Just what’s in a word? That is … “just”. Just what does “just” mean?

I recently attended a conference at Katoomba along with about 2000 other people from, literally, all over the place.

Apart from enjoying the wise counsel of Professor John Lennox from Oxford University we were also there to hear from Stephen Um. Um? That’s right, Stephen Um; Dr Stephen Um if you don’t mind. Stephen is a pastor at Boston, USA and holds a doctorate in New Testament Studies.

He spoke on 4 separate occasions; but during one of them he dropped a bombshell on many of us – as he expounded one of the most quoted verses in the New Testament.

How on earth had we missed it? (Hence my bewildered expression above!)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

This verse from the New Testament would be in the TOP 10 I-will-learn-off-by-heart verses for any new Christian with ‘L’ plates on (that’s Learner Plates for Aussie beginner drivers for our many overseas readers!).

It’s a basic verse, it’s fundamental, it’s very popular and we all understood it - we can even quote it. Well, we thought we understood it – until um, Stephen Um, zeroed in on the word “just”.

Just why was “just” there? Sorry? Why doesn’t it say “merciful” instead of “just”? Read the verse again Brew (Bro)!

Dr Stephen’s explanation of this verse was so bewildering to some, that on the following night after his exposition, a questioner asked him to clarify his understanding, again, of this word “just”; just one more time Stevo because I have never heard this sort of stuff before!!

Why the need for clarification? What did Dr Um actually say that unsettled not a few ‘old-time-Christians’? What the heck did he say?!

Well, Stephen said that God would be “just’ and forgive our sins but as many Christians will shout from the rooftops, "We don’t want just-ice (that means we have to account for all our sins) – we want mercy!"

Do you see the dilemma?

If God is “just” he will not ignore our sins. He is the Judge, we are the offenders, the lawbreakers. We have wilfully (and unwilfully) broken His holy laws constantly – let’s not kid ourselves. We break His commandments on a daily basis. I don’t want just-ice; for that means judge-ment. God is love but He is also just. No-one gets away with anything on planet Earth ultimately – including me.

Then why does the apostle John say to his Christian friends that God is faithful and “just” and will forgive us our sins?

The answer? Because a true Christian is now holy i.e. set apart TO God having been given all the benefits of what Jesus has accomplished including forgiveness – not because he/she is a good girl/boy – but because Jesus has died in their place. That is, He ‘became sin for us’ by willingly taking our sin all the way to its rightful judgement – death. But, note well, something legal has transpired here.

Jesus has taken upon Himself the punishment Christians deserve for their sins but also, He has lived a life of perfection (in full conformity to God’s Law). This earned “righteousness” He gives – as a gift – to everyone who comes to Him; whether they be prostitute or prince.

Sin is no longer a barrier because it’s been dealt with in the body of the Son of God – Jesus Christ.

If sin has been overcome LEGALLY; and it has in Jesus, then there is no need for mercy for my present and future sins. What remains is just-ice for those of us whose sins accompany us every day as Christians this side of heaven.

Might well the apostle Paul say in Romans 8.1-2: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

If we are beyond legal “condemnation” and been “set free from the law of sin and death” by the Judge of the Universe (God), then my present and future sins will all be “faithfully” forgiven because this is “just” based solely on what Jesus has accomplished for all His people. He has earned our ‘right’ to be children of God and our ‘right’ to be forgiven.

So, today, I will ask God to (sincerely) forgive my sins. And He will. Why? Because He is “faithful” (He cannot lie or be corrupt) and He is “just” (i.e. He is right-eous).

Does this, therefore, give me a license to sin?

Well, the verse above claims that my life is influenced by ‘the Spirit of life” who has given me, and all other followers of Jesus, a strong dislike of sin. Besides, God is now my Father (not my judge) and He has promised to keep me in line!

So, um, it was a good conference – in fact, a very good conference!

(Dr Stephen Um's website is highly recommended. It's called 'The Center for Gospel Culture')