basic principles of democracy is the dignity and the value of human beings. This is a very important concept, and it is the reason why people are able to vote and exercise their choice for religious beliefs.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

Man in his natural state does not have a desire to share power or control with others. He/she would rather be in charge and define the terms of engagement. The idea of the dignity of human beings did not originate from man but from God who created each person in His image. It is also God who gives people a free will to choose how they shall live.

The Founding Fathers who were Christian and understood these principles, had the conviction to build a democratic government that honored and valued people. In addition, democracy allows people to have much individual freedom so long as it is not taking others’ freedom and prosperity away from them.

Unfortunately, we have a dark stain from slavery in American history that seems to refute all those ideals that American democracy holds true. It is a sad part of the history of this nation which still impacts this nation. Praise God for people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who were able to utilize democracy and peacefully advocate justice for all. 

We all must pay attention to the past mistakes and learn from them. We need to have the integrity and the courage to examine ourselves and ensure that we live out our ideals in every area of our lives. In order to enjoy the freedoms we have been given, we must hold ourselves as well as others accountable for the welfare of public good.

Democracy founded upon Christian values is still the best system of government possible that can lead to peace and prosperity for people. 

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

It is a great privilege to be the citizen of the U.S. and be part of this amazing nation. 4th of July commemorates the independence of this nation as a separate entity from British Empire. This nation was formed by brave people who had a vision to migrate to this nation and gain the opportunity to worship their God freely apart from systematic and governmental regulation of what they left behind. In addition, the Bill of Rights gave every American Constitutional protection from unnecessary governmental intrusion. This allows every American to be free from within and without.

When we read the historical documents of individuals such as George Washington, our first president, and Alexis de Tocqueville, a French historian, one gains a better understanding of the genius of American government. Christianity was the foundation of this amazing system.

George Washington in his Farewell Address, admonished people to not call themselves patriots if they are not willing to uphold religion and morality as the firm props for their government. Washington cautioned people to avoid thinking that morality can be upheld without religion. At the time, the religion would have been Christianity which was comprised of various sects. He understood that Christianity is the foundation to our Constitutional and democratic system and it cannot survive without it.

Alexis de Tocqueville, came for an assignment to examine the prison systems in the U.S. in 1831. During that time, he began to take notice of the amazing governmental system that the Americans enjoyed. His book Democracy in America is a description of his observations and his analysis of what he found. He was intrigued by the unity in the U.S. under the umbrella of Christianity while people still enjoyed their own sects. All Americans were united because they followed the Bible as the basis for morality. He also found that religion did not impose itself in public square out of tradition. On the contrary, the faith that he detected was  a living and breathing entity that fueled Americans’ souls. He understood that freedom in this nation was possible because people had a restraint on their behavior and were submitted to God rather than man.

While de Tocqueville astutely observed the inseparability of religion and politics in American government in 19th century, in our current culture, we seem to question it greatly. In the last few decades, in the name of “separation of church and state”, Christianity has lost much ground in political arena. When the Founding Fathers penned the First Amendment, they never meant for the church to stay out of the business of government, but for government to stay out of the business of regulating Christianity.

Some will argue why can’t we just legislate good moral laws without talking about religion? The reality is that morality is not a stand alone unit, but it is established on a set of beliefs. Our beliefs and worldview will shape our morality. If I am a Christian, I will derive my morality from what God states in the Bible. However, if I am not a Christian then my morality is either based on other set of beliefs, or it is based on my subjective evaluation of what is in my best interest at the moment. 

What are the basic principles that make this nation great and where did they come from? I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ……So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 46-47

In the last few devotionals, I have been sharing about authentic faith which leads to authentic relationships. Another important element of authentic faith is established on worshipping God and keeping Him at the center of our attention. While this may be a simple concept, it is a very important one. Many get distracted from devotion to Christ by allowing people, ministries, or leadership roles to take the place that only belongs to the Lord. It is difficult not to get distracted with all the actions and activities that try to pretend to be urgent or important, that’s why worship is so important. It is through our time of worship that God rearranges our priorities and shows us what is really important to Him!

As the early church continued steadfastly in teaching, authentic fellowship, and worship, the Lord continued to send people to this church. God entrusted them with more people because they were doing it right. The new people were being saved and were added to the church on daily basis! This is the pattern of the New Testament church. There was no marketing formula or clever advertisement to draw people. Because the people were authentic in their faith and fellowship, it attracted those who were hungry for authenticity. All those who had been laboring in the desert of religious rules and burdensome obligations were drawn to the oasis of life, freedom, and healing.

