--- title: "Justice and mercy: A contemporary Christian perspective" date: 2020-08-31T10:00:00+01:00 author: Vicki Pici canonical_url: "https://staging.eauk.org/news-and-views/justice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective" section: Articles --- Share [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fjustice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective) [ ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Justice%20and%20mercy%3A%20A%20contemporary%20Christian%20perspective&url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fjustice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective) [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/send?app_id=1769260916495219&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fjustice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective&link=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fjustice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective&display=popup) [ ](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fjustice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective) Copy link to this article Share this article Justice and mercy: A contemporary Christian perspective 3 min read Contents Share [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fjustice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective) [ ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Justice%20and%20mercy%3A%20A%20contemporary%20Christian%20perspective&url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fjustice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective) [ ](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fstaging.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fjustice-and-mercy-a-contemporary-christian-perspective) Copy link to this article Share this article Back to top In this article #### Justice and mercy are key attributes of God. We cannot fully appreciate the mercy of God without understanding His justice. Biblical justice is all about making things right. The parable of the widow in Luke 18:1-8 highlights the importance of victims getting justice. Contemporary calls for racial justice, gender justice and ethnic justice must be seen in this light. Victims want things to be put right. They want corrective justice. Like the widow in Luke 18, victims seek for their voices to be heard. Corrective justice is not the only form of redress available to victims. There are other types of justice including restorative and healing justice described in several scholarly works such as Duncan Forester’s book *Christian Justice and Public Policy*. According to Forester, restorative justice recognises that both ​“perpetrators and victims require rehabilitation and healing”. Offering rehabilitation to offenders does not mean that the victim’s call for corrective justice is ignored. Restorative and healing justice provide an opportunity for the offender to admit wrong, seek forgiveness and reconciliation with the victim. Some level of restitution may be required in the process. The offender is offered an opportunity to make things right with the victim. Above all, God offers redemptive justice to us all through the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is an amazing act of mercy and love. Romans 5:6 and 8 states: ​“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” If we accept the redemptive mercy and love of Jesus Christ, heaven’s court declares us ​‘not guilty’. God’s mercy frees us from all guilt and shame. It offers us a brand new start with God. ## Cyfiawnder a thrugaredd: Safbwynt Cristnogol cyfoes ### P’un ai fel dioddefwr neu droseddwr, mae angen inni i gyd wybod am drugaredd a chyfiawnder Duw ar ein cyfer. #### Mae cyfiawnder a thrugaredd yn brif nodweddion Duw. Fedrwn ni ddim gwerthfawrogi’n llawn trugaredd Duw heb ddeall Ei gyfiawnder. Mae cyfiawnder Beiblaidd yn ymwneud yn llwyr â gwneud iawn am bethau. Mae dameg y weddw yn Luc 18: 1-8 yn amlygu pwysigrwydd dioddefwyr yn derbyn cyfiawnder. Rhaid edrych ar y galwadau cyfoes am gyfiawnder hiliol, cyfiawnder rhywedd a chyfiawnder ethnig yn y goleuni hwn. Mae dioddefwyr am weld pethau’n cael eu hunioni. Maen nhw am weld cyfiawnder cywirol. Yn debyg i’r weddw yn Luc 18, mae dioddefwyr yn ceisio cael gwrandawiad i’w lleisiau. Ond nid cyfiawnder cywirol ydy’r unig ffurf ar iawn sydd ar gael i ddioddefwyr. Ceir mathau eraill o gyfiawnder, gan gynnwys cyfiawnder adferol a chymodol, sy’n cael eu disgrifio mewn sawl astudiaeth ysgolheigaidd megis llyfr Duncan Forester, *Christian Justice and Public Policy*. Yn ôl Forester, mae cyfiawnder adferol yn cydnabod fod angen adferiad ac iachâd ar droseddwyr a dioddefwyr fel ei gilydd”. Dydy cynnig adferiad i droseddwyr ddim yn golygu anwybyddu galwad y dioddefwr am gyfiawnder cywirol. Mae cyfiawnder adferol a chymodol yn cynnig y cyfle i’r troseddwr gyfaddef camwedd, ceisio maddeuant gan a chymod gyda’r dioddefwr. Efallai y bydd angen rhyw lefel o dalu iawn yn y broses. Rhoddir cyfle i’r troseddwr i unioni neu wneud pethau’n iawn gyda’r dioddefwr. Uwchlaw popeth, mae Duw’n cynnig cyfiawnder gwaredol inni i gyd trwy ras achubol ein Harglwydd Iesu Grist. Dyma ichi weithred anhygoel o ras a chariad. Mae Rhufeiniaid 5: 6 ac 8 yn datgan: ​“Pan oedd pethau’n gwbl anobeithiol arnon ni, dyma’r Meseia yn dod ar yr adeg iawn i farw droson ni rai drwg!… Ond dangosodd Duw i ni gymaint mae’n ein caru ni drwy i’r Meseia farw droson ni pan oedden ni’n dal i bechu yn ei erbyn!” Os wnawn ni dderbyn trugaredd a chariad adferol Iesu Grist, mae llys y nefoedd yn datgan ein bod yn ​‘ddieuog’. Mae trugaredd Duw yn ein rhyddhau o bob euogrwydd a chywilydd. Mae’n cynnig dechrau newydd sbon inni gyda Duw. Your reading Count on · turn off 0 You’ve read 0 articles in the last year. Behind what you’re reading is a movement of churches, organisations and individuals standing together. Join us and add your voice to the church being heard where it matters most. [Become a member](/membership/become-a-member/individuals/join-us) Privacy settings *›* Your article count is off. Nothing is being recorded on this device. Turn it back on --- ### About Dr Hephzibah Egede ![]() Hephzibah is assistant pastor of RCCG's Garden of the Lord parish in Cardiff where she serves together with her husband. 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