It always gets me when people downplay the social justice element of the Gospel. For an excellent book that defines the mission of God through the Old Testament and emphasizes the essential nature of both verbal proclamation and ethical living for living out the biblical mission read Christopher Wright’s The Mission of God.
I was responding to a comment and thought it was worth posting for further discussion here. I stand by my claim that ending poverty is essential to God’s mission and here’s why…
Deuteronomy 15:4-5 “There will, however, be no one in need among you…If only you will obey the Lord your God by diligently observing this entire commandment that I command you today.”
Leviticus 25 provides further details about how the Israelites were to live with each other justly, doing away with inequity every 50 years so that poverty was never generational. It’s interesting that Jesus’ mission statement in Luke 4:18-19 quotes a passage in Isaiah 61 that refers directly to Leviticus 25, “the year of the Lord’s favor”. The good news to the poor is definitely literal here not spiritual.
In Luke’s story of Jesus’ encounter with Zaccheus (19:1-10) salvation is connected to his obedience to the law’s command to do justice (Leviticus 6:1-5). This is not a “works-based” salvation, but a fulfillment of the command to reconcile unjust and unethical social relationships. Zaccheus is called a “son of Abraham” because he understood the law and put it into practice. Surely Jesus came to fulfill that law and not do away with it (Matthew 5:17).
When Jesus says, “the poor you will always have with you” (Matthew 26:11) it is in the context of the woman anointing him with expensive perfume. Many scholars take this as an indictment of the disciples. They were ticked that this lady wasted something expensive, but they weren’t actually caring for the poor themselves. They just thought it was a waste. If anything this passage elevates the need to care for the poor. Don’t make me quote Matthew 25!
Besides that there are something like over 2,000 verses that speak to the issue of poverty and dealing with it. James says that true religion is caring for the orphan and the widow (1:27), which refers to dealing with unjust social relationships. In fact James is almost a retelling of Leviticus 19 for the new community in Christ. Leviticus 19 gives instructions for caring for the poor (vv. 9-11,13,15-16). Verse 15 says “you shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great.” It’s not about elevating the poor to some super spiritual status. But it is about creating just and equitable social relationships. These codes were written so that everyone would have the opportunity for economic viability. That’s what biblical redistribution is about.
I’m not saying that economics is not important to understand. But too often our economics defines how we read the Bible instead of the other way around. Economics is a reality we have to deal with as Richie well pointed out, but the Bible teaches us how to deal with it.
I encourage you to run, not walk, to wherever you can order a copy of The Clashing Worlds of Economics and Faith and order one today. Tell your professors you have more important books (or book) to read. Not saying the book disagrees with anything you wrote (it doesn’t), it just clarifies how hard it is to “deal with” what the Bible teaches.
Example: The Israelites of Leviticus and Matthew had only a limited use for money and resources in their economic construct. You could either hoard it, spend it on consumption, give it to the poor, or tithe it. There was no concept of saving & investing back then, no concept of economic growth or job creation…
Reducing poverty through growth and job creation are important issues in dealing with poverty today, but they are something that don’t exist in the Biblical construct because they are very capitalistic. We gotta have all the ideas and understandings on the table before we can “deal with” them.
“just and equitable social relationships” – opportunity for economic viability
to me, probably only me, this seems like a huge couple of statements. i believe we would all like to see this be but to say that it is biblical seems to stretch it.
again, to me , poverty is a result of circumstances and yes we should strive to get people out of poverty but again it is hard for me to say resolving poverty is essential to God’s mission.
can we as humans begin to understand what is essential to God’s mission, other than the ten commandments?
It is always fascinating to see what people view as “biblical” and what is not, what is “important to God’s mission” and what is not.
Good word nemesis!
thanks for the comments everyone… i think this is something important to talk about.
thanks again for that book recommendation, justin. it’s on my list. i definitely agree that we have to translate the biblical mandate into economic terms that make sense today. i tried to add that in at the end by saying that economics is an essential part, but it has to be defined by the biblical worldview.
dad- i tried to carefully root what i was saying in the biblical text which is why i quoted and referenced so many verse. so, i’m not sure why you disagree that this is an essential part of God’s method. i’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
nemesis- you’re just jealous because i’m always right
i’m not saying that this is the totality of God’s mission, in fact it’s not, but i am saying that it is essential.
part of what i am saying is that you are saying it is essential.. i am not sure that God is saying that it is essential..important and needed.. maybe on a social level and not on a religious level.
i’m wondering why you think that. i’m basing it on some of the things i wrote above about what the biblical narrative says about it. so i was wondering why you felt differently?
I was not disagreeing with you Lucas. Just making an observation. It is indeed fascinating to see what people believe is essential and what is not. Most of it has to do with culture.
Is is possible to seperate the social from the religious in-light of the religio-social nature of the coming kingdom?
i think you did a good job of backing up your ideas. let me ask this..is it the most essential and/or what are some of the other essential..is that a silly question?
nemesis (chris)- i know you weren’t disagreeing. i would say that it’s not possible to separate the social and religious, or better the private and public or proclamation and ethical living.
dad- your question is a really good one. no, i wouldn’t say it is the MOST essential, but i think it is not considered essential by a lot of Christians. “Ending poverty” is almost the tip of the iceberg of the broader concept of God’s justice and his kingdom or rule on earth. other essentials would be proclamation of the gospel (which should include the justice aspect) of the unique revelation of who God is through the history of Israel and especially the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus makes the kingdom of God and repentance pretty essential.
those are just some thoughts. it seems like people have a lot of things they think are essential to Christianity, but not necessarily (good) reasons for why.