Is God's justice really perfect?

[Mlmiller25]

A thought has occurred to me recently: that a ex-spouse who has on multiple times caused me severe hurt, and turned family members against me permanently, though manipulation, although I was trying to do the right thing, Biblically. Now the ex supposedly follows Jesus and attends church. This person will now go to heaven and be with Jesus, the same as me. The damage is still there. Never any regret or apologies expressed and we have no direct contact. I have worked at forgiving this person, but once in awhile something comes up to bring the pain back. God's justice does not seem to be perfect.

 

[Tall Timbers]

God's justice is really perfect, always. None of us deserve or merit a place in the Kingdom of God. It's good to remember that. You are no more deserving than I am or anyone else. Salvation is a free gift we accept by faith through God's grace. Praise the Lord!

 

[Wally]

From our viewpoint, If God was only Just, Christ would not have died for us.

God is Just and also MERCIFUL and Gracious. Christ's sacrifice satisfied God's justice in regards to our sin.

But do not be deceived, God is perfect in ALL things. How HE will met out Justice in the midst of forgiveness is some what of a mystery.

I'm sure many of us have called for payback. And certainly some of the most wicked will be cast into the flames amongst the cheers of the Saints.
But I am reminded that one day all the hurts will be brought to the trees of heaven and the very leaves will bring healing:

Revelation 22:2 HCSB
down the middle of the broad street of the city. The tree of life was on both sides of the river, bearing 12 kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations,

We don't have to look for Justice, we do have to TRUST the Judge.

 

[Bohdan]

God alone knows the end from the beginning.
Faith in God means trust, not just belief in His existence.

 

[kathymendel]

God wishes no one to go to hell. Your ex-husband included. If your ex-husband should end up in heaven, God will have removed
any human sadness or anger from you, and you won't look at things then as you do now. God is faithful and just in all things. So,
don't spend too much time stewing over this.........

 

[Bethlehem57]

Even the best relationships are subject to criticism, hurts, lies and betrayals of some type or another. Marriage is the very closest of all relationships, and because we are human, we find it easy to hurt those closest to us when we are angry. Betrayal on either side is VERY painful; I have first-hand experience.

I came to a saving relationship with Christ back in 1979, after my husband and I had been married just a few years. He had met an old girlfriend at a training class he had been sent to and decided he wanted to be separated. Because I had no where to turn, I got the yellow pages (hey…..I know I’m old…this was before cell phones!) and found a church. They cried with me, they prayed for me, they gathered me in and loved me. And God, in His mercy and love, led me to saving faith in Christ and I accepted Jesus as Savior and was baptized there. The Lord brought me into fellowship with real brothers and sisters in Christ. It didn’t make the pain go away, but leaning on Him made it so much easier!

I grew up in Northern California and never knew the Lord. My mother was into Christian Science, which was really loony; I remember going to Sunday school vaguely when I may have been eight but that’s it. Just imagine how sideways this could have gone if the Lord wasn’t in this! I’m not trying to make light of your hurt. I really understand some of what you are going through and it really hurts! But being a child of God, we must forgive.He forgave us and we certainly don’t deserve it!

God pursues us, because He loves us! He puts people in our lives, He causes things, both good and bad, to come into our in our lives that grow us closer to Him, to mold and shape us; sometimes it’s painful.

Perhaps this is part of His plan right now for your life. If your spouse is truly saved, they will begin to grow, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and their life will change.

The Bible tells us that when just one person comes to salvation in Christ, all of Heaven celebrates! Don’t be discouraged about being in Heaven with your spouse! The work of the Holy Spirit in their life won’t happen overnight, it won’t undo the pain they have caused or the hurt with other family member, but remember that God told us that our lives wouldn’t be easy when we chose Christ. He told us that following Him would turn others, even family, against us.

And hurts in relationships are never one way streets. Perhaps their salvation will bring you back together! Genuine salvation will make a person die to their old ways; certainly their lives will look different.

God’s plan for my husband and I was to get back together! We’ve been married for 46 years and both are born-again believers! We have been through a lot of things that we could have let come between us, but we stuck together. It takes prayer, work and more prayer!

We aren’t supposed to judge other believers’ faith. It may very well be that your spouse has become a born again believer, they need time to let the Holy Spirit’s work in and through them. Pray for them! Repentance and sorrow for the hurt they have caused will be the fruit of their saving relationship with Christ!

 

[Everlasting Life]

A thought has occurred to me recently: that a ex-spouse who has on multiple times caused me severe hurt, and turned family members against me permanently, though manipulation, although I was trying to do the right thing, Biblically. Now the ex supposedly follows Jesus and attends church. This person will now go to heaven and be with Jesus, the same as me. The damage is still there. Never any regret or apologies expressed and we have no direct contact. I have worked at forgiving this person, but once in awhile something comes up to bring the pain back. God's justice does not seem to be perfect.

This is really hard to work through, I know, had a similar situation myself with different aspects but like you had to wrestle with what you are now.

