Denial and Affirmation One

We are not adherents of the secular “Social Justice” movement as held in progressive circles, but we do believe that biblical justice has social implications, particularly in protecting those who are most vulnerable and marginalized.  

Commentary 

The Bible is replete with commands to care for the poor, defend the powerless, seek justice for the widow and orphan, and come alongside and support the oppressed. This is biblical justice or righteousness (in Scripture, both words belong to the same word group and carry similar meaning), and it necessarily has social implications (this is not the social gospel which views social reform as central to the church’s ministry and mission). It reflects God’s nature (Dt. 32:4; Isa. 45:19) and his design for shalom in the kingdom (Isa. 9:6-7; 11:6; Jn. 14:27; 16:33; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14-15), in which Jesus is the King (Ps. 2:6; 110:1-2; Jn. 18:36-37; Heb. 1:8; 2 Pet. 1:11; Rev. 19:16), which is now and not yet. Some will refer to this biblical concern as a desire for social justice, which is not the gospel, but it is an outworking of the ministry of the gospel. 

The secular “Social Justice” movement, as held in progressive circles, shares some of the same concerns as a biblical understanding of justice. However, it reflects a commitment to Critical Theory, which analyzes human societies, including the entirety of cultural ideas and values, solely in terms of the power imbalance between oppressors and the oppressed. “Social Justice” specifically focuses on power and the need for emancipation of marginalized groups within structural domination, oppressive societal systems and institutions. It offers no hope of forgiveness or redemption, and it has no goal apart from continual revolution. It fails to deal with the deepest problem affecting human societies—the reality of human sinfulness and our separation from God (for more on Critical Theory, see below). 

In contrast, the Bible offers the redemptive story of creation (Gen. 1:26-28), fall (Gen. 2:16-17; Gen. 3), redemption (Rom. 3:24; 1 Cor. 6:9-11), transformation (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 3:18), and consummation (Phil. 3:20-21; Rev. 21:5). Our righteous and just God created a "very good" (Gen. 1:31) world that has been spoiled by human sin. All humanity stands under God’s just judgment. But in his mercy, God has purposed to provide a means of redemption through his Son Jesus Christ, who satisfies God’s justice through his sacrificial death, thereby justifying the unjust (Rom. 3:21-26). He was raised to new life as Lord of all through his resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:36; Rom. 1:4). In union with Christ (Jn. 3:3, 5; Rom. 6:5-11; Gal. 2:20-21; Eph. 1:3-14), God’s people are to be renewed by the Spirit (Tit. 3:5) to be instruments of God’s grace, seeking to reflect the love of Christ in the world. In Christ, the categories of justice and power are fulfilled only as they are transformed through the gospel (1 Cor. 1:18-25) so that weakness is strength (2 Cor. 12:9), dying is living (Mk. 8:34-38), and serving is greatness (Mk. 10:45; Phil. 2:5-11). 

Jesus, our Lord, who was "gentle and lowly in heart" (Matt. 11:29), taught that the greatest commandment was to love God supremely (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37-38; Mk. 12:28-30; Lk. 10:27; cf. 1 Jn. 4:8, 10, 16) and to love others sacrificially (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; Mk. 12:31; 1 Jn. 3:16-18). Our sacrificial love of others reflects our love for God (Jam. 3:9; 1 Jn. 4:20). We are especially called to show compassion toward the poor (Dt. 15:11; Psa. 82:3,4; Prov. 22:9,16,22,23; Jer. 22:16; Gal. 2:10), including any who are needy, powerless, and vulnerable, such as widows and orphans (Jam. 1:26-27), the elderly, the disabled, the unborn, the immigrant, the minority, or the mistreated (Zech. 7:10; Lk. 14:10). We are called to have compassion for the poor because this reflects God’s concern (Prov. 14:31; 19:17) and reflects a love toward God. Moreover, when we show compassion to others (cf. Heb. 10:34), we are exhibiting the character of Christ (cf. Matt. 9:36; 14:14; Mk. 8:2; Lk. 10:33; 15:20). 

With hearts touched by the gospel, those who have experienced God’s compassion toward them in their own poverty (Matt. 5:3) cannot help but extend that compassion toward others (2 Cor. 8:7-8). Under the old covenant, God established laws that were intended to promote justice (Ex. 22:16-23:9), and the Lord, through the prophets Isaiah (1:1-17) and Amos (5:7-15), refused to accept Israel’s worship when their hands were guilty of injustice to the poor and needy (cf. Prov. 21:3). Through the fulfillment of the new covenant in Christ (Jer. 31:31-33; Lk. 22:20; Heb. 8:13; 9:15; 12:24), enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:11; Gal. 5:22-23; 1 Thess. 1:5-6), the church, at her best, has always lived out the gospel with compassion for the poor and justice for the oppressed. In the early church, it was evident in the way God’s people cared for those with physical needs, especially among those whom society marginalized (cf. Acts 2:42-47; Gal. 6:9-10; Jam. 2:1-10). 

Our love for our neighbor ought also to include a desire for justice for the oppressed (cf. Pss. 33:4-5; 82:3-4; Prov. 29:7; 31:8; Isa. 1:16-17; Jer. 22:16; Zech. 7:8-10; Matt. 23:23-24; Lk. 4:18-21). The commands of Scripture are clear and unambiguous such that seeking biblical justice is an imperative for Christians—an imperative grounded in the indicative of God’s grace in the gospel: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic. 6:8). 

The church has often vacillated between two extremes in pursuit of ministries of compassion and justice: either by focusing on the physical needs of people while neglecting the spiritual or by seeing people only as “souls to be saved” and disregarding their tangible suffering in this world. The example of the early church in Acts 6 provides a helpful model. When the Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jewish believers) raised a complaint against the Hebrews (Aramaic-speaking Jewish believers) that their widows were being neglected in the distribution of food (Acts 6:1), the apostles guided the congregation to address the situation by appointing some to oversee this task (Acts 6:3). But they did so while maintaining the priority of their ministry of the Word and prayer (Acts 6:2, 4). Jesus met the material needs of many through feeding (Jn. 6:1-14; cf. Matt. 14:13–21; Mk. 6:30–44; Lk. 9:10–17) and healing (Matt. 8:13; 9:2, 22,28; Mk. 3:5; 5:34, 41-42: Lk. 5:13; 17:11-19; Jn. 9:6-7) while also maintaining the priority of preaching His Kingdom and the forgiveness of sin (Lk. 5:17-26; 19:10; Jn. 6:35-36). 

Certainly, our highest priority must be the ministry of the Word and the proclamation of the gospel (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-3), for the gospel alone addresses our deepest need (Acts 4:12; Rom. 5:1; 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; 5:9; 1 Tim. 2:5-6), and the church alone can bring this gospel to the world (Matt. 28:18-20). But while maintaining this priority, we ought not to neglect the very pressing material needs of those around us (Matt. 7:21-27; Jam. 2:15-17). Love requires no less.