Whats the difference between revenge and justice?

[Sammy-San]

The Book of Romans says that God uses governments to enact justice. But the Bible also says humans getting revenge is not God's will, because vengeance is God's alone. How do you reconcile these two facts? What makes justice, carried out by an authority, different from revenge, from a moral perspective?

 

[BryanW92]

Justice is more deliberative, employing more hands and minds to come to a decision.

Look at the American justice system. A cop has to arrest you. A DA has to choose to prosecute. A Grand Jury has to indict. A lawyer is selected as your advocate. A jury has to convict. A judge has to sentence. An appeals court has to listen to your appeal.

Then, look at individual retribution: "I think he done wronged me, so I'm a'goneta kill 'em!"

Can you see who has the most influence in one system over the other?

 

[agua]

Justice is more deliberative, employing more hands and minds to come to a decision.

Look at the American justice system. A cop has to arrest you. A DA has to choose to prosecute. A Grand Jury has to indict. A lawyer is selected as your advocate. A jury has to convict. A judge has to sentence. An appeals court has to listen to your appeal.

Then, look at individual retribution: "I think he done wronged me, so I'm a'goneta kill 'em!"

Can you see who has the most influence in one system over the other?

Yeah individuals tend to be less able to judge impartially and separate their reasoning from their emotions. I spose a group is less likely to make emotional decisions but this isn't always the case. One Godly man could make a better decision than a whole ungodly jury imo.

 

[Sammy-San]

Justice is more deliberative, employing more hands and minds to come to a decision.

Look at the American justice system. A cop has to arrest you. A DA has to choose to prosecute. A Grand Jury has to indict. A lawyer is selected as your advocate. A jury has to convict. A judge has to sentence. An appeals court has to listen to your appeal.

Then, look at individual retribution: "I think he done wronged me, so I'm a'goneta kill 'em!"

Can you see who has the most influence in one system over the other?

If God is against human revenge and says revenge is for Him alone, what makes it just for people in authority to enact justice (which is a form of revenge) against the wicked?

 

[BryanW92]

If God is against human revenge and says revenge is for Him alone, what makes it just for people in authority to enact justice (which is a form of revenge) against the wicked?

Because the bible say so. That isn't a flippant answer. Sometimes, you get right down to the fundamentals and you have to go with the word as it is written. This is one of those cases.

God does not smite the wicked with lightning bolts. You can't have a world full of sinful people running around, knowing that there is no justice until after death.

 

[Sammy-San]

Because the bible say so. That isn't a flippant answer. Sometimes, you get right down to the fundamentals and you have to go with the word as it is written. This is one of those cases.

God does not smite the wicked with lightning bolts. You can't have a world full of sinful people running around, knowing that there is no justice until after death.

You dont believe God uses natural disasters to punish people today?

 

[BryanW92]

You dont believe God uses natural disasters to punish people today?

Have you ever seen a hurricane that only floods the homes of criminals? A tornado that only blows down the pedophiles' homes? Natural disasters are just the result of physics (moving air and water, heat and cold, seismic forces, gravity, etc). There is no justice in them.

 

[dragongunner]

Difference Between Justice and Revenge | Difference Between | Justice vs Revenge

 

[Sammy-San]

Have you ever seen a hurricane that only floods the homes of criminals? A tornado that only blows down the pedophiles' homes? Natural disasters are just the result of physics (moving air and water, heat and cold, seismic forces, gravity, etc). There is no justice in them.

Innocent people do sometimes get caught up in the judgement of the wicked. For example, when the flood of Sodom and Gommorah happened, a lot of children died there too.

 

[RDKirk]

The Book of Romans says that God uses governments to enact justice.

No, it doesn't. It says governments punish lawbreakers. Not the same thing.

But the Bible also says humans getting revenge is not God's will, because vengeance is God's alone. How do you reconcile these two facts? What makes justice, carried out by an authority, different from revenge, from a moral perspective?

The execution of law is frequently not just, as the example of Daniel in the lion's den shows.

Real justice might mean the king says, "Yes, he stole bread from you, but that was because you're a selfish jerk and a blight on the community, so you get executed and he gets to take your bread to his family."

Obeying the king's laws has nothing to do with justice. The king gets to be king merely to maintain an orderly society so:

"...that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 1 Timothy 2.

 

[BryanW92]

Innocent people do sometimes get caught up in the judgement of the wicked. For example, when the flood of Sodom and Gommorah happened, a lot of children died there too.

Good point. So God is not really just when dealing with specific sins. He just kills with a broad stroke and catches up the routine sinners along with the really degenerate ones? If a person in line at McDonalds next to me is a serial killer, God could poison the hamburgers and just kill everyone in the store to get that one man? He's kinda like "just nuke 'em from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

if someone reads psalms, and the rest of Scripture, it becomes apparent and clear that the children were not innocent.

but Jesus also said that even if someone came back from the dead and reported it, the unbelievers wouldn't listen to Him...... and so it is.....

Innocent people do sometimes get caught up in the judgement of the wicked. For example, when the flood of Sodom and Gommorah happened, a lot of children died there too.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

p.s. look up in the hbrw lngg nd cltr , jstc and vngnc,

look up in the hebrew language and cultre, justice and vengeance,

and see that they are very different. as Yhvh says in Scripture.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

yes.
read a lot.

(maybe EVERYBODY's criminals too) (or the one's God chooses as His Own are led to safety even if they don't realize it - a lot of reports of this ---- even in/from the infamous towers)

Have you ever seen a hurricane that only floods the homes of criminals? A tornado that only blows down the pedophiles' homes? Natural disasters are just the result of physics (moving air and water, heat and cold, seismic forces, gravity, etc). There is no justice in them.