Social Justice and the Gospel

The linked video is a bit long, so I do not expect anyone to watch it. If you do watch it, I believe it will provide you valuable insight into how Social Justice is infiltrating the Church and what we should do about it.

The host of this panel discussion asks the following question to the group, "Where do we see Social Justice in society (outside of the church)?" Answer: we see it everywhere. Social Justice, Intersectionality, and Critical Race Theory permeate politics, academia, media, entertainment, and even sports. Why should we be concerned about these things? Answer: because the Social Justice Movement (SJM) has already gained a foothold in the church through vehicles such as MLK50, Revoice, and Living Out. The threat the SJM presents to the church is to the Gospel. The SJM has as its aim to make the Gospel more inclusive by effectively redefining sin. Sin will no longer be anything that is contrary to God's law, it will be anything contrary to what the SJM says it is. This is an issue that Christians cannot remain ignorant of.

 

The SJM that we see in the church tries to use nuance that (it thinks) separates itself from the SJM we see in the world. That line of thinking is incredibly naive.

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The 2018 Statement on Social Justice is a response by some leading pastors and theologians against the threat the SJM presents to Christ's church and the message of the Gospel. It acknowledges that any form of injustice is sin, including sins based on ethnicity and sexual immorality. The panelists in the video in the OP mention this, as well as agreeing that discussions against injustice based on ethnicity can be profitable to the Christian community when they do not attempt to redefine the Gospel or seek "social reconciliation" in any way not prescribed by scripture. This is not acceptable to proponents of SJ in the church. They are not looking for constructive dialog that preserves the authority of scripture and the purity of the Gospel. One only needs to do some research on Revoice, MLK50, and Living Out to understand their agenda. Together for the Gospel and the Gospel Coalition are one step behind the three conferences I mentioned, but not far behind.

 

Here is some of what the 2018 Statement on Social Justice states in response to the SJM in the church:

Imago Dei
WE AFFIRM that God created every person equally in his own image. As divine image-bearers, all people have inestimable value and dignity before God and deserve honor, respect and protection. Everyone has been created by God and for God.

WE DENY that God-given roles, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, sex or physical condition or any other property of a person either negates or contributes to that individual’s worth as an image-bearer of God.

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 1:26-30; 2:18-22; 9:6; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17; COLOSSIANS 1:21-22

Justice
WE AFFIRM that since he is holy, righteous, and just, God requires those who bear his image to live justly in the world. This includes showing appropriate respect to every person and giving to each one what he or she is due. We affirm that societies must establish laws to correct injustices that have been imposed through cultural prejudice.

WE DENY that true justice can be culturally defined or that standards of justice that are merely socially constructed can be imposed with the same authority as those that are derived from Scripture. We further deny that Christians can live justly in the world under any principles other than the biblical standard of righteousness. Relativism, socially-constructed standards of truth or morality, and notions of virtue and vice that are constantly in flux cannot result in authentic justice.

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 18:19; ISAIAH 61:8; MICAH 6:8; MATTHEW 5:17-19; ROMANS 3:31


Sin
WE AFFIRM that all people are connected to Adam both naturally and federally. Therefore, because of original sin everyone is born under the curse of God’s law and all break his commandments through sin. There is no difference in the condition of sinners due to age, ethnicity, or sex. All are depraved in all their faculties and all stand condemned before God’s law. All human relationships, systems, and institutions have been affected by sin.

WE DENY that, other than the previously stated connection to Adam, any person is morally culpable for another person’s sin. Although families, groups, and nations can sin collectively, and cultures can be predisposed to particular sins, subsequent generations share the collective guilt of their ancestors only if they approve and embrace (or attempt to justify) those sins. Before God each person must repent and confess his or her own sins in order to receive forgiveness. We further deny that one’s ethnicity establishes any necessary connection to any particular sin.

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 2:16, 17, 3:12,13-15; PROVERBS 29:18; ISAIAH 25:7, 60:2-3; JEREMIAH 31:27-34; EZEKIEL 18:1-9, 14-18; MATTHEW 23:29-36; ROMANS 1:16-17, 3:23, 5:12, 10:14-17; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-11; 2 CORINTHIANS 11:3; GALATIANS 1:6-9; TITUS 1:12, 13; REVELATION 13:8

Complementarianism
WE AFFIRM that God created mankind both male and female with inherent biological and personal distinctions between them and that these created differences are good, proper, and beautiful. Though there is no difference between men and women before God’s law or as recipients of his saving grace, we affirm that God has designed men and women with distinct traits and to fulfill distinct roles. These differences are most clearly defined in marriage and the church, but are not irrelevant in other spheres of life. In marriage the husband is to lead, love, and safeguard his wife and the wife is to respect and be submissive to her husband in all things lawful. In the church, qualified men alone are to lead as pastors/elders/bishops and preach to and teach the whole congregation. We further affirm that the image of God is expressed most fully and beautifully in human society when men and women walk in obedience to their God-ordained roles and serve according to their God-given gifts.

WE DENY that the God-ordained differences in men’s and women’s roles disparage the inherent spiritual worth or value of one over the other, nor do those differences in any way inhibit either men or women from flourishing for the glory of God.

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 1:26–28, 2:15-25, 3:1-24; EPHESIANS 5:22-33; 1 CORINTHIANS 11:7-9; 1 TIMOTHY 2:12-14; TITUS 2

 

continued from the previous post...

Race / Ethnicity
WE AFFIRM God made all people from one man. Though people often can be distinguished by different ethnicities and nationalities, they are ontological equals before God in both creation and redemption. “Race” is not a biblical category, but rather a social construct that often has been used to classify groups of people in terms of inferiority and superiority. All that is good, honest, just, and beautiful in various ethnic backgrounds and experiences can be celebrated as the fruit of God’s grace. All sinful actions and their results (including evils perpetrated between and upon ethnic groups by others) are to be confessed as sinful, repented of, and repudiated.

