Thursday, October 04, 2012

Social Justice vs Biblical Justice Part II



God created us all different. We have various talents, aptitudes, and skills. Because of this, some individuals produce and earn more wealth than others. As social justice advocates obsess about eliminating all economic inequality, they are at war with the very nature of God’s creation.

This does not mean that we do not have to care for the needs of others. Scripture is very clear about that. It just does not say we should insist that the government take over what is our responsibility.

The Bible does not condemn economic inequality. The book of Proverbs makes it clear that some people are poor due to their own choices. There is nothing unjust with people reaping what they sow, whether wealth or poverty.

Neither did Jesus condemn this inequality. He did indeed warn about the trappings of material wealth; He commanded compassion toward the poor and suffering.

Jesus also told His disciples that they’d always have the poor with them. (Matthew 26:11) In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:24-30) He condemned the failure to use one’s God-given talents – whether many or few, exceptional or ordinary – by having a lord take money from the one who had the least and give it to him who had the most, thereby increasing economic inequality.

One more scriptural example concerns the general way that God works with mankind. In the Old Testament, God worked directly through the nation of Israel. If a person wanted to know God, he had to go through that one nation. 

After Israel rejected Christ as their Messiah, God turned to individuals, both Jews and Gentiles. We no longer come to God through a nation. God wants His work done by individual people.

If we, as individuals, demand that our government do the work that we should be doing, we are also going against God’s plan. Any money the government has must be taken from someone who earned it. That person then has less money to do the work that God called him to do.

The mission of our Lord Jesus Christ was to redeem us, not redistribute our property to create economic equality. Those who like to paint the conservatives with the brush of heartlessness miss the larger point. Conservatives care. They want more of their own money to do more of the work God has given them. They see the fallacy in demanding the government confiscate wealth with the purpose of providing for the needy. That removes the compassion and the poor are still poor.

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