What responsibility does the church have for social justice? Pastor Eric Robertson addresses this question with insight and revelation.
“Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.” The church has traditionally stood behind this idea and should continue to stand behind this. (Isaiah 1:17)
Church and Social Justice: Some of the greatest social breakthroughs in history were products of revival and faithful christians living out their faith in Jesus.
What Happened: The Church dropped the ball and the World picked it up
- Social Justice has been not only redefined but how we do social justice has been changed. Instead of individuals being responsible we have shifted the burden to our governments.
- Social Justice has been weaponized against Christians who are afraid to support everything that has been forced into the defintion. The church often chooses all or nothing, rather than a biblical position.
Social Justice Ditches: the gospel will offend the left and the right because the left says that the top is inherently greedy and the right says that the bottom is inherently lazy. The gospel offends both because the gospel says that we are all inherently sinful.
The Jesus Kind of Justice
- Worship is more important than your wokeness (Matt 26: 6-13)
• A Christian’s calling is the change the world through our relationship with Jesus not our good deeds
• What you pour out on God is more important than why you pour out on other people. - Jesus exerted power under the government, not over it (Matt 22: 21)
• Jesus never wanted to overthrow the government and create spiritual change through political power.
• Jesus’ death on the cross was revealed not only the love of God but the corruption of sin. Jesus showed us Justice by revealing the injustice of the world systems
• Christians can not trade the power of God for political power - Your Spirit is more important than your stomach
• What I am not saying is that salvation puts food in your belly and clothes on your back. That is out of balance.
• James 2: 14-17 We can not tell someone that Jesus loves them and send them on peace
• We have to prioritize the sickness over the symptoms and the sickness is sin.
• John 6 26-29
• We need to address the spiritual need and the physical need. Not either/or
What Can you Do?
- When you do it for Joe you’ve done it for Jesus
• What you do for the least of these in our society you have done to Jesus
• It is not our job to figure out people’s intention, it’s our job to help. - Don’t fight the culture, influence culture (Romans 12:2)
• You will never change the world with a facebook post. You can’t argue with trolls and feel like you have done your part.
• Influence your world through your actions, not your opinions.
Question: Am I out of balance? Am I living out the Jesus kind of Justice?