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Location: New Mexico

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Justice of God & Future Punishment

Over the years many people discuss the issue of future punishment in the context of God's justice. While divine justice certainly includes the idea of correction and punishment, there is more to it than wrath. In fact, it's not how YHWH introduced himself to Moses, at that juncture he points out the reasons for his justice. It's practical. In contrast I would suggest that the idea of and unending burning justice is not practical, it doesn't correct, it doesn't do anything useful. His display of power over unrighteousness is to end that behavior, after that there's no purpose in infinitely prolonging his wrath in a static scene of horror.

Ezodus 33 says
18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."
19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."

In Exodus 3:14-16 YHWH explains the reason for his intervention on behalf of Moses' people is their misery. That's a word that's never used for the afterlife because misery is not what happens to bad people after death.

Ezodus 34 tells us the reason for his justice, it's to be fair to all of the people. Sure, he does punish when needed. But first he's slow to anger. That doesn't fit with the usual idea that ignorant and unenlightened non Christians will be going into a fiery inferno. when God punishes, it has a purpose, when it's completed it's over. No trace of the idea that his wrath abides eternally because it's against his infinite nature.

6"Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, (G)compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;
7who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

Lastly Deuteronomy 24 has
17"You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or [a]an orphan, nor (B)take a widow's garment in pledge"

Justice is concerned with the fortunes of people, God takes care of the weak, that's real justice.

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