What does the Bible mean when it speaks of the righteousness and justice of God? In a certain sense these attributes are but the manifestations of God’s holiness. It is His holiness that is manifested in dealing with the sons of men. Holiness has to do particularly with the character or disposition of God in itself, while in righteousness and justice that character is expressed in the dealings of God with men. Some people complain that they have always been mistreated, never having received justice in this life, and in some cases this might be true. But one thing is sure; every person will receive justice at the hand of God! All will be dealt with justly and righteously, “For it is written, ‘As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess God.’ So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:11-12). Saint or sinner, when we stand before God we will receive exactly what is right. His character guarantees that He cannot judge wrongly, “He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His truth” (Psalm 96:13). Some protest that God is too loving and would be unjust to send the ungospeled heathen in remote and uncivilized places of the world to hell. Concerning the people in such places, we have had them in every generation and God has His written indictment against them in Romans 1:18-20, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” The righteousness and justice of God are revealed in two ways: first, in punishing the wicked, called retributive justice; Psalm 11:4-7, “The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous; but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest. This shall be the portion of their cup.” This is David’s reply to his timid advisers, ‘Saul may reign upon the earth and do wickedly, but God reigns from heaven and will do right.’ Secondly in forgiving the sins of the penitent, we read in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just (righteous) to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” In the rewarding of the righteous, we have His promise in Proverbs 11:18, “To Him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.” Therefore the righteous God will do right by all men.