The Holiness of God - chapter 6: "Holy Justice"

The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul

“Holy Justice” ­– Chapter Six

Strange Fire

• Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, offered unauthorized incense on the altar, in rebellion to God’s instructions.
• In defense of his own holiness and justice, God struck down Nadab and Abihu for their sin.

Uzzah and the Ark

• While the Ark of the Covenant was being transported and it was about to fall, Uzzah stretched out his hand to steady it.
• God killed Uzzah for touching the Holy Ark in with unholy hands.
• He was guilty and was punished.

Holy Justice and Mercy

• It is impossible for God to be unjust, because his justice is holy.
• Punishing sin with death is an example of God’s holy justice.
• We can never comprehend God’s mercy until we understand his justice.

Righteous Justice

• God’s justice is always in conformity with his righteous character and actions.
• God condemns the guilty and acquits the innocent. God’s justice is perfect justice.
• He may show mercy, but he is never unjust.

Sin & the Death Penalty

• The OT laws for the death penalty are actually gracious compared to what we deserve.
• We all deserve death, because every sin is cosmic treason against a holy God.
• Every sin insults God’s holiness.

Divine Patience

• When we question the justice of God, we are asking the wrong question. The real question is why God patiently allows sinners to continue to live.
• God’s patience is designed to lead us to repentance.

What about Canaan?

• What about the conquest of Canaan? Was God just in telling the Israelites to completely wipe them out?
• God’s justice is perfect. He was not ordering the murder of innocents, but the condemnation of the guilty.

Deuteronomy 9:4
After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you.

Deuteronomy 9:5
It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Deuteronomy 9:6
Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

The OT vs. the NT?

• Is the God of the NT the same God of the OT?
• God’s justice hasn’t changed.
• The most violent display of God’s justice is in the NT, not the OT – the cross of Christ.
• God is able to show mercy to sinners because of the justice satisfied at the cross.