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WATCH: BIBLICAL JUSTICE by The Bible Project
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LISTEN: Justice Podcast Series by The Bible Project
gathering question:
WHAT WAS ONE TAKEAWAY FROM THE BIBLE PROJECT VIDEO ON JUSTICE?
TRUTH
IN SCRIPTURE
Why do humans care so much about justice? The Bible’s answer is that humans are set apart to image God. After the repeated failures in Genesis 3-11, God called a family to become a nation that would walk again in righteousness and justice (Gen. 18:19). Leviticus 19 is about the Lord’s practices for the Lord’s people.
Take 5 minutes to read Leviticus 19 twice; once to yourself and once aloud together.
Take 10 minutes to answer these questions:
1. Read Leviticus 19:1-2 and 36b-37. How do these verses frame out this chapter on holiness? (See 1 Peter 1:15-16 for a NT use of this text.)
2. Do you notice any repeated words/phrases? Consider how many times the phrase: “I am the LORD/Yahweh (your God)” is used. What is the significance of its repetition here? In light of the repetition of Yahweh’s name in this chapter, what do you think it means not to bear God’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7)?
3. According to Jesus, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” is the second greatest commandment (Leviticus 19:18; Matt 22). How does the context surrounding this commandment help inform your understanding of what the commandment means?
In Summary:
The Lord redeemed us to be his people and to bear his name in the world by embodying his holiness in all of life, not just in obviously religious matters (see chart below). Holiness often takes the form of justice in various social spheres. The phrase “I am the LORD (your God)’ occurs no less than sixteen times in this chapter linking our pursuit of holiness and justice to our identification with our Holy God.
EQUIPPING
These equipping questions are meant to help you work the truth out of the text and into your lives. Take 25 minutes to discuss these questions.
1. According to the table above, justice is like a diamond with many facets. Justice is doing the right thing for the right people in the right way at the right time and to the right extent. As you look at the various forms of justice, which are you most familiar or comfortable with? Least familiar or uncomfortable with?
2. Consider the different types of people referred to in Leviticus 19 (the poor and sojourner vv. 9-10, the hired worker v. 13, the deaf and blind v. 14, the poor and the great v. 15, the accused v. 16, a slave woman v. 20, daughters v. 29, the elderly v. 32, the immigrant vv. 33-34). How are we called to reflect God’s special care and love for the disadvantaged? How might you begin to do this in your life?
3. As you reflect on vv. 9-10, what impact would this make on your budget or business practices?
4. Consider v. 15 and what it says about impartiality. What are the implications for the #MeToo movement, race and policing conversation, and cancel culture? What about presumption of innocence (i.e. "innocent until proven guilty") and due process (i.e. procedural justice) in our justice system?
5. According to the logic of vv. 33-34, how ought the fact that Jesus saved us when we were weak (Rom. 5:6), enemies (Rom. 5:10), foreigners (1 Pet 2:11), prostitutes (Ez. 16:35), and enslaved (Gal. 4:8) affect how we relate with others?
In Summary:
Only in the gospel of Jesus Christ has our sin been punished (retributive), our relationship with God and each other been made right (restorative), everything been given to us regardless of partiality (distributive), and God has remained just and the justifier through the whole process (procedural). Only the gospel of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and resurrected meets every demand of justice.
ACCOUNTABILITY
These questions can be helpful for you to examine your life and ministry in light of the truths you explored this week. Take 15 minutes to discuss these questions:
1. How would you describe your relationship with the disadvantaged in the past month?
2. What aspects of biblical justice do you acknowledge are true and right, but your actions don’t support your beliefs?
You may feel convicted by some of these questions. Rather than feeling shame, run to Jesus in repentance and turn to believe the truth of who you are in Him. Rather than simply trying harder, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the desire and power to obey. Rejoice in your status as a forgiven and righteous son or daughter of the King who wants to mature you and equip you as His child and kingdom laborer.
MISSION
The goal of the Mission section is that Truth, Equipping, Accountability, and Supplication are transformed into a missional life, that is, following Jesus moment-by-moment in all of life. Take 5 minutes to plan for this:
Read Micah 6:6-8. What is good and pleasing that the Lord requires of you?
Write Micah 6:8 down somewhere and begin memorizing it.
Pray that it may be increasingly true of you over this eight week study.
Pray that the Spirit would open your eyes to ways you can do justice.
SUPPLICATION
Remember the Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26). Close by spending 10 minutes praying God’s words back to Him from the Psalms.
Pray Psalm 106:3:
“Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!”
Ask the Spirit to work in your hearts through his Word as you work through biblical justice together.
Ask the Spirit to give you the blessing of observing justice.
Ask the Spirit to give you the blessing of becoming a righteous or just person.