Justice is Beautiful

Having heard and seen the public outcry against Casey Anthony, can we really deny that God's final judgment will be a beautiful thing?

I haven't personally followed the trial, but I will make some observations regarding what I have seen and heard. I make no personal judgment in favor of or against Ms. Anthony as I have little knowledge of actual facts.

The judgment against Anthony, many believe, was surprising. The evidence against her leads even her supporters to believe that there is something terribly, terribly wrong, and if she herself didn't kill her daughter, then she had a direct hand in the murder. The evidence, mostly circumstantial, led to suspect her, but not to indict her. When our justice system fails to condemn sin, we rightly still desire justice. Conversely, I think that the public response would have been applause had she been found guilty.

We have, then, an innate sense of right and wrong, as well as an innate sense that, when someone has sinned, justice should be served--the world should be made right. For proof of this fact, just look at the various responses on the web and see the theme: "Where has justice gone?"

Is this not analogous to God's final judgment? Most of us don't really consider what the response to God's judgment will look like, but perhaps we should. God's justice is a beautiful thing, and God, as judge, doesn't ring His hands in the final judgment over condemning sin. The evidence was overwhelming, the verdict is in, the gavel falls, God's enemies (i.e., those who stand outside of God's mercy in Christ) stand for the verdict: guilty as charged.

God will one day set the world right, and this will be a beautiful thing.

Deuteronomy 32:39-43 (NET Bible) 39 "See now that I, indeed I, am he!" says the LORD, "and there is no other god besides me. I kill and give life, I smash and I heal, and none can resist my power. 40 For I raise up my hand to heaven, and say, 'As surely as I live forever, 41 I will sharpen my lightning-like sword, and my hand will grasp hold of the weapon of judgment; I will execute vengeance on my foes, and repay those who hate me! 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword will devour flesh – the blood of the slaughtered and captured, the chief of the enemy's leaders!'" 43 Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge his servants' blood; he will take vengeance against his enemies, and make atonement for his land and people.

Revelation 16:5-7 (NET Bible) 5 Now I heard the angel of the waters saying: "You are just– the one who is and who was, the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments, 6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!" 7 Then I heard the altar reply, "Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!"

There are, of course, other references, but I think the point is made: God is the good Judge, and we should expect nothing less than justice rightly to be served.

A disclaimer, lest we forget our position, and lest we stand in judgment ourselves: we are not in the position of the judge, and Christians who personally judge Ms. Anthony need to be reminded, I think, of Paul's charge to the Corinthians: we judge (discern) among those who are within the Church, but we dare not judge (condemn) those who make no claim to be Christian. First Corinthians 5:12-13: "For what do I have to do with judging those outside (the Church)? Aren't you supposed to judge those inside (the Church)? But God will judge those who are outside (the Church)." After all, apart from God's grace in Christ, enabling us toward obedience through His Holy Spirit, we ourselves, sinners all, are condemned and condemnable.