{"id":2437,"date":"2019-02-04T16:41:28","date_gmt":"2019-02-04T22:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/?p=2437"},"modified":"2019-05-01T12:24:57","modified_gmt":"2019-05-01T17:24:57","slug":"justice-russell-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/justice-russell-board\/","title":{"rendered":"Justice: Russell Board"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Russell Board<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

WHY DO WE VALUE JUSTICE?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Simple. Because God values justice<\/em>. From Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures bear continual witness to God\u2019s concern for justice.<\/p>\n

God declares that one of His purposes in choosing Abraham is so that he may teach his children and household to \u201cdo justice\u201d (Genesis 18:19).<\/p>\n

The laws God gives to His people contain numerous warnings against \u201cperverting justice\u201d (Exodus 23:6; Deuteronomy 16:19, 24:17, etc.).<\/p>\n

King Solomon was gifted with wisdom so that he might \u201cexecute justice\u201d (1 Kings 3:28; 10:9).<\/p>\n

Over and over again the prophets call for the people of God to \u201cseek justice\u201d (Isaiah 1:17), \u201cgrant justice\u201d (Isaiah 16:3), \u201ckeep justice\u201d (Isaiah 56:1), \u201cexecute justice\u201d (Jeremiah 21:12), \u201chold fast\u201d to justice (Hosea 12:6), \u201cestablish justice\u201d (Amos 5:15), \u201cknow justice\u201d (Micah 3:1), and \u201cdo justice\u201d (Micah 6:8). Additionally, over and over again, the prophets warn that denying, neglecting, or perverting justice will result in defeat, invasion, and exile for the nation.<\/p>\n

When we come to the New Testament, we are told that, in fulfillment of prophecy, Jesus \u201cwill proclaim justice to the Gentiles\u201d (Matthew 12:18).<\/p>\n

Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for neglecting justice in their pursuit of legalistic righteousness (Matthew 23:23). His parable of the sheep and the goats makes it clear that Jesus takes a personal interest in the way we treat the suffering and disadvantaged (Matthew 25:31-46).<\/p>\n

Paul declares that Jesus will occupy the \u201cjudgment seat\u201d from which justice is dispensed to all (2 Corinthians 5:10).<\/p>\n

Peter describes the \u201cday of judgment\u201d as the appointed time for justly rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked (2 Peter 2:9).<\/p>\n

John echoes this with a graphic description of a \u201cgreat white throne\u201d from which God judges all \u201cthe dead, great and small\u2026according to what they [have] done\u201d (Revelation 20:11, 12).<\/p>\n

WHY DOES GOD CARE SO MUCH ABOUT JUSTICE?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Simple. Because God is just<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing\u201d (Deuteronomy 10:18).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He\u201d (Deuteronomy 32:4).<\/p>\n

\u201cClouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne\u201d (Psalm 97:2).<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him\u201d (Isaiah 30:18).<\/p>\n

\u201cLet him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD\u201d (Jeremiah 9:24).<\/p>\n

God is just by nature, and our sense of justice derives from His. To be created in His image means, in part, to share in His sense of justice. This sense of justice demands that the guilty be punished, the virtuous rewarded, and the innocent protected.<\/p>\n

No one would claim that this happens on a consistent basis in our broken, fallen world. All too often, it seems that the guilty get away with their crimes, the virtuous are taken advantage of, and the innocent are abused. But God\u2019s justice demands that all accounts be settled fully and completely. That\u2019s the purpose of Judgment Day.<\/p>\n

No unrepentant sinner will escape due punishment. \u201cThere will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil\u201d (Romans 2:9). On the other hand, all who have suffered unjustly will be comforted and healed. \u201cGod will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away\u201d (Revelation 21:4). All that is wrong will one day be set right, and justice will prevail.<\/p>\n

This is both good news and bad news for us. We long to see justice prevail, but we realize that we are undeniably guilty of unrighteous thoughts and deeds. If God is just, how can we hope to escape the punishment we deserve?<\/p>\n

