What is Biblical Justice?

Our culture is talking a lot about justice. Terms like criminal justice, racial justice, climate justice, economic justice, reproductive justice, trans justice, gender justice, research justice, and epistemic justice are just a few of the themes that fall underneath the umbrella term “social justice” that captivates much of our national discourse.

But not everything that calls itself justice is actually justice. In a world that calls evil good and darkness light (Isaiah 5:20), we must be discerning. We must understand what the Bible means when it talks about justice. Often the best place to start is by defining terms.

Here’s my definition of biblical justice: Conformity to God’s moral standards as revealed in Scripture (1) by giving all humans their due as image-bearers of God, especially the most vulnerable and (2) by impartially rendering judgment, righting wrongs and punishing lawbreakers.

I’m sure my definition has holes and weaknesses (as most definitions do), but if nothing else it gives us a place to start. So let’s talk about justice.