Calling and Justice

Calling and Justice

Septuagesima 2010
Rev. Stephen E. Stults
St. Barnabas Anglican Church
Jan. 31, 2010



Matthew 20:9-10 9 "And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 "But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.”

Our Gospel for the day clearly illustrates a concept from Isa. 55:8, as the LORD informs Israel: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” Consider this in terms of what we consider fair and what the Lord knows to be right.

With that thought in mind, allow me to pose some questions: what is “fair?” Who came up with the doctrine of “fairness?” Who even said that life had to be “fair?” Have you ever heard someone say, “That’s not fair!”Believe me, as a schoolteacher, I hear that a great deal from my class, especially when homework is involved

In reality, it actually seems that we do have an idea of what being fair is all about. If we could hazard a guess, it might have something to do with a sense of justice. Seeking a definition for “fair”, we find the following: “free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming to established standards or rules; "a fair referee"; a "fair deal." Thus, fairness and justice have a common link.

Although I am not a philosopher by training, sometimes in life we must turn to philosophy to try to gain an understanding of why things are as they are. In this case, we must consider from where comes this underlying sense of justice.
How it is that man has a sense of justice? Can one describe justice? For answer, let me quote the Rev. Frank Levi, our REC rector in Chicago, who teaches an ethics course at seminary. He once said, “One has difficulty defining justice, but no one has difficulty knowing what injustice feels like.” What an amazing statement and how true…

If one can, without difficulty, feel injustice, there must be some underlying moral reason for it. That is, something in Man senses injustice and pursues justice. Again, we all know what it feels like when someone deals with us unjustly. With that in agreement, let us beg the question: what is it in man that triggers this response? How it is that even an unjust man knows the difference between justice and injustice? Is it that the man who is so used to unjust dealing with others is hyper-sensitive to those pertaining to his own interest? Is it that way with all of us? Are justice and its flip-side, injustice, merely a case of guarding our own self-interest?

These are questions worth pondering, even without the guarantee that we can arrive at an answer. We can, however, posit at least two observations. The first deals with the humanist side of the issue and the other, the God-centered one. The humanist will claim that it is merely a part of the innate nature of man, that since people are basically good, they will seek justice and the general welfare of mankind. This is true, of course, once they have learned to be good with the requisite education and training. Like the modern ethics courses in corporations that were so popular a few years ago, some think that good ethical behavior is simply a matter of being taught the right things. Evidently, some brilliant minds thought that one could be taught not to steal from one’s employer or corporation. While this is laudable and maybe even praiseworthy in its goals of reforming the corporate rascals, it is ultimately foolish and futile. Fallen human nature will do as fallen human nature will do.
On the other hand, the Christian knows better. He or she knows the source of justice is not the limited, finite nature of man, but rather the infinite Mind of God. The sense of justice and the desire to treat and be treated fairly is not a human concept, but a divine one. How can a limited, finite and error-prone being such as Man come up with an impeccable concept like justice? The answer is simple: he didn’t. Only the divine can invent the divine and so it is with an intangible reality like justice. It can’t be touched or handled, but it is a real, living reality in our lives.

Yet, this being said, it is a mystery how we know from our infancy the knowledge of justice vs. injustice. We are simply “hard wired” that way. Some theologians believe that since our Creator is just, and since we are created in His Image, we too are cognizant of this reality. We know that justice and injustice are just as real as the floor on which we stand. We all know that justice is the undergirding of civilization, the quality that makes reciprocity possible. Without the ability to deal with other in some sort of equitable basis, all would be chaos and violence.

On a divine level, justice rises to an ultimate degree. That is, justice and the quality of being just is an attribute of God. Only He is capable of being completely just and ensuing ultimate justice. Let’s consider the ramifications of this.

If true justice is of God, that gives it both a beautiful and a terrible quality. It is beautiful in that it is absolute and unchanging. It is also terrible in that it is absolute and unchanging. Thus, when one sins against God, payment must be made. Conversely, when one is found acceptable in the sight of God, rewards and blessedness is the consequence.

The reaction to this by our human sensibilities is simply this: “What? God is supposed to all merciful and all suffering.
How can He demand payment, when we, from our foibles and mis-direction, commit sin against Him? Who can pay such a debt?”

Exactly. This is the point that ultimately draws the distinction between God and Man. Sinning against an all-holy and completely good Being who, at the same time, is completely just, has consequences. Although we do not consider our sins worthy of punishment, God does. We, who are of such a fallen nature that we take our sins for granted, as a part of life, do not really see ourselves as sinners in the way God does. Only He can see the true nature of our being. Recall that Christ responded to the rich young ruler who called him good by saying, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." That being said, How can we respond to a completely just God, with only our lives and our sinful natures in our hands?

If it were up to us, our cause would be lost. We can only pay for our sins with that which is inherent in us, our lives. Complete and ultimate justice, being completely balanced in terms of offense and repayment, demands this. If left to our own devices, we would be lost.

Admittedly, this was hard for me at one time to accept, especially when I had heard all my life that God was a loving God, one who forgave all offenses without number. How could He demand ultimate payment? After all, He’s God, while I am a mere human. Why, it’s simply not fair!

Once again, this is exactly the point. What’s fair to God is not fair to Man. Here’s why. God, being absolutely just, and at the same time absolutely good, does not demand justice from us. He doesn’t require us to pay for our sins with our lives. Instead, he paid for our sins with His life. Look again at Christ on the Cross in this respect. He paid the price so that we wouldn’t be required to pay it.
Looking at this in another light, it could have been that God would require us to pay for our sins with our lives. It could have been that God would say to each of us at the Day of Judgment, “You have sinned against my Absolute and Complete Holiness; thus you shall die.” This is justice, albeit one that is difficult for us humans to accept. Without Christ, this would be the way it would be.

God being God, however, this is not the way it will be. Simply because God is who He is, his Justice is tempered with absolute mercy. It is not that He didn’t stay true to Himself regarding justice; he did. It is only that He Himself paid the price to satisfy the requirement of His own absolute nature. As mind numbing as it may sound, God both set the standard for which all dealings must be made, the standard of absolute integrity, and then paid the price to keep it true to those standards. This is the difference between Man and God. Man can only attempt to strive towards justice and exact punishment or retribution to compensate for wrong. God has not only defined justice, he also achieved its ultimate perfection. This perfection, this universal satisfaction, is embodied in the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thus, when we, like the workers in the vineyard, exclaim “It’s not fair!” Let us rethink the situation. Let us consider the nature and quality of our calling in God.
Are we murmuring against God because we are laboring in the vineyard longer than others? Do we perceive ourselves somehow more worthy than they because we have labored longer? Do we even secretly resent those who are called late in life to salvation? We trust not that it is so. When we consider the “just” reward of our sins and negligences, it is amazing that any of us are called at all to work in the vineyard. Those of us who are called and come to labor will receive the same reward, regardless of the timing of our call. We, who trust in Christ for our salvation, will receive the most just reward of all, that of God Himself.
It is something that we do not deserve. It is something that we do not merit. It is simply the consequence of an all-loving God being true to Hinself.

For that, we offer endless thanks and praise. For that, we acknowledge the ultimate distinction between God and Man.

Matthew 20:15: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to Holy Ghost, now and for ever.

AMEN