Marvelously, graciously, God has given us this hope in Christ. Christ \u201csuffered once for sins, the just for the unjust\u201d (1 Peter 3:18), voluntarily taking our sins upon Himself and dying in our place. The sacrificial death of the Holy and Righteous One is sufficient to atone for every sin. The good news of the gospel offers salvation to all who repent and believe. United to Christ by faith, the guilty sinner is put to death and raised to life as a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).<\/p>\n

WHAT DO WE DO NOW?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Because God is just, He has promised to right every wrong and fully establish the Kingdom of justice when Jesus returns. \u201cAccording to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells\u201d (2 Peter 3:13).<\/p>\n

In the meantime, as citizens of the coming righteous Kingdom, we embrace and espouse its values in the midst of a fallen and unjust world. We do this in every sphere of life.<\/p>\n

In our personal relationships, and in our churches, we \u201cshow no partiality\u201d or favoritism (James 2:1), rejecting discrimination on the basis of race, class, gender, nationality, or political party.<\/p>\n

This demands more than a passive acceptance of the status quo. The current fractured state of society reflects fissures caused by past and current injustices, some individual, some systemic and institutional. Under these circumstances, we must actively strive to build bridges across the divides, taking risks, leaving our comfort zones, making ourselves vulnerable, and truly listening to the stories of those who are different.<\/p>\n

We must also be careful to remember the disadvantaged among us, sharing our abundance with those who lack the blessings and opportunities we enjoy: the fatherless, the widow, the homeless, the immigrant. (See Deuteronomy 10:18 above.) Justice entails that \u201cfor everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required\u201d (Luke 12:48).<\/p>\n

On our jobs and in our business dealings, we conduct ourselves with honesty, fairness, and integrity. \u201cYou shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume\u201d (Leviticus 19:35).<\/p>\n

As employees, we give an honest day\u2019s work for an honest day\u2019s pay. \u201cWhatever [we] do, [we] do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men\u201d (Colossians 3:23).<\/p>\n

As employers, we do not mistreat or exploit our employees, but treat them with dignity and respect, paying them a living wage and making sure they share in the profits of their labor. \u201cYou shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning\u201d (Leviticus 19:13).<\/p>\n

God has instituted human government in order to implement and enforce justice in society (See Romans 13:1-4). However, like every other human institution, government is often warped by the sinful creatures who run it. The power of the state can be abused and misused in ways that are unjust and oppressive.<\/p>\n

We who live in democracies have the right and obligation to participate in the democratic process, by running for office, voting, campaigning, speaking out on behalf of justice, and calling to account officials who act unjustly. We can pray and lobby and work to correct rampant injustices, whether legal (such as abortion) or illegal (such as human trafficking). And we can be a voice for the voiceless, defending the unborn, the abused, the neglected, the destitute, the marginalized. \u201cLearn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause\u201d (Isaiah 1:17).<\/p>\n

And what if, like our fellow believers in many countries around the world, our political freedoms are stripped away and we find ourselves with no power or influence over public policy? We can still, like the prophets of old, speak out against injustice in the name of the Lord. We know that the unjust are on the wrong side of history because the justice of God will prevail.<\/p>\n

\u201cHate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate\u2026let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream\u201d (Amos 5:15, 24).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WHY DO WE VALUE JUSTICE? Simple. Because God values justice. From Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures bear continual witness to God\u2019s concern for justice. God declares that one of His…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":2407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[211,335,4],"tags":[336,107,337,51,341],"class_list":{"0":"post-2437","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-coffeehouse","8":"category-justice","9":"category-world-missions","10":"tag-336","11":"tag-board","12":"tag-justice","13":"tag-russell-sandra-board","14":"tag-russell-board","15":"entry"},"title_es":"Justicia: Jeannie McClung","content_es":"

Versos clave: Isa\u00edas 61: 1-4.<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

Un corazon como el suyo<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

Jes\u00fas dijo ... \"El Esp\u00edritu del Se\u00f1or est\u00e1 sobre m\u00ed ...\"<\/em><\/p>\r\n\u00a1Hay gran necesidad en nuestro mundo hoy! Hace casi siete a\u00f1os, comenc\u00e9 a trabajar como voluntario en un nuevo ministerio sin fines de lucro, llegando a las mujeres prostituidas en las calles de Berl\u00edn, el Distrito Rojo de Alemania. La prostituci\u00f3n ha sido tolerada en Alemania durante a\u00f1os. Despu\u00e9s de la reforma del gobierno en el a\u00f1o 2000, la prostituci\u00f3n se convirti\u00f3 en una profesi\u00f3n legalmente aceptada. Debido a esto, junto con la ruptura de la Uni\u00f3n Sovi\u00e9tica en 1991, Berl\u00edn se ha convertido en un centro para el tr\u00e1fico de personas y la prostituci\u00f3n forzada. \u00a1Es mucho dinero! Hay un estimado de m\u00e1s de 400,000 prostitutas en Alemania. La mayor\u00eda de las mujeres con las que trabajamos son v\u00edctimas de la trata de personas de pa\u00edses del este de Europa, principalmente Bulgaria, Hungr\u00eda y Rumania. La trata de personas, tambi\u00e9n conocida como trata de personas<\/em> o esclavitud moderna<\/em> , es un delito que involucra obligar o coaccionar a una persona para que proporcione mano de obra o servicios, o para participar en actos sexuales comerciales. * 1 Debido a mi experiencia en banca y contabilidad, inicialmente, me pidieron que hiciera la contabilidad del ministerio. Sin embargo, debido a la necesidad de m\u00e1s personal del caf\u00e9, un d\u00eda tuve el desaf\u00edo de involucrarme m\u00e1s en el trabajo directo con las mujeres. Al principio me resist\u00ed, pero acced\u00ed a visitar el caf\u00e9 en el distrito de luz roja y orar para ayudar en una nueva capacidad. Fui puntual a mi visita a la cafeter\u00eda. Mi amigo, que iba a conocerme, lleg\u00f3 tarde. \u00a1Esper\u00e9 afuera de la puerta por al menos 15 minutos (lo cual me pareci\u00f3 mucho m\u00e1s largo)! Antes de que lo supiera, un hombre se me acerc\u00f3 y me pregunt\u00f3: \"\u00bfEres nuevo en las calles?\" Inmediatamente surgieron sentimientos de verg\u00fcenza y humillaci\u00f3n dentro de m\u00ed. Recuerdo rodar mis ojos con disgusto por su pregunta y la fealdad de todo lo que estaba presenciando all\u00ed en el barrio rojo. Inmediatamente, en ese momento, el Esp\u00edritu Santo habl\u00f3 a mi coraz\u00f3n. Sent\u00ed la pregunta: \u201c\u00bfMe amas?\u201d Respond\u00ed r\u00e1pidamente: \u201c\u00a1Oh Se\u00f1or, sabes que te amo!\u201d Y otra vez, \u201c\u00bfRealmente me amas?\u201d Una vez m\u00e1s, respond\u00ed: \u201cSe\u00f1or, sabes que amo t\u00fa. Mark y yo vinimos aqu\u00ed para servir como misioneros porque nos llamaste. Dejamos a nuestras familias y nuestro hogar, renunci\u00e9 a mi buen trabajo, te amamos y por eso estamos aqu\u00ed \u201d. En ese momento, \u00a1tuve una revelaci\u00f3n espiritual! \u00a1Yo sab\u00eda la verdad! S\u00ed, amaba al Se\u00f1or, pero de inmediato me arrepent\u00ed al saber que no amaba a estas mujeres como deb\u00eda. Pens\u00e9 en la historia de Jes\u00fas en Juan, cap\u00edtulo 4, donde sab\u00eda que deb\u00eda ir a Samaria para encontrarse con una mujer en un pozo. La justicia comienza en el coraz\u00f3n de Jes\u00fas. \u00a1Jes\u00fas anhela hacer todo bien! Cre\u00eda que si Jes\u00fas estuviera f\u00edsicamente en Berl\u00edn ese d\u00eda, podr\u00eda haber estado en K-Street. \u00a1No habr\u00eda evitado esta zona ni a estas se\u00f1oras! Yo tampoco pude. Entonces sent\u00ed que Dios me preguntaba si amar\u00eda a las mujeres y si ser\u00eda luz en la oscuridad. Definitivamente estaba fuera de mi zona de confort. \u00a1Le ped\u00ed al Se\u00f1or que me diera una mayor porci\u00f3n de su amor y