If we are to draw people to our fellowship, we need authentic faith that is established on the word of God. We also need to develop healthy and authentic fellowships that are free from worldly ranking, and we need to worship the Lord and allow Him to prioritize our activities. Can the Lord entrust your community of believers with new people? While new members is not necessarily a Litmus test for a healthy church, it is a factor that should be considered. 

Let’s pray and ask the Lord to show us on how we can live our lives authentically to impact our church and our community for His glory!

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ……So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 46-47

In my last devotional, I shared about how the early church developed authentic faith by developing authentic relationships based on the above scripture. Another important aspect of authentic relationship, is to have simplicity of heart according to the above scripture. The early believers were individuals who were touched by God in such a profound way, that they had become childlike in faith. They were at awe of this new-found relationship with God which also impacted their earthly relationships. They no longer had to be looked down upon by their religious leaders or feel condemned that they were not good enough. They had found freedom, and they had found gladness to share the joy with each other.

A  critical aspect of authentic fellowship is to let go of ranking in relationships. Sometimes hierarchy is outward because of certain roles in society, but sometimes it is just an attitude because one may feel superior to others because of their education, wealth, experience, or title. While hierarchy has a purpose in every organization, one must be careful not to hide behind it as a source of security or identity. The Pharisees enjoyed both the inward and the outward ranking which made them feel more important than others, but it kept them at a distance from the average person. When Jesus entered the world, He completely reversed this. He came with a lowly spirit willing to serve people.

who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:6-7

Jesus lowered himself and took on our humanity. He chose to identify with humanity to the point that most did not recognize him as someone special. While He was the most anointed person walking on the face of the earth, many saw Him just as a carpenter’s son. He was not concerned about His reputation before man because His relationship with God was intact. He chose to serve humanity rather than rule them. Furthermore, his disciples were continually focused on who was the greatest among them, but Jesus never fed their carnal cravings. He taught them that the way to greatness was through humility and serving others.

Are we simple in the way we relate to others? Can we put our crowns down and make ourselves of no reputation before others? Are we comfortable to relate to others as our brothers and sisters in Christ and serve them? Do we think of ourselves better than others?Are people willing to make themselves vulnerable to you?

These worldly barriers masquerade as a mask of importance but keep us at distance from each other. If we desire authentic relationships, we need to be willing to relate to others as Jesus did. Simplicity of heart and humility open the door for authentic and life giving relationships. 

 photo taken from iosh.co.uk

An important element of an authentic faith is to have authentic relationships. We live in an age that relationships center around common activities and can remain shallow. Generally, once the activity stops, the majority of our interactions with the individuals ceases as well. It is as if we do relationships for the sake of the activity rather than doing the activity for the sake of the relationships. This makes for convenient relationships rather than committed ones.  

What does the Bible say about Godly relationships?

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ……So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42, 46-47

Definition of Fellowship (According to Strong’s Concordance comes from the Greek word Koinoia): association, community, communion, joint participation.

The above scriptures give us insight into Godly and successful fellowships:

First of all,  a Godly fellowship is based on the scripture and what Jesus did on the cross for us. When the church was being formed following the Pentecost,  people gathered around Apostle’s doctrine. This is where our common union begins. It is the foundation and the root from which relationships can develop and blossom.

Those of us who are believers are considered brothers and sisters in the Lord! The blood of Jesus has washed us all, and God has chosen to adopt every one of us into His kingdom. We will be spending eternity with each other. This truth challenges me because I must admit that I just tolerate some people. The thought of spending eternity with them, makes me realize that there must be a better way to handle Godly relationships.

Secondly, the fellowship should include partaking bread together and enjoying each other’s company as the church in Jerusalem did. Interestingly, we have forgotten the art of hospitality and entertaining people at our homes. We have bigger homes and fewer people in them. We tend to meet people at coffee shops, parks, trails, etc. While there is nothing wrong with that, it keeps us to some degree at a comfortable distance from each other. In addition, some people come to church to just be fed but have no desire to get connected to other believers and break bread with them. They are missing a big piece of being a community of believers.  

Thirdly, the people in the early church were in one accord which meant they had one mind and one passion. Nowadays, we have many passions and Christ happens to just be one of them. We also have many opinions which could cause disagreements on certain topics. This causes us to keep our distance from those who don’t see things our way. If the most important thing in our lives is our relationship with Christ and His work on the cross for us, then we should be able to put our differences or preferences aside, so we can remain as one accord. 

How are you doing with your Godly relationships? 

I will continue with the remainder of this scripture and share a principle that sets our relationships apart from the world.