Is Social Justice a perversion of the Gospel?
Glen Beck, Fox News anchor and analysts, made the comment that social justice was a perversion of the Gospel. “Social” meaning it covers all people in the society, and justice meaning that “equality” or more specifically “fairness,” must be legislated in order to have justice for all people. When it comes to the Gospel, some have suggested that serving the less fortunate and disenfranchised is the same as preaching the Gospel. What are your thoughts.
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Comments
Rob Hoskins
I think it’s dangerous to equate social and justice issues with the Good News. There are many worthy God-given commissions, there is only one Great Commission.
Michael Lee
Social Justice was never taught in the scriptures, Jesus said, “the poor you will always have with you”
When the diciples tried communisum in the early church God sent persecution and scattered them. There are times when pooling resorces is a must but never legislated by government.
We should always volunteer to help out neighbor but should never be mandated by our government or church for that matter, it is not love if it is forced…
Michael Hawn
Glen Beck perverts the Gospel.
Roy
Yes, it is a perversion of the gospel. It is nothing less than the social gospel that arose in the late 1800s and destroyed the mainline denominations.
The gospel does have social implicaitons and effects, but the gospel is the good news concerning Jesus Christ and what He has done for His elect in His keeping the law perfectly for them, and suffering the curse for their sins unpon the Cross as their Substitute.
Mike Ware
Billy, thanks for the continuous challenges through your blog. I’m not so sure I like the term “social justice” as much as I like the term “benevolent charity”. The way social justice is being used today among some seems to mean “we will take it from you and give it to whom we think most deserve it”. Whereas, I believe the Christian form of “social justice” should be, “I want to do what Jesus would do, I see the need, I want to meet that need, I want to help that person so I will take what I have and voluntarily give it to meet that need.” I would rather give of my time and money voluntarily because I see the need than to have someone expect me to give it because they see the need.
No matter what you call it Jesus said, “If you do it to the least of these my brethren you’ve done it unto me.” I think serving others is the ultimate demonstration of the Gospel and clearly reflects the kindness, compassion and love Jesus has for them. It’s Jesus with skin on. We don’t need legislation to do what Jesus commands us to do – we just need to do it!
Chere Flanagan
Social Justice IS the gospel.
Luke 4:18-19. James 1: 27.
Randy Pool
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 NIV
We tend to see those in need as “harassed and helpless” and seek to find ways to bring relief and development so that they can be strong and help themselves. Jesus says they are like sheep without a shepherd. Rather than trying to move people from a poverty world view towards a middle-class world view, we should be seeking to move people from a poverty world view towards a Biblical world view. The Bible can correct the destructive values without changing those aspects of personality that are distinctive and yet consistent with scripture. The goal is to lead people to be more like Jesus, not to be more like us.
Leading those in need to Christ and providing personal discipleship will equip them for change. We must look with compassion, lift up the arms of the weary, and point them to the One Who makes the difference. People don’t need to be shown greener pastures – they need the Shepherd. Only Christ can change the heart, the mind, the soul.
Relief is a response based on immediate need. It is a moment in time when you are able to “give a man a fish”. It is based on the commitment to seeing a life helped. It is the row boat in the flood. It is the hot meal and warm blanket after the storm. Relief efforts may be limited to a particular crisis, or they may address a particular on-going need such as clothes closets, food pantries, utility assistance, etc.
Development is a process of transformation. It is “teaching a man to fish”. It is an agenda that involves personal relationship, education, investment of time and energy and a commitment to seeing a life changed. It is the mentoring and training of those who desire more than a “handout”.
The goal of development is to help the individual reach a new level of self-respect and to equip them with tools for making positive and Godly choices for their lives as well as for eternity. The answer to poverty is not to help the poor think like the middle-class and follow their example, but rather to develop the “mind of Christ” and to follow His leadership. Christian development will provide a biblical worldview from which to make life decisions based on the Word of God.
The process of development requires time and an investment of energy and patience. It may begin through relief work that earns the right to be heard. This leads to establishing a relationship. Testimonies of God’s faithfulness coupled with biblical instruction provide the fertile ground for fruitful development. Seeing and hearing how God works in the life of a believer is the best classroom. Allow God’s Spirit to motivate and be patient with set-backs. Miles Stanford wrote, “God does not hurry in His development of our Christian life. He is working from and for eternity!”
The fruit of development will be seen in a changed life. It will have a name, a face, and a story. More than that, it will begin to reproduce itself in the lives of others trapped by similar struggles. True development will create a new cycle – a cycle of redemption that replaces the cycle of poverty. Those who have received a “hand-up” will begin to reach down to others. It begins with relief but it can’t end there. D.T. Niles is credited with the quote, “Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar, where to find the bread.”
Jesus fed the multitude, but that was not the end to which he aimed. He offered himself as the “Bread of Life” that would fill more than their stomachs. He taught them how to live in the Kingdom of God, whether on earth or in heaven. He taught them how to love both God and man. We too, must offer more than “fish and bread” to a starving world. We must give them Jesus, the Bread of Life, who will in turn make them “fishers of men”. We must do both relief and development.
Kerri Weems
The term “social justice” may have originally had the meaning Beck ascribes to it, but the term has morphed in modern times to include all forms of reaching out to the poor and disenfranchised in society. I have always taken the term “social” to imply that the type of justice being implemented was social, rather than judicial, in nature. The term “justice” I have always taken to mean fair, but not necessarily equal — in other words, “just.” Without a doubt we have a mandate as Christians to embrace active compassion for our fellow man, whether Christian or not.(Deut. 24:13-15; I John 3:16-18). Social justice, is not a perversion of the gospel, but a manifestation of the gospel at work. At the same time, we must never forget that, as the church, we alone in the earth are entrusted with the message of the Gospel. And while our good works can prepare the way for people to receive the message — while we need good works to build credibility in our communities — in the end the message MUST be preached. And that is a separate act from serving the poor. If you want good works without the message, join the peace corp or the junior league. But it is when the message is united with good works that we will see lasting spiritual fruit!
Bob Shapiro
What’s your definition of justice? If you mean that everyone is treated the same, then yes, that’s what the Gospel preaches.
But, liberals put “social” in front of it to change the meaning. Their new meaning is redistribution from those that have, to those that want. That’s socialism, not religion.
Now, some would say that it’s just charity, and I’m all for charity. But, charity implies that you give out of the goodness of your heart. When it’s forced – coerced – out of you by law, it ceases to be charity.
Also, some would define social justice as giving preferences to some people based on the color of their skin, because some people (not necessarily their ancestors) were enslaved by others who were not my ancestors. Somehow, I doubt that that’s what the Gospel is saying either.
I don’t listen to Glen Beck, but I can understand why he would get upset at some people who claim the Gospel supports redistribution (stealing) and racial preferences (reverse discrimination).
Buck Zengerle
I don’t think churches should ever use the term “social justice”. It is a term that communists, marxists, and socialists used to dupe people into thinking those froms og government were a good idea. Obviously, those forms of government are not good because the government then takes the place of God and the church.
The church was put on this earth to meet the needs of people. Let’s do what we are called to do, but I don’t think any church should use the term “social justice” because of what it really implies.
Rocky Barra
I think part of the challenge is “social justice” being too broad of a term to say that all of it is bad or all it is preaching the gospel.
Here are some basic values I believe honor God:
-when we “serve” the poor, hungry and “least of these” God is glorified. A couple key words are “serve” meaning we choose to give out of generosity, sacrifice and Holy Spirit promptings. That doesn’t mean taxes taken out of our pocketbook and managed by the Government, who has one of the worst track records of allocating and managing money.
-the poor, hungry and “least of these” assumes they are doing their very best and willing to work if able. Interpret Bible with Bible. There are plenty of scriptures which talk about hard work, saving and investing. I don’t have any problem with helping those who are in bad circumstances or poor because of bad choices or laziness, if you are led by the Holy Spirit. I don’t see any scripture which mandates that we owe money to those who are not willing to work, or those who are breaking the law by living in a country without proper documentation. I don’t believe Glen Beck was saying to not be generous or non-responsive to those in need.
-I do believe it is our Biblical mandate to help those who are truly needy, desperate and not able to help themselves. I don’t see any scriptural basis where our giving and charity should be dictated to our or pre-determined by the government. This greatly removes our ability to listen to God’s promptings and His stirring on our hearts. Our perspective is so messed up in America. I know very few people living in America whom I would put in a “Biblical mandate” category on must helping. There are many in America when you look at the big picture, but not nearly in proportion to other countries. In America, even a poor person can save up and go to an “all you can eat” buffet. There are countries where a person will never know what it’s like to drink clean water. They will never know what it means to be “stuffed” after dinner. These are the people God commands that we help. I believe God wants us to serve those people with a level of sacrificial giving. A key word is “giving”, not “taxing”.
-I don’t see any scriptural basis which says we should be mandated to have money we have earned taken out of our pocket by the government and given to others for the basis of equalization of wage. In face I would see the opposite in the parable of the different workers in the field. We are taught not to covet, and the be faithful under our working agreements with employers, not complain because someone got a better deal than us and we should be entitled to the same. We are also taught that if you are faithful with little you will be entrusted with much. We are also taught in the parable of the talents that different people were given different talent levels, and also had different results in their fruit. All of their investments were celebrated as long as they didn’t waste and bury their talent.
-Glenn Beck may have spoken too broadly in critiquing social justice, but I believe most of the principles denouncing entitlement are Biblically sound in principle. I love what he says about teaching our children that things like education is a privilege and not a right. When we look at our education, our job, our home, our family, our faith, our relationships and other freedoms as a privilege we are willing to work for it. We appreciate it. When we look at something such as education as a “right” we take it for granted and lose the ability to work for it because we expect it.
I am a sinner saved by grace. Lord please help me to always remember I don’t deserve anything good except what comes from God. Everything I have is because of His goodness and not my own ability. Help me to not be concerned with material goods, and be a sound investor with every resource that is entrusted to me. Forgive me for the times that I think I deserve something. I’m so truly thankful that I don’t get what I deserve. God is gracious and I am thankful with humility.
Greg DePriest
I believer the church has a responsibility to the poor however, we must never mistake “Social Justice” for “Gospel Transformation.” While Ayn Rand was an atheist, in her book “Atlas Shrugged” she laid down some principles that were Biblical in principle. One of the things that Rand points out is that much of our response is out of our guilt for our own lack of productivity.
Dianna
In Proverbs 31 it speaks of head leaders speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves. James it speaks of what is ‘pure’ religion (ministry to orphans and widows). The universal, biblical Bride (church) has abdicated that responsibility long ago and, in turn, the results of Her absence is what we see now; a perversion of God’s justice. It has now become a ’social’ doctrine of fairness with the absence of our Savior. In other words, we express deeds without Christ being in the center of the answer. So, yes, it is a counterfeit to biblical justice.
Billy
Thanks for all the comments….bottom line is we like to be “moved with compassion” like Jesus and not legislated to do anything. The Church should do all it can to help people regardless of their station in life. The Gospel in the beginning of the help that people need…everything else comes from living out the Gospel. Thanks, Billy
Frederick Hill
The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) like the Great Commandment (Luke 10:25-28) (Love God, Love your neighbor as yourself) are both proclamation AND demonstration. The problem comes when the Church separates the gospel into either proclamation OR demonstration. I suggest that either approach is perversion. Whatever happened to verses like Matt.5:16 “Let your light so shine before men that they may SEE (NOT HEAR) your good works (NOT GOOD WORDS) and glorify your Father who is in Heaven or John 13:34-35 ” A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Matt. 4:23, Matt. 9:35 “He went about teaching, preaching and healing…He went about teaching, preaching and healing”….Proclamation AND Demonstration. Reading through the Acts of the Apostles…and the Epistles we see the same pattern…Proclamation AND Demonstration. So I suggest that we preach the Word in and out of season but that our proclamation (Words) of grace be always accompanied by the power of demonstration (good deeds) otherwise we proclaim another gospel and not that of Jesus Christ.
