Biblical Justice and Social Justice Part 3

Our Heavenly Father is wise and fair when He communicates His expectations to us. He does not impose on His children requirements or expectations without providing resources and reference points so they are equipped and able to meet His desires. God did not stop with demanding biblical justice from His people, He also provided the objective means for implementing such justice. God’s resource for administering justice is found in the Law (the first five books of the Bible). Take a look at a short passage which describes how God has provided for His people.

"The Lord said to Moses, 2 'Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.'"

Leviticus 18:1-5

The passage is careful to describe the responsibility of God’s people to follows His laws and decrees. Yet some of the laws are specific to the nation of Israel (sacrifices, promises, etc). How do we, as His people today, sort out laws for then versus laws or principles that are for all times?

Careful study of scripture using good interpretive methods
Understanding the culture of the time and issues being addressed
Look for underlying eternal principles (e.g. 1 Timothy 2:9 “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes”; the cultural issue was women in Ephesus using braiding of hair as a mark of being a temple prostitute. The eternal principle dressing modestly in light of one’s culture)
That which the New Testament affirms or cites is usually eternal in principle (Jesus affirmed Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:18 unequivocally).
Those instances that have passed are noted in the New Testament (Clean and unclean foods is addressed in Mark 7:19 “For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)” and in Acts chapter 10 with Peter’s vision of various animals)

Some guiding principles and underlying thoughts from the passage we should use today in our lives:

Don’t be swept up in the popular cultural norms of the culture in which you live
Be faithful to the principles and character of God

When God pointedly states that His people are to follow His laws and not adopt the laws of the surrounding nations, why is He being so strong about this idea of exclusiveness?

The two systems are not compatible. To seek to mesh the two results in conflicted living and tension in trying to reconcile the two.
Laws and regulations in conflict with the character and values of God will cause us to compromise in our worship of and living for God. During China’s one child policy abortion was mandatory and believers could not abide living by the law and still honor God’s creation of all lives. In the U.S. abortion is a choice and not a mandate, therefore, while we mourn and actively live in opposition to the law we can do so without being forced to personally sin against God.

Read Matthew 5:17-20; Jesus calls true followers of God not only to obey God’s Laws, but to embrace the intent and meaning behind His Laws.

Matthew 5:17-20 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

In the following passage (Matthew 5:21-48), Jesus is calling us to live not just the actions of the law, but to embrace the character of God and the motivations behind the commands.

Conclusion: When considering the issue of justice, one of the critical elements is to examine objectively the nature of the laws and regulations. If a law is inherently biased or unjust, it should be changed. If, on the other hand, the law is fair, the next step in looking to makes changes lies within the changing of hearts and minds rather than the changing of laws.