“God has ordained the state as a delegated authority; it is not autonomous.
The state is to be an agent of justice, to restrain evil by punishing the
wrongdoer, and to protect the good in society.
When it does the reverse, it has no proper authority.
It is then a usurped authority and as such it becomes lawless and is tyranny.”
Francis A. Schaeffer A Christian Manifesto Crossway Books (1981,1982) p.91
So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness; for brightness, but we
walk in deep shadows. Like the blind we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble
as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead.
We all growl like bears;
we moan mournfully like doves.
We look
for justice, but find none; for deliverance, but it is far away.
Isaiah 59: 9-11
I know, O Lord, that a man’s life
is not his own; it is not for a man to direct his
steps. Correct me, Lord, but only with justice— not
in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.
Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge
you, on the peoples who do not call on your name.
Jeremiah 10:23- 25a