Injustice is a particular kind of sin

Proverbs 14:31
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker,
but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Our friends at the International Justice Mission (an amazing legal organization that deserves our attention and support) provided a lot of unique perspective for us.

They define Justice as “the exercise of power with moral excellence” and Injustice as “the abuse of power to take from others their life, liberty, dignity, and the fruits of their love and their labor.”

The biblical context for injustice is the abuse of power with a specific oppressor and a specific victim or involves the specific actions of a particular people. Scripture is not abstract, scripture names names. Therefore we need not be abstract — we can identify specific oppressors, specific people, and specific actions.

It may be overwhelming to even begin to list all the specific oppressors and victims in this world, but nevertheless every single life matters to God. It may be easy to get overwhelmed by the numbers, but it is a luxury even to be overwhelmed by the numbers. Scripture calls us out of that luxury and into God’s love for each and every individual.

What is God’s plan for justice? WE ARE GOD’S PLAN FOR JUSTICE. God rescued you so that you could rescue others.

Love those who suffer, because they have not heard the gospel (evangelism)
Love those who suffer, because they do not have basic essentials (compassion)
Love those who suffer, because they have an oppressor (justice)

Isaiah 1:17
17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.

A genuinely Christian reflection on social issues must be rooted in the self-giving love of the Divine Trinity as manifested on the cross of Christ; all the central themes of such relfection will have to be thought through from the perspective of the self-giving love of God. ~ Miroslov Volf, Exclusion and Embrace