There is no such thing as racial justice. There is only justice. When people feel the need to add qualifiers, it’s clear that we’re no longer talking about true justice.”

Satan and his followers, under the guise of worldly social justice advocates, have twisted, distorted, and misrepresented genuine justice. I recently read: “Thus the justice of God is the absence and impossibility of any moral disorder within Himself. God’s justice is thus equivalent to His infinite holiness and perfect goodness…” This reminded me of Psalm 89:14 (NKJV), “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.”

If you wish to understand justice, righteousness, and how to pursue holiness, the Psalms guide us to go directly to the source – the Holy One of Israel. Explore the Scriptures to discover the truth of God’s holiness, spend time in worship to be transformed by His holiness, and ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to live a holy life. The Psalms beckon us to know the Holy One of Israel and to worship Him in the beauty of His holiness. As you engage in this, you develop personal holiness (2 Corinthians 3:18), remembering that His holiness is imparted to you through Jesus Christ, thus enabling you, through the Holy Spirit, to walk in holiness (1 Peter 1:13-19).

Amos 5:24 states, “But let justice run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” Justice and righteousness are pivotal concepts among the prophets. Righteousness is the quality exhibited by those who adhere to the norms in relationships, doing right by others. Justice, on the other hand, pertains to the judicial process of determining who is right in legal disputes, aiding the just party. Amos’s critique in this passage is that the poor are not being defended in court, hence justice is not served. The Bible discusses justice and righteousness extensively in passages like Isaiah 1:10-17, Hosea 6:6, and Micah 6:6-8, among others.

I’m not claiming to be above reproach; none of us are, but we must strive to live justly and righteously. The outward forms of religion and this distorted, worldly version of justice are valueless and even harmful. Our faith must be lived out daily. We are to love and honor God in all ways so that the Holy Spirit’s life can flow through us to others. As children of God, we have the supernatural ability to discern truth from lies and recognize justice and righteousness. God wants us to encourage His people to seek Him, obey His Word, and walk in holiness. Amos warns that the Lord will judge harshly those who cause others to stumble by discouraging godly and righteous behavior. Walk in God’s ways, and actively encourage others to do the same (Psalm 34:14-16; Matthew 18:6).