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Justice And The Image Of God


So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27


My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

James 2:1



Unless you live under a rock, you’re aware of the conclusion to the high-profile trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, who was accused of murdering two men and injuring a third in my backyard of Kenosha, WI last summer after protests and rioting broke out over the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha police officer.  Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all counts to the great delight of some and the great horror of others.  Some are convinced justice was served while others are convinced it wasn’t.  It’s safe to say that the verdict has done more to polarize than it has to unite.


But there is something necessary for the Christian to hold unswervingly to regardless of whether or not he/she agrees with the verdict.  


Kyle Rittenhouse.  Joseph Rosenbaum.  Anthony Huber.  Gaige Grosskreutz.  


Which of these men is created in the image of God?  All of them.  And yet nearly everyone sounding off about this trial (and I’m deeply concerned with Christians’ responses), is not being governed by this reality.  


Should we lament the deaths of Joseph and Anthony, because they are image bearers?  Yes.  Even though they had criminal records?  Yes.  Even if “they deserved it (not my position)”?  Yes.  How can someone be pro-life and not mourn these two lives?  How can their lives be less valuable than the property being defended?  That mindset is an outrage to God.  


The hatred is equally palpable toward Kyle Rittenhouse by those on the other side.  “F*** Kyle” shirts hung from the shoulders of protestors outside the courthouse, worn proudly as a representative statement of justice.  


Sin will always result in assigning value based upon subjectively-perceived merits of ourselves and others.  The flavor of the day, of course, is to do so politically.  If you love the 2nd Amendment and limited government, then the other side is a bunch of “libtards.”  If you are a progressive social justice warrior, then the other side is a bunch of white supremacists.  And so you assign value (or lack there of) accordingly.  The biblical word for this is partiality, and it is the subject of James 2:1-13.  


At least part of the solution is to see everyone who was involved in this incident as a human…someone’s son, someone’s friend.  No matter your opinion on the verdict.  It matters that they died.  It matters that Kyle and Gaige will remember that night and its impact for the rest of their days.  All four of these men matter, because they bear the image of their Creator.  


Lament is more appropriate than anger.  The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  


And lament is more appropriate than celebration.  God does not wish that any should perish but that all should reach repentance.  


We don’t speak for God when we trivialize the lives of some people and embellish others.  And we ought to heed the warning that the measure we use will be used in return upon us.  


Mercy triumphs over judgment.


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