The theme of chapter 11 is valuing – weighing things correctly.
Over rating and under rating are both acts of deception. We can easily over emphasize and add spin when we want things to be seen a certain way. Fear of people and desire for being viewed a certain way can result in exaggerations and minimizations to suit the hour. It is an abomination to the Lord. May we learn to be bold with the truth.
Justice and even-handedness are attributes of God mankind is meant to display. In John 10:34 where Jesus cites Ps. 82 He notes that the Law says “you are gods” in the context of Israel’s leadership having perverted justice while being the recipients of God’s Law. We are meant to be His vice-regents here. And nowhere is that more manifest than in judging right and wrong, based upon God’s own just nature communicated in the rights and wrongs He delineates.
Whenever people pervert justice, we openly and graphically deny God. This is true for those apart from Christ – and especially true for those who own Him. Christians above all ought to be concerned with miscarriages of justice in our society – and even more within the Church.
Note more however that the Cross is a matter of justice as well as grace. The two are married at Calvary. When we are inequitable in our dealings with others, we violate His image drastically. When we preach a Cross which was not a place where God’s just wrath was poured out and satisfied, we deny His nature as just. And when we preach a Cross without forgiveness freely offered on the basis of it, we deny His nature in His mercy and grace.
How cautious Christians ought to be in dealing with people justly, fairly and equitably. The Gospel is at stake. A false balance, not trading and dealing in equity with all, is an affront to who God is just in His very nature. And how He delights for His children to make Him known to the world in how we deal with one another. Those who are sharp in their dealings – so that they want something for nothing – to gain unfairly over another, deny Him for our 30 pieces of silver.
Honor Christ by honoring the justice and grace of the Cross by being people of equity and a just balance.
A final note: When we weight our sin lightly, we, at the very same time, then weight His mercy and grace proportionately lightly. If we would know His mercy and grace in salvation in the highest possible way, we must be willing to own the depths and wickedness of our sin in their plummet-less depths. We cannot minimize sin without minimizing the Cross at the very same time. And only the Christian, secure in Christ, can honestly and fearlessly see their own sin for what it is – because we are in Him – and in the Cross, we are forgiven.
