Towards Practical Answers
February 27, 2006 · Print This Article
“Becoming a just church is not an afterthought we ‘tack on’ to our normal way of doing church; it is a fundamental shift in understanding and practice.”
This week we have begun our journey out of the theoretical and into the practical. Building on our discussion thus far we have charged ourselves to begin uncovering the daily things each of us can do to begin living the “Just Life.”
What does the lord require? (Micah 6:8) With our prayer, in our minds, in our homes, in our community, in our city and globally, with our giving, with our purchases, with our vote — What do we do tomorrow that we didn’t do today? How are we to live?
St. John of the Cross said in 1591 “A Christian should always remember that the value of his good works is not based on their number and excellence, but on the love of God which prompts him to do these things.”
I do believe it is helpful to use the “justice continuum” we have been discussing to help us keep our eyes on the goal of going beyond compassion to true biblical justice. You can review the previous post on this here.
I also think it is helpful to recap the distinctions we have made between Community, Social Wealth, Financial Wealth, and Works as the four fundamental elements of a just life/church:
· Community: We seek the “beloved community” built on the spiritual disciplines of submission and fellowship that reflect Acts 2 and Galatians 3:28.
Social Wealth: We desire to foster the spiritual discipline of simplicity so that we can free our lives, talents, networks, resources, etc. for the sake of others.
· Financial Wealth: We know we are to honor the spiritual discipline of stewardship and give not just a tithe of our earthly wealth but everything we have back to God.
· Works/Action: The spiritual discipline of service calls us beyond compassionate acts of charity to a life of sacrificial service to others — to loving as Jesus loved.
“God wants us to relieve suffering, pursue justice, facilitate reconciliation, and free the heart to love, but He desires for us to do so in a way that reveals His Character. It is not enough just to do well for others or to do things well. We must do well in our unique way in order to reveal the vast creativity of a God who loves to bring change through the most unlikely channels.” ~Dan Allender
I look forward to all of your thoughts.
Practical application of the Gospel is what WC is all about.
As we practically apply the Gospel we simply need to remember the purpose of said Gospel.
Full Restoration.
Adam lacked nothing before the fall. His relationship with God assured that. That abundant (complete/whole) life is what is mentioned in John 10:10.
“My [Christ's] purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”
Our purpose should be the same.
WE cannot create unity, equality or abolish lack. GOD, by definition, is The Source and Supply. In our practical application we must point to The Source and show how one can be enabled by The Source. (Psalm 23; Deuteronomy 8:18; Philippians 4:13)
We can plan - but must give God enough room to bring results. Our plans should not inadvertently try to solve issues ourselves, they should however, give God the opportunity to be marveled.
I Corinthians 3:7 (NLT)
“The ones who do the planting or watering aren’t important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow.”
Final Comment:
When strategizing, plan scenarios where God can bring the increase. The results belong to Him.
…and…
may The Source be with you!
God Has a Plan. It is in the Bible. He is going to accomplish His Plan whether or not we as individuals or we as a group get on board. His plan can be summarized in the prayer that Jesus taught us; “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done on Earth as it Is in Heaven.” It is the theme of Social Justice and in runs throughout the Bible. When we get to Jesus in the Bible, we find a departure from the example of earlier figures like David. Jesus “ups the ante” in that He commands a NEW law. It is not simply “an eye for an eye”, it is to “Love as I have Loved you.” To the extent that this imperative is in conflict with individual and group geopolitical ideology, that is the extent that self identified Christ followers must choose. We cannot give unquestioned allegiance to individualistic consumeristic, competitive “free market capitalism” when it hurts the poor. We cannot give unquestioned allegiance to government initiatives when these hurt the poor or anyone else (e.g.,well intentioned but ill serving social programs or well intentioned but counter productive regulations). Likewise, to the extent that “free-markets” give someone in need “a cold cup of water” they are congruent with God’s plan and the support of Christ followers. To the extent that a government program provides for those in need, it is congruent with God’s plan.
As a community dedicated to justice and identified as “fully devoted followers of Christ” we cannot have it both ways. The final arbiter is Christ’s agenda and not the Democratic Agenda or the Republican Agenda or any other agenda. It is a countercultural notion in the Church today whether it is in “liberal protestantism” (sp?) or with “conservative evangelicals” that you can be a fully devoted follower of Christ and fully devoted to your brand of political partisanship.
There is a cost to this (note how Martin Luther King was treated by the U.S. government and by democrats and republicans, by Whites, and in many instances by Blacks). Jesus told us of this cost and He demonstrated this cost–it is the price of being His “fully devoted follower.” As a Christian community are we willing to embrace this commission and endure this cost? Or do we want to avoid the discomfort? Do we undertandably yet naivley entertain the hope that we can have it both ways????
Don.
Important correction to my 3/1/06 comment, it should read, “it is a counter-cultural notion in the Church today whehter with “liberal protestants” or with “conservative evangelicals” that you CAN’T be a fully devoted follower of Christ and a fully devoted follower to your brand of politcal partisanship.”
From a previous post:
Social Justice, this Blog and WC are not about political/partisan faux solutions like government redistribution (Socialism/Communism).
