Romans 3:21-26
Justice and forgiveness are opposites. Justice happens when someone corrects an injustice. In the Old Testament, they called that “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” You’ve probably heard the quotation, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” While it sounds nice, it’s not true. An eye for an eye limits retaliation to the crime committed so the punishment fits the crime. Justice is just that, when the punishment fits the crime.
St. Paul says that God wants to also be the one who justifies. Justification is the opposite of justice. When someone is justified, they don’t have to pay for the injustice they caused. The punishment is gone. The guilt has been taken away. Do you remember this story in the news? A police officer comes home to her apartment building. The rooms all look the same, and she accidentally enters someone else’s apartment. Thinking she was in her own home, she shoots the guy. At the sentencing, the man’s brother told her that he forgives her and he thinks she shouldn’t go to jail. Then he asks the judge if he can hug her. That’s justification.
How can God be both? How can he do two opposite things at the same time? You’ll have to listen to find out.