Blogging Through Romans: Romans 3: 1-8

Romans 3: 1-8

I once had an argument with a clergy colleague over a social justice issue and how Christians are to faithfully respond to injustice.

I saw God’s justice through the lens of Luke, Isaiah, and Micah, where justice means liberating oppressed peoples, protecting the most vulnerable among, lifting the poor from poverty and challenging social and economic structures that privilege some people over others.

He saw God’s justice as God’s wrath against sin. “If we invoke God’s justice,” he said, “we invoke God’s wrath.”

So who’s right? Was *I* right to say that God’s justice was about proclaiming good news to the poor and setting the captives free?

Or was HE right by saying that God’s justice is punishment against sin?

I think we’re both right. Because God’s justice is about bringing about a new person, forgiven of sin, and brought into a right relationship with God, through Jesus.

AND God’s justice is about transforming the world, where our sinful choices hurt other people.

Paul was reacting to those who don’t think that God cares about sin. As if sin was something relegated to the past or a vehicle for God’s grace to shine. Paul was saying that sin still hurts us and the world. Sin is still a living reality in our lives.