Social Justice, this Blog and WC are about a CALL TO ACTION FOR CHRISTIANS to live, teach and impart the total restoration that Christ brought us!
It is high time that Christians got up off of their blessed assurance and out of their godly boy recliners and started acting like they serve, love and worship a God that has a little bit of power. (2 Tim 3:5) You know the God, the One who created the universe with the spoken word that now lives inside every Christian. Yeah, that one.
Governmental redistribution is not an answer.
It oppresses those it intends to help by giving hand outs and not a hand up (think of a 30 year old still living at home).
It is unbiblical. Prov 6:10; 2 Thess 3:10 “whoever does not work, should not eat.”
It steals resources from Christians that they could use to be distributed in a manner without God.
Christ did not say, “Your government should minister to the poor.” He said we as individuals should. It is clearly the responsibility of the church not the government in the Bible. Governmental redistribution is elitists stating that it is not their job or responsibility to help the poor. Jesus specifically commands us otherwise.
Saying the government has a responsibility to cure poverty in effect says that your God is not big enough!!!
We need to not limit what God can do. He can, does, and should work through individuals, groups, communities, those who are not considered Christian by other Christians, and yes, government organizations.
Question:
Can a government entity love? Can it show compassion? Can a government entity share The Gospel and lead people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ?
The answer to the third question is a resounding ‘no’.
Why do you suppose Christ commanded us to Love? To release the oppressed? Did he not command us to do those things in His name?
We are asked/commanded to do these things to bring glory and revelation to God.
Bottom line….the government cannot point to God or give the Glory to God. In fact, some politicals who wish to give hand outs away also wish to abolish God from public life.
This is why it is the Church’s responsibility - WE are supposed to lead people to Christ!! The government cannot do this - Only We as Christians can!
While a government program can do good, it cannot do good IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
God’s Word is first and foremost a call to individual responsibility, not corporate or government responsibility. We need to quick passing the buck of responsibility back to government agencies and corporate initiatives it is the Church’s responsibility. Please carefully re-read my above posts.
If someone is thirsty for a cold cup of water, the vehicle that delivers it is less important than the fact that they get it. Many of the same people (e.g., conservative politicians and angry right-wing talk radio hosts)who are against government programs to help the poor have not said a word when it comes to tax subsidies for the wealthy–like Exon-Mobil, to name one example, which made more profit in the last quarter than any business entity in the history of mankind. At the same time Citco oil (a Venezuelan concern), is voluntarily giving away substantially reduced in price heating oil– through a voluntary charitable organiztion–to help poor people who cannot afford to heat their homes in Delaware and Massachusetts. This action should be applauded given that the same administration that saw fit to cut heating oil subsidies to the poor are subsidizing the American oil industry (as the Editor for the National Review noted, our current “Energy policy is great if you believe that the American oil industry is in dire need of help from the American tax payers”). Yet a couple of senators who are against big government are very “concerned” about Citco’s voluntary help to the poor. They are calling for an investigation because they are accusing Citco of “unfair” business practices. I suspect that they are threatened by the fact that Venezuela may rain on the profit parade of American oil interests.
My “religion” is not big government, nor is it completely unregulated “free market” capitalism. I do believe in the importance of helping those in need. Unfettered market forces have no inherent morality–only the people who choose how they will use the tool. Likewise, government can be corrupt and inefficient, yet the power of community can do a lot of good also e.g., streets and sanitation, emergency medical personnel, libraries, etc. I agree with Barbara that government can be a force for good. All solutions including “free markets” are “faux” solutions to some extent this side of heaven (in a post fall world)–that is why we need God’s love, power, and grace.
A colleague of mine that I knew when I lived in Colorado once made the following comment during a discussion about faith and works; Being a very non-”touchy-feely” kind of guy (he was a former Vietnam fighter pilot)his comments were congruent with his personality. The way he saw it, if the grass on his lawn needs to get cut he had three choices, he could pay the kid that lived up the street to do it, he could get out his lawnmower and do it himself, or he could pray to God to do it. He said that he was convinced that two of those choices would work. I think we can ask for God’s help with social justice and unlike the vet’s beliefs God CAN perform miracles (in spite of the belief of some theologians that the age of the kind of miracles that we read about in the Bible has passed), I think for the most part however, that action in VARIOUS guises is required. Aids orphans get fed when people AND governments take action. My beief is that it does not have to be one or the other.
However it happens, through government, through the private sector–most likely I suspect, through some combination–my allegiance is that it (giving the least of these a cold cup of water) gets done because that appears congruent with God’s plan.
Amen!!
It is great to see bits and pieces of your discussion. I will look forward to stopping in and visiting your discussion group sometime soon. It is certainly our hope at Willow to live out Christian compassion and to be agents of justice both in and through our community.
Many blessings to you all.
Mae Cannon
Dir of Development & Transformation
Extension Ministries
Willow Creek Community Church
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May I challenge you to remember that this is not about what we could do, what man can do….but what GOD COULD DO THROUGH US. Giving power and money to the federal government simply takes away the ability for GOD TO WORK HIS MIRACLES THROUGH US and bring GLORY TO HIS NAME VIA THE CHURCH.
We cannot solve supernatural problems with natural (secular) solutions.