Equal Justice For All

Years ago the communist government in China commissioned an author to write a biography of Hudson Taylor with the purpose of distorting the facts and presenting him in a bad light. They wanted to discredit the name of this consecrated missionary of the gospel. As the author … More

Influence

In this passage another law of the Israelites is given:

IV. Things involving Legal Justice:

1. To be a true witness and not side in with the unrighteous in legal cases (v. 1).

2. Not to pervert justice by being influenced by the crowd (v. 2).

3. Not to show favoritism to the poor (v. 3).

4. To be kind, even to the animals of a person you have a legal dispute with (vv. 4-5).

5. Never to deny justice to the poor because of their social status (v. 6).

6. Not to give a false testimony in court that might result in their death (v. 7)

7. Accept no bribes for favoritism in court (v. 8).

8. Never take advantage of a stranger (v. 9).

As a young person it is certainly easy to get in with the wrong crowd and be influenced by it in the wrong way (vv. 1-2). We are not to let our prejudice for or against the poor influence our thinking and that justice will prevail concerning them (v. 3). In a practical way, (v. 4-5) are the carrying of the precept “Love thy neighbor as thyself....” (Lev. 19:18). The taking of a bribe and the oppression of a stranger are also forbidden (vv. 6-9).

Application

I am never to take advantage of others when it is in my power to do so. I am in this world to be a servant and not a person of power.

Exodus 23:1-9 (English Standard Version)


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View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »