The Attributes of God: Part 15 - Righteousness

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Attributes Of God: Part 15 - Righteousness

The fourth of God’s relational attributes is righteousness.  God’s righteousness communicates that He is fair and impartial in all His dealings.  God is perfectly righteous in the treatment of His creatures. 

• Opening his mouth, Peter said: I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, - Acts 10:34

God communicates His righteousness as justice through His Law.  Thus, God’s Law is the standard of what is fair and impartial.  As well, God is completely just to judge someone when they violate God’s Law.  God’s justice is twofold — rectoral and distributive.  Rectoral justice identifies God as the source of morality, who in turn imposes His morality (i.e., Law) on the world.

• The strength of the King loves justice; You have established  equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. - Psalm 99:4

Distributive justice is God’s execution of His Law in terms of rewards and judgment.  

• Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions.  Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For what he deserves will be done to him. - Isaiah 3:10-11

The reward aspect of distributive justice is known as remunerative justice.  It is a reflection of God’s love. 

• Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; - Deuteronomy 7:9

The judgment aspect of distributive justice is known as retributive justice.  It is a reflection of God’s wrath. 

• Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them. And all the people shall say, Amen. - Deuteronomy 27:26