The distinction of God as Lord and Creator

The title 'Judge' is introduced alongside 'the righteous'. 22 Lord, do not turn away from me. May such a thing not be done to me, that I should turn away from you, you who are the helper, the protector. For God distances himself from the wicked, just as he draws near to those who come to him. For the great apostle James writes, 'Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you' (James 4:8). It is as if you were saying even to the wicked, 'Draw near to virtue, and it draws near to you.' We do not receive the presence of God in a place, but in relationship and disposition.

23 Arise, O Lord, and attend to my judgment. The voice is one of boldness. No one being accused concerning adultery or murder or anything else says to God, 'Arise, and attend to my judgment'; for you know that the attention of the judgment will condemn him. Therefore, the voice 'attend to my judgment' is one of speaking with boldness regarding cleanliness and regarding being blameless. 'Attend to my judgment,' he says, 'examine that which is against me and that which is against them, and that which they say against me in vain, that they are hating me without cause.' Often 'Arise' signifies a stirring up. For we often say, 'Arise this man so that he may pay attention to himself,' and it does not signify a physical bodily form. If, however, you wish it as from sleep, it is said, 'Arise; why do you sleep, Lord?' God sleeps not, wishing to pass by unobserved. Therefore, this does not speak maliciously, but wishes to learn the cause, since your wisdom does nothing by chance. Even if you are patient, even if you withhold the punishment, even if you do not cast down those laying hands on me unjustly, tell me the cause; for thus, having known the cause, a wise person will be even more patient and will endure even more. 23 My God and my Lord, unto my judgment. You, and my God and my Lord, arise for me unto the judgment, judge me. He does not pray for his enemies to suffer evil; for the prayer of one holy who loves his enemies is that those enemies should no longer be enemies, that they should no longer be such people. It seems, however, to signify the punishment. For punishment is...

For the lover of pleasure, to become outside of pleasures; for the uncontrolled, to become far from self-control. He wishes them to perish because they are such. And this, however, is not for everyone to say: 'God' therefore 'and my Lord'; for he who does what he says to Him truly calls the Savior 'Lord'; for he says: 'Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?' (Luke 6:46). And again: 'They acknowledge God, but deny Him by their works' (Titus 1:16).

The saints call God 'God' not by mere voice, but having been made intimate with Him and serving Him like priests, becoming healers. But they also serve Him by doing His will; for 'not everyone' 'who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven' (Matthew 7:21). He is called 'God' in the sense that He is Creator: 'In the beginning' 'God made the heaven and the earth' (Genesis 1:1). Thus it is also said, 'God of spirits and of all flesh,' according to the creation. But otherwise He is called 'God' of the saints, according to worship. In this way, God of the patriarchs has been said. And according to creation, as was being signified, He was God of all, of all things which He has made. And again, He is Lord of all, being to them the very being and governing them under His providence. But in another way, He is Lord of those doing His will, of those practicing what was commanded, and as a master to slaves. 'Judge me, Lord, according to Your righteousness' (Psalm 7:9). 'According to Your righteousness judge me.'

It seems again that what is said exceeds and contradicts with other words. But the difference is not made by the meaning, but by the voice. 'He shall not be justified,' he says, 'before You every living thing,' instead of 'no living thing.' And he says 'living' meaning living according to soul, most rightly; not 'before You.' As if they are nothing toward You. Just as you would say also concerning lamps, that they do not shine before the sun. But this does not indicate that they do not shine.