Ok so I noticed that I apparently made a poor choice in timing when twittering last night. It apparently was seen as a response to a previous twitter by a friend of mine, and it read….
“tired of people jumping on a Social Justice Bandwagon, we need to understand true justice begins with our need to be reconciled with Christ.”
Now then…. This was not meant to be seen as a response, but as a statement all in its own. I didn’t even see the twitter that I was assumedly responded to until after it had been posted. I read the blog that would follow this twitter, and I wholeheartedly agree that we as Christians are called to serve the needy, and to feed and clothe them…. I want to Echo everything that was said in that blog. You did a great job on it Abe…Read it here www.collidewithme.com
Now let me clarify what I was referring to.
What I was implying was that in the world there is a growing awareness for the need of justice. All over the world there are new causes popping out of the ground like daisies…. Everyone wants to support justice…. It’s the “cool thing” right now…. People asking “which cause do you support?”
Don’t get me wrong I believe that there is a significant need for justice.
But at the same time we need to remember that the subject of justice is often fueled by sentiment and political platforms rather than truth. There is emerging in the earth a false justice movement that is rooted in politics and humanism and devoid of the apostolic revelation of Jesus Christ. If we do not address the issue of social justice the way the Scripture answers the issues, believers will drift and neglect our great salvation.
This is the bandwagon….. This is the movement that is sweeping the nation. It is a movement who’s theology is rooted in Humanism, of which the seeds cause the questioning of the power of the Gospel of Jesus.
What is the “false social justice movement?”
As stated above, much of the present justice movement has a theology that is fueled by humanism, which starts with the plight of humans rather than the plight or the burden of the Godhead. The burden that asked “Adam where are you?” Human sentiment causes us to use the plight of humanity as a means to make sense of God’s ways rather than using the knowledge of God to make sense of the human dilemma. Many of the causes that we see are “make you feel better about yourself” causes, “atta-boy” causes that say “look at you go….you did a good thing by donating X amount of dollars to the poor….KUDOS” IT is a movement of many areas that also has potential to pull the church into. This is not a good thing, and here is why….
Lets look at What “Justice” means…
Essentially justice is ” making wrong things right…”
It says in Ps.97:2 “… Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” God is just. He is, there is no way around it. There is a vision in the heart of the Father to establish justice in the earth. The subject of justice lies as the very core of the apostolic gospel proclaimed by the Son of God and the apostles of the early church. The establishing of Justice is central to the 1st and the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. With that said, we need to get to a place where we dedicate ourselves to the Action Plan for true biblical Justice
1. Constant Prayer
2. The proclaiming of Jesus as the Just One.
3. Works of Justice.
These combined together make up for True Social Justice.
As followers of Christ we are called to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless….but we are to do so in the name of a Savior who is ultimately just. Every year we hear reports of ” (insert foundation name here) raised $XXXXX and fed XXXX amount of people for the entire year.” While I think the works are great, I want us to get to the point where the reports read ” because of the mercy and grace of a Just God, (insert foundation name here) raised $XXXXX and fed XXXX amount of people for the entire year.” we need to make sure that any act of justice is done so in the declaration of the name of Jesus. Otherwise our “works of Justice” prepare the way for the needy to receive the Antichrist. “That’s strong statement Scott….I’m not sure I agree with you.” and that is fine, but honestly think about it. We need to make sure that every act of justice that we are able to do is only possible by the grace of God and not through anything else. Otherwise we are acting “justly” and the recipients are not A: ministered to, B: they don’t know who’s name you walk in (Jesus’), and will C: think it is just another handout as seen by the False Social Justice movement. Social action outside of the context of the gospel and the preaching of Christ is an opportunity to get our eyes off the injustices in our own soul and to begin staring at the injustices of others and their victims.
NEWS FLASH: THE ANTICHRIST WILL FEED THE POOR, ITS GOOD FOR BUSINESS
WE ARE ALL GUILTY AND NEED JUSTICE IN OUR LIVES….
“For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus”. Romans 3:22-26
One of the realities that must be confronted in the subject of justice is that there is not one person in the earth, not one governmental system, political party, culture, social status or gender that is righteous. A great error in the present social justice movement is the “sanctifying” or the “deifying” of any group where by virtue of their position or status in society they get assigned a moral standing before God. The issue of justice starts with our right standing with the Godhead in Christ Jesus without which there is no justice. The day that humanity broke fellowship with God is when injustice entered into the world.
The subject of justice on the earth is vast and complex starting our need to be justified in the court of heaven as individuals but the gospels also covers the vast subject of justice related to abortion, poverty, misogyny, oppression in the marketplace, law enforcement, medicine, education, employment, public services, racism (systemized prejudice), corruption, sexuality, immigration laws, the church’s posture before and interaction with government, the individual destiny of nations, etc. The issue that is facing the church in regards to the subject is not a new humanitarian method or program but the issue of the apostolic ministry of intercession; the apostolic gospel that is to be brought to the poor and the oppressed with apostolic power flowing from apostolic lifestyles. The poor and the oppressed need a message that will raise them up out of the ash heap of their personal depravity, as well as individual and corporate oppression.
Take a look at Isaiah 42:1-4….. It describes God’s plan for justice in the earth. His plan for Justice in the world is Jesus….
“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.
He is my chosen one, who pleases me.
I have put my Spirit upon him.
He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout
or raise his voice in public.
3 He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
4 He will not falter or lose heart
until justice prevails throughout the earth.
Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.[a]”
How did Jesus do this when he was on the earth? By doing everything out of obedience to the Father, and doing everything in his name. Therefore shouldn’t we do the same….?
Our hope is to always return to our DNA, the apostolic gospel, the preaching of Christ, which is the true message of justice to the governments, the nations of the earth and to the poor and the oppressed. The true gospel will fuel the poor and oppressed with endurance (Mt 7:24-25) for the greatest crisis that lies ahead of them.
This is a bandwagon that should be jumped upon…. One of true justice and not the current humanistic one that is prevalent in today’s society…..
I HOPE THIS CLEARS EVERYTHING UP…..
Be Blessed, and chase purpose….