God's justice is marked and measured by sacrificial love, not power as the world defines it.
The post-modern definition of justice is power. Whoever has power acts justly. But is that fair? Is it truly just to say that the strongest amongst us act the most justly? Then, what about those who are weak? Can they exercise justice? Or, do they need to seize power before they can enact true justice? Regardless of how we define right and wrong at present, one consequence of how we define fairness is observable, that the post-modern definition of justice has led us to all focus more on who has power rather than on whether someone is acting justly.
It's why we so often accuse God of acting unjustly. If God is almighty, all-powerful, then why doesn't He do more to curb injustice and evil? How can God hate what is evil, love us, and yet allow us to suffer so much because of the actions of wicked people?
God is holy, and He hates evil. He hates sin. He hates all workers of iniquity because He is holy, without sin, and just. God's hatred of sin condemns all of us, whether we're mighty or feeble, just or unjust, right or wrong. So, where then is there room for love? How can God, who is holy and just, show us sinners any love?
God's love for us is on display at Golgotha. Jesus took all God's hatred toward sin and nailed it to His cross. Christ was made to be sin for us that we may be made the righteousness of God. God hates the wicked and the one who loves violence, so He did what a good, just God does: He condemned and executed it.
What we can't comprehend on this side of the resurrection is how God can hate sin and sinners and love sin and sinners at the same time. But, God's Word gives us the answer. God's Word is our assurance of this truth. In Christ, God's justice is the justification of the sinner. God's Calvary promise is that we are forgiven of sin. We stand before God justified now and forever for Christ's sake. On the Day of Judgment, through faith in Jesus' righteousness, we will be welcomed into eternal life.
Jesus earned for us the justice we need if we want to come into the presence of holy God. His suffering and death paid the punishment for our sin. By the love shown to us in this sacrificial act, we now know God loves us in all He says and does, and through faith in Christ, we love Him in all we say and do.
The post-modern definition of justice is power, but God's almighty justice is revealed in the weakness and vulnerability of Jesus nailed to a cross for the sin of the world. By the world's standards of fairness, this seems unfair, even absurdly ungodly, that a holy and just God would sacrifice Himself for unjust sinners in this way. But, God's justice is marked and measured by sacrificial love, not power as the world defines it. Real power, it turns out, is revealed on the third day, when Jesus is raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit for the justification of the world.