WE DENY that Christians should segregate themselves into racial groups or regard racial identity above, or even equal to, their identity in Christ. We deny that any divisions between people groups (from an unstated attitude of superiority to an overt spirit of resentment) have any legitimate place in the fellowship of the redeemed. We reject any teaching that encourages racial groups to view themselves as privileged oppressors or entitled victims of oppression. While we are to weep with those who weep, we deny that a person’s feelings of offense or oppression necessarily prove that someone else is guilty of sinful behaviors, oppression, or prejudice.

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 1:26–28; ACTS 17:24-26; 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7; 2 CORINTHIANS 12:16-18

Racism
WE AFFIRM that racism is a sin rooted in pride and malice which must be condemned and renounced by all who would honor the image of God in all people. Such racial sin can subtly or overtly manifest itself as racial animosity or racial vainglory. Such sinful prejudice or partiality falls short of God’s revealed will and violates the royal law of love. We affirm that virtually all cultures, including our own, at times contain laws and systems that foster racist attitudes and policies.

WE DENY that treating people with sinful partiality or prejudice is consistent with biblical Christianity. We deny that only those in positions of power are capable of racism, or that individuals of any particular ethnic groups are incapable of racism. We deny that systemic racism is in any way compatible with the core principles of historic evangelical convictions. We deny that the Bible can be legitimately used to foster or justify partiality, prejudice, or contempt toward other ethnicities. We deny that the contemporary evangelical movement has any deliberate agenda to elevate one ethnic group and subjugate another. And we emphatically deny that lectures on social issues (or activism aimed at reshaping the wider culture) are as vital to the life and health of the church as the preaching of the gospel and the exposition of Scripture. Historically, such things tend to become distractions that inevitably lead to departures from the gospel.

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 1:26-27; DEUTERONOMY 10:17; ACTS 10:34; ROMANS 2:11; EPHESIANS 6:9; GALATIANS 3:28; JAMES 2:4

 

Yes. I saw a video by Todd Friel that put Mohler's refusal to sign in context. Al Mohler did not disagree with the affirmations and denials of the 2018 Statement on Social Justice, although he gave a wishy-washy reason for not signing it. Friel pointed out that Mohler is dealing with serious issues within the SBC and the SJM's infiltration into some segments of the SBC makes the issue of SJ a hot potato. If Mohler says the wrong thing he could exasperate the situation and make it far worse than it already is. What does Al Mohler actually believe about the SJM in the church? Here is a recent quote from Al Mohler's June 14, 2019 episode of The Briefing:

"Ideas, as we know, do have consequences. One of the most lamentable consequences, the main consequence of Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality is Identity Politics and Identity Politics can only be rightly described as antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

 

The SJM has already sewn the seeds of disunity in the church. Brethren are looking at each other with suspicion. Some are even calling into question whether those they disagree with are in the faith. Social Justice Warriors (SJW) do not play nice. They are not beyond using guilt and shame to either silence those who disagree with them or to get them to capitulate. Because the Gospel is at stake silence and capitulation is not an option, but neither is callousness and insensitivity. When there is an injustice within the church, the church needs to deal with it biblically. When love and compassion are called for, we need to give both unreservedly. We can do these things without embracing a worldly system that seeks to destroy what Christ has established.

 

Brother, I think that depends on how far an individual has given themselves over to the SJM. Most falling aways are incremental. What starts as a slow leak eventually winds up in either heresy or apostasy. While those are sad ends, those of us who remain faithful in Christ* need to be unwavering in our dependence on and proclamation of the Gospel. If this reads as though I am being overly dramatic, please forgive me. When the Gospel is being assailed the stakes are high. Our response needs to be as serious as the threat that we face. Make no mistake - the culture will (and already is) push(ing) back hard. We will be maligned, marginalized, and even persecuted but that is nothing compared to what our Lord endured. Those who love the Lord should be able to come together on this issue even while we disagree on other areas of theology.

*Our faithfulness in Christ is really His faithfulness to us.

 

Here is what Russell Moore had to say on Social Justice and the 2018 Statement on Social Justice (SOSJ):

"In almost every case, we are not really talking about 'social justice' and we are not even talking about social engagement broadly. We are almost always talking about race," Moore asserted. "I don't even want to concede to the conceit that what we are talking about is a broader issue of social engagement because again, that is almost never the case. Some of the very people who would say this are the people who have talked about, and rightly so, abortion and the systemic public problem of abortion."

"We don't simply say Jesus can forgive people for abortion, therefore, let's not worry about whether or not the law recognizes an unborn child as a person," Moore added. "They don't do that. What we are really talking about here is an issue of race."

Moore added that it is "disheartening" to see the Church repeat the same problems of past centuries with the "same talking points."

If I were to put the best possible construction on Moore's comments I would say that he and the signatories of the SOSJ are talking past each other but that does not seem to be the case. None of the signatories of the SOSJ are denying that ethnic injustice exists. Moore makes it seem as those these men are not aware of America's history, especially the part of history in which a section of American Christianity defended slavery. He believes the SOSJ is a repeat of the talking points of that era. Moore is wrong in his assessment. The men on that panel roundly condemned slavery, just as they condemn ethnic injustice today. Either Moore did not read the statement with a charitable attitude or he is purposefully misrepresenting what these men wrote. The SJM is not just about addressing existing wrongs, it has a definite Leftist agenda. Sometimes people see what they choose to see and vice versa. Russell Moore seems to want to see the SJM as a boogeyman constructed by those who want to perpetuate ethnic injustice. I believe he is on the wrong side of this issue.