Judy
Prayer works, Praying while working works better. We are God’s hands and feet.
deedee
To avoid making this a semantics issue, I want to point out the bottem line of “the social justice gospel” and why it is not biblical. It is that the emphasis is put on fixing human suffering and “saving the planet.” It is a belief that the “kingdom of God” is this world after “we” make it perfect again, rather than on the biblical “kingdom of God” which is not of this world. The emerging church spells this out. While of course charity and serving has always been a result of the Christian life, that is what caused the confusion, because no one is saying that we don’t feed the hungry and care for orphans and widows. Of course we do. But “the social justice gospel” joins with interfaith humanitarian efforts because the goal is works deeds based missions not equipping with the knowledge of God. Social Justice movement does not preach about judgment because it doesn’t believe in a literal hell, only the “hell” this world will be if we don’t all join together as one and fix it, and then Jesus will come back and be our leader here. This movement may tack on the name of Jesus, but not the Jesus spoke of in scripture as a whole. A social gospel just as easily fits budhism, unitarianism, etc. The great commision is to preach the truth of the bible and this feel good movement that makes us boast in man’s sight is not it. Do good quietly in God’s sight not man’s, and to man preach the gospel.
Jennifer
Social justice on a national scale is not possible. We have 6,000 years of social classification that alters thoughts and beliefs concerning the poor and disenfranchised. This was already occuring in the days of Jesus (the Samaritan “half-breeds”). Jesus did heal the sick and feed the hungry, but his main focus was on the soul. The Gospel is the salvation of the soul. The transformation that happens after that is on an individual basis and can’t be packaged in a social format. It’s the individual who saves the world, not governments. AND, this can only happen when a soul has been transformed through the Gospel.
bigJohn Scott
I have to think it’s not either or, but is a balance of both/and. Warren Wiersbe: ‘Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.’
Michael Fletcher
Social Justice should be the “result” of the gospel. It is part and parcel with the role of the evangelical church. We are called to advance the Kingdom, which Jesus called leaven. Society should feel our presence and change because of us. The gospel should create a people who defend the weak, eradicate poverty, free the slaves (27 million world wide today!), love the immigrant, etc. – social justice.
Jordan
Chere – I’m curious how you interpret those verses to mean that Social Justice IS the Gospel. The Luke reference states first and foremost that “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to PREACH GOOD NEWS.” It certainly doesn’t imply that by engaging in Social Justice you ARE preaching the Gospel.
For me the main issue is that there needs to be a distinction between Social Justice and proclamation of the Gospel. It’s more important than ever for this generation to realize that a worthy cause is not the same as The Gospel. I don’t deny that ministering to widows and orphans is a worthy cause, but Gospel? No.
I also think that the disciples set a precedent in Acts 6 and drew a line between Social Issues and the Proclamation of the Gospel. Yes, they designated people to tend to the needs of the neglected but they also said that it would, “Not be good” for them to leave the preaching of the Gospel for the sake of waiting tables. If the two were the same there would be no need for them to draw such a distinction.
Acts 6:1-4
1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
Ferrol Macon
One of the comments I find particularly interesting. “we have to be careful equating social justice with the good news…there are many good commissions but only one great commission”. To my knowledge what is considered to be the “the great commission” was Jesus’ call to go and make disciples. The early believers in Christ obviously understood this because the book of Acts refers to them six times as “the people of the way”. The real danger is separating “the way” from “the great commission”. If you do, you lose the ability to make disciples and replace it instead with making “converts” to a statement of beliefs.
