Social Justice and the Church

Social Justice is becoming quite the buzzword in Christian circles and churches today. We invite guest speakers in to talk about issues such and child soldiers, poverty, abuse and human trafficking. There has been a rise in NGO's (religious and non-religious) to combat these problems. People are choosing churches based on the social justice programs that it has and people are starting to come to church because of their support for these things.

First, I want to say that I am all for it. If anything the church needs to step up in a bigger way on these issues (And they are starting to). Micah and Isaiah talk about it in the Old Testament. Jesus, Paul, James, Peter all mention it in the New Testament. I love hearing people talk about their heart for the widows, orphans, homeless, oppressed and tormented. I want to ask a question though. Is our focus on Christ? What I mean is this:

Are we rescuing these people from their situations, but failing to give them something Eternal?

Now I am not suggesting that we force Jesus on people or cram a Bible down their throat. The decision has to be theirs and theirs alone, but are we making it clear that He is the driving force in our lives? Are we communicating that he is our everything and our savior both for now and eternity? The founder of Gospel for Asia makes the statement that we have given them relief, hospitals, water and food, but they have died and gone to hell. That is not the result that we are looking for, but the reality is true. If someone is delivered from their present situation but their eternal destination remains unchanged, we have done a disservice in the long run.

My prayer is that you will take this situation before God and wrestle with it with Him. We need both. We are not called to bring them life that starts in eternity alone, but neither are we called to give them life now without inviting them into eternity.