“The Great Commission was clearly and definitively not a call to sit back and stay silent in a world of sin, evil, and suffering. From the very beginning, Christ designed for His disciples to run toward need–not away from it–to engage culture, not to ignore it. Yet, the church may be one of the only organizations in the world to define success according to what we don’t do.” ~ David Platt, Pastor-Teacher at McLean Bible Church, and founder of Radical
Why doesn’t God solve all the social justice problems throughout the world? Many Christians look to Jesus to solve all the world’s problems, especially when it comes to social justice issues. We blame God while we stand in solidarity with the marginalized and oppressed, protesting and speaking out against injustice. We should never allow the enemy to fill our minds with the idea that God is falling down on the job, especially when it’s a job God commissioned for us to carry out in the world. It’s popular in the modern culture to suggest that Jesus is the leader of the social justice movement, but this is not so. WE ARE the leaders of social justice, not Jesus. Jesus paid it all on the cross to save us from the power of sin and transform us. We are the agents of change, not Jesus. We need to quit passing the buck to Jesus because Jesus altered us and expects us to be the social justice change in the world that we demand. The Great Commission is for us to make disciples who make disciples for transforming the world, not sitting around waiting on Jesus to make it happen.
Scripture Readings
Reflection Questions
- What did you take away from today’s reflection and scripture readings?
- What do you think Jesus should be doing that is not getting done?
- Who do you think is responsible for social reform?
- Why hasn’t Jesus solved the injustice in the world if He’s is responsible for the change?
- What should social justice look like, other than protest and speaking out?
- Why are most social justice movements mostly talk rather than walk?
Lord, we know it breaks your heart to see the injustice in the world. By Your grace, you saved us to help usher in Your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Please help all social justice activists not to talk prudence while practicing evasion and blame. Please give us the willingness and courage to stand up against the injustices in the world and stand in solidarity with those oppressed and marginalized. In Your Spirit and Name, we pray these things. May Your will not ours always materialize, now and forever, Amen.
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