I hear a lot about justice these days. As a Christian, should I be concerned about justice issues?

As Christians we should be concerned about justice because God is concerned about justice. Justice is one of the perfections of God, and He is a lover of justice (Isa. 61:8). Furthermore, He is the source of all biblical manifestations of justice (Isa. 30:18). According to Micah 6:8, the Lord requires that His followers act with justice. This justice is not determined by our culture or social activism, but rooted in the gospel and the righteousness of God demonstrated at the cross of Christ.

Justice, according to the Bible, is a comprehensive term. It is rightness rooted in God’s character and in His Word that expresses itself practically in righteous and fair dealing with other people. Our practice of biblical justice is our response to the saving work of the Lord in our lives, a response that expresses itself in fairness in all our social relationships, fair dealings in all our institutions, and rightness and fairness in the development of human structures in order to promote human flourishing in the name of Jesus. Justice signifies God’s intended order for the whole of life. It includes legal justice, but its meaning is broader, embracing all of life. Biblical justice is needed in our world today because the same injustice that plagued ancient Israel plagues us. Widespread personal and social injustice fills the land (Mic. 2:1– 2; 3:9–12), leaders are corrupt (3:1–4), the prophets mislead God’s people (3:5–6), and the breakdown of trust among family members and neighbors is rampant (7:2–6). God’s people are to be a redemptive channel through which the refreshing and powerful gospel rivers of justice flow to our world.