Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” This communicates His holiness, that He is set apart and unique from all creation. It also has the idea of unity. We have various character traits, and sometimes they conflict with one another (for example, patience and motivation). Though we consider various character traits of God, He is not a conglomeration of parts. He is in perfect union with Himself, and never conflicted. Psalm 50:21 lays the indictment against the sinner that he thinks about God in terms of himself. Daniel 9:7 (KJV) says, “O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces.” This contrasts our internal conflicts with God’s perfect union in Himself.
God is just. Genesis 18:25 says, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” In human terms, we say that “justice demands” this or that. But justice is not a factor outside of God that makes demands on what He does. Who God is and what He does define justice.
This is beautifully demonstrated in the person and work of the Lord Jesus. John 1:14 says that He radiated the glory of God, full of grace and truth. Psalm 85:10 speaks of the work of Christ when it says that “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.” Ezekiel 18:20 says that “The soul who sins shall die.” When God justifies a sinner, the merits of Jesus are laid to that sinner at the price of the blood of Jesus. God’s justice is not in conflict with His righteousness. The price for that sin has been paid. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Romans 3:26 says that the gospel demonstrates His righteousness “that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” The gospel proclaims the one and only way of peace with God for guilty sinners. In the work of Jesus Christ, sin is not ignored, but it is paid for. Perfect righteousness is counted toward every Christian.
