Remarks From the Reverend

Author’s Note: This is the fifth of a series of devotionals from Psalm 146.

“Who executes justice for the oppressed, ...” – Psalm 146:7a

As we continue our look at Psalm 146, we are finding our hope and trust cannot be in a “prince,” or a “son of man” or “we the people.” The solutions offered by man are temporary, self-defeating and oftentimes, self-destructive. Our hope and trust can only be in the Lord God, our Creator, who keeps truth forever.

Further, our hope and trust can only be in the Lord God of Jacob because He “executes justice for the oppressed,” as we see from the first part of verse 7 of Psalm 146. The Lord God executes justice for the oppressed because He is a just and righteous God (Deuteronomy 32:4).

In keeping truth forever, the Lord God of Jacob, will execute His justice on those who transgress His Law of love, as expressed by our Savior Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:37-40; and more fully detailed in the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) and elsewhere in Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:13-6:10; Ephesians 4:11-6:10; Ephesians 4:11-6:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-26; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; 4:1-5:21; 2 Timothy 3:1-4:5; Titus 2:1-3:11;1 John 2:1-5:5, etc.

Therefore, we are not to ‘oppress’ anyone; even our enemies, as we learn from Jesus in Matthew 5:43-48. Further, we learn in Romans 12:17-21 that though we may be oppressed, vengeance belongs to the Lord; He will repay our enemies in His time and for His glory. He will execute justice on them or by His grace alone save them from the wrath to come through Jesus Christ, just as He did with Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9); and just as He has done throughout the ages for His elect, turning sinners like you and me from being enemies of God to being His friends as He changes hearts and adopting them as His children by the power of the Holy Spirit.

So it is that God according to His grace and mercy will deliver the oppressed and execute justice on oppressors. Though God may let oppressors continue for a while, He does so according to His good purpose; to add guilt to their account and to drive the oppressed to the Lord, as they seek relief from their oppressors, knowing God’s mercies are not deserved.

We must never, never, never think we are deserving of any blessing from the Lord much less deliverance from our enemies. Moreover, we mustn’t look down upon our oppressors as being better than them, or with a vengeful, “You’ll get yours!” Rather, not only are we to show kindness to them, but pity them also; knowing that God will execute His justice on them. In that pity proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to your oppressor; speak of the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ and the transforming power of Jesus Christ to change a person filled with hate, anger, bitterness, violence, guilt and tormented in his or her soul to a forgiving, joyful, gentle, peaceful, kind and loving person with a soul at rest in Jesus Christ.

Are you oppressed by a tormented soul in these troubling and turbulent times? There is hope only in Jesus Christ; it’s a hope not in this fallen sin-filled world; it’s a hope in the life to come in the new heavens and the new earth, both of body and soul, after God has executed His righteous judgment on the wicked and oppressors of this world and purged this fallen world from the effects of sin and renews it; freeing it from sin, sorrow, grief, disappointment, distress, despair and death (2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1-5).

God doesn’t relent when it comes to His justice and His punishment is severe. Fear God, not man; serve God not your passions and lusts of the flesh. Then in the fear of God repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, who bore in His body and soul the wrath of God against sinners (against oppressors), who belong to Him, chosen by God from before the foundation of the world out of an everlasting love for them.

Regardless of whether you are an oppressor or the oppressed, you will either bear the wrath of God forever in the torment of hell, or you will, by faith, put your trust and faith in Jesus Christ, embracing with your whole heart His one atoning sacrifice on the cross that satisfied for you God’s eternal wrath against you (Hebrews 10:11-18). This means also embracing Christ’s righteousness as your righteousness so that you will stand justified before the only true and holy God in the Day of Judgment, since our righteousness will never justify us before God and deliver us from His eternal wrath (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:9-21). Then, with a thankful heart filled with the love of God by the power of the Holy Spirit begin to serve God, living by faith in obedience to His word as new a new creation in Christ Jesus to the glory of God (Titus 2:11-14). This is our only comfort and hope in this troubled life; God’s amazing justice through Jesus Christ, our only Savior and Lord.

Rev. Richard Stetler, of Hartley, is the CEO and founder of Reformation Gospel Ministries. Visit http://www.reformationgospelministries.org for more information.