The Just And Unjust? - Part 1
Written by: Delbert Magusara Haim
August 2012
From the book of Proverbs; “An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked. Proverbs 29:27”.
It’s easy for us to judge a man whether he is righteous or not with respect to his belief, performance and attitude, but how does God judge his people that some of them are righteous before him and walking with him while the others are not? In fact there are many righteous men in the scriptures mentioned like Noah and there are men that already condemned like Judas Iscariot as Jesus said it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
But why did Paul say that “there is none righteous, not even one?”
· There is none that understandeth
· there is none that seeketh after God
· They are all gone out of the way
· they are together become unprofitable
· there is none that doeth good, no, not one
Actually I was confused also of these truths that God said there are many righteous before him and then yet he said there is none even one. Now we will try to read few passages concerning the just and unjust men of God and that we may know what is written in the scriptures concerning this issue.
In the Old Testament scriptures:
In the New Testament scriptures:
From those passages above we found out that there are Just men that are described commonly as “will not do iniquity, walk with God, believe and fear God”. But the unjust is a “wicked, and reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished”.
Does God contradict his words? For he said there is none that righteous, none that understandeth, none that seeketh, none that doeth good, and all are gone out of the way. And yet he said;
· Noah was a just man and perfect,
· Joseph her husband, being a just man
· That many prophets and righteous men
· Simeon; and the same man was just
· Cornelius the centurion, a just man
In the letter of Paul to Rome, he said unto them that the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith through the Gospel. In other words, God has his own righteousness that is separated from men.
If there is none that righteous except God and yet Noah was a perfect man, it means that Noah has the righteousness of God that revealed from faith to faith and made him perfect in the sight of God. Yes it’s true because these men that were described as Just men were men who believed and feared God, meaning God’s knowledge was with them by faith. So the only chance that a man becomes righteous is when God’s righteousness shall come upon him by faith and through faith.
Like the old saints in the Old Testament scriptures that were justified by faith alone:
Therefore it was he the God who manipulates everything unto these men to be righteous in his sight. It is said by faith because their evidence of hope was unseen and yet they accepted/received it through faith.
Thus righteous men could see the things not seen by faith and received/accepted them through faith, as the Just/righteous way of living with God. This is what it says in Romans.
So God provides righteousness to men from faith to faith because there is none of them righteous in his sight, not even one.
To be continued….
August 2012
From the book of Proverbs; “An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked. Proverbs 29:27”.
It’s easy for us to judge a man whether he is righteous or not with respect to his belief, performance and attitude, but how does God judge his people that some of them are righteous before him and walking with him while the others are not? In fact there are many righteous men in the scriptures mentioned like Noah and there are men that already condemned like Judas Iscariot as Jesus said it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
But why did Paul say that “there is none righteous, not even one?”
- As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Romans 3:10
· There is none that understandeth
· there is none that seeketh after God
· They are all gone out of the way
· they are together become unprofitable
· there is none that doeth good, no, not one
Actually I was confused also of these truths that God said there are many righteous before him and then yet he said there is none even one. Now we will try to read few passages concerning the just and unjust men of God and that we may know what is written in the scriptures concerning this issue.
In the Old Testament scriptures:
- These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Genesis 6:9
- And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Genesis 7:1
- And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Gen 15:6
- The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame. Zephaniah 3:5
In the New Testament scriptures:
- Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. Matthew 1:19
- For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Matthew 13:17
- So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, Matthew 13:49
- When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. Matthew 27:19-20
- And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. Luke 2:25
- I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:32
- And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. Acts 10:22
- The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 2 Peter 2:9
From those passages above we found out that there are Just men that are described commonly as “will not do iniquity, walk with God, believe and fear God”. But the unjust is a “wicked, and reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished”.
Does God contradict his words? For he said there is none that righteous, none that understandeth, none that seeketh, none that doeth good, and all are gone out of the way. And yet he said;
· Noah was a just man and perfect,
· Joseph her husband, being a just man
· That many prophets and righteous men
· Simeon; and the same man was just
· Cornelius the centurion, a just man
In the letter of Paul to Rome, he said unto them that the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith through the Gospel. In other words, God has his own righteousness that is separated from men.
- For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Rom 1:16-17.
If there is none that righteous except God and yet Noah was a perfect man, it means that Noah has the righteousness of God that revealed from faith to faith and made him perfect in the sight of God. Yes it’s true because these men that were described as Just men were men who believed and feared God, meaning God’s knowledge was with them by faith. So the only chance that a man becomes righteous is when God’s righteousness shall come upon him by faith and through faith.
Like the old saints in the Old Testament scriptures that were justified by faith alone:
- Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
- Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
- Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
- Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
- Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Therefore it was he the God who manipulates everything unto these men to be righteous in his sight. It is said by faith because their evidence of hope was unseen and yet they accepted/received it through faith.
- Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Thus righteous men could see the things not seen by faith and received/accepted them through faith, as the Just/righteous way of living with God. This is what it says in Romans.
- For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Rom 1:16-17.
So God provides righteousness to men from faith to faith because there is none of them righteous in his sight, not even one.
To be continued….