Social Justice

[Treasure the Questions]

I see social justice, i.e. working for justice in the society around us, as an extension of Christian love, which is a result of knowing God's love and grace.

I use economically poor people as an example, but we should be open to giving to each according to their need and our ability. If we can befriend lonely people we should do so, too. If we can live in a way that allows Jesus to peek out at people then that is the best way to preach the gospel.

Words can be shallow and many people have been hurt by the church or simply turned right off it. We need to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves when it comes to using words to preach the gospel.

If Jesus didn't want us to feed the hungry in his name why did he make such a big deal about it in the parable of the sheep and the goats. Feeding the hungry, visiting the lonely etc is what Jesus requires of us.

 

[ahab]

Treasure the Questions,



My friend, its still good debating with you. Maybe I’ll get to greenbelt for a day next year and buy you a fair trade coffee.



So I see social action as working to help those in need in our society, whatever the need physical or spiritual and social justice as the spiritual revelation of the gospel of Christ preached, as an extension of Christian love, which is a result of knowing God's love and grace. That sounds like a bigger picture to me.

Words can be shallow and many people have been hurt by the church or simply turned right off it. We need to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves when it comes to using words to preach the gospel.

I agree we need to be very sensitive to the situation and as to 'the message', and we are often insensitive as church. However the word of God is also living and active, like a double edged sword and divides soul and spirit. Man cannot live by bread alone but on every word from the mouth of God. No wonder many were hurt and turned away by what Jesus said as we all discover in due course that there is a cost as a disciple.

If Jesus didn't want us to feed the hungry in his name why did he make such a big deal about it in the parable of the sheep and the goats. Feeding the hungry, visiting the lonely etc is what Jesus requires of us.

But He did want us to feed the hungry and visit the prisoners and look after the widows and orphans etc.

Excuse me for saying but it seems to me when I say we are commissioned to preach the gospel, heal the sick and help the poor you say we should help the poor. The great commission is surely that we make disciples because disciples feed the poor as well.

Also Jesus gave a number of examples elsewhere of giving and helping the poor. However as I said before, the difficulty with the sheep and goats in Mathhew 25 is that it suggests salvation to eternal life by good works and to eternal condemnation through lack of works. This is contrary to everythings else said in that salvation is grace by believing in Jesus. So many believe this is about how the nations will be judged according to how they respond to the gospel and its messengers. Some believe it concerns the nations treatement of Israel as a sort of dispensational theme, and others like you it seems believe Matt 25 refers to treatment of the poor. I agree with the Biblegateway.com commenatry that "this parable addresses not serving all the poor but receiving the gospel's messengers..."one treats Jesus as one treats his representatives."

 

[Echoes Peak]

Can I tell you BOTH that I've been reading your comments and they have proven to be very insightful? And it's absolutely wonderful to see two Christians discussing an issue without it turning vicious

 

[Sharp]

Can I tell you BOTH that I've been reading your comments and they have proven to be very insightful? And it's absolutely wonderful to see two Christians discussing an issue without it turning vicious

Christian social action should be both political and benevolent. The former addresses evils and promotes good in general society like the anti-slavery movement and the fight for religious freedom. The latter helps the poor and enables people to live better.

 

[Dogman]

Sounds to me that some here have never dealt with poverty, certainly not personally and probably not professionally either. If they had they would drop the attitude that people in poverty deserve to be there. That, of course, would require that they actually knew and understood poverty-rather than simply indulging their class bias towards the poor.

 

[Treasure the Questions]

Today's daily dig from the Bruderhof Community said

We Who Call Ourselves Christians
[font=Verdana,Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Eberhard Arnold[/font]
[font=Georgia,Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
The first Christians expected people to be freed from suffering, to be liberated from injustice, war, and bloodshed – in short, from the “normal” social order of things. They expected the transformation of all things political and economic, and gave their lives in service to that goal.… This ought to challenge our consciences. We who call ourselves Christians today have done so little in this regard that we must ask, Are we really Christians at all?

Chop-Chay and the Great Commission: http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/chop-chay.htm?source=DailyDig[/font]

http://www.bruderhof.com/

 

[ahab]

Hi Treasure the Questions,

The first Christians expected people to be freed from suffering, to be liberated from injustice, war, and bloodshed – in short, from the "normal" social order of things.

Spiritually yes. As Christians we are aren’t we? Paul rejoiced and praised God when in prison because he was free. Jesus said to preach the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven to the free the poor and set the captives free. Jesus has the victory, whatever happens to us we have eternal life, its the hope we can trust in, in the world there is plenty of evil, hate and suffering.

 

[Treasure the Questions]

However, Eberhard Arnold is among those who think Jesus was interested in more than our spiritual freedom. Have you read Steve Chalke's Lost Message of Jesus? From what I have seen of his past writings and the extracts I have read he is an evangelical who dare shout that Christians need to be concerned with the physical as well as the spiritual. He dares say that the Emperor has no clothes!

Karin

 

[ahab]

Hi Treasure the Questions,

Well yes both, again! However I am not sure I entirely agree with Eberhard Arnold. Jesus said the poor will always be with us and there will be wars and rumours of wars and some of us would face persecution. Does Eberhard Arnold give any scriptures?
I am not aware that evangelical churches are less active in social action, in fact, my opinion is that they are probably more active. Why bring ‘evangelical’ into it again.
However, you agree I presume, that when Paul says give thanks in all circumstances and rejoiced and praised God when in prison, this was because he was set free by Jesus?

 

[ahab]

I am not normaly keen on discussing theological Christian categories, but seeing as Treasure the Questions has mentioned evangelical, this is an opportunity for me to thank the Roman Catholic church and praise God for the wonderful work they do in my area, particularly with the homeless.