Have we come to see Jesus only as personal that we forget His people? The most deadly sin of omission in churches today is the neglect of institutional evil and structural injustices, whereas, the Bible repeatedly emphasizes on the destruction God brings to nations who neglect and oppress their poor. How do we have a balanced view of affluence in contrast to His call to "divest ourselves to the poor" (Luke 12:33) and "do justice" (Micah 6:8). How Should we imitate Jesus in His deep concern for the poor? Should we feel guilty of not giving enough? What is 'enough'?
I picked up a book titled, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, intrigued by what lies within. The lights from my bedroom clock showed me it was well nine past five. I began flipping through the pages; little did I know I would not be able to "unread" what I was about to read. With every turn, I was glued all the more. Convicted, challenged, and comforted, as the mystery of the Biblical call to justice was clarified to me. A sentence reads,"When we choose to participate in or benefit from social evil, we sin against God and our neighbor." It goes on to show the example of Isaiah 5:22-23: “Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!” I exclaimed to myself: "Wow! I certainly have never heard this preached!"
My reading reveals that social injustice is as abominable to the Lord as personal sins.
Another verse I read in Ephesians 5:5, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
I thought: "What?! The sin of covetousness is the same as adultery and idolatry?"
Then, it clicked.
The pursuit for riches too often leads to war, strife, and trampling on other people’s rights—causing their pain and suffering. The love of money, as the Bible said, is the root of all evil. Are we not guilty of greed when we demand an even higher standard of living while neglecting the injustices of the world and starving children?
Often times we see Him only as giving of freedom that we neglect his giving of wisdom. Jesus calls us to be Kingdom-culture creators on earth. Guided by the vision that we are first a citizen of Heaven and second of earth, Christians should push for Kingdom work here on earth. We participate in the uprooting of systemic injustice because God did not send down the Holy Book but the “Word in flesh”. We advocate for justice because God did not just send the crowds hungry after his preaching, but fed them with loaves of breads and fishes.
A time has come for 21st century Christians to reclaim the Christian values of mercy, justice, and peace as it had been in the past.
Holiness and Justice should not be pitted one against the other.
“Justice and justification by faith, worship and political action, the spiritual and the material, personal change and structural change belong together.”
So you ask: "Then what? What are we to do?" Hold on, don't fall into despair just yet.
I challenge you to have a balance view of wealth as Jesus neither abhor riches completely nor poverty all “blessed.”
“Biblical Christians should reject materialism without falling into asceticism. They will delight in the splendor of the material world but not forget that things ultimately cannot satisfy. They will enjoy the good earth and celebrate its abundance without neglecting sacrificial sharing with the needy. They will distinguish between necessities and luxuries. They will enjoy possession while recognizing their seductive danger. When forced to choose between Jesus and the possessions, they will gladly forsake the ring for the Beloved” (Sider).
The all-encompassing Gospel should permeate all aspects of our life—social, political, personal, and relational. Identifying with the God who has special concern towards to poor and lived to reverse the social order which oppresses them, we too, should live a life of simplicity in solidarity with those in need and pursue justice. We would be the ones to bend the moral arch of the universe towards justice, as M.L.K once said.
May we be lover of people, not lover of things,
Tam
