The justice of God is that perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in Himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. Psalm 89:14 declares, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” God’s justice means that every decision God every makes is a good and right decision; furthermore, every single law that God has ever spoken into existence is a good law (Psalm 19:7).

The other side of the story is this: God intensely hates sin. God loves all that is right and good, and everything that conforms to his character but He hates everything that is opposed to his moral character. In short, God hates sin. Because of his own righteousness, and the justice of his law, God must judge sin. There is just no way around it. Romans 11:22 clearly states, “Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were banished from the Garden of Eden. God destroyed the whole world with a flood in the days of Noah because of sin. God sent fire and brimstone on Sodom of Gomorrah because of the sickening sin of those cities. He sent plague after plague on the Egyptians when Israel sinned, he said to Moses, “‘I have seen these people,’ the LORD said to Moses, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation’” (Exodus 32:9-10).

However on the other side of the wrath and justice of God is His unconditional love for His people and His longsuffering patience. In the Psalms, it says, “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:8-10). God is long-suffering, holding back for a lifetime what we truly deserve. Justice, then, is getting what we do deserve; mercy is not getting what we do deserve. God is continually showing His people mercy.

The believer that comes to the counseling session must have an assurance of faith in God’s ultimate mercy. He must know the faithfulness of God in forgiving his sins as he chooses to turn in humble repentance and seek His face. Repentance always culminates in a change of behavior. The one being counseled cannot be allowed to remain ensnared in the guilt of past associations and past sins, guilt, self-pity or regrets. They must be made to see their sin in the light of God’s judgment as it is weighed against His ultimate mercy that is found in repentance and forgiveness at the cross of Jesus Christ.