Craig Groeshel has a new book out that I find quite interesting…”The Christian Atheist”. I have not read it yet by am very pleased to find someone generally accepted by the mainstream addressing the disconnect between the way live and what they profess. Look at what Jesus says when he announces His ministry in Luke 4 while reading Isaiah. I don’t see any way to separate “social justice” from the “good news”.
John 3:16 states that Jesus death was for all (yes some may not choose the gift it represents). If your life expression as a follower of Christ only benefits a few and excludes others I believe you are missing a key part of the core message of the life, death and ressurection of our Savior.
The next generation understands this and embraces it even if they don’t fully buy into our church structures and systems. Perhaps this is one place where the voice of God is trying to speak to us through “children” in the faith. (for the hardcore among us I realize I took liberties with that verse…I welcome your grace and mercy
.)
Ferrol Macon
One clarification…I believe as others have stated that “social justice” (as a principle not a political doctrine) should flow from the hearts and actions of believers not from the government as the result of legislation and thereb compulsion.
Markus Haist
Hi
I feel there’s a mixing of political and faith-based ideas here. If all were saved in a society then it would be heaven on earth, because everyone would ideally help those in need out of compassion and their own free will.
In a secular system, not everyone is saved, so you have to legislate some justice, because a society that doesn’t care for its poor is cruel and backwards. But that is, indeed unfair in a lot of cases … well that is the social contract you make for living in a somewhat more graceful society. But if government grows too strong and you start leaning towards a more communistic model, it starts becoming evil. So, the question is what is balanced and the lesser of these two evils.
You can’t legislate true justice, just as much as you can’t legislate faith.
Andy Jenkins
Serving the poor and under-served is not the same as proclaiming the Gospel. But, it needs to be done.
The Gospel changes things now- and in the future. The “now” is how we get into justice-related ministries. We’ve seen that service can open doors that are, otherwise, closed. Breaking addictions (and dealing with the issues created by them), overcoming economic disparity (and the related issues- on the scale of the OT turnarounds from famine to blessing)… can open doors to speak with great authority. Much in the same way that miracles and healings often do…
Two problems I see in the inner city, where I work…
#1. We must define justice. Justice is not feeding people under a bridge; it is getting to the root causes of why we have people living under a bridge. Justice is not handing out blankets; it is looking into the depths of why we need more housing… Whereas our acts of “charity” often band-aid situations, justice drives at the systems that create disparity. The Book of James speaks to this, as does the prophet Isaiah (and others). Systems create disparity when they are sinful- the results of sinful men. The Gospel does not just change the men; it changes the entire system.
#2. We must proclaim the Gospel. If you do not give a clear message, people will create their own (i.e, they will not connect your “good deeds” to “the Gospel” unless you tell them). The acts give you the platform from which to speak- but you must speak. For instance, at Pentecost, people did not automatically assume the disciples were overtaken by the Holy Spirit- they thought they were drunk. Proclamation was needed. In Lystra (Acts 14:8f.), when Paul healed the crippled man, the crowds assumed that Zeus and Mercury had come down. More clarification was needed.
In the end, people primarily need the Gospel- not our good deeds. But, good deeds accompany the Gospel- and often set up situations in which the Gospel can be- and should be proclaimed. So, no, justice is not the same as proclaiming the Gospel- but you need to do both.
H. Newton Malony
Yes, social justice and the gospel are intricately related. Faith starts with each individual as they accept Christ as their Savior and Lord. The two words “Savior” and “Lord” are very important. Savior means a person is saved from sin and Lord means they now turn from the past and follow Jesus in every day life. The gospel (the good news) is that we can turn from our sin to loving our neighbor as ourselves. This process of accepting Christ as “Savior” and allowing Christ to be the “Lord” of our lives is the sequence that makes social justice a necessary part of faith. Those who think the gospel is only about personal salvation miss the point.
Shane Ogle
My two cents…
I believe these are two seperate questions.One…is the term Social Justice appropriate in the Christian context of feeding the poor? Two…is feeding the poor equivalent to preaching the gospel?
