What then shall we do? (The Bible’s Answer for Justice, Part 6)
By Ben Quine
**This article is part of a series helping us navigate this issue of justice in our world from a Biblical perspective. To read all of Ben’s articles on this subject - click on his name above by the date published and it will sort all of his articles in one place.
When they heard the message of John the Baptist, the people asked him a brilliant question: “What then shall we do?” They understood that they needed to apply God’s truth to their lives, and respond with action (Luke 3:7-17).
This is also the question we need to ask as we consider God’s instructions on government and justice. God gave government the responsibility to enact justice by punishing those who do wrong and commending those who do right. We’ve seen that justice requires every person be treated equally under the law, and that when someone wrongs another they, the debtor themselves, should make appropriate restitution for the property, injury, or loss, and this payment then brings an end to the matter.
So let’s ask, “what then shall we do to apply equal justice and equal restitution in our government and law?”
1. Economic Justice
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:31)
Economic Justice operates by the same standard as Legal Justice: each person is treated exactly as they deserve. Practically speaking, “give her the fruit of her hands” or “give her the reward she has earned” (NIV 1984) means that equal opportunity in a free market (Capitalism) with no penalty for success, is just. Justice does not guarantee or even seek for equal outcomes (Luke 19:11-27), but gives exactly what one has earned, neither more nor less.
Government is to protect individuals against theft by other individuals, society, and the government itself. If a government is protecting private property, it will not permit redistribution of wealth, Socialism, Communism, or unequal tax rates, because those are all examples of economic injustice (someone taking the work of another — i.e. theft) (See Answers for Difficult Days: Economics).
The Proverbs 31 Wife of Noble Character started businesses, invested, earned profit, and voluntarily gave generously to those around her, and she was praised by Scripture: she represents what is right. Government should protect these actions and commend those who follow her example.
This is not a license to sin, to oppress workers, or to cheat in business, but it is a call for everyone to lead virtuous and economically-productive lives (James 5:4-6). Government should protect this work by requiring restitution for all theft, maintaining low and equal tax rates, ensuring freedom, and protecting against Socialism and Communism. This is the Biblical model of Economic Justice.
2. Sanctity of Life
For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. (Luke 1:44)
You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:32)
God expects government to give equal protection to all members of society, not forsaking the poor and the weak, the unborn and the aged. He cares about everyone, since each person is “fearfully and wonderfully made,” an “intricately woven” masterpiece (Psalm 139:13-16). That’s why even before He established government, God instituted the death penalty for anyone guilty of taking human life (Genesis 9:6). Justice calls for equal restitution from anyone who murders another.
3. Self Defense
If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. (Exodus 22:2-4)
Exodus’ instruction presupposes that during the day criminals would be taken to the judges to make restitution. But if a thief broke into a home at night, violating a family at the most vulnerable time, the homeowner would not be guilty if the thief was killed.
Abram did not hesitate to muster the 318 trained and armed men in his own household to rescue his nephew, Lot (Genesis 14:11-20). He set out immediately to defeat the armies of four kings, and he was then blessed by one of the great figures of the Bible, King Melchizedek (Hebrews 7).
Every person has value because they are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), so the government is to punish those who abuse others and commend those who practice the Biblical right of self-defense.
4. Immigration & Walls
When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:33-34)
God loves all people, and He clearly instructed Israel to love sojourners, to bless them, to welcome them, and to care for them. He reiterated justice’s call for equal legal treatment for all.
For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord. One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you. (Numbers 15:15-16)
But this equality also came with responsibility. God required those who wanted to live in Israel to follow His law, adopt true religion, and embrace their new nation’s values. This was a loving policy for several reasons: it allowed outsiders to experience the blessings of God on Israel; it allowed Israel to share God’s wisdom with their neighbors; and practically, it is the only way to hold a society together.
