In a world filled with sin, injustice and chaos, most people are looking for answers. As Christians, we have the answer. The gospel. The entire infallible Word of God. That is our hope now and forever. That is the hope for all humanity. We do not boast in the government, humanitarian efforts or social justice movements. These things have their place, but can often be viewed as “in place of” or “instead of” the only true hope which is Jesus Christ. When people hear or read my words and encounter my actions, do they see involvement in a man-made movement to rid the world of injustice? I know these will never truly create lasting change for humanity. What have you and I done lately that shouts the gospel above the social justice cries of this lost world?
We need to be begin by praying for God’s will to be done. This is a step of utmost importance and needs to happen prior to posting on social media or even spouting our opinion to friends and family. As we see what is going on around us, it is tempting to jump onto a bandwagon and implore God to join us there, but this isn’t the goal of prayer. When we pray the scriptures, our desires begin to align with His (not the other way around since we won’t be changing God’s mind). Our prayers are a way to align our hearts with God’s and ask for wisdom, as well as courage, to obey Him. Are we focusing solely on books by certain authors, opinions of experts, and the view of our political party to make our decisions about where we stand? Or are we genuinely immersing ourselves in the entire message of the Bible as we seek guidance from the Holy Spirit?
As we try to understand our sin and the sins we see in others, it is important to remember Who created us and why humans fail miserably. We need to start at the beginning. Our understanding of Genesis is the foundation for all the wrongs that we are witnessing today. When God created us, He did so in His own image. We are the human race and are all descendants of Adam. Not one person is a mistake or less important than another. All are known and loved by God before even being born into this world. Since Adam sinned, we are all now born into sin. It’s this sin that causes a separation from the very One Who created us. This is why we continue to rebel against God and deal with pride, injustice, lawlessness and countless other sins. Remember, this world is not your home, Christian! But as we pass through this life, our sanctification should be evident by our fruit.
Unbelievers are working for a different kind of America. They desire “peace” at all costs. They want a sort of utopia where all humans get along, people are treated equal, and violence disappears. They are demanding equality so all will feel loved and accepted. What does this sound like to you? To me it sounds like heaven (or a place similar to the garden of Eden). They are looking for it on earth and they are wanting it on their terms. If they include God, it means they would need to accept the fact that they too are sinners and in need of a Savior. Sadly, right now there are many self-proclaimed saviors who want to lead the people in a direction that seems right to them, but will only lead to destruction. When we leave God out of the equation, we become our own god and our own authority. We feel we don’t need to answer to anyone. Christians, we cannot continue letting Satan spread these lies without our voices proclaiming the Way, the Truth and the Life.
We are witnessing a whole crowd of people searching for heaven on earth and disregarding what the Bible says about how we experience such an amazing place. It may be because Christians have failed to go and make disciples, or it may be due to the hardened hearts of the unsaved. Regardless, now is the time to speak truth into this mess. Not a worldly version of truth. Only God’s truth will change hearts and minds. Only His love and forgiveness will change behaviors. The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few. Are we willing to do the much needed work of planting gospel seeds?
In my conversations with acquaintances about what a new “justice system” would look like, it is apparent that when someone makes a poor decision, there is always someone else to blame for that decision. For example: If I committed a violent crime, it was because I grew up in a poor neighborhood, had no father-figure, and felt oppressed to a level that made me unable to make good decisions. It isn’t so much what I did, but the circumstances I have experienced that matters. Therefore, I should now explain to the victim why I did what I did so they can make changes which can help me avoid falling into this crime again. Really?! As Christians, we must fight against this way of thinking. Each person is responsible for his or her own actions regardless of situation. Playing the blame game instead of experiencing consequences appropriate for your actions is not a realistic way to live. I fear this toxic way of thinking- if widely accepted as truth- can hinder one’s thought process and possibly lead to souls that remain lost for eternity. I say this because someday each person will stand before God and give an account of what they did with Jesus. I will be responsible for the choices I made. There will be no one to blame. And there will also not be any participation trophies if you did a few good deeds and tried your best. In the end, justice will be served- unless you trust in Jesus as the One Who already took the penalty for your sin. If so, there is no one to blame, but rather, Someone to worship forever! Accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior is a personal decision with an amazing inheritance! Rejecting Him is also a personal decision that will result in a vastly different outcome. There is a day coming when it will be too late to decide to trust in Jesus. We cannot neglect allowing consequences, both good and bad, for the individual decisions and actions of all people.
How do we begin gospel-centered conversations on social justice? By looking different than the world. Right now, we are being asked to do things that seem right, but actually go against scripture in multiple ways. We need to know what we are supporting and who is making the rules or setting the standards in any movement we join. Are we so ashamed of the gospel that we are willing to compromise it for temporary peace or a false sense of unity? As we study the words of Jesus to be peacemakers, it actually compels us to bring the peace of God. We aren’t talking about world peace here. We may wish we could all just get along, but a relationship with God is the only way to have true peace. We cannot afford to lose our eternal perspective of a peace that passes all understanding in this time of chaos.
When I look at what Jesus did on this earth, I find a very interesting contrast to the church today. Yes, Jesus healed ailments and helped with physical needs. But He always did so with a deeper goal. He spoke about sin, repentance, forgiveness, and hope. We cannot join in a social justice cause which is not rooted in the gospel and expect long lasting change. We must let God change the heart before we see any outward change for the good. Jesus Himself said He came to offer life and even more abundantly. When we fail to point to Jesus, we fail to bring lasting abundant life. Are we truly loving like Jesus if we let our neighbor remain in spiritual bondage? I won’t save anyone, but with my words and actions, I can show humanity the only One Who saves sinners just like me!
There is no more appropriate time to share the good news with those hurting due to the sin of racism. Listen to their story. Hear their pain. Pray with them. Speak truth over their situation. Show them how they are created in His image. Walk them through the Romans road and point out how their sin separates them from God. Explain that it is a personal decision to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Emphasize how God’s forgiveness can be generously applied to those who have sinned against them. Invite them to your home for a meal. Let them know they are welcome at your church. Do this with as many people of varying ethnicities as God puts in your path remembering that each soul is important to Him.
Today is the day of salvation! Not a salvation from the troubles of this world. Salvation for lost souls searching for love, justice, and peace. I feel it necessary to point out the fact that this battle we are witnessing isn’t against flesh and blood. We must lay down the labels of our day and call it what it is. This is a fight of good versus evil. We cannot use the wrong weapons in this fight. Using politics won’t help us win souls and conquer evil. None of our political parties are perfect. Not even close. Attempting to use the world’s standards of equality and justice will not satisfy either. We will only overcome evil with good. God is good. All the time. If we continue to fight this battle apart from Him, we will not see victories. Take heart! He has already conquered! Jesus has already paid the ultimate price for humanity. By His wounds we are healed. In Him we find supernatural power to love our enemies (who are ultimately also enemies of God) and do so in a way that glorifies our Father in Heaven! Let’s go into our communities with the message of Christ crucified, knowing that until a person understands and believes the gospel, there is no convincing them of other truths found in the Word of God regarding humanity.
Seeking Wisdom,
