What does the Bible say about God's justice and righteousness?

God's justice is synonymous with His holiness, representing a strict exercise of moral perfection that glorifies His nature. Romans 3:26 emphasizes that God is both just and the justifier, meaning He upholds His righteousness while providing a means for sinners to be justified through faith in Jesus Christ. The foundation of the Atonement is righteousness, revealing God's character and the necessity of His justice in relation to sin.

This dimension of God's nature becomes strikingly clear in the context of the Atonement. Prior to humanity's fall, justice was revealed in the command of the law, demonstrating an inherent threat: disobedience leads to death. Post-fall, God instituted sacrifices to illustrate His justice, emphasizing that holiness must be satisfied. Thus, those who seek acceptance without acknowledging God’s justice undermine the very essence of His nature, as seen in the contrast between Cain's and Abel's offerings. Abel’s offering, which recognized God's justice, prefigured the ultimate sacrifice of Christ that fully fulfilled these requirements, establishing a profound link between divine justice and mercy.