El siguiente atributo es la justicia de Dios. Todos los atributos de Dios están en unidad, y son lo mismo que su esencia. Aunque tiene varios atributos por los que se nos da a conocer, su esencia es una sola. Un cedro puede tener varias ramas, pero es un solo cedro. Así hay varios atributos de Dios por los que lo concebimos, pero sólo una esencia completa. Bien, entonces, respecto a la justicia de Dios. “Justo y recto es él”. “Su justicia y gran rectitud”. Se dice que Dios habita en la justicia.
14 La justicia y el derecho son el fundamento de Tu trono;
La misericordia y la verdad van delante de Ti.
En Dios, el poder y la justicia se encuentran. El poder sostiene el cetro, y la justicia mantiene el equilibrio.
I. ¿Qué es la justicia de Dios?
“Justicia es dar a cada uno lo suyo”. La justicia de Dios es la rectitud de su naturaleza, por la cual es llevado a hacer lo que es justo y equitativo. “¿No ha de dar a cada uno según sus obras?“. Dios es un juez imparcial. Él juzga la causa. Los hombres a menudo juzgan a la persona, pero no la causa; lo cual no es justicia, sino malicia. «Bajaré y veré si han obrado conforme al clamor que ha llegado hasta mí». Cuando el Señor se ocupa de un acto punitivo, lo sopesa todo; no castiga precipitadamente. Respecto a la justicia de Dios, expondré estas seis posturas:
[1] Dios no puede sino ser justo. Su santidad es la causa de su justicia. La santidad no le permite hacer nada que no sea justo. No puede ser injusto, como tampoco puede ser impío.
[2] La voluntad de Dios es la regla suprema de la justicia; es el modelo de la equidad. Su voluntad es sabia y buena. Dios solo quiere lo justo; y, por lo tanto, es justo, porque él lo quiere.
[3] Dios hace justicia por naturaleza. La justicia fluye de su naturaleza. Los hombres pueden actuar injustamente, porque son sobornados u obligados. Pero Dios no se deja sobornar, debido a su justicia; no puede ser obligado, debido a su poder. Él hace justicia por amor a la justicia. «Amas la justicia».
[4] La justicia es la perfección de la naturaleza divina. Aristóteles dice: «La justicia abarca en sí todas las virtudes». Decir que Dios es justo es decir que él es todo lo excelente; todas las perfecciones se unen en él, como líneas en un centro. Él no solo es justo, sino la justicia misma.
[5] Dios nunca hizo ni puede hacer el más mínimo mal a sus criaturas. La justicia de Dios ha sido agraviada, pero su justicia nunca cometió ningún mal. Dios puede no actuar según el rigor de la ley; disminuye algo de su severidad. Podría infligir castigos más severos de los que aplica. «Nos has castigado menos de lo que merecen nuestras iniquidades». Nuestras misericordias son más de lo que merecemos, y nuestros castigos menos.
[6] La justicia de Dios es tal que no es digno de que ningún hombre ni ángel le discuta ni le exija razones por sus acciones. Dios no solo tiene autoridad de su lado, sino también equidad. «Haré del juicio la medida, y de la justicia la plomada». Isaías 28:17. Es inferior a él darnos cuenta de sus actos. ¿Cuál de las dos debe prevalecer: la justicia de Dios o la razón humana? «¿Quién eres tú, oh hombre, para que alterques con Dios? ¿Dirá lo que está hecho al que lo formó: «¿Por qué me hiciste así?» Romanos 9:20. La plomada de nuestra razón es demasiado corta para comprender la profundidad de la justicia de Dios. Romanos 11:33. «¡Oh, profundidad de las riquezas de la sabiduría y del conocimiento de Dios! ¡Cuán insondables son sus juicios e inescrutables sus caminos!». Debemos adorar la justicia de Dios, incluso cuando no podemos ver su razón.
II. La justicia de Dios se manifiesta en dos aspectos: la distribución de recompensas y castigos.
[1] Al recompensar a los virtuosos. «En verdad, hay recompensa para los justos». Los santos no le servirán en vano; aunque sean perdedores para él, no lo serán para él. «Dios no es injusto para olvidar vuestra obra y el amor que habéis mostrado a su nombre». Él da una recompensa, no porque la merezcamos, sino porque la ha prometido.
[2] Él es justo al castigar a los transgresores. Él es justo. (1) Porque castiga a los pecadores con una ley. «Donde no hay ley, no hay transgresión». Pero Dios les ha dado a los hombres una ley, y la quebrantan; por lo tanto, los castiga con justicia. (2) Dios es justo al castigar a los malvados, porque nunca los castiga sin pruebas fehacientes. ¡Qué mayor prueba que la propia conciencia del hombre como testigo en su contra! No hay nada que Dios le impute a un pecador que la conciencia no confirme.
Usemos un ejemplo: He aquí otra flor de la corona de Dios: él es justo y recto. Él es el modelo y la figura de la justicia.
¿Cómo puede ser compatible con la justicia de Dios que los malvados prosperen en el mundo? «¿Por qué prospera el camino de los malvados? ¿Por qué viven los traidores con tanta tranquilidad?» (Jeremías 12:1). Quienes más pecan suelen ser los más prósperos. Esto ha llevado a muchos a cuestionar la justicia de Dios. Diógenes, al ver a un ladrón vivir con tanta opulencia, dijo: «Ciertamente Dios se ha deshecho del gobierno de este mundo y no le importa lo que suceda aquí abajo».
(1.) Los malvados a veces pueden ser instrumentos para la obra de Dios. Aunque no participen en su gloria, pueden contribuir a ella. Ciro fue fundamental en la construcción del templo de Dios en Jerusalén. Hay cierta justicia en que reciban una recompensa terrenal. Dios permite que prosperen aquellos bajo cuya protección se resguarda su pueblo. Dios no tiene deudas con nadie. “¿Quién ha encendido fuego en mi altar en vano?”
(2.) God lets men go on in sin, and prosper, that he may leave them more inexcusable. “I gave her space to repent of her fornication.” God adjourns the sessions, spins out his mercies towards sinners; and if they repent not, his patience will be a witness against them, and his justice will be more cleared in their condemnation. “That you might be justified when you speak, and be clear when you judge.”
(3.) God does not always let the wicked prosper in their sin. Some he punishes openly, that his justice may be taken notice of. “The Lord is known by the judgment which he executes;” that is, his justice is seen by striking men dead in the very act of sin. Thus he struck Zimri and Cozbi in the act of uncleanness.
(4.) If God lets men prosper a while in their sin, his vial of wrath is all this while filling; his sword is all this time sharpening. Though God may forbear with men a while—yet long forbearance is no forgiveness. The longer God is in taking his blow, the heavier it will be at last! As long as there is eternity, God has time enough to reckon with his enemies!
God’s justice may be as a sleeping lion—but the lion will awake at last, and roar upon the sinner! Do not Nero, and Julian, and Cain, now meet with God’s justice?
But God’s own people often suffer great afflictions; they are injured and persecuted. “This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. For I am afflicted all day long, and punished every morning.” Psalm 73:12-14. How can this be consistent with God’s justice?
(I,) That is a true rule of Austin, “God’s ways of judgment are sometimes secret—but never unjust!” The Lord never afflicts his people without a cause; he cannot be unjust towards them. There is some good in the godly, therefore the wicked afflict them; there is some evil in them, therefore God afflicts them. God’s own children have their blemishes. “But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God?” 2 Chronicles 28:10. These spiritual diamonds—have they no flaws? Do we not read of the spots of God’s children? Are not they guilty of much pride, censoriousness, passion, worldliness? Though, by their profession, they should resemble the birds of paradise, to fly above, and feed upon the dew of heaven; yet, as the serpent, they lick the dust. These sins of God’s people, do more provoke God than the sins of others. “The Lord saw this and was filled with loathing. He was provoked to anger by his own sons and daughters.” Deut 32:19. The sins of others pierce Christ’s side; the sins of His people wound his heart. Therefore is not God just in all the afflictions which befall them? “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.” Amos 3:2. I will punish you sooner, surer, sorer, than others.
(2.) The trials and sufferings of the godly, are to refine and purify them. God’s furnace is in Zion. Is it any injustice in God to put his gold into the furnace to purify it? Is it any injustice in God, by afflicting his people, to make them partakers of his holiness? What more proclaims God’s faithfulness, than to take such a course with them as may make them better? “In faithfulness you have afflicted me.”
(3.) What injustice is it in God to inflict a less punishment; in order to prevent a greater punishment? The best of God’s children have that in them which is meritorious of hell. Does God do them any wrong, if he uses only the rod, where they have deserved thescorpion? Is the father unjust, if he only corrects his child, who has deserved to be disinherited? If God deals so favorably with his children, he only puts wormwood in their cup, whereas he might put fire and brimstone! They should rather admire his mercy than complain of his injustice.
