In recent years we have seen a flurry of convictions related to sexual misconduct. Men arrested for child pornography, indecent exposure, or sexual molestation of a minor. Even women arrested for inappropriate conduct and contact with a child. Is this new behavior, a sort of new pandora’s box being opened on sexual depravity? Or has this kind of behavior been around a long while and is only now coming to the forefront of public awareness? And where is the justice in it all? Standards for prosecution and punishment seem to fluctuate with wherever the current political winds blow.
“There is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecc. 1:9)
Lust and sexual misconduct has been around for more than just the past 50 years. God even established very specific laws surrounding sexual behavior (Lev. 18 and 20). King David committed adultery and then murdered an innocent man as a result. False gods were established in various pagan cultures that encouraged sexual orgies as part of the religious ritual. Even after some of the first churches were established following Jesus’ resurrection, there was prostitution and incest still going on with some of the members. Sexual immorality has been around as long as sin.
I come to this subject from a somewhat unique position. My history of sexual addiction included crossing legal boundaries; solicitation of prostitutes. I was never charged with a crime. I now spend my life helping others trapped in sexual addiction to find hope, freedom and a new direction in life. In this ministry, I cross paths with those who are facing the legal consequences of their addictive actions. I see all sides of the issue; as one who identifies with the charged, one who knows the possibilities of change, and one who wants justice for the offended. I feel the tug in all directions.
Most people will camp out emotionally (and legally) in just one of these areas; usually the “wants justice for the offended” camp. And I get that. Some of the atrocities that I have come across over our years of ministry have truly been gut wrenching (and retching). Children as young as 6 months old being sexually abused. Twelve-year-old sex slaves in Cambodia required to “serve” 10-12 “clients” a day. Many of these children become “useless” to their owners after just a few years due to drugs and disease. They are simply tossed aside for a newer “product.” Yes, I understand the desire for justice for these precious, wounded victims.
Some will camp out exclusively in the “possibilities of change” camp. I love this camp! It’s where God does His best work, making possible something that on the surface appears impossible. It’s also a tough camp to come through. So much brokenness. So much pain. So much work to be done to unwind all the twisted thinking and false beliefs. The depravity of sinfulness is so glaringly exposed that most people would prefer to stay in the “wants justice” camp than roll up their sleeves and help those wrapped up in sexual addiction. But thank God for those willing to help.
Finally, there are those of us who would rather not be in the “identifies with the charged” camp. The guilt. The shame. Lines were crossed, hearts broken, innocence shattered, justice mocked. Are we human or barely beasts? Is there no hope for those who cross certain lines, morally or legally? Can we be changed by more legislation, harsher penalties, swifter punishment? It’s a camp no one wants to be in, yet its membership seems to keep growing.
As I am torn, part of me residing in each of these camps, I cry out, “Where’s the justice?!” Where is it for the child in Cambodia or the teenager abused by a family member? Where is it for those trying to help sexually addicted people, but receive no help from the same organizations decrying the deeds of the addict? Where is it for those who hate themselves for their sinful deeds and want nothing more than to stop their destructive behaviors? Where is the justice?
There is only one who is just: God. He is fully righteous, equitable and morally pure. He is the perfect Law-giver, the only one with the authority to establish and execute perfect justice. In Him we find the truth, what we need for clarity and direction. In our search for justice, we need only to look to the Creator of all. But in looking to God, we might not like the answers we get (or don’t get). After all, He is under no obligation to reveal reasons. This can be frustrating, but let’s not get permanently stuck on the Why? questions. Search even deeper.
Does God care about children? Yes. Is His heart broken when these precious children are horrifically abused sexually for the profit of others? Absolutely! Is God therefore unjust because their perpetrators are not immediately held accountable for their actions in every case? No. His justice is sure, even if not executed in the timing or manner we would assume proper.
Does God love sinners? Yes. Is He grieved when He sees one of His prized creations misusing their sexuality through selfish, lustful behaviors? Absolutely! Is God then unjust because that person may engage those behaviors repeatedly for many years without swift punishment for breaking God’s moral laws? No. God’s justice is based on His character and will, not on how far we fall or how often we sin.
Can God even offer hope to someone who has violated a child or abused someone sexually for profit? Yes. Does He get angry when someone acts in such deplorable ways? Absolutely! So, is He unjust when His anger doesn’t result in the complete annihilation of such a person? No. God is slow to anger, allowing the offender opportunity to repent; all the while, never compromising His perfect righteousness.
The issue of justice really boils down to God’s holiness set against our sinfulness. God would be just, even if there were no sinfulness; it’s one of His attributes as a holy God. I believe our primary struggle with justice is not whether or not it exists, but rather whether it will be executed – and when! This is where many rage at God, not content with His handling of the pedophile or rapist or pornographer or sex addict. We want swift, immediate judgment to ease our personal suffering or our shaken conscience. But maybe we’re looking to intently at comparing the offenses against our own self-righteousness and not looking closely enough at the perfection of the One we have all offended.
I see God’s justice as a beautiful thing, a hopeful attribute. He is perfect! What hope would we have if it were an imperfect “god” promising to save us if we place our trust in him? What difference would there be between trusting in a god like than and just trusting in my imperfect neighbor, or dentist? But because the true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, is perfect and just (righteous), His promises carry the full weight of true authority and certain fulfillment (even if not on our timeframe). I therefore have hope when His Word says,
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:6-14)
And when He says, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:21-24)
God’s righteousness and justice expose us for who we really are: broken sinners in need of His mercy. All sin, in any variation, is a breaking of God’s perfect law, a violation of His holiness, deserving of death. This is why Jesus died in our place. God’s execution of perfect justice against our sin was exacted on Jesus, the spotless (sinless) Lamb of God. He died the death we deserved to give us hope and the life we couldn’t earn.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing;it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9)
The gift of God. What an unusual way to view justice: a gift. Without compromising His holiness, God made a way, through His Son Jesus, to have our penalty of sin paid in full. No cost to us. No work to earn it. Debt totally cancelled. How is such a wonderful gift received? Faith. Simply trusting Jesus as Savior, the One who appeased God’s just wrath against our sin.
Where’s the justice? It’s in Jesus. So, no matter what camp you find yourself in, may you know that God is just; He does not change. Therefore, there is hope for all who call on Him, whether an abused child, a struggling sex addict, an embittered minister, a suicidal pedophile, or self-righteous atheist. God truly provides justice for all in Jesus Christ, sharing with us His righteousness and purity. And thank God there is no law against such mercy…