compasi\u00f3n para hacer este trabajo! \u00a1Confi\u00e9 en \u00c9l, y \u00c9l ha sido tan fiel! Inmediatamente me un\u00ed al equipo de voluntarios de la cafeter\u00eda y luego me convert\u00ed en el director de divulgaci\u00f3n de la cafeter\u00eda. En la cafeter\u00eda, las mujeres encuentran un refugio seguro en las calles donde no se permiten hombres. Las mujeres son bienvenidas, amadas y no explotadas! Se proporciona una comida saludable junto con una amistad sincera y c\u00e1lida. Los esfuerzos de nuestro equipo son construir relaciones y dejar que las damas sepan \"\u00a1Nos vemos!\" Compartimos el amor de Cristo y les hacemos saber que \u00c9l tambi\u00e9n las ama. Como equipo, deseamos que se recupere la dignidad. A trav\u00e9s de un enfoque hol\u00edstico, hay curaci\u00f3n y esperanza. A veces nuestro trabajo se lleva a cabo fuera de la cafeter\u00eda. Cuando hay rescates, las mujeres deben ser llevadas a una casa segura. Muchos necesitan ayuda para ir a sus embajadas para obtener nuevos pasaportes o para encontrar nuevos empleos, y pueden necesitar ayuda para obtener ropa y suministros b\u00e1sicos. Cuando cualquiera de las mujeres acepta a Jesucristo como su Salvador, el tiempo se invierte en el discipulado. Por favor, oren m\u00e1s, aceptar\u00e1n a Cristo. Hay ocasiones en que acompa\u00f1amos a las mujeres a las citas con el m\u00e9dico, a las citas en los centros de trabajo, etc. Los miembros de nuestro equipo han estado all\u00ed para ayudar a las mujeres mientras dan a luz a sus beb\u00e9s y \/ o cuando se despiden de un beb\u00e9 reci\u00e9n nacido que est\u00e1n abandonando en adopci\u00f3n. Los miembros del equipo se han sentado junto a las camas de los hospitales de quienes han sido maltratados y golpeados, necesitan atenci\u00f3n m\u00e9dica y quienes mor\u00edan porque sus cuerpos fueron destruidos por drogas, anorexia, enfermedades, etc. Nadie deber\u00eda morir solo. Duele cuando perdemos a una de las mujeres. \u00a1Duele mal! En los \u00faltimos a\u00f1os se ha puesto de moda participar en el trabajo de Justicia Social. Muchos de todos los \u00e1mbitos de la vida se han involucrado en los esfuerzos para crear m\u00e1s conciencia de la pesadilla de la trata de personas. Estoy agradecido por cada esfuerzo. Sin embargo, creo que la verdadera libertad y la curaci\u00f3n del trauma solo pueden venir a trav\u00e9s de una relaci\u00f3n con Jesucristo. Dios ve la injusticia y la esclavitud. Todo el pueblo de Dios est\u00e1 llamado a la justicia. Los que somos libres debemos participar en la obra de Dios de liberar a otros. La justicia comienza con el coraz\u00f3n de Jes\u00fas. Como creyentes, todos debemos orar y preguntarnos c\u00f3mo debemos involucrarnos en los asuntos de justicia. \u00a1A trav\u00e9s de la obediencia y la compasi\u00f3n, mientras \u00c9l nos gu\u00eda, podemos ser verdaderamente Personas Prometidas que traen esperanza, sanidad y salvaci\u00f3n que vienen solo a trav\u00e9s de Cristo! * 1 Definici\u00f3n de trata de personas proporcionada por el Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos<\/em> Despu\u00e9s de cumplir 30 a\u00f1os en Alemania, tenemos una nueva misi\u00f3n misionera para servir en la regi\u00f3n de habla alemana de B\u00e9lgica. Con la ayuda de Dios, participaremos en la plantaci\u00f3n de iglesias y tambi\u00e9n comenzaremos un nuevo trabajo con mujeres en B\u00e9lgica y justo al otro lado de la frontera en Aachen, Alemania.<\/em> Por Jeannie McClung<\/em><\/strong>","author_name":"Russell Board","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/01\/Justice-Gaphic.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Ar-Dj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/missions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}