Introduction: Do you know what “justice” means? Most would
answer, “Yes,” but I’m doubtful about the accuracy of their
answers. Right now, I’m in a debate with some very
sophisticated people about “justice.” They are determined to
eliminate discrimination against their race, but are strong
advocates for discrimination against other races. That is
not justice. We are all guilty of this error to some degree
or another. We want the police to ticket the annoying
speeder who just passed us on the road. On the other hand,
we do not want to be ticketed when we speed. The Bible says
much about helping the poor and powerless in society. Is
that because God favors the poor and powerless, or because
those are the people that society is most likely to abuse?
Let’s dive into our study of the Bible and see what it says
about “justice,” and whether that has anything to do with
love!
I. Equality Versus Equity
A. Read Leviticus 19:15. Why does the Bible teach
that we should not favor the poor? Don’t the rich
already have more than they need? (There is a
distressing cultural idea, termed “equity” that
suggests that humans should discriminate in favor
of some and against others in order to create a
more “just” society. The Bible endorses instead
“equality,” in texts like this which essentially
say, “be fair to everyone.”)
1. Why do you think this text refers to
“deferring” to the great? (Because that is the
natural order of things. The rich and great
generally have a power advantage. This text
tells us not to favor or disfavor them even
though they have a natural advantage.)
B. Read Matthew 25:14-18. This is a parable. What do
you think the “talents” are intended to
illustrate? (They are either property or
the natural advantages in life.)
C. The master returns and the five and two talent
servants have doubled the amount given to them.
They are equally commended. Read Matthew 25:24-28.
Is the one talent servant claiming the master is
unjust?
1. What, specifically, is the basis for the claim
of injustice? (That the master used his wealth
to make more money without actually doing any
of the hard work.)
D. Look again at Matthew 25:28. Does this story
promote equity? The idea that society should
abandon the idea of merit and equal treatment and
try to make us all equal? (This is a story about
rewarding merit and rejecting ideas of equity.
Even though the servants were not originally given
equal talents, and had different abilities in life, the master
expected them to use the talents they were given. If this story had
any element of equity in it, the one talent would
have been given to the two talent servant, not the
five talent servant.)
II. Love and Justice
A. Read Matthew 22:34-36. Is this lawyer truly
curious about the answer to his question? (No. The
point of asking the question was to “test” Jesus.)
1. What kind of test is this? What do the
Pharisees hope to accomplish by this question?
2. Do you think that some commandments are
greater than others?
B. Read Matthew 22:37-39. What kind of love does God
require of us? (We must be “all in” with our love
for Him.)
1. How does our love for God differ from our love
for each other?
2. What if Jesus said that we should love God as
we loved our self? What would that love look
like?
3. My parents had me working for money picking
strawberries when I was a young boy. I’m now
74 and still working. How should I view people
who make a decision not to work and instead
beg? What is my love obligation to them?
C. Read Matthew 5:43-45. How does Jesus define “love”
for those who are our enemies? (Jesus uses His
Father as the benchmark for love. That benchmark
is equal treatment. It does not prefer our
enemies. It does not require us to do anything for
them that we would not do for everyone else. The
theological term is “common grace.”)
1. Is common grace the way we love ourselves?
(No. We prefer ourselves.)
a. How do you explain this? (Our enemies are
afforded a different standard for love.)
D. Read Matthew 19:21-22. Wait a minute! It this
young man asked to love others more than himself?
(Absolutely. They will have all his money and he
will have none.)
1. Is Jesus violating His own standards?
2. Is Jesus’ version of justice to favor the
poor?
E. Something very unusual is going on in this story.
Read Matthew 19:16-20. What is wrong with this
conversation? (Jesus and the young man are
discussing what kind of works are necessary to
earn salvation.)
F. Read Galatians 3:10-11. Are these texts in
conflict? Is Jesus demanding that the young man be
cursed? (These texts are easily reconciled. Jesus
is showing the young man that he cannot earn his
salvation by works. Jesus presented a work that
he was not willing to do.)
G. Read Matthew 19:23-25. Why is it virtually
impossible for the rich to go to heaven? (Because
the rich are inclined to depend on their works.
They have succeeded in all kinds of things.)
H. Read Matthew 19:26 and Galatians 3:13. What does
this teach us about the way the rich are saved?
(They are saved like everyone else – by the life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus.)
III. Common Grace, Love, and Justice
A. Read Zechariah 7:9-10. Why do you think the Bible
uses the phrase “do not oppress” as opposed to
“show special favor” to the widow, fatherless,
sojourner, and poor? (The command is equal
treatment. Common grace. It is a demand for
justice, not special favor, and not equity.)
B. Read Exodus 22:21-23 and Romans 13:10. What
standard of love is given here? (Once again, we
are told not to “wrong,” “mistreat,” or “oppress”
a sojourner, widow, or fatherless child.)
C. Read Romans 13:1-5. What should Christians do in a
situation where the poor or sojourner violate the
law? What if they fear the government?(We are all
called to obey the law. We are instructed not to
resist the authorities. We are warned that the way
to avoid fear of the government is to obey.
Obeying the government means obeying God.)
1. What about a situation in which human law
violates God’s law? What if a person breaks
into the home of another because they are
hungry? (The obvious answer is not to aid in
law-breaking. God’s law does not require
break-ins.)
IV. Rendering Aid
A. Read Proverbs 14:31, Proverbs 19:17,
Deuteronomy 15:11, and Matthew 25:34-36. These texts encourage
(or command) us to help the poor. Are these texts
in conflict with what we have previously studied
in this lesson? (No. We previously discussed love,
justice, and obedience to the law. While we are
called to show kindness to the poor, especially
when they are in trouble, we are not called to
violate the law or discriminate against others.)
1. Look at Matthew 25:40. When Jesus refers to
helping the “brothers” is He referring in
general to the poor? (This refers to the poor
and suffering saints. Brothers and sisters in
the church. See also Deuteronomy 15:11.)
B. Read Leviticus 19:9-10. Would a “sojourner” be a
“brother?” (No.)
1. Is this instruction about gleaning an example
of common grace? (Not exactly.)
2. Is this instruction consistent with rewarding
merit? (Yes. The one who did the work of
farming reaps almost the entire reward.)
3. Is gleaning a gift to the poor? (They have to
work by gathering what is left.)
C. Read Luke 10:25-27. This is essentially the same
question we looked at earlier in Matthew 19:16.
Read Luke 10:29. How would you answer this
question based on the texts we have studied? (It
would be fellow saints. It would not be the world
in general.)
D. If you do not know the story of the Good
Samaritan, read Luke 10:30-37. If you know the
story read Luke 10:36-37. Is this the application
of common grace? (Absolutely not.)
1. Has Jesus given a new and inconsistent
instruction? (Let’s call it a clarification.
An emergency situation modifies the principle
of common grace.)
E. Friend, God’s primary call to us is to show love
by treating others equally. We are not called to
give worse treatment to the rich so that we can
give more favorable treatment to the poor. We are
called to show favor to fellow believers and show
mercy to those in emergency situations. Will you
answer God’s call to love and mercy?
V. Next week: Love Is the Fulfillment of the Law.
Copr. 2025, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
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but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
