Bible Reading: Deut. 14,15,16. Mark: 12: 23-44
“Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shall not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.” – Deuteronomy 16:19(KJV)
Over the years due to corruption justice has been denied to people by corrupt and wicked judges. The scriptures admonishes us as Christians not to wrest judgement. Some of these miscarried justice is as result of bribery and corruption. The gift in the above scripture is referring to corruption or what people call the Greek gift. When you visit the home of a judge in whose court you have a case with a Ghana-must-go bag filled with dollars as gift in order for him to pervert justice, such gift is what the bible is referring to that will blind the eye of the wise. When you consider the status of an individual in dispensing judgment you have wrested judgment and you are an unrighteous judge. The scripture instructs God’s children not to wrest judgment because of respect of person’s status or accepting gift that can cause you to pervert judgment.
A Christian judge must be guided by the word of God. All the laws enacted by man are traceable to the statute and commandment stated in the holy writ. The scriptures gave birth to most of the laws governing relationships in various societies. It is expedient for a Christian judge to be as acquainted with the scriptures as much as he is with the laws of the land. The Christian judge must of a necessity resist the urge to join others in perverting justice for quick riches. “Thou shalt not follow multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to rest judgment:” – Exodus 23:2(KJV). He should not judge by considering status and be used as instrument of oppression of the poor. “Thou shalt not wrest the judgement of thy poor in cause” – Exodus 23:6(KJV). “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.” – Leviticus 19:15 (KJV). These are very important scriptures that should guide Christian judges and officers of the law. The same applies to all believers who are law enforcement officers. Even in our day to day relationship we must be guided by these tenets that are properly enshrined in the scriptures.
It takes the grace of God and proper entrenchment of God’s word in our life to resist the evil inherent in the dispensation of judgment in the world. Companies across the nation has spent billions of dollars to thwart judgment and pervert the words of the righteous leading to wrong judgment. Landed properties have been taken, confiscated, seized and taken from the poor through the instrumentality of miscarried justice. Innocent persons have been sent to prison and suffered years of deprivation due to corrupted investigation and judgment. As Christians we must be seen as the defenders of the truth and justice.
Prayer: Father help me to be a true defender of the truth and dispenser of justice.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo