A Just God! What does that mean?

/ 24/03/2011

This is just a quick post because I wanted to explore how an inclusive/universalist gospel applies to a “Just” God. Do you see any problems with a God who would be willing to have everyone enter Heaven without the blood of His Son Jesus? What kind of God would do that? Is that really a “Just” God?

The reason I ask is that the last few posts have been about Rob Bell and his all inclusive and his apparent universalist postmortem gospel. To counteract that, I have also posted a sermon that was delivered hundreds of years ago by Johnathan Edwards which was called “Sinners in the hands of an angry God”. This sermon is diametrically opposed to what the Rob Bell’s of the world preach.

Anyway, I have left a few comments in the last post about how I understand this whole “Just” God idea.

Some questions to ponder are:

What is Justness?
What is Mercy?
How does Christ and His work on the cross fit into that?

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10 thoughts on “A Just God! What does that mean?”

  1. Dear Vee,
    Your blog intrigues me . I am a Catholic Christian and I believe in Purgatory. Somewhere in the Bible (I think) it says if you have not heard the word of God you will be judged by your good works. I think Paul said it.
    Anyway, God HAS to be a just God because justice is as He defines it. What do you think?

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    • I don’t believe in Purgatory because it is not explicitly found in the bible. Purgatory is a teaching that I consider traditions of man, added to the Word of God. It has many implications one of which you have indirectly stated.

      1. It is not explicitly found in the Bible.
      2. It implies that the righteousness of Christ does not cleanse from all sin.
      3. It implies that justification is not by faith alone. (therefore works can save you)
      4. It implies that there is something we must do in order to be cleansed of sin. (works again)

      But you are right in that God has to be a ‘just’ God because He has defined Himself as that. But my question is… would a ‘just’ God has He defines Himself in His Word ‘just’ if He sends everyone to Heaven without the cleansing blood of Christ and HIS work on the cross?

      I have thought about those who have not heard about Jesus and how they could be saved and have come up with a few thoughts on this. Firstly if God is ‘just’ and if He knows each soul that is to be saved through His son, then wouldn’t He be able to send these souls the gospel message about Jesus so that they can hear it. If He is the same God who created everything in six days (yes, I am a young earth creationist, and I know that the Pope has pretty much stated that the earth was not made in six days as the bible clearly states. Evolution is another tradition of man that has been added to the Word of God) then couldn’t that same all-powerful God have the ability to reach His own and enlighten them about what His Son was sent here to do?

      Act 17:26-27 And He made every nation of men of one blood, to live on all the face of the earth, ordaining fore-appointed seasons and boundaries of their dwelling, to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him and might find Him, though indeed He not being far from each one of us.
      I believe wholeheartedly that the above scripture is talking of the Providence of God. Meaning this, that with a truthful and seeking heart, God will provide the answer to that honest question. That question being — How do I know Him? — Who is He? — And who is this UNKNOWN GOD?

      He will not in all His providence allow a Buddhist, Islamist or even a person from the remotest part of the world, anyone for that matter, who is genuinely seeking the absolute truth, humbly as a sinner whose works are recognized by the seeker as filthy rags and in the full knowledge of his sinful and fallen nature to continue without the truth being revealed in some way by some miraculous act of God. Whether it is through bringing someone into that person’s life that knows Jesus already and is willing to share the Gospel, or by some other way that God sees fit. Who is to say that God cannot do this if He be the Almighty God who says He is Merciful. Who can be dogmatic about what God can and cannot do when there is a sinner who has recognized himself as that.

      I believe that not one in heaven would not have heard of the Greatest Name above all Names.

      I believe in Gods providence in the desperate situations of those who truly seek for Him. His name is exalted above all others. When people ask me – “What about those who are good people and who have since the cross died never hearing the name of Jesus?” Well, I am inclined to think that there may be no such a thing… why would you limit God and His intervention and His providence in that person’s life when God truly knows their heart and their search for Him or even their lack of it.

      Maybe the question should be rephrased; maybe it should not be “What about those people who have died since the resurrection and have never heard of Jesus? But rather, why haven’t those people heard of the Name above all Names! Perhaps they are not truly in their heart of heart seekers of God.

      Here is a site that explores it even further:

      http://www.gotquestions.org/never-heard.html

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      • Further, we must remember that the question of those who have died without hearing about the Works of the Cross is beyond our fallible minds. We don’t have the mind of God or have His wisdom. Man’s wisdom is considered foolishness compared to God’s wisdom.

        Isa 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

        But I do know that a merciful God who hears the crying pangs of a repentant sinner will bestow upon that sinner His Grace.

        Below explains a little bit of God’s Will in showing His wrath because of obstinate ( those who become willfully blind) unbelief.

        What if God, being willing – Referring to Rom 9:18-19. That is, although it was now his will, because of their obstinate unbelief, to show his wrath – Which necessarily presupposes sin. And to make his power known – This is repeated from Rom 9:17. Yet endured – As he did Pharaoh. With much longsuffering – Which should have led them to repentance. The vessels of wrath – Those who had moved his wrath by still rejecting his mercy. Fitted for destruction – By their own willful and final impenitence. Is there any injustice in this? (Barnes)

        No, that is not injustice at all.

        Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

        The Greek ‘Willing’ Willing (θέλων) Although willing, not because. Referring not to the determinate purpose of God, but to His spontaneous will growing out of His holy character. In the former sense, the meaning would be that God’s long-suffering was designed to enhance the final penalty. The emphatic position of willing prepares the way for the contrast with long-suffering. Though this holy will would lead Him to show His wrath, yet He withheld His wrath and endured. (Vincent’s Word Studies)

        So the justice of God is not how we understand Justice because we don’t know the heart of man as well as God does.

        This has got a bit off topic but I wanted to respond anyway.

        Vee

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  2. If anyone out there is interested in what the response has been to Rob Bells “Love Wins” book see here:

    http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=34843

    There are some important points in this article. One thing I would question is this… if God is going to save everyone because He is love, then why didn’t He save His son from the torturous cross? Are you beginning to see the implications?

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  4. Oh and if Rob Bell is promoting that only good people go to heaven, like Gandhi etc, then his is a works salvation. Also, who is to define good anyway?

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  5. Hi Vee
    Just read Mohler’s reply to Bell & Mclaren, which was very informative. Yes Bell & Mclaren are just pushing the liberal wheelbarrow of yesterday.

    Good post

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