For Israel, foreigners were to be welcomed, on one important condition: that they willingly submit to the law of God. If they failed to obey the law, they were to be punished or removed from society in exactly the same manner as any Israelite who broke the law. Justice requires equality under the law and the same punishments for everyone.
And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 1:3-4)
Nehemiah was distraught over the condition of the wall around Jerusalem because a destroyed wall meant the people were exposed to danger. Because he loved the people of Jerusalem, Nehemiah took decisive action to protect them by rebuilding the wall.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband… It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates… Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Revelation 21:1-2, 12, 22:14-15)
God values borders for identification of property (a country cannot exist without borders) and the protection of its citizens. In fact, the New Jerusalem will have the greatest wall in history – perfectly keeping out all evil and sin, and protecting those inside. We don’t need to live in fear, but the world we live in is truly evil. It is full of robbers, thieves, and others who might try to do harm.
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:1-2)
Jesus agrees with the rest of Scripture on the absolute necessity of walls and shepherds to protect the sheep from those intent on doing evil. This is the mandate for government.
5. War
But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night… So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows…
From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. (Nehemiah 4:7-9, 13, 16-21)
God created government to protect the individual, and it is the government’s responsibility to prepare against the threat of violence to its people. Tragically, because of sin, war has been a universal theme in human history. Given an opportunity, the wicked will raid, pillage, plunder, rape, and conquer, with an unquenchable thirst for more. All such aggression is evil.
God has established the principle of self-defense, both for individuals and for nations, and He has given government the sword to protect its people (Romans 13:4).
When a government rises in protective self-defense against an aggressive attack, it is a just war, but a government that chooses not to protect its people from evil aggression is abdicating its duty and its God-given role.
6. Due Process
Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. While I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia— they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, should they have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council. (Acts 24:17-21)
The Law of Moses and the trials of both Jesus and Paul establish several crucial rights for the accused, including: the right to a fair trial, the right to present a defense, the right to not self-incriminate, the right to not face hearsay evidence, the right to face one’s accusers, and the right to remain silent (Matthew 27:14, John 7:50-51, Acts 24:17-21). God wants fair trials because He does not want innocent people to be punished for crimes they have not committed.
7. The Purpose of Punishment
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:5-11, quoting Proverbs 3:11-12)
Biblically, punishment and restitution are to be the direct source of rehabilitation. A system that requires consistent punishment by way of equal restitution is loving and caring because it is modeled on God’s discipline of His children, because it follows His commission to government, and because it functions both as a deterrent and as a rehabilitation. Therefore, upholding the law is loving to both the criminals and to the victims. Unequal penalties for crime (injustice) lead to a never-ending and ever-escalating cycle of hurt, anger, violence, and death.
So, how do we apply equal justice and equal restitution to government and law? These seven points are a vital starting place. John the Baptist instructed the people to show charity, to be honest and just, to not abuse power, and to be content (Luke 3:11-14), and much like his instructions, if we apply God’s principles of justice (equality and equal restitution) to every area of law, we will have a healthy society.
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ABOUT BEN
Connect with him at Cornerstone Curriculum
Ben Quine, the second son of David and Shirley Quine, was blessed to grow up with a Charlotte Mason/Dr. Schaeffer/Biblical Worldview education -- a tremendous gift! Through the years, Ben has served as a Cornerstone consultant, assistant, and co-author. He has written several Bible studies for the Answers for Difficult Days series, which equips churches to address the issues our culture is wrestling with today, from the foundation of Scripture. Ben is also the editor of The Worldview Library, editions of classical literature with student helps that afford the reader a deeper understanding of the concepts presented in each work.
Trained as a classical pianist and instructor, Ben is committed to inspiring his students with the love of great music and equipping them with the tools to perform at the highest level. This training has resulted in his students' successful performances from local festivals and competitions to Carnegie Hall.
Ben loves Shakespeare, Dickens, photography, listening to recordings of "the great pianists", running, biking, and spending time with his wife Julie and their three sons.