6. It’s
not fair.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth”. When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls”.
When news came that the gunman had shot himself dead, I instantly felt relieved. Seconds later came the wave of anger you may have experienced too: he had denied his victims justice.
I’d
imagine there are some people who – quite understandably – would have wanted to
deal out ‘justice’ to him themselves.
But what punishment would be enough to fit the crime? And even if some
punishment could, it wouldn’t give the families back their loved ones.
These aren’t the only justice issues. Why were some people attacked while
others were just eyeballed by the killer? And those killed were normal people,
good people.
Some live into a long and healthy retirement. Others are killed on the school bus. There seems to be injustice from whichever angle we look at it.
The Bible agrees – at least as far as this world in concerned. If this world is all we have to go on, there is no ultimately satisfying justice
Jesus faced the most extreme injustice ever perpetrated. The one perfectly innocent person who has ever lived, he was subjected to an illegitimate trial, was condemned on unjust charges, was declared innocent but still flogged and crucified.
When his disciple, Peter, tried to execute his own vengeance, Jesus stopped him. “Don’t you realise that I could call down the armies of heaven with a click of my fingers, Peter?”
Where was justice?
Justice rests with God. He says repeatedly, “It is mine to avenge; it is mine to repay”. Jesus referred every insult and blow to God’s court.
One reason we struggle to do that – and it was no less a struggle for Jesus – is that God’s court has not been convened yet. Be in no doubt that evidence is being amassed in the present world; but the verdicts will only be pronounced on the day of judgement at the climax of history.
It’s true that the world doesn’t seem fair. When you look at the randomness of human suffering, God doesn’t seem to be fair. But when we are convinced justice is coming, we can live more easily with the wait.