Every human being desires “justice. The term can refer to several things: the moral standards of “justice,” the laws that reflect those standards, the rewards and punishments they require, or the formal legal system and judicial activities that ensure the exercise of those standards. The ongoing challenge for any society is to agree on the moral framework for its concept of justice. In the United States, this seems to be increasingly reduced to a vague sense of fairness and tolerance, while an earlier set of shared convictions based on Judeo-Christian values continues to lose ground and to be challenged. In this situation, it is important for Christians to have a clear sense of the biblical understanding of justice: its foundation, the expectations of justice for God’s people and the world, and the hope for its full manifestation.

Discussion of justice in the Bible must begin with the recognition that it is ultimately rooted in the very character of God. Justice is not simply a philosophical ideal or some sort of benchmark established by popular consensus; it is part of God’s nature and is thus woven into creation itself and into his sovereign rule in history (Deut 32:4; Ps 33:4-5; 97:1-6; 99:4; Isa 5:16; Jer 9:24).

Consequently, to violate justice is to defy the person of God and contradict the moral fabric of the universe.

The Bible does not describe God’s justice as coldly impartial or distant. It is inseparable from his love and compassion and is an expression of his covenantal commitment to his people and to all humanity as their Creator (Exod. 34:6-7; Jn. 4:2). Nor is divine justice neutral. It is especially concerned with those who are vulnerable to neglect or mistreatment: the poor, widows and orphans, and strangers (Deut. 10:17-18; Ps. 146:5-9; Prov. 14:31).

But the Bible is also very realistic about human failings. Human beings exploit each other and all countries suffer corruption and injustice in many areas. That is why the Old Testament predicts a different world in the future.

On the one hand, the prophets foretold the coming of a king, the Messiah, who would rule with justice (Isa. 9:7; 11:1-5; 42:1-4). On the other hand, God would one day judge the nations of the world with his justice and punish the wicked (Ps. 96:10-13; 98:8-9). In other words, the justice he expects is not limited only to his own people.

With Jesus the Messiah has come. He shows the same concern for the weak and the marginalized: women and children, the sick, sinners of all kinds, and Samaritans. Jesus will describe his kingdom in the Old Testament language of that hope for a just and merciful world (Mt. 11:1-6; Lk. 4:16-20), and the early Church caught this vision of mutual help (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35).

Too often, Christians believe that the righteousness of which the New Testament speaks has to do only with the spiritual standing before God rooted in the confession of faith in the sacrificial death of Jesus. Although this belief is a fundamental tenet of Christianity, as in the Old Testament, right relationship with God is inseparable from right treatment of others. That is, rightness before God requires-and is meaningless without-justice and mercy toward others, especially the vulnerable. This is the fruit of righteousness given to believers (Phil. 1:9-11; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Js. 1-3; 1 Pet. 2:24). Christians continue to long for the day of Christ’s return and the establishment of the ultimate righteousness spoken of in the Old Testament, which Jesus’ first coming has only given us a glimpse of (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 19:11).

The limited number of passages cited is indicative of many more. Vulnerable to neglect or mistreatment: the poor, the widow and orphan, and the stranger (Deut. 10:17-18; Ps. 146:5-9; Prov. 14:31).