Know this, God understands your pain, He knows what you've gone through and sees with compassionate, understanding eyes. It's ok to take time to continue to heal to work through forgiveness, that can be in stages and also returned to as situations stir up things. Remember, forgiveness doesn't mean automatic trust of any sort.....that has to be earned as actions show. This may or may not happen and you are wise to be very cautious and keep boundaries as the Lord guides you. And, as you yield to the Lord in forgiving from the heart, you will grow in wonderful ways along with looking forward to great rewards.

Forgiveness also realizes that God is just and He will take care of the issue, as it says in Romans, making room for the Lord, He's the one who avenges. So, this removes a huge burden from your own shoulders knowing that God will take care of things (remembering that He often seeks to work through mercy and grace to bring about a better end). And, allows for God's Spirit to work more fully in your life.

At the same time, because God is just and cannot ignore sin that must be paid for, He sent His beloved Son to pay for all our sins to the uttermost (and willingly did so) and so those in Christ find themselves not held to the burden of paying for sin anymore, but instead are blessed to experience the incredible grace and mercy of God. So then, in Christ, God's justice and mercy are both shown and in this the righteousness of God as well.

This, however, does not mean that consequences of life decisions are not experienced (like King David for instance). If this person is indeed saved (only the Lord knows) as consequences that the Lord allows or the Holy Spirit's work in the heart take effect, God will use this to grow this person in Christ and hopefully will yield to the Holy Spirit to make true amends, not only in words but in actions. Keep in mind a new believer make take much time in the Lord before fruit is seen (like some young fruit trees that don't produce fruit for years while they are still growing) and again, it's ok for you to keep boundaries as the Lord guides.

The same is all true for others that have also hurt you through this difficulty. And, where you are overwhelmed and feel beyond capacity to forgive, it's ok to ask the Lord to forgive through you, lay it at His feet and ask Him to take care of what you are struggling with in your heart. He's faithful, He loves you, He cares.......and He's lovingly bigger than even our own feelings and difficult things of the heart and can help.

.....I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
he surrounds and defends all who fear him....

Psalm 34:4-7

 

[Andy C]

A thought has occurred to me recently: that a ex-spouse who has on multiple times caused me severe hurt, and turned family members against me permanently, though manipulation, although I was trying to do the right thing, Biblically. Now the ex supposedly follows Jesus and attends church. This person will now go to heaven and be with Jesus, the same as me. The damage is still there. Never any regret or apologies expressed and we have no direct contact. I have worked at forgiving this person, but once in awhile something comes up to bring the pain back. God's justice does not seem to be perfect.

Im sorry you had to go through whatever problems that have been inflicted upon you.

Yes, if your ex is truly saved, he/she (you did not specify who is what) will be in Heaven, as you will be despite all your own sins in this life. Salvation is not based on behavior but based on our belief in Him as our Savior.

God can only be perfect in all He does. We may not be able to truly understand this, but its true, and He is just.

 

[Andy C]

God wishes no one to go to hell. Your ex-husband included. If your ex-husband should end up in heaven, God will have removed
any human sadness or anger from you, and you won't look at things then as you do now. God is faithful and just in all things. So,
don't spend too much time stewing over this.........

Based on the OP, how do you know the member is a woman, and she is talking about her ex husband? Did I miss something?

 

[Everlasting Life]

Based on the OP, how do you know the member is a woman, and she is talking about her ex husband? Did I miss something?

You know, in all fairness, I just realized I was subconsciously thinking woman too. Oh, dear, am I biased?

More seriously you bring out a good point Andy.

Abuse is very much equal opportunity and my heart of compassion goes out to anyone who's endured, whether female or male. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

 

[lightofmylife]

There is no doubt that Gods justice is perfect because he is the only one without sin. This is why his blood is the only way we can be forgiven of our sins. Everything about is true and just. Thank God for his love of grace and mercy for this world, and for those who accept the gift of salvation he paid for everyone. many more people accept the only way of salvation.

 

[kathymendel]

Reread the OP and you are right!!! I don't know how I got to where I did from that!!!!
Sorry..........

 

[Mlmiller25]

A thought has occurred to me recently: that a ex-spouse who has on multiple times caused me severe hurt, and turned family members against me permanently, though manipulation, although I was trying to do the right thing, Biblically. Now the ex supposedly follows Jesus and attends church. This person will now go to heaven and be with Jesus, the same as me. The damage is still there. Never any regret or apologies expressed and we have no direct contact. I have worked at forgiving this person, but once in awhile something comes up to bring the pain back. God's justice does not seem to be perfect.

Thank you all for your replies. You have given me a great deal to think about. I appreciate the different perspectives. Yes, I am a female. The pain caused by my ex-husband is still ongoing, due to his manipulation of our children. They no longer communicate with me and are blind to the truth. I have been able to forgive his multiple adulteries, but not him turning our children against me.

 

[Mlmiller25]

I wrote my response and thanks in the wrong place. Please refer to my reply to my first post.

oops

 

[Amethyst]

I’m really sorry for the pain you’re going through

 

[Mlmiller25]

I’m really sorry for the pain you’re going through

Thank you!

 

[Jan51]

God's justice may not be done in this life, but it will ultimately be done.