How can it stand with God’s justice, that all men being equally guilty by nature, he does pass by one and save another? Why does he not deal with all alike?
“Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.” “Does the Almighty pervert justice?”
(1.) Dios no está obligado a rendir cuentas de sus actos a sus criaturas. Si nadie puede cuestionar a un rey, mucho menos a Dios. Basta con que Dios sea Señor supremo; tiene poder soberano sobre sus criaturas y, por lo tanto, no puede cometer injusticia. «¿Acaso no tiene el alfarero potestad sobre el barro para hacer de la misma masa un vaso para honra y otro para deshonra?». Dios tiene libertad para salvar a uno y no a otro; y su justicia es intachable. Si dos hombres te deben dinero, puedes, sin injusticia alguna, perdonar la deuda a uno y exigírsela al otro. Si dos malhechores son condenados a muerte, el rey puede perdonar a uno y no al otro: no es injusto si deja que uno sufra, porque ha infringido la ley; ni si salva al otro, porque hará uso de su prerrogativa como rey.Elección
(2.) Though some are saved and others perish—yet there is no unrighteousness in God; because, whoever perishes, his destruction is of himself. “O Israel, you have destroyed yourself.” God offers grace— and the sinner refuses it. Is God bound to give grace? If a surgeon comes to heal a man’s wound, and he will not be healed—is the surgeon bound to heal him? “I have called—and you refused.” “Israel would not submit to me.” Psalm 81:11. God is not bound to force his mercies upon men. If they willfully oppose the offer of grace, their sin is to be regarded as the cause of their perishing, and not God’s justice.
Use two: See the difference between God and a great part of the world.
(1.) They are unjust in their courts of law—they pervert justice. “They decree unrighteous decrees.” The Hebrew word for a judge’srobe signifies prevarication, deceit, or injustice, which is more often true of the judge than of the robe. What is a good law without a good judge? Injustice lies in two things—either not to punish where there is a fault, or, to punish where there is no fault.
(2.) Men are unjust in their dealings. This is, [1] In using false weights. “The balances of deceit are in his hand.” It is sad to have the Bible in one hand, and false weights in the other. Or, [2] In adulterating commodities. “Your wine is mixed with water,” or when bad grain is mixed with good, and sold for pure grain. I can never believe he is good in the first table of the law—who is not good in the second. He cannot be godly, who is not just. Though God does not bid you be as omnipotent as he is—yet he bids you be as just as he is.
Use three: Imitate God in justice. Let Christ’s golden maxim be observed, “in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.” Matt 7:12. You would not have them wrong you—neither must you wrong them; rather suffer wrong—than dowrong. “Why do you not rather be wronged?” Oh be exemplary for justice! Let justice be your ornament. “I put on righteousness (namely, justice) as a robe and a diadem.” A robe for its graceful beauty; and I put it on, [and I was clothed in righteousness]. A judge puts on his robe, and takes it off again at night; but Job did so put on justice, as he did not take it off until death. We must not lay off this robe of justice until we lay down our bodies in the grave. If you have anything of God in you, you will be like him. By every unjust action, you deny yourselves to be Christians, you stain the glory of your profession. Heathen will rise up in judgement against you. The sun might sooner alter his course, than God could be turned from doing justice.
Use four: If God is just, there will be a day of judgement. Now things are out of course; sin is rampant, saints are wronged, they are often defeated in a righteous cause, they can meet with no justice here, justice is turned into wormwood. But there is a day coming, when God will set things right; he will do every man justice; he will crown the righteous, and condemn the wicked. “He has appointed a day in which he will judge the world” If God is a just God, he will take vengeance. God has given men a law to live by, and they break it. There must be a day for the execution of offenders. A law not executed is but like a wooden dagger—for a show. At the last day, God’s sword shall be drawn out against offenders; then his justice shall be revealed before all the world. “God will judge the world in righteousness.” “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The wicked shall drink a sea of wrath—but not sip one drop of injustice! At that day shall all mouths be stopped, and God’s justice shall be fully vindicated from all the cavils and clamors of unjust men.
Use five: Comfort to the true penitent. As God is a just God, he will pardon him. If man acknowledges his sin—God spares him. “If we confess our sins (that is confess and forsake), he is just to forgive us our sins.” God is not only merciful, but just. Why just? Because he has promised to forgive such. “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. If your heart has been broken for and fromsin—you may not only plead God’s mercy—but his justice for the pardoning of your sin. Show him his promise, and he cannot deny himself.