The term Social Justice DOES have a marred past and has been resurrected by the left to make Socialism more acceptable. The fact the church has taken it and used it differently does not negate its more sinister implications. It plays into the hands of a political machine. I can use the term Spirit-Filled and it carries w it many connotations depending upon the stream I’m coming from. Largely, it means (in our modern day context) Pentecostal/Charismatic. Its often heard that way & perceived that way (for good or for bad). Social Justice is a borrowed term w very negative connections.
As far as question two… It is one component of the Gospel. Calvinists borrow from Spurgeon who said, “Calvinism is the Gospel”. Some say foreign missions, others say evangelism thru preaching, others healing and miracles, prophecy, baptism, the church body, faith, grace, etc. It’s all the Gospel (except maybe Calvinism)! To reduce the Gospel to one component is to miss it altogether. When we ONLY do humanitarian deeds and neglect Jesus in the process, we abandon Christian discipleship and we join Oprah’s book club (or the like).
Finally, forced charity is no charity at all. The truth is the very politicians who espouse such things give 1 to 6 percent of their incomes to charity… The church does MUCH better than that! When it comes to giving & serving (a Servolution), I believe we’ve been called to lead the way rather than follow!
ryan
Mr. Beck has a differing view of eternity than believers. We hope for resurrection unto eternal life, serving and worshiping the God of creation and redemption. Mr. Beck believes that he will become that deity as a member of the LDS church. This is not some subtle difference that can be granted orthodoxy, but a radical perversion of the Gospel. As NT Wright said (and I will paraphrase from Surprised By Hope), Our view of what happens after life determines how we live our life.
While we as Americans are entitled to a myriad of right and wrong political views, to be influenced theologically away from serving the poor and oppressed with both mercy and justice based on American Politics, is, in my opinion, a great danger to the church, and a selling out of the Great commission. Politically, one can align themselves with Mr. Beck if they so choose, but I would not advocate allowing someone to influence theology and the duty of Christian service if they have an entirely different end-game from the resurrection and the eternal Lordship of Christ.
That said, the LDS church is light-years ahead of the body of Christ organizationally with regard to their social gospel. I have a former-LDS friend who gave birth to a baby girl who was adopted through their church sponsored adoption program. Additionally, the LDS church has emergency food, clothing and household resources at the ready for the needy. And their “Mormon Socialism” is not an option. For many of them, their tithe has been deducted from their paychecks like taxes (this may have been changed through legislation, but it used to be an option – I’m not kidding!). Mr. Beck’s comments were not in keeping with the practices of his own skewed faith.
Is social justice the whole of the gospel? No. But as many previous posters have indicated, it does seem to be on the heart of God, and therefore it must accompany the message of the gospel. Cross-cultural ministers have been exemplifying this for generations.
I think we are at a critical time in American Church history, where we can choose to put on display the kingdom of God with the fruits the Spirit of God has been growing within us, or we can serve the American Kingdom; which is as good as it gets on Earth, but woefully short of perfection through redemption, regardless of what side of the aisle we like the best. The temptation, like a Screwtape prophecy, is to grant our chosen side of American politics clemency from righteous judgment, i.e. – liberals can simply shrug-off abortion, or conservatives can sidestep the greed of big-business. Both parties are run by flawed humans, all of whom are working toward a false vision of Utopia, neither of which has the power to save us from our sins. Only Christ does that, and he does so with perfection.
Personally, I am pretty conservative politically, but I find Glenn Beck’s approach to be at odds with many, if not most biblical mandates. As conservatives do, I reference Ronald Reagan, who inspired our nation with hope, constant hope. If faith, hope and love remain, they must be the conduits for our message of salvation. Jesus left his followers by telling them, “In this world you will have troubles. Take heart, I have overcome the world.” Past tense – overcome. If that is true, then we can serve this perishing world without fear, only love.
Billy
